Hello from the charming town of Da lat! I feel like so much has happened since the Mekong, but really, that’s not the case. I think Ho Chi Minh was just so overwhelming it felt like we did more than we really did. So, first off, HCM is HUGE. I know NYC is big, I think this is a decent rival. Secondly, remember what I said about driving here? Multiply the chaos by 100. When the traffic gets exceptionally bad and the moto drivers don’t feel like waiting they drive up onto the sidewalk and we still have that problem of going whichever direction they feel. So, Whitecorn may never complain about NYC drivers again! As big as the city is, there isn’t a ton to do unless you enjoy nightlife which isn’t really our thing so…we didn’t stay long. Our first full day in the city we wandered around, but our timing was terrible and 2 out of the 5 places we wanted to go were closed for the afternoon and as we were hot and tired we didn’t feel like going back when they reopened. We did get to unexpectedly see the old post office which was actually really cool. They kept a lot of it the same, but modernized it. For example, the old telephone booths now house ATMs. We visited the Emperor Jade Pagoda as well as the history museum, but ended up skipping the botanical gardens due to the heat and being worn out. That night we went to a water puppet show which was very sweet and fun then had dinner on a boat that took us on a cruise along the river. The entertainment on the boat was extremely cheesy but the food was great and the views were interesting. The next morning we got up early to take a tour to the Cao Dai See Holy Temple and the Cu Chi tunnels. The temple was fascinating (Danielle, totally up your alley!) as the Cao Dai religion is a mixture of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Catholicism. The temple is very colorful and the people are very friendly. We then visited the Cu Chi tunnels. These tunnels were created by the Vietnamese guerilla fighters during the American War (what they call the Vietnam War here). We were fortunate enough to have a veteran for our tour guide and got a very authentic tour with real stories. The downside to the tunnels is there is a shooting range on the grounds where tourists can shoot guns like AK-47s, M60s, etc. Not only did this seem highly inappropriate in the setting, you can hear the gun shots all over the grounds. Despite this discomfort the tour was very informational and interesting. We took a sleeper bus from HCM to Da Lat. Sleeper buses in Vietnam are absolutely fascinating and left us wondering why no other country does it. The seats recline into beds. Everyone has their own little cubby bed with a blanket. What isn’t so funny is because they drive through the night they go absurdly fast and what was supposed to be a 7 hour trip took 5 ½ hours leaving us in Da Lat at the ridiculous hour of 3:30am. It was interesting to watch the town slowly come to life, but it is an experience we could have done without! We did manage to make the most of the day anyway and explored on foot this very sweet place. There is a beautiful lake, a cheesy but colorful flower garden, a cathedral and something called the “Crazy house”. A very strange place that is a bit hard to describe. Rough Guide says it is Gaudí meets Alice in wonderland. It is far better for you to look at the pictures than have me attempt to describe it. It makes for a fun outing- you can see the town of Da lat from the top and inside be convinced you are anywhere else in the world but here. Yesterday we went on an amazing canyoning tour that pushed us to the limits but was well worth it! The tour includes natural water slides, 2 dry cliff abseils, 2 waterfall abseils and a cliff jump. All a bit crazy and mentally challenging but an amazing and fun experience just the same. Tomorrow we continue our journey north to Hoi An which everyone has insisted we will love. So, looking forward to more things new and exciting! Love and miss you all, W&G
