Vietnam 2012 Look once, look twice, look three times, pray and cross the street.

Today we went on the Easy Rider motor bike tour. Cost $20 each. Our drivers were Hip and Hieu. The weather was still showery but we ventured out. Traveled west from Dalat and visited flower, vegetable farms, coffee plantation that had weasel's that boob the coffee and this brings a premium $$. Tasted rice wine which is 70% proof. Burnt all the way down. Then went to K'Ho minority village which is similar to the villages in Bali. Went to a cricket farm which are eaten fried and considered delicacies. Yuk - did not try them. Arrived in Nam Ban village which is about 30 km from Dalat and visited Cuong Hoan silkworm farm which was very fascinating to see the cocoons and then the thread being extracted in very primitive ways. Girls were working on very old looms which were electric but must be 100 years old. The looms come from China. Different patterns were being used and the finished product is then dyed and was beautiful. Bought a scarf for $6. We then went to Elephant waterfall which is spectacular. You arrive at the top of the fall and then descend down a steep goats trail to the base of the fall. I did not attempt the climb as it was too steep. Kevin came back exhausted and very wet from the spray and perspiration. Walked over to the Linh An Pagoda - with big happy Buddha which is a working monastery. The gardens were well maintained and lots of colorful statues throughout. We stopped for lunch at a local roadside cafe and ate Pho Bo - Beef Noodle Soup. From here we went to a families rice noodle operation which was in a shed that had a dirt and concrete floor and had many barrels for the rice to ferment and then it is ground to a liquid. This liquid is fed into modern equipment that churns out the finished noodle in a flat sheet. Noodles are then cut and bundled for sale at local markets. Headed back to Dalat and got caught in a heavy rain storm which resulted in Kevin and I getting very wet. Went to Crazy house which is an architectural designed fantasy house/hotel in shape of a hollow tree. Up down and around with many odd shaped rooms. A quick visit to the train station which is only used as a tourist / local transfer with a track of only 10 km. By the time we got back I was so sore, all my joints ached, I was very wet and tired. Went back to Peace Restaurant for tea and an early night.