Dalat

It was a scenic bus ride from Nha Trang to Dalat, and a steep climb up up at the end - can definitely feel a pleasant drop in temperature here. Found a great hotel (Dreams) and had an explore around the city. I had a run round Xuan Huong lake, much to the amusement of a few locals. We found a really nice restaurant in the evening (V-cafe) and had a Vietnamese/Mexican combination (sounds like a random mix, but it was good :)).




We met with an "easy-rider" motorbike guy (Loc) this morning - - to discuss options for travelling north of here. We've heard loads of really good reports about road trips with the easy-riders (on motorbikes with all the gear on the back!), although its definitely a more expensive option. We're hoping to go on a 5-day trip through the central highlands, then on the old Ho Chi Minh trail and through the jungle to Hoi An. We then rented 'normal' bikes for the day, and cycled around a few areas. The Lake of Sighs was a relaxing spot where we wrote a couple of postcards, then we cruised back via the Flower Gardens and the old railway station.




Next we visited the "Crazy House" which really is bizarre. This couple have built an extremely odd (but kinda cool) looking building with very interesting rooms such as the "tiger", "bear" and "eagle" rooms. It's certainly unique, and fun to see! Next to the "Stop 'n' Go" cafe, which also seemed slightly eccentric in nature. The guy that owns it used to be Mayor of Dalat...he has some funky artwork, and a large orchid garden. It's been a really interesting day :)