DAYS in Dalat

Day 1 in Dalat : OF KITSCH AND KRAZY CURVES

So I have left you with a picture of a hearty breakfast. Next to the hostel is a buddhist temple- interesting architecture and quite beautiful as it overlooks the valley of Dalat. I paid my respects and felt good about the auspicious start- fancy picking a hostel next to a temple!

Walking through the city streets I feel I have stumbled through the kingdom of Kitsch!

The morning was spent meandering through the villages behind the hostel. It was so enjoyable-village life flourishes here. I can imagine a childhood here would be ideal. Plenty of space to run and the neighbours keeping a close eye. People here smile with their eyes and the older one gets the younger they become (in their eyes).

The city on the other hand is another story-it is rather crazy. Dalat has become a bustling city centre because many veitnamese people come from all over veitnam to stake their claim for an aspirational life. It seems that here one can buy land and build their dream home within afforable means. Dalat is also very fertile- the fresh fruit and vegetables grown here are (I hear) the best in the country and are exported all over veitnam. People here at least have enough to eat and at best enjoy the comforts of a plush new home should they desire it.

Walking through the city streets I feel I have stumbled through the kingdom of kitsch. If it is bright it is allright. Dalat used to be a French occupied area and some of the architecture is old french colonial style- but the new buildings have the veitnamese bling bling factor. Now what do i mean by this?

Well it seems everybody in dalat is building a new house- and not just any new house. It could be any colour of the rainbow. the brighter the better. Do you remember Indian cakes- with the bright icing? Well many of these new houses look a little like oversized wedding cakes. It makes the house on Oratava avenue that we all comment on and say is too big and tacky look vertitably sweet in comparison.

Who am I to comment- people here have a chance to build lives based on economic prosperity. If their houses are not to everyones tastes-well thats my problem.

The people in Dalat are friendly and warmly curious about tourists. The most annoying thing was being hastled every 10 minutes by men on motorbikes wanting to take me around the town (taxis on two wheels). I had a lot of trouble fending them off actually!

I did not study the lonely planet to Veitnam religiously but managed to have lunch without knowing it at one of the most highly recommended vegetarian eateries. An lac- this is basically a road side eatery. The food was fresh, generous and absolutely delicious. Infact I have such a memory for the tastes that i can't wait to try them out at home and cook for you!

My legs walked me all over this funny little town and ended up in Bao Deis Palace (he was Veitnams last emperor). Now it is no beautiful palace in the grandest sense but it is interesting. Full of artifacts from the wartime and houses a large exhibit of miniture statues and jade that date back to antiquity. It was dissaponting that not enough care was made to display these old relics so that their beauty is maximally on show. The cabinets badly needed dusting and polishing.

Walking back to the hostel was interspersed with coffee veitnamese style. I ordered filtered coffee with condensed milk and was delighted to find the coffee dripping into the layer of sweetness on the bottom. It is a 'you had to be there' experience but have taken a photo so you can see what I mean. I was the only customer at this particular cafe and noticed that all of a sudden loud blaring 1980s american music was being played (obviously the owners wanted me to feel at home!). The owners also live on top of the restaurant. This is like many of the restaurants in Dalat-it seems like people do business on the side of living their lives.

I walked back to the hotel via the back way through the villages (again serendipity is my angel) and found I was facing the back of the buddha temple. Like a pilgrimage the day came to an end.