Dalat, The Foggy City...

Dalat, Vietnam

June 21, 2007
N 11°56.529
E 108°26.398

Dalat, a mountain town, is located at approximately 4900 feet above sea-level, providing a much needed break from the heat for a few days. I think we all cheered when we saw fog hovering over the picturesque mountain side, clearly visible as we made our way around the lake near the center of the city. The refreshing climate of Dalat is perfect for revitalizing the entire gang over the next four days; then we all go our separate ways and back into the fray of the big cities of Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) and back to Hanoi for Bob and Teddy.

Although the population of Dalat is nearly 140,000 it doesn’t have many tourists since it’s a solid six hour bus ride into the mountains. Young children still peer at us, suspiciously at first, until we speak a polite “hello” and they giggle and run away. The street peddlers don’t really exist, which is a welcome change after the on-top of you vendors in the larger Vietnamese cities we’ve visited.

Those who are selling food and wares on the street keep their eyes peeled for police; quickly packing up their belongings and taking off in all directions at the first sight of the cops. The sight was reminiscent of Canal Street in New York City, where each store front has a tarp that quickly drops, hiding their faux handbags, sunglasses and watches before the police cite them.

Marc and I set out for a walk around the lake, stopping occasionally to say hello to the many young men with their fishing rods in the water, for a little exercise and to see what Dalat had to offer. The forward thinking city appears to have put a lot of effort into creating perfectly manicured gardens in areas surrounding the lake. One of the parks serves as a hot spot for children to fly their kites on a windy day. Unfortunately, with the scattered rain today, we didn’t see too many kites in the sky, but still enjoyed the park as children ran around with their friends, attempted to launch kites with their grandparents and always kept a curious eye on us.

After our walk around the lake, we made our way down a small alley that appeared to be the original market street of Dalat. The street bustled with locals who obviously preferred the open-air and old-school charm over the stores in the town center. Women squatting on the ground were selling silver smelt, chunks of tuna, squid, and a variety of other fresh fish that most likely came from Nha Trang. The smell of food filled the air as clouds of gray smoke poured from coal barbeques. In other stalls fresh vegetables, growing perfectly in the cooler climate, were displayed on blue tarps spread-out along the cobblestone street. Our slow pace through the market afforded us plenty of time to smile at the locals, dodge scooters, say hello to the curious kids and give a polite wave.

All of us our very pleased with the relaxing feel of Dalat and happy to call it home for the next few days.