Vietnam 11th

Day Four

Back to HCM city – a shorter trip and more shopping! / Booking of Cu Chi Tunnels and visit to Cao Dai Temple

The 2nd night in Dalat after our morning trip was spent eating dinner with our German friends.

We did discover that its too cold to stay outside for too long in this mountainous area - on our first night. So we learn our lesson and did not stay out too late the 2nd night. However we did discover to our shock and amusment that the hotel we stayed in pulls down the shutters after 11pm! It seemed a norm for some hotels in Vietnam, so its best to check out with the hotel workers whether they have some form of 'curfew' for their tourists!

Our breakfast on our last day at Dalat was a restaurant with a breathtaking view of the little town. As you can see in the pictures.

Our trip back allowed us to stop by a place for rest - this place must be a factory where intermediate production of tea leaves and coffee is carried out. I notice some of the ladies were hired to do processing or 'sorting' of leaves of some sort. Another amusing thing was the lady boss of the place who started grabbing a few of the guys including me! She wanted to take photographs of one of her girls serving us coffee as a form of advertisement. So we were all treated to coffee with pictures of us being served by this lady in blue ( who's definitely dolled up for the occassion)

We were quite happy with the same company that booked the Dalat trip for us. So we went back to the same agency and booked our Cu Chi Tunnels and visit to Cao Dai Temple. If I remember clearly its 'Star Travel' and one of the workers is actually a Chinese Vietnamnese. They were helpful and friendly. Even though the trip downhill back to the city was less than 7 hours this time, it was still quite late when we reached Ho Chi Minh City. Therefore we went for our own shopping. As for me, I decided to separte from my female companions as they have different tastes and pace of shopping. I walked around and took pictures of the Reunification palace and Church of Notre Dame and I think I took a picture of their historical post office or something like that.

However we met up later at a famous Ngor Restaurant to eat our dinner. Now for the guys, I think this is something prevalent in many countries when men walk alone or in pairs. Some ladies will ask if you want a trip with them and say hello to you. Beware, for unless you are interested, most of these ladies are prostitutes. I guess its a small issue but it gets slightly irritating when pimps and these hookers keep asking you non-stop. There are many beggars in the streets too. If you must give one of them something, make sure other beggars are not around, or else you'll find yourself surrounded.

Anyway here's Ngor Restaurant, my friend found it on the internet - this information is not even inside Lonely Planet.

It was one of the few times I actually ate so full after I became more health conscious. But the food there is close enought to be Vietnamese and yet safe enought for consumption. Think of Food Republic - and its slightly like that here except that there're waiters to cater to your orders and get the food from the individual stalls for you. Get the picture?

I'm too ill to describe the other days. Having a running nose. Think I have to do it on a day by day basis to complete my description of the trip to Vietnam.