Vietnam's Resort City: Da Lat

Tuesday afternoon, we drove to Da Lat, about 3 and a half hours away from Cat Tien. Da Lat was once a resort for French officials. It is in a high elevation and in an extremely mountainous region. It is now known for its tourism and agriculture, specifically flowers, vegetables, and coffee. The city looks almost as if it really is in Europe, unlike any other city in Vietnam.

Immediately arriving, we hopped off the bus into the arms of our homestay families. Instead of joining a family by ourselves like in Ho Chi Minh, we were in pairs based on a research project we are doing. So, I was with a classmate of mine in a family where one of the members is a teacher, because I am studying education of Vietnam.

The family we entered is a very young one; the mom and dad are in their early thirties, with an 8 year old boy, and 15 month old baby girl. Safe to say I am in heaven with the two kids there; bed time is early, toys are everywhere, and kid food takes over the kitchen.

On Wednesday I woke up, expecting to sweat through my clothes in a few minutes. However, the weather in Da Lat is absolutely STUNNING. I knew coming to Da Lat the weather was going to be cooler. My classmates from warmer climates talked about bringing jackets and pants, needing to buy sweaters, but as a former ski racer, hockey player, and a current Mainer, cold weather means negative degrees. Cold weather means snow. 60 degrees is shorts weather. I was so excited to have a relief from the humidity and heat. And Da Lat did not disappoint. The weather here is unlike any other, despite the fact that it rains for 2 hours in the middle of the day.

Our Vietnamese language class was tough. And by tough I mean that we had class outside overlooking the city. It was hard to pay attention to something I already don't understand in a setting so amazing.

After class, we went to a few different spots around Da Lat. We were taken to a coffee farm, where we saw the way that coffee is harvested, along with trying the coffee and seeing a view that overlooked the mountains. It was a breathtaking view; exactly what you'd picture when you think of Vietnam. It was one of the coolest places I have been in Vietnam yet.

After that, we went to a waterfall, called White Elephant Waterfall. The walk down to the falls was a bit difficult. Slippery rocks and unstable stairs were a challenge in my teevas. However, I clung to the hand rail and made it to the landing that overlooked the falls, an extremely beautiful sight, though the water was brown from the soil. Nevertheless, it was amazing.

Once we finished at the falls, we went to a greenhouse, where we got to see the flowers that some of the farmers have been growing. Flowers are an extremely lucrative commodity in Da Lat, and can be sold for very cheap in the Da Lat, but then can make a big profit when exported to Ho Chi Minh City. These flowers are absolutely stunning and I can see why the city is called "the flower city."

The night ended with a dinner with our class in an artist's restaurant, where the manager who served us food also painted us a picture at the end of the meal, which was so amazing. It was a peaceful end to a chaotic and full day.

The city of Da Lat is so different from any other city in Vietnam; it has a European aesthetic, and the peacefulness of a rural area, yet it is still a city. The weather is temperate and cool, and the rain keeps the humidity down too. It is an amazing city that does not get enough credit, and I am looking forward to exploring it more.