Dalat to Ho Chi Minh City

Sunday, March 31st 2013, Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam
Yesterday morning we checked out of our hotel in Dalat and were at the Sinh Tourist office just down the street in plenty of time to catch our air-conditioned bus. As soon as we left Dalat, we descended down a curving mountain road for quite a drop until we reached another plateau. We traveled south through farmland for a long way until we descended again closer to sea level.

The bus trip took 8 1/2 hours including 3 short rest stops. It all went pretty well. The last hour was spent driving into the city so that was slow. However, getting here only 1/2 hour past the promised arrival time was quite good. It was only a 5 minute walk from the Sinh Tourist office around the corner to our hotel, the Elios on Pham Ngu Lao Street.
The hotel is quite nice. We have a room with no window but the AC is good and it has a tub instead of just a shower so that's a step up. Plus the breakfast buffet on the 12th floor is quite extensive and tasty. The only downside to breakfast this morning was being near some Chinese tourists who were incredibly loud. They shouted at each other across the large dining area, like there was no-one else there. We're hoping their bus left today.
Dylan had a university exam yesterday afternoon while we were on the bus. But last night, he and Kasumi came to our hotel for happy hour. It was great to see them. After celebrating with wine in our room, we all went back to Nha Hang Ngon, where we'd been a few times in January. The dining area is ringed with food stations all making a different dish, like street food vendors except in nicer surroundings. Once again, we enjoyed it. We actually managed to stay out until 10 pm, but were really tired when we finally got home.

 Looking down in one direction from our 12th floor breakfast restaurant terrace, we could see the park between Pham Ngu Lao Street and Le Loi Street.

 Lots of people make use of these parks for exercise and relaxation, as well as to just get out of small apartments housing extended families.

That's downtown District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. There are quite a few trees here which always helps make the difference between a livable city and one that's not so good.
After breakfast we walked around the corner to Nam Silk, where I had bought my suit in January. Anita's silk sarong that her friend Karen had purchased for her in Thailand about 20 years ago is finally wearing out so she wanted to buy a replacement. It has been an extremely useful gift. She chose 2 silk patterns and used the old one to get the correct size. For 300,000 dong ($15) Anita had 2 new sarongs made and they were ready within 2 hours.
Dylan and Kasumi came over and we all went down near the main post office and the big cathedral in District 1 for the afternoon. We ate lunch at a great sushi restaurant and then wandered around a bit.

 The cathedral looks very French, which is not a surprise.

 Tourist pose.

Tourist pose in the other direction, toward the Metropole building where Dylan works at the Canadian Consulate.
It must be at least 35C today so we didn't last long out in the blazing hot sun. We walked around behind the Opera House to an outdoor coffee shop with fans over the tables and just relaxed there for awhile. It's been great to catch up with Dylan and Kasumi and to share some of our travel tales in person. Now that we've come full circle on this trip, we're realizing just how many experiences we've had. We've seen a lot and have hopefully absorbed some of it so that we're not quite the same people we were when we arrived here New Year's Eve. Travel is supposed to broaden your outlook, after all.
Then we caught a cab back up to Pham Ngu Lao to pick up Anita's sarongs.
Dylan and Kasumi have gone home for a shower and we're here doing the same. In another hour or so, when it's cooler, we'll all go out for dinner.