Saigon-Dalat Flight, Dalat, Out of Dalat

On the Vietnam Airlines prop plane from Tan Sa Nhut Airport ( Saigon ) to Dalat. Close that damned cabin door.


Bye, Saigon. Hope to see you again.


Nearing Dalat. Dalat is in the central highlands, in the southern half of the country. . It is a higher elevation than the surrounding lands, and is cooler. The soil is rich , which allows the Dalat area to produce the best vegetables in the country. The lower part of this muddy river almost looks like a map of Vietnam.


At tiny Dalat Airport, the Vietnam Airlines prop plane that got us there. We took three Vietnam Airlines flights on this type of plane. All flights were on time, and at least as comfortable as a US economy flight. I'd fly one of these props over an Embraer jet anyday. Vietnam Airlines is a reasonably big airline. They fly to Japan and Paris, and they will soon fly to California. When we landed at Hanoi, we passed one of their new 767s. After our little prop , the Boeing looked immense.


Zen Buddhist Temple near Dalat


Altar at Zen Buddhist Temple


Lake by Zen Buddhist Temple. This picture, of a beautiful lake surrounded by pine trees, could be from Italy or upstate New York. But it's Vietnam.


Our group.
Standing- Michele ( Sydney ) , Tom ( Brooklyn ) , Emma ( Perth ), Linda ( Sydney ) , Rob ( New Zealand ) , Bev ( Perth ) , Peta ( London ) , Lynn ( Australia ) , Stuart ( London ) , Valerie and David ( Cairns )
Lower-
Cathy ( London, from Galicia, Spain ) and Meroe ( London )


So, how did we get from the Zen Buddhist temple to Dalat City proper? By a recently-built ( by an Austrian company ) gondola, of course.


Gondola ride high, quiet, fun


Dalat


Dalat Market. Filled with the most wonderful familiar and not-familiar fruits and vegetables


Outside Dalat, on the way to Nha Trang


Kid selling stuff at a stopping point on the highway between Dalat and Nha Trang. The plastic container on his shoulder has cold sodas and beer. I bought a Coke from him. Behind him, David stretches and checks out the valley.