Travel Stories - Vietnam

It's just about eleven in the evening in "Ho Chi Minh City" when I board the night bus for my trip to "Dalat". Upon entering I am immediately asked to take off my shoes and deposit them (and take them) in a yellow plastic bag hanging on the side. Now I see that it is a night bus with beds that I never wanted to sit in again; at least that was what I intended when I left Vietnam in 2002. As I walk past the beds that are stacked two high and barely long enough for the short people who live here, I’m wondering which bed is for me. All-in the back with three others next to me. This is the worst place on the bus. If the bus goes through a bump your head ends up in the board above you where four people sleep. The leather is smooth and you slide down anyway if you do not put your feet on the headrest of the bed in front of you. Not to mention the length and breadth of the place. You can not stand up because there are beds above you so I try to make the best of it. We immediately drive away to pick up new people somewhere half an hour later. I pull my cap over my face, put my earplugs in my ears and try to sleep. Hours pass while the "boys" next to me are finally  snoring. 

When I open my eyes I see that everyone is awake, the light is on and that we are standing still. Terrified, I look outside where it is still pitch dark and then on my watch - five o'clock. This can not be "Dalat" because the journey would take 7 to 8 hours. But it is true, this is it already my destination and we got out one by one. Half sleep drunk, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes and stretching me there is a queue waiting for the door to get out. They are "easyriders" ready to catch tired meat getting of the bus. As always, I walk straight through the line to get my bag out of the trunk first. Fortunately, the bus station is open. The men (motordrivers) do not give up quickly and offer to me a few days on their motorcycle through the country to tear. Tired I nod my head and walk to the iron chairs in the waiting room. I take my stuff a bit and attach my big bag to the chairs while I use my little bag as a pillow. But not before I have my long pants on and have done some warm on because it is fresh at 1500 meters altitude. I do not really sleep, but at least people leave me alone. When it is light I make the 3 km long walk to a tip I get for a hostel. The owner treats me with a mug of delicious steaming fresh coffee and a couple of sandwiches with freshly made peanut butter. That is another welcome party.

I am on my way to visit the "Hang Nga" building or as someone called it the "crazy" house. Personnel walk in yellow Chinese suits with a straw hat and the house is actually more of a complex of the most strange architecture I have seen in years, hence the name. There are a number of buildings in different styles that you can best compare with "Gaudi" architecture or style. Lots of color and strange shapes with tunnels, small spaces, rooms, corridors and little hiking trails through greenery. The garden looks a bit like a Japanese garden with lots of greenery, water and beautiful flowers and plants. After 45 minutes I have seen this crazy place where you also can stay and walk into reality again. 

At seven o'clock I walk downstairs where I find an Israeli couple who is eating already; strange that I am invited for the family dinner at this time. But the owner dissolves it perfectly - we are all three invited to first drink a glass of "Dalat" wine ("Vang Dankia") together. Because the couple is already full of eating, they just do not want to eat anymore, but eat with courtesy; there is of course rice but also shrimps in sauce, soup, a vegetable mix of small green beans and I would say of course "Vietnamese spring rolls"! What a perfect meal and a perfect end to my stay in Dalat.