City of eternal spring.... Dalat, Vietnam
Last weekend we took an hour's flight north from Ho Chi Minh City to Dalat ( Da Lat)...a much cooler side of Vietnam located in the Central Highlands where the soil is rich and rainfall is plenty this time of year. They call it the "city of thousands of pine trees" for the pine trees that wind their way along the hillside and the "city of eternal spring" for the mist that hangs over the valleys almost year-round.
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| City of thousands of pine trees... Dalat, Vietnam |
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| City of eternal spring...Dalat, Vietnam |
We were in major sight seeing mode which involved climbing to the high point of a mountain top to capture the mist around us. I have more photos than I could ever manage to show in one post,
so for now, I will start with a few of my favourite spaces around Ana Mandara Villas Dalat,
the hotel that we stayed in. It was a lovely spot, nestled away amongst the pine trees.
One of the many villas at the hotel....
A view from our balcony (below)..
A musical moment...
A view within our sitting room..I just loved these vintage photographs.
It took some thinking...working out this tub/shower..it was fun trying.
Having moved into a mango coloured home, I was delighted to see
the colour theme carried throughout the hotel...
Sneaking off to the spa below...
Beautiful bowls...one for your feet and one for your hands for a heavenly soak.
The view from my seat in the spa...
The food was one of my favourite experiences at the Ana Mandara..it was delicious.
Poolside in the "city of thousands of pine trees"..
Embracing the mango...lotus style
Afternoon tea...
Lastly....a view through the pine trees.
If ever you find yourself travelling to Dalat...check out.
Le Lai Street, Ward 5
Da Lat, Lam Dong Province
Vietnam
Sending you warm wishes for a lovely weekend...from sunny Saigon.
I hope it is filled with wonderful views!
Jeanne xx
Love the terracotta and the hot pink with the mango. How lovely that you are playing tourists, so often we move to a new area and fall straight into life so that when we move on we are lucky to have seen much of the surrounding areas at all!! Enjoying your travels. xx
ReplyDeleteI just love traveling along with you! Thank you for the most wonderful photo tour of your very FIRST weekend away. You know I love photo tours! It is all just so beautiful and very different from what I imagine it would be like. I love to be surprised. And, I am still loving that mango. M. is eagerly (and a bit nervously) waiting for move in day in 2 weeks time. I was thinking of you and the logistics of getting your daughter all the way to the U.S. We're going to turn her "drop off" weekend into an anniversary celebration for us and try to refocus on that as opposed to the "drop off" part. Much luck to you as you prepare for another long journey.
ReplyDeleteHow beautiful! I love your explorations and adventures. Thanks for taking us along!
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful and luxurious hotel in Dalat. Asian hospitality is truly one of the best. I learn a lot from your adventures there in Vietnam. Such a beautiful country. Good thing it is peaceful there now. Thanks for sharing. Have a fabulous weekend!
ReplyDeleteas always....
ReplyDeletethank you for taking me away!
xox
Jeanne,
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful setting for a lovely weekend. I am sure that in such a place you had time to rest, relax, and read.
I am sure that life will take a bit more to settle in, with taking Miss Claire to college, and getting Conor started, then the time for you to explore, decorate and start a routing will begin. I cannot wait to follow along!
I hope you have a wonderful weekend, Elizabeth
So happy to se these photos. Dalat is the home of a Vietnamese couple we know slightly. It's nice to get a glimps of what they left behind to emigrate here.
ReplyDeleteAah.. Ana Mandara.. what a treat! Love your photo journey Jeanne.. felt I was there with you, having my spa.. I wish you safe and happy travels to settle the chick into uni.. and happy returns to unpack your container and all.. very exciting days ahead for you.. enjoy a good relaxing weekend.. (ps.. sure the chick has done some great shopping in Saigon?).. hugs x j
ReplyDeleteHi Jeanne!
ReplyDeleteWell, I just read for more than an hour your posts here and the Vietnam notes, boy, what a lovely way of spending time! Since we both are going somewhere totally different (dubai-vietnam) reading your (mostly positive) views was great, thanks. I have a photo of a French door and will write the passage 'one door opens etc' on it, because it's really true. My girls are younger so no overseas colleges for us for now (I will have to come back to you when the time is there....) can't imagine how that must feel, good luck for your kids.
Anyway, we are heading to Dubai next week Saturday, lots to do before that so time for me to wrap this long comment up, night night!
Maureen x
Rough life! :)
ReplyDeleteI am so happy to have found your blogs! This post was wonderful and I am enjoying the beautiful photos so much! I can't imagine living somewhere so exotic. It sounds wonderful and yet a bit scary as well! I guess I'm very much the homebody! We leave tomorrow to take our youngest to college but it's only 2 hours away and I'm dreading that! I can't imagine if it were a world away! I cannot wait to catch up on all of your blog posts next week when life settles down a bit! ( oh, and then we move our daughter to New Orleans which feels like a world away! Ha!) Enjoy your weekend!
ReplyDeleteHi Jeanne
ReplyDeleteSaw a beautiful, beautiful new Australian film tonight that you'd love... The Sapphires. It's set in Vietnam. It's a musical, but with a lot of Aussie humour and whimsicality. It's the first film to be allowed to film in the country since the war. (Supposedly. I'm not sure where Indochine was filmed?) Anyhow, I'm not sure if it's going to be released there, but if it gets international release do see it. It's being hailed as one of the best Australian films of the year, possibly the decade. And Vietnam looks beautiful in it, despite the war scenes. I haven't cried or laughed so much in a long time. I think you'd like it too.
Janelle McCulloch | Library of Design
Jeanne
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely hotel. love the floor in the dining room especially. I am sure you are gathering ideas like crazy...so enjoying all of your posts
You provide such wonderful words and photos for those of us who are mouse-click travelers! It's a treat almost every day!
ReplyDeleteHello Jeanne
ReplyDeleteDalat look beautiful and a perfect escape to a cooler climate. I love your view from the spa. It looks so luxurious and those cars in the video are every man's dream.
Wishing you a joyful week and great trip to NYC.
Helenxx
What a magnificent place to stay at, the views, the food, the cool temps... wowzah!
ReplyDeleteI must say Jeanne that these photographs make the whole place look exquisite.
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize that Vietnam has a hill country like India does - somewhere to escape from the heat. How wonderful to take a little time out. I hope you had a peaceful, restful, weekend.
ReplyDelete