Alot in Dalat

Last weekend I headed out to Dalat, some six hours north of Saigon, to take in some fresh air. I had heard about as 'Le Petit Paris' of Vietnam, and while I wouldn't go that far it was a perfectly nice place to visit.

Legend has it that 'DALAT' is an acronym for 'Dat Aliis Laetitiam Aliis Temperiem' ("Giving Pleasure to Some, Freshness to Others") Like most legends, this is too charming to be true.

Dalat is known as the 'City of Flowers' for its extensive flower markets. Also renowned are Dalat strawberries and (somewhat incongruously) the local artichoke tea.

Dalat is most famous as the honeymoon capital of Vietnam, the picturesque vistas, flower gardens, and mild climate allowing couples to contemplate their future together without choking on dust on being drowned in their own sweat.

Also, Dalat has it's own mini version of the Eiffel Tower:


Of course, because is so elevated and doesn't have the pollution of Saigon this makes the sun much stronger, as I discovered when I became horribly sunburned. But I suppose that is my own fault.