Last Day in Dalat.

Our last day in Dalat dawned sunny and beautiful, so we decided to climb a nearby hill and take a cable car to a popular lake.

The views from the summit were spectacular.

The ride through the thick forest was very tranquil.

Many boats, few people.

One of the hardest parts for us about living in Vietnam was their
treatment of animals. Along the side road to the lake were a few monkeys
in small, filthy cages. The monkeys had no water or food and
were covered with sores. They were begging for food
and rocking frantically back and forth. It was very sad to see,
but the local tourists who passed by were laughing at them and
dangling bits of food just out of their reach.

Still, the landscape and the sky filled our hearts with joy.

Our friends Colin and Nathalie gifted us with a $100 gift certificate for dinner
at the Sofitel Dalat, a classic hotel built by the French in the 20s and
recently refurbished by the American who founded DHL. We had
a fabulous meal and an excellent bottle of wine. It was delicious and
civilized way to spend our last night away from Hanoi.

Cheers, N & C! We miss you!

P.