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Da Lat Sights

XUAN HUONG LAKE
Created by a dam in 1919, Xuan Huong Lake is in the centre of Dalat. It is named after a 17th-century Vietnamese poet knows for her daring attacks on the hypocrisy of so¬cial conventions and the foibles of scholars, monks, mandarins, feudal lords and kings. The lake can be circumnavigated along a 7km sealed path.
Paddle boats that look like giant swans can be rented at the edge of the lake near Thanh Thuy Restaurant and the Dalat Sail¬ing and Fishing Club rents a wide selection of water craft, from kayaks and two-person sail boats to electric motorboats. The fish¬ing club has netted off an area of the lake and stocked it with fish; it also rents equip¬ment, and has a per-kilo catch rate, a;- well as catch-and-release rules for sport. Shade umbrellas are supplied.
The Dalat Palace Golf Club occupies 50 hectares on the northern side of the lake near the Dalat Flower Gardens. The majestic hill-top Hotel Sofitel Dalat Palace over¬looks Xuan Huong Lake from the south.
A delightful walk or jog around the 7km lake road provides an excellent city orientation and a very nice overview of Dalat, including the French influence- Along the way are the Dalat Flower Gardens, views of the golf course and the grand old villas on D Tran Hung Dao, A stroll up the steps to the Hotel Sofitel Dalat Palace garden provides spectacular views. From there, head up to the post office and the higher quality build¬ings of old and new along D Tran Phu.

HANG NGA GALLERY & GUESTHOUSE
Nicknamed the 'Crazy House ( 3 D Huynh Thuc Khang), this guesthouse, cafe and art gallery is about 1km southwest of Xuan Huong Lake. The architecture is something straight out of Alice in Wonderland and cannot easily be described: there are caves, giant spider webs made of wire, concrete 'tree trunks', a nude female statue (a rar¬ity in Vietnam), a concrete giraffe (with a tearoom built inside) and caged turkeys providing the surreal soundtrack. Yes it s tacky, and exceedingly commercialized, but many are astounded to find such a counter-cultural construction in Dalat.
The gallerys designer, Mrs Dang Viet Nga is from Hanoi and lived in Moscow tor 14 years, where she earned a Phi) in architec¬ture. She dresses in pure 1960s hippie garb burns incense and has something of an air 01 mystery about tier. Hang Nga, as she's known locally, has designed a number of other buildings, which dot the landscape around Dalat, including the Children's Cultural Palace and the Catholic Church in Lien Khuong.
The Dalat People's Committee has not always appreciated such innovative de¬signs. An earlier Dalat architectural masterpiece, the 'House with 100 Roofs', was torn down as a 'fire hazard' because the People's thought it looked antisocialist. However, there is little chance that Hang Nga will have such trouble with the authorities (her father, Truong Chinh was Ho Chi
Minh's successor). Me served as Vietnam'-second president from 19S] until his death in 1988.
if you'd like to stay in one of the cave like quirky rooms, booking is advance is recommended.

SUGGESTED SIGHTSEEING ROUTES
The best way to enjoy the forests, sites and cultivated countryside around Dalat is by foot motorbike or bicycle
Head out on D 3 Thang 4, which be; ones Hwy 20, to the pine" forests of Prenn Pass and Quanq Trung Reservoir.
Go via the Governor-General's Residence and up D Khe Sanh to Thien Vuong Pagoda. Take D Phu Donq Thien Vuonq from Dalat University to the Valley of Love.
Go out to Bao Dai's Summer Palace and from there, after stopping at Lam Ty Ni Pagoda, head via 0 Thien My and D Huyen Tran Cong Chua to Du Sinh Church.

CREMAILLERE RAILWAY STATION
About 500m east of Xuan Huong Lake is a cog-railway station and although you aren't likely to arrive in Dalat by train, the station is worth a visit. There is an old Russian steam train on display here.
The cremaillere linked Dalat and Thap Cham from 1928 to 1964. when it was closed because of VC attacks. The line ha' been partially repaired and is now operated as a tourist attraction You can't get to any where useful (like HCMC) on this train, but you can ride 8km (3(1 minutes) down the tracks to Trai Mat village and back again
Once in Trai Mat, most travelers make a
requisite stroll over to visit the ornate Linh Phuoc Pagoda. This colorful pagoda was originally built between 1949 and 195-1 and recent renovations included the installation of an 8.1/2 -tone bell (cast in 1999 ) in a seven-tiered tower. You must remove your shoes when entering the main temple building where an amusement-park dragon guards the gate. Once inside visitors are greeted by a 5m-high Buddha statue seated under a Bodhi Tree painting - this Buddha even sports a live-ringed neon halo! The statue is flanked by Pho Hien riding an elephant, and Van Thu riding a tiger From the ground floor, take the left-hand staircase up to the 2nd-level balcony area for great views. In a small room here another Buddha statue will multiple heads and arm sits surrounded by 108 Bodhisattvas painted on the wall.

LAM DONG MUSEUM
This hill-top museum (4 D Hung Vuong) displays stone artefacts and pottery excavated from an ancient Oc-Eo archaeological site, costumes and musical instruments of local ethnic minorities, and artefacts relating to the struggles against the French and Americans
The museum is housed in a lovely French
style villa, once the abode Nguyen Huu Hao, father of Empress Nan' Phuong, Bar Dai's wife. Nguven Huu Hao who died m 1939, was the richest person in the Go Cong district of the Mekong Delta. His tomb lies on a hilltop near Dalat, 400m west of Cam Ly Falls. Walk around the valley side of the villa to discover an interesting fusion of Chinese style longevity symbols on the side of the building.

BAO DAI'S SUMMER PALACE
This villa (Biet Dien Quoc Truong, or Dinh3), with 25 rooms, was constructed in 1933. The decor has not changed in decades except tor the addition of Ho Chi Minh's portrait over the fireplace, but the palace is filled with artefacts from decades and gov¬ernments past and is extremely interesting.
For instance, the engrave - glass map of
Vietnam was given to Emperor Bao Dai in 1942 by Vietnamese students in France. In Bao Dai's office, the life-sized white bust above the bookcase is of Bao Dai himself. The smaller gold and brown busts are of his lather. Emperor Khai Dinh. Note the heavy brass royal seal (on the right) and military seal (on the left). The photograph over the fireplace are of (from left to right) Bao Dai, his eldest son, Bao Long (in uniform); and Empress Nam Phuong, who died 1963
Upstairs are the royal living quarters. The room of Bao Long, who now lives in France, is decorated in yellow, the royal color. The huge semicircular couch was used by the emperor and empress for family meetings during which their three daughters were seated in the yellow chair and their two sons in the pink chairs. Check out the ancient tan Rouathermique infrared sauna machine near the top of the stairs.
Bao Dai's Summer palace is set in a pine grove 500m southeast of the Pasteur Institute( D le Hong Phong), 2km southwest of the city center. The palace is open to the public and shoes must be removed at the door. There is an extra change for cameras and videos.

LAM TY Ni PAGODA
This pagoda (Quan Am Tu - 2 D Thien My) was found in 1961.
The decorative front gate was constructed by the pagoda's only monk, Vien Thuc, an industrious man who learned Eng-lish, French. Khmer and Thai at Dalat University. During this time hen he built flowerbeds and gardens in several different styles, including a miniature Japanese garden complete with a bridge. Nearby are trellis-shaded paths decorated with hanging plants. Signs list the Chinese name of each garden Vien Thuc also built much of the pagoda's wooden furniture.
But more than the pagoda and its gardens, the attraction here is Mr Thuc him self and his mind-boggling collection of self-brushed art works. It would he a gross understatement to call him prolific. By his own estimates he has churned out more than 100,000 works of art, pile1- and piles of which hang in and around the pagoda -even out in the ram!
So industrious is this eccentric local celebrity that since he began selling his paintings to tourists he has become, some say the wealthiest person in Dalat. Juding by the astounding number of instant paintings he sells, you could believe it. The one-time hermit monk has today earned himself the esteemed title of the business monk by local motorbike guides (many 'if who resent hit-financial success, not to mention having to wait tor hours while their customers linger at the pagoda). Others call him the crazy monk, in keeping with the kooky theme of Dalat s sights.
Paintings sell anywhere from a dollar or two to whatever smooth-talking Mr Thuc can take you for. These days the monk is saving those dollars while waiting for his long-awaited around-the-globe journey His plans include visiting travellers who have been to see him and the homes where his paintings hang.
Lam Ty Ni Pagoda is about 500m north of the Pasteur Institute. A visit here can easily be combined with a stop at Bao Dai's Summer Palace

DALAT FLOWER GARDENS
These beutiful gardens (VuonHoa Dalat - 2 D Phu Dong Thien Vuong) were established in 1966 by the South Vietnamese agricultural Service. Renovated in 1985,and have been greatly refined in recent years.
Flowers here include hydrangeas, fuchsias and orchids (hoa lan). .Most of the latter are in special shaded buildings to the right of the entrance. The orchids are grown in blocks of coconut-palm trunk and in terracotta pots with lots of ventilation holes..
Hasfarm, a local Dutch - run nursery, has chipped in with some displays. All in all it's a very nice and well-kept cross section of Dalat foliage. The plants still have a lot of space in which to grow, and before long they may be calling it a botanic Harden.
A few monkeys live m cage's on the grounds of the Dalat Flower Gardens, and a warning to any feeble-minded tourists who might enjoy tormenting the monkeys by throwing things at them - these clever monkeys have learned to throw hack',
Near the gate you can buy cu ly (reddish-brown animal-shaped pieces of fern stem-whose fibres are used to stop bleeding traditional medicine). Plants and flowerare also for sale.
The Dalat Flower Gardens from Xuan Huong lake, on the road that leads fromthe lake to Dalat university.

DALAT UNIVERSITY
Dalat is actually something of an education centre. The reason for this is its climate before air-con, it was one of the few places in Vietnam where it was possible to study without working up a sweat. Therefore, the number of educational institutions were located in town, with Dalat University (D' Phu Dong Thien) being the most famous.
Dalat University' was founded as a Catholic university in 1957 by Hue Archbishop Ngo Dinh Thuc, the older brother of Prcsident Ngo Dinh Diem (assassinated in 1963) with the help of Cardina Spelman of New York. The university was seized from the church in 1975 and closed, but it reopened two years later as a state-run institution.
There are presently more than 13,000 students studying here. although they all live in off-campus hoarding houses. The university library contains 10,000 books including some in English and European languages.
The 38-hectare campus can easily be identified by the triangular tower topped by a red star,was stuck over the cross originally erected by the church. The fact that the cross was never actually removed has led some to speculate that the church may some day get the campus returned to it.
Foreign visitors arc generally welcome to visit the campus.

VALLEY OF LOVE
Named the Valley of Peace by Emperor Bao Dai, this valley (Thung Lung Tinh Yeu, or Vallee d'Amour - D Phu Dong Thien Vuong) had its name changed in 1972 (the year Da Thien Lake was created) by romantically minded stu¬dents from Dalat University.
Today this ever-tacky place has taken on a carnival atmosphere and now local tour guides call it the Valley of Shops! Tour¬ist buses line up to regurgitate visitors and boats line up to accommodate them. Get into the spirit with some aquatic activities: paddle boats, 15-person canoes and obnox¬ious noise-making motorboats can be hired to tour the lake.
This is a good place to see the "Dalat cow¬boys', Vietnamese guides dressed as Ameri¬can cowboys. We've also seen locals dressed as bears; can Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck costumes be far behind? The cow¬boys rent horses to tourists for a guided tour around the lake. The Dalat cowboys and bears expect cash if you take their picture -they want about 5000d per photo!
Refreshments and local delicacies (such as jams and candied fruits) are on sale at the lookout near where the buses disgorge tourists.
The Valley of Love is 5'Krn north of Xuan Huong Lake.

GOVERNOR-GENERAL'S RESIDENCE
Built in 1933, the French Governor-General's
Residence (Dinh Toan Quyen, or Dinh 2 - D Tran Hung Dao) is a dignified build¬ing of modernist design. Today it's used as a guesthouse for the local People's Cornmittee and for official receptions, and the original style of furnishing has been re¬tained in most of its 25 rooms. At the time of writing it was closed 'o the public, and plans for renovation are in the works (in quire locally).
The Governor- General's Residence is about 2km east of the corn re of town, up the hill from the intersection of D Tran Hung Dao and D Khoi Nghia Bac Son.

PETIT LYCEE YERSIN
The former school is now a teacher training college (1 D Hoang Van Thu) run by the provincial government.. Music lessons in electric and acoustic musical instruments are held here, making this a gooci place to meet local musicians. This build¬ing's older sister, the former Grand Lycee Yersin, is located east of Xuan Huong Lake

DOMAINE DE MARIE CONVENT
The pink tile-roofed structures 01 this hill top convent (Nha Tho Domainen - 5 D Ngo Quyen), constructed between 1940 and 1942, were once home to 300 nuns. Today the remaining nuns support themselves by making ginger candies and selling the fruit grown in the orchard out the back.
Suzanne Humbert, wife of Admiral lean Decoux (French Governor-General of Indo¬china from 1940 to 1945.1 is buried at the base of the outside back wall of the chapel. A benefactor of the chapel, she was killed in a car accident in 1944.
The French-speaking nuns are pleased to show visitors around and explain the work they do for orphans, the homeless and handicapped children. The shop sells handi-crafts made by the children and nuns.
Masses are held in the large chapel Sunday to Friday.

LINH SON PAGODA
Built in 1938, this pagoda (Chua Linh Son, 120 D Nguyen Van Troi) is a lovely ochrecoloured building that fuses French and Chinese architecture. The giant bell is said to be made of bronze mixed with gold, its great weight making it too heavy lor thieves to carry off. Behind the pagoda are coffee and tea plants tended by 20 monks, who range in age from 20 to 80, and hall n dozen novices
Linh Son Pagoda is about 1km from the town centre, near the corner of D Phan Dinh Phung, The .sign on the front gate reads "Phat Giao Viet Nam" ( Vietnam Buddhist Association).

DALAT CATHEDRAL
Next to the NovoteI Dalat, this gingerbread cathedral (D Tran Phu) was built be¬tween 1931 and 1942 tor use by French residents and holiday-makers. The cross on the spire is 47m above the ground. Inside, the stained-glass windows bring a hint of medieval Europe to Dalat. The first church built on this site (in the 1920s) is to the left of the cathedral; it has a light-blue arched door.
There are three priests here, and masses are held daily.

DU SINH CHURCH
This church was built in 1955 by Catholic refugees from the north. The four-post, Sino-Vietnamese steeple was constructed at the insistence of a Hue-born priest of royal lineage. The church is on a hilltop with beautiful views in all directions, making this a great place for a picnic.
To get to Du Sinh Church, walk 500m southwest along D Huyen Tran Cong Chua from the former Couvent des Oiseaux, which is now a teachers' training high school.

THIEN VUONG PAGODA

This pagoda (Chua Tau; D Khe Sanh) is popular with domestic tourists, especially ethnic Chinese. Set on a hilltop amid pine trees, the pagoda was built by the Chaozhou Chinese Congregation. The Da, the monk who initiated the construction of the pa¬goda in 1958, emigrated to the USA; there are pictures of his 1988 visit on display. The stalls out the front are a good place to buy local candied fruit and preserves.
The pagoda itself consists of three yel¬low buildings made of wood. In the first building is a gilded, wooden statue of Ho Phap, one of the Buddha's protectors. On the other side of the glass case is a gilded wooden statue of Pho Hien, a helper of A Di Da Buddha (Buddha of the Past). Re¬move your shoes before entering the third building, in which there are three 4m-high standing Ruddhas, donated by a British Buddhist and brought from Hong Kong in 1960. Made of gilded sandalwood and weighing 1400kg each, the figures (which are said to be the largest sandalwood statues in Vietnam) represent Thich Ca Buddha (the historical Buddha Sakyamuni; in the centre); Quan The Am Bo tat (Avalokitecvara, the Goddess of Mercy; on the right); and Dai The Chi Bo Tat (an assistant of A Di Da; on the left).
Thien Vuong Pagoda is about 5km southeast of the centre of town.

MINH NGUYET CU SY LAM PAGODA
A second Chinese Buddhist pagoda, Minh Nguyet Cu Sy Lam Pagoda, can be reached by a path beginning across the road from the gate of the Thien Vuong Pa¬goda. It was built by the Cantonese Chinese Congregation in 1962. The main sanctuary of the pagoda is a round structure con¬structed on a platform representing a lotus blossom.
Inside the pagoda (remove shoes be¬fore entering) is a painted cement statue of Quan The Am Bo Tat flanked by two other figures. Notice the repetition of the lotus motif in the window bars, railings and gateposts. There is a giant, red, gourd-shaped incense-burning oven near the main sanctuary.

VIETNAMESE EVANGELICAL CHURCH

Dalat's pink Evangelical Church (72 D Nguyen Van Troi), the main Protestant church in the city, was built in 1940. Until 1975 it was affiliated with The Christian and Mis¬sionary Alliance.
Since reunification Vietnam's Protestants have been persecuted even more than the Catholics, in part because many Protestant clergymen were trained by US missionaries. Although religious activities at this church are still restricted by the government, Sun¬day is a busy day with Bible study, worship and a youth service.
Most of the 25,000 Protestants in Lam Dong province, who are served by more than 100 churches, are hill-tribe people. Dalat's Vietnamese Evangelical Church is one of only six churches in the province whose membership is ethnic Vietnamese.
The Vietnamese Evangelical Church is 300m north of Rap 3/4.

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	Da Lat Sights XUAN HUONG LAKE Created by a dam in 1919, Xuan Huong Lake is in the centre of Dalat. It is named after a 17th-century Vietnamese poet knows for her daring attacks on the hypocrisy of so¬cial conventions and the foibles of scholars, monks, mandarins, feudal lords and kings. The lake can be circumnavigated along a 7km sealed path. Paddle boats that look like giant swans can be rented at the edge of the lake near Thanh Thuy Restaurant and the Dalat Sail¬ing and Fishing Club rents a wide selection of water craft, from kayaks and two-person sail boats to electric motorboats. The fish¬ing club has netted off an area of the lake and stocked it with fish; it also rents equip¬ment, and has a per-kilo catch rate, a;- well as catch-and-release rules for sport. Shade umbrellas are supplied. The Dalat Palace Golf Club occupies 50 hectares on the northern side of the lake near the Dalat Flower Gardens. The majestic hill-top Hotel Sofitel Dalat Palace over¬looks Xuan Huong Lake from the south. A delightful walk or jog around the 7km lake road provides an excellent city orientation and a very nice overview of Dalat, including the French influence- Along the way are the Dalat Flower Gardens, views of the golf course and the grand old villas on D Tran Hung Dao, A stroll up the steps to the Hotel Sofitel Dalat Palace garden provides spectacular views. From there, head up to the post office and the higher quality build¬ings of old and new along D Tran Phu. HANG NGA GALLERY & GUESTHOUSE Nicknamed the 'Crazy House ( 3 D Huynh Thuc Khang), this guesthouse, cafe and art gallery is about 1km southwest of Xuan Huong Lake. The architecture is something straight out of Alice in Wonderland and cannot easily be described: there are caves, giant spider webs made of wire, concrete 'tree trunks', a nude female statue (a rar¬ity in Vietnam), a concrete giraffe (with a tearoom built inside) and caged turkeys providing the surreal soundtrack. Yes it s tacky, and exceedingly commercialized, but many are astounded to find such a counter-cultural construction in Dalat. The gallerys designer, Mrs Dang Viet Nga is from Hanoi and lived in Moscow tor 14 years, where she earned a Phi) in architec¬ture. She dresses in pure 1960s hippie garb burns incense and has something of an air 01 mystery about tier. Hang Nga, as she's known locally, has designed a number of other buildings, which dot the landscape around Dalat, including the Children's Cultural Palace and the Catholic Church in Lien Khuong. The Dalat People's Committee has not always appreciated such innovative de¬signs. An earlier Dalat architectural masterpiece, the 'House with 100 Roofs', was torn down as a 'fire hazard' because the People's thought it looked antisocialist. However, there is little chance that Hang Nga will have such trouble with the authorities (her father, Truong Chinh was Ho Chi Minh's successor). Me served as Vietnam'-second president from 19S] until his death in 1988. if you'd like to stay in one of the cave like quirky rooms, booking is advance is recommended. SUGGESTED SIGHTSEEING ROUTES The best way to enjoy the forests, sites and cultivated countryside around Dalat is by foot motorbike or bicycle Head out on D 3 Thang 4, which be; ones Hwy 20, to the pine" forests of Prenn Pass and Quanq Trung Reservoir. Go via the Governor-General's Residence and up D Khe Sanh to Thien Vuong Pagoda. Take D Phu Donq Thien Vuonq from Dalat University to the Valley of Love. Go out to Bao Dai's Summer Palace and from there, after stopping at Lam Ty Ni Pagoda, head via 0 Thien My and D Huyen Tran Cong Chua to Du Sinh Church. CREMAILLERE RAILWAY STATION About 500m east of Xuan Huong Lake is a cog-railway station and although you aren't likely to arrive in Dalat by train, the station is worth a visit. There is an old Russian steam train on display here. The cremaillere linked Dalat and Thap Cham from 1928 to 1964. when it was closed because of VC attacks. The line ha' been partially repaired and is now operated as a tourist attraction You can't get to any where useful (like HCMC) on this train, but you can ride 8km (3(1 minutes) down the tracks to Trai Mat village and back again Once in Trai Mat, most travelers make a requisite stroll over to visit the ornate Linh Phuoc Pagoda. This colorful pagoda was originally built between 1949 and 195-1 and recent renovations included the installation of an 8.1/2 -tone bell (cast in 1999 ) in a seven-tiered tower. You must remove your shoes when entering the main temple building where an amusement-park dragon guards the gate. Once inside visitors are greeted by a 5m-high Buddha statue seated under a Bodhi Tree painting - this Buddha even sports a live-ringed neon halo! The statue is flanked by Pho Hien riding an elephant, and Van Thu riding a tiger From the ground floor, take the left-hand staircase up to the 2nd-level balcony area for great views. In a small room here another Buddha statue will multiple heads and arm sits surrounded by 108 Bodhisattvas painted on the wall. LAM DONG MUSEUM This hill-top museum (4 D Hung Vuong) displays stone artefacts and pottery excavated from an ancient Oc-Eo archaeological site, costumes and musical instruments of local ethnic minorities, and artefacts relating to the struggles against the French and Americans The museum is housed in a lovely French style villa, once the abode Nguyen Huu Hao, father of Empress Nan' Phuong, Bar Dai's wife. Nguven Huu Hao who died m 1939, was the richest person in the Go Cong district of the Mekong Delta. His tomb lies on a hilltop near Dalat, 400m west of Cam Ly Falls. Walk around the valley side of the villa to discover an interesting fusion of Chinese style longevity symbols on the side of the building. BAO DAI'S SUMMER PALACE This villa (Biet Dien Quoc Truong, or Dinh3), with 25 rooms, was constructed in 1933. The decor has not changed in decades except tor the addition of Ho Chi Minh's portrait over the fireplace, but the palace is filled with artefacts from decades and gov¬ernments past and is extremely interesting. For instance, the engrave - glass map of Vietnam was given to Emperor Bao Dai in 1942 by Vietnamese students in France. In Bao Dai's office, the life-sized white bust above the bookcase is of Bao Dai himself. The smaller gold and brown busts are of his lather. Emperor Khai Dinh. Note the heavy brass royal seal (on the right) and military seal (on the left). The photograph over the fireplace are of (from left to right) Bao Dai, his eldest son, Bao Long (in uniform); and Empress Nam Phuong, who died 1963 Upstairs are the royal living quarters. The room of Bao Long, who now lives in France, is decorated in yellow, the royal color. The huge semicircular couch was used by the emperor and empress for family meetings during which their three daughters were seated in the yellow chair and their two sons in the pink chairs. Check out the ancient tan Rouathermique infrared sauna machine near the top of the stairs. Bao Dai's Summer palace is set in a pine grove 500m southeast of the Pasteur Institute( D le Hong Phong), 2km southwest of the city center. The palace is open to the public and shoes must be removed at the door. There is an extra change for cameras and videos. LAM TY Ni PAGODA This pagoda (Quan Am Tu - 2 D Thien My) was found in 1961. The decorative front gate was constructed by the pagoda's only monk, Vien Thuc, an industrious man who learned Eng-lish, French. Khmer and Thai at Dalat University. During this time hen he built flowerbeds and gardens in several different styles, including a miniature Japanese garden complete with a bridge. Nearby are trellis-shaded paths decorated with hanging plants. Signs list the Chinese name of each garden Vien Thuc also built much of the pagoda's wooden furniture. But more than the pagoda and its gardens, the attraction here is Mr Thuc him self and his mind-boggling collection of self-brushed art works. It would he a gross understatement to call him prolific. By his own estimates he has churned out more than 100,000 works of art, pile1- and piles of which hang in and around the pagoda -even out in the ram! So industrious is this eccentric local celebrity that since he began selling his paintings to tourists he has become, some say the wealthiest person in Dalat. Juding by the astounding number of instant paintings he sells, you could believe it. The one-time hermit monk has today earned himself the esteemed title of the business monk by local motorbike guides (many 'if who resent hit-financial success, not to mention having to wait tor hours while their customers linger at the pagoda). Others call him the crazy monk, in keeping with the kooky theme of Dalat s sights. Paintings sell anywhere from a dollar or two to whatever smooth-talking Mr Thuc can take you for. These days the monk is saving those dollars while waiting for his long-awaited around-the-globe journey His plans include visiting travellers who have been to see him and the homes where his paintings hang. Lam Ty Ni Pagoda is about 500m north of the Pasteur Institute. A visit here can easily be combined with a stop at Bao Dai's Summer Palace DALAT FLOWER GARDENS These beutiful gardens (VuonHoa Dalat - 2 D Phu Dong Thien Vuong) were established in 1966 by the South Vietnamese agricultural Service. Renovated in 1985,and have been greatly refined in recent years. Flowers here include hydrangeas, fuchsias and orchids (hoa lan). .Most of the latter are in special shaded buildings to the right of the entrance. The orchids are grown in blocks of coconut-palm trunk and in terracotta pots with lots of ventilation holes.. Hasfarm, a local Dutch - run nursery, has chipped in with some displays. All in all it's a very nice and well-kept cross section of Dalat foliage. The plants still have a lot of space in which to grow, and before long they may be calling it a botanic Harden. A few monkeys live m cage's on the grounds of the Dalat Flower Gardens, and a warning to any feeble-minded tourists who might enjoy tormenting the monkeys by throwing things at them - these clever monkeys have learned to throw hack', Near the gate you can buy cu ly (reddish-brown animal-shaped pieces of fern stem-whose fibres are used to stop bleeding traditional medicine). Plants and flowerare also for sale. The Dalat Flower Gardens from Xuan Huong lake, on the road that leads fromthe lake to Dalat university. DALAT UNIVERSITY Dalat is actually something of an education centre. The reason for this is its climate before air-con, it was one of the few places in Vietnam where it was possible to study without working up a sweat. Therefore, the number of educational institutions were located in town, with Dalat University (D' Phu Dong Thien) being the most famous. Dalat University' was founded as a Catholic university in 1957 by Hue Archbishop Ngo Dinh Thuc, the older brother of Prcsident Ngo Dinh Diem (assassinated in 1963) with the help of Cardina Spelman of New York. The university was seized from the church in 1975 and closed, but it reopened two years later as a state-run institution. There are presently more than 13,000 students studying here. although they all live in off-campus hoarding houses. The university library contains 10,000 books including some in English and European languages. The 38-hectare campus can easily be identified by the triangular tower topped by a red star,was stuck over the cross originally erected by the church. The fact that the cross was never actually removed has led some to speculate that the church may some day get the campus returned to it. Foreign visitors arc generally welcome to visit the campus. VALLEY OF LOVE Named the Valley of Peace by Emperor Bao Dai, this valley (Thung Lung Tinh Yeu, or Vallee d'Amour - D Phu Dong Thien Vuong) had its name changed in 1972 (the year Da Thien Lake was created) by romantically minded stu¬dents from Dalat University. Today this ever-tacky place has taken on a carnival atmosphere and now local tour guides call it the Valley of Shops! Tour¬ist buses line up to regurgitate visitors and boats line up to accommodate them. Get into the spirit with some aquatic activities: paddle boats, 15-person canoes and obnox¬ious noise-making motorboats can be hired to tour the lake. This is a good place to see the "Dalat cow¬boys', Vietnamese guides dressed as Ameri¬can cowboys. We've also seen locals dressed as bears; can Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck costumes be far behind? The cow¬boys rent horses to tourists for a guided tour around the lake. The Dalat cowboys and bears expect cash if you take their picture -they want about 5000d per photo! Refreshments and local delicacies (such as jams and candied fruits) are on sale at the lookout near where the buses disgorge tourists. The Valley of Love is 5'Krn north of Xuan Huong Lake. GOVERNOR-GENERAL'S RESIDENCE Built in 1933, the French Governor-General's Residence (Dinh Toan Quyen, or Dinh 2 - D Tran Hung Dao) is a dignified build¬ing of modernist design. Today it's used as a guesthouse for the local People's Cornmittee and for official receptions, and the original style of furnishing has been re¬tained in most of its 25 rooms. At the time of writing it was closed 'o the public, and plans for renovation are in the works (in quire locally). The Governor- General's Residence is about 2km east of the corn re of town, up the hill from the intersection of D Tran Hung Dao and D Khoi Nghia Bac Son. PETIT LYCEE YERSIN The former school is now a teacher training college (1 D Hoang Van Thu) run by the provincial government.. Music lessons in electric and acoustic musical instruments are held here, making this a gooci place to meet local musicians. This build¬ing's older sister, the former Grand Lycee Yersin, is located east of Xuan Huong Lake DOMAINE DE MARIE CONVENT The pink tile-roofed structures 01 this hill top convent (Nha Tho Domainen - 5 D Ngo Quyen), constructed between 1940 and 1942, were once home to 300 nuns. Today the remaining nuns support themselves by making ginger candies and selling the fruit grown in the orchard out the back. Suzanne Humbert, wife of Admiral lean Decoux (French Governor-General of Indo¬china from 1940 to 1945.1 is buried at the base of the outside back wall of the chapel. A benefactor of the chapel, she was killed in a car accident in 1944. The French-speaking nuns are pleased to show visitors around and explain the work they do for orphans, the homeless and handicapped children. The shop sells handi-crafts made by the children and nuns. Masses are held in the large chapel Sunday to Friday. LINH SON PAGODA Built in 1938, this pagoda (Chua Linh Son, 120 D Nguyen Van Troi) is a lovely ochrecoloured building that fuses French and Chinese architecture. The giant bell is said to be made of bronze mixed with gold, its great weight making it too heavy lor thieves to carry off. Behind the pagoda are coffee and tea plants tended by 20 monks, who range in age from 20 to 80, and hall n dozen novices Linh Son Pagoda is about 1km from the town centre, near the corner of D Phan Dinh Phung, The .sign on the front gate reads "Phat Giao Viet Nam" ( Vietnam Buddhist Association). DALAT CATHEDRAL Next to the NovoteI Dalat, this gingerbread cathedral (D Tran Phu) was built be¬tween 1931 and 1942 tor use by French residents and holiday-makers. The cross on the spire is 47m above the ground. Inside, the stained-glass windows bring a hint of medieval Europe to Dalat. The first church built on this site (in the 1920s) is to the left of the cathedral; it has a light-blue arched door. There are three priests here, and masses are held daily. DU SINH CHURCH This church was built in 1955 by Catholic refugees from the north. The four-post, Sino-Vietnamese steeple was constructed at the insistence of a Hue-born priest of royal lineage. The church is on a hilltop with beautiful views in all directions, making this a great place for a picnic. To get to Du Sinh Church, walk 500m southwest along D Huyen Tran Cong Chua from the former Couvent des Oiseaux, which is now a teachers' training high school. THIEN VUONG PAGODA This pagoda (Chua Tau; D Khe Sanh) is popular with domestic tourists, especially ethnic Chinese. Set on a hilltop amid pine trees, the pagoda was built by the Chaozhou Chinese Congregation. The Da, the monk who initiated the construction of the pa¬goda in 1958, emigrated to the USA; there are pictures of his 1988 visit on display. The stalls out the front are a good place to buy local candied fruit and preserves. The pagoda itself consists of three yel¬low buildings made of wood. In the first building is a gilded, wooden statue of Ho Phap, one of the Buddha's protectors. On the other side of the glass case is a gilded wooden statue of Pho Hien, a helper of A Di Da Buddha (Buddha of the Past). Re¬move your shoes before entering the third building, in which there are three 4m-high standing Ruddhas, donated by a British Buddhist and brought from Hong Kong in 1960. Made of gilded sandalwood and weighing 1400kg each, the figures (which are said to be the largest sandalwood statues in Vietnam) represent Thich Ca Buddha (the historical Buddha Sakyamuni; in the centre); Quan The Am Bo tat (Avalokitecvara, the Goddess of Mercy; on the right); and Dai The Chi Bo Tat (an assistant of A Di Da; on the left). Thien Vuong Pagoda is about 5km southeast of the centre of town. MINH NGUYET CU SY LAM PAGODA A second Chinese Buddhist pagoda, Minh Nguyet Cu Sy Lam Pagoda, can be reached by a path beginning across the road from the gate of the Thien Vuong Pa¬goda. It was built by the Cantonese Chinese Congregation in 1962. The main sanctuary of the pagoda is a round structure con¬structed on a platform representing a lotus blossom. Inside the pagoda (remove shoes be¬fore entering) is a painted cement statue of Quan The Am Bo Tat flanked by two other figures. Notice the repetition of the lotus motif in the window bars, railings and gateposts. There is a giant, red, gourd-shaped incense-burning oven near the main sanctuary. VIETNAMESE EVANGELICAL CHURCH Dalat's pink Evangelical Church (72 D Nguyen Van Troi), the main Protestant church in the city, was built in 1940. Until 1975 it was affiliated with The Christian and Mis¬sionary Alliance. Since reunification Vietnam's Protestants have been persecuted even more than the Catholics, in part because many Protestant clergymen were trained by US missionaries. Although religious activities at this church are still restricted by the government, Sun¬day is a busy day with Bible study, worship and a youth service. Most of the 25,000 Protestants in Lam Dong province, who are served by more than 100 churches, are hill-tribe people. Dalat's Vietnamese Evangelical Church is one of only six churches in the province whose membership is ethnic Vietnamese. The Vietnamese Evangelical Church is 300m north of Rap 3/4.