Vietnam Scrapbook - Part 5

Hello Friends

What a strange week of weather we have endured this week.  Fog, rain, humidity, warm, cold - I never know what to put on in the mornings!  

I thought today I would share some more photos of my Vietnam album with you.  You will recall that in my last post I told you we were up early at the Temple as today was going to be a long hard day.  Well it sure was.  We were to climb Muc Pass.  On the first layout I chose to use multiple photographs to show you the sort of terrain we were cycling.  The altitude is 980m!  You can see from the photographs just how winding and beautiful this road was.  We met up with a bunch of Australian cyclists who were cycling down the Pass - they told us we were "mad" to go South!  Hmmmn!

 The group photograph at the bottom left is at the halfway point!  Onwards and upwards as they say.  I was determined that I would NOT be going on the follow up bus if I had to walk the route until midnight!  I am pleased to say I succeeded!

 Here is a picture from the top of the Pass.  I really did feel I was on top of the world!

And my Victory Photo!  The Team Doctor, having completed the ride, cycled back down to see who else was coming up and came across me.  I did not have far to go but she turned right round and cycled back up with me encouraging me all the way.  There was a particularly long and steep corner to go and I still don't know how I did it but I did.  You can just see the joy in my face on this photo!  

See those groves on the mountain opposite?  They are the tea and coffee plantations of Dalat.  No doubt you have drunk some.

A little rest at a "coffee shop" and we were back on the road once everyone had caught up and a few miles down the road we came on this temple.  The layout may seem a little strange, but the bottom of the page contains the book which I bought and the ribbons hold it in place.  I managed to buy some postcards and some gorgeous tassles from here, one of which decorates the spine of this album.  I shall show you that once I finish.

Anne-Marie and I asked if we could take photos inside the temple and they gave us permission (we learnt that some were told no).  However, in the heat my camera decided not to work and Anne-Marie's batteries had gone flat so we were unlucky.  I have the little book so not to worry.  When we got to the hotel I put my camera in the fridge, having taken the sim card out, for a while and it came back to life - phew! 

That is all from me today.  Thanks for calling over.  

Hettie