Beautiful Việt Nam in Photos, Part One

I took a lot of photos over the past six months and they're just sitting on my laptop. It's long overdue to share some of them...

The only fresher sugar cane is un-cut in the field

"Tourist Police" are tasked with protecting tourists.

This "regular" police officer is not peeing in the street.

The yellow-uniformed traffic police usually ride two-up on their 150 Hondas

Buddhist alter with food offerings--found in many homes and businesses

Two of the pro-helmet billboards on Hwy 20 that I think
are paid for by the Asia Injury Prevention Foundation

My first motorcycle flat tire happened out of my cell carrier's coverage area; two kids
riding by stopped and, using another carrier, called a guy with a service truck for me.

One of the Prenn Waterfall elephants foraging by the side of the road

The view from my balcony at Villa Pink House, Đà Lạt

The waiting room at the Saigon Dermatological Hospital

Everything I brought to Đà Lạt except one bag and the motorcycles--delivered by bus.

This is the decal guy I use in Đà Lạt. I love how he holds the
blow drier while manipulating the decals with both hands.

Some scooters are more beautiful than others...

Orchid vendors at Đà Lạt Market

I wonder if the kid knows he's wearing road kill on his head?

If you ever see the guy above in a restaurant with greens on the table, eat somewhere else. Both he and his female friend picked up a branch, rubbed it under their noses, and then PUT IT BACK ON THE PLATE which would be put in front of the next customer. I walked over, threw the greens in the trash, and told them how disgusting they are.

My friend Nhi's son Thịnh loves riding on the DRZ. His mom, not so much...

The great new highway into Đà Lạt from the south is closed to motorcycles :-(

Đà Lạt Twilight (sans vampires)

The bridge heading toward the Đà Lạt Market from the east (iPhone photo)

Dropped the DRZ on the street and the gear shifter penetrated the clutch housing

When the mechanic saw I had a dirty air filter (Steed), he ripped out the
filtering baffles and replaced them with a piece of open-cell foam before
I could stop him. It now has a cleanable, 100,000 mile K&N air filter.

Bahn Xeo, A Vietnamese rice pancake and one of my favorites...
even though it's fried in oil. Eating them the VN way is NOT intuitive.

Cut the pancake with (provided) scissors, Pick some greens and lay them on
the rice wrap. Use chopsticks to add a slice of rice pancake

Roll tightly and dip in the rice vinegar (I now add hot chilies to it) and enjoy!

Đà Lạt Market at night

It's a good thing that the hydrant is too far from a structure to be of any use.

This is a fish that apparently divides itself into segments
when fried and was neither oily or greasy--very delicious!
The red fruit at upper right is what they call a plum, though it's nothing like Western plums.

More to follow...