Imagine staying in a room where you are watched over by
the glowing red eyes of a kangaroo. Or take in the features of elaborate local
tribal decorations, or carved birds looming over your bed as you are tucked
snugly into cave-like nooks.
Guests can experience this surreal amazing resort that’s
popular with honeymooners, where this guesthouse, bizarre in its design, is one
of the true landmarks sited in the city of Da Lat in Vietnam. In the Crazy
House, Antoni Gaudi meets Alice in Wonderland in a fantastic folly of twisting,
tree-trunk-like concrete and artificial caverns, winding flights of stairs and
irregular windows, stalactites and stalagmites, flowering purple vines, and an
over-sized sculpture of a giraffe. Gaudi is famous in Barcelona, and this - the
Crazy - is definitely worth the visit when in Vietnam.
The whole complex was a labor of love for avant-garde
architect Hang Nga, who lives on site and sometimes chats with guests. She is an
interesting person to talk to. Besides designing buildings like this and her
other Da Lat landmark ("The House of One Thousand Roofs," now
demolished), she is daughter of a former Vietnamese vice president.
Sightseers are welcome to tour the building during the
day for a small fee or to book a room and stay the night. Bring warm clothes -
the Da Lat Crazy House is at a high altitude, and all that concrete gets mighty
chilly after sunset.
Da Lat Crazy Horse is just a 10-minute taxi ride from the
center of town. It is important that visitors watch their step and keep an eye
on any children. There are several stair cases and rooms which have, although
unique, less than adequate safety railings. In many places visitors are facing
a 50+ foot drop.
Street vendors, water buffalos, mopeds buzzing around and
floating markets are a visitor’s first experiences when visiting such a
naturally rich and cultural destination as Vietnam. From the temples of Hanoi
and the islands of Halong Bay to the beaches of Nha Trang and the palaces of
Hue, it is a country now firmly etched in the travel psyche. The second largest
coffee production destination in the world, Vietnam is ideal for the caffeine
addicts. A cashew nut heaven, full of exotic foods and fruits, one may come
across a Vietnamese speciality ruou ran, a rice wine with a pickled snake in it
that is said to cure all illnesses. Vietnamese food is a blend of Chinese and
Thai styles and is considered one of the healthiest cuisines in the world.
Explore the cities, explore the people, and discover a whole world of new and
old cultures that make Vietnam such an iconic destination to visit.
For more information, visit http://vietnam.discoverexplorevisit.com
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