Mon, Jan 22 – Long Drive to Buon Ma Thuot

 

 

We got to sleep in and did not meet Hilary and David for breakfast until 7 AM!!   Nice breakfast of French toast and yogurt. 

Very cool ceiling at the Mang Den hotel - we hadn’t even noticed it the night before!

We packed up and drove out to do a little birding along a side road near the hotel.  We managed to get great views of both the Necklaced and Indochinese Barbets!     These large green birds, decorated with a rainbow of other colors, sit up on the top of the canopy and call persistently to attract females.  Tien pulled out his very good telescope so we got leisurely views.  

 

We took off then at 9:30 as we had a long ride ahead of us.  We are heading southeast and staying in a hotel in the city of Buon Ma Thuot.  Tomorrow, we plan to leave at 4 AM, drive 1.5 hours to Yok Don National Park in order to arrive before dawn to see some night birds and other specialties.  

 

We passed through miles of rubber tree plantations; tall skinny trees each with an “umbrella” wrapped around it to protect the area to be tapped for rubber from rain.  The trees are very precisely planted in neat rows, and still largely owned by the French.

Decor ready for Tet or Lunar New Year in front of the lunch restaurant

 

Lunch spot

                Hair-crested Drongo - with curled tail

We stopped in the town of Plei Ku for an excellent lunch – I had stir-fried beef and Bok Choi with noodles – delicious!   Bom continued driving us on the excellent roads that we have found throughout Vietnam.  Long stretches of landscaped center strips, endless shops, beauty salons, Honda, Subaru, etc. dealerships.  The middle class is doing quite well!

 

As we continued south, we passed through more agricultural areas:  coffee, cashews, papaya, passion fruit, betel nut palms and black peppercorn spice plants among other produce.

 

Rubber Tree Plantation

Buddhist Temple

At 4:30 we finally reached the medium sized city of Buon Ma Thuot and checked into a tall business hotel and relaxed in our 12^th floor room until 6:30 dinner.  Not to be prudish, but why do so many of these hotel rooms have a large window from the sleeping area into the bathroom??  Do people really want to watch their sweetie take a shower??  There are blinds to lower but why a window to begin with?  

Hordes of motorbikes in the evening from HH’s room

View from our room at night