Elephant-astic!

This time I thought i'd post a few more pictures and a little less writing .... hope you enjoy!

look who's fitting right into the culture

Coffee beans ... the plantation was in full bloom

future coffee connoisseurs??

Now for our BIG adventure ...

"I'm going for a ride on THAT?!?!"

meandering through the Jun Village - a traditional minority settlement along the shore of the lake

"Ummm Dad ...  just wondering ....... can this big fella swim???"

Max was willing to share his cookies with his new friend

Stella and I named this one Ellie ... she really communicated with us and responded to us!  Seemed like such a sweet, gentle soul.

After the rides, we stopped for a lunch break.  Our vietnamese meal was AMAZING!!!  We were served about 8 different dishes to share between the 4 of us and each one was incredibly delicious!  

Max kicking it back with our guide Mui

the kids checking to see if the elephants were still outside

And den, we explored to willage

hellooooo ladies!!!

Holy #*%@ !!

♫ Beautiful girls, all over the world ...

3 little piggies stayed home

And den.... we traveled to Dray Sap waterfalls

walking across a suspension bridge (very sturdy & very well built in case you're wondering :)

Since it was dry season, we only saw about 1/4 of the falls.  Imagine what it would look like in the rainy season!?!!

And den, we made some friends while playing around a sprinkler

And den, we saw this ...

seriously ... who needs a truck??!!!  WOW!!  I wonder if he's en route to get his kids from school?!

From Buon Ma Thout, we flew to Ho Chi Minh city (formerly known as Saigon).  It was either the 50 minute flight or the 12 hour bus ride.  The flight cost under $100 for all 4 of us so we didn't even hesitate!

We've spent the last 4 days in HCMC and are keen to leave this massive city (approx. 8 million people).  It is so unbelievably hot here (38 degrees in our taxi today) and the humidity doesn't help at all!  It makes it hard to believe we once complained about the cooler temperatures!  HCMC is not so much a city as a small province stretching from the South China Sea almost to the Cambodian border.    Like Hanoi, motorbikes throng the streets creating a buzzing, almost dizzying atmosphere.  HCMC has it all - from the finest hotels to the cheapest guesthouses, classiest restaurants or the most humble street stalls, designer boutiques to crowded markets.   We're staying in the backpacker district and have had fun exploring some sights and once again, we found a waterpark that the kids absolutely loved ... so refreshing!

Tomorrow we leave on a four day tour of the Mekong Delta - a region many have proclaimed as the highlight of their trips to Vietnam.  We are really looking forward to exploring it for ourselves.  

Good Night!

Oh, and don't be shy .... leave us a comment ... we'd love to hear from you!!