Dal Lat is in the central highlands of Vietnam where its beauty is in the open space; brisk, cool air and vast array of flower beds that have been tenderly planted in every nook and cranny.

The French were the first to visit here as they fled the tropical heat of HCMC. Their elegant colonial villas can still be seen, dotted around the vast lake that sits, constantly rippling, at Da Lat's centre. The Vietnamese seem to have carried on the French theme themselves: there is a radio tower here that resembles a miniature Eiffel Tower; horse drawn carriages adorn the streets and hundreds of small cafes unleash the intoxicating smell of warm bread and fresh coffee. With these peccadilloes in place, Da Lat is a major draw for domestic tourism, being nicknamed Le Petit Paris, the honeymoon capital of Vietnam.

The locals are extremely welcoming and, realising that we were British, kept shouting, 'Top Banana' and 'lovely jubbly', believing that it was a common turn of phrase for us back home. Whoever convinced them of this needs a stiff handshake as it generates a warm cackle of laughter between host and tourist.

Whilst here I am deftly adding another foreign drink to my now extensive repertoire for drinks that I am bringing home - a new affinity for condensed milk with coffee. I am sure that this is already a 'thing' back home but the sweet and mesmerisingly viscous liquid is completely new to me. A very small amount leaves your coffee creamy and sweet - idyllic.

Walking around Da Lat's lake -attempting to count the Art Deco street lamps that skirt the circumference - you realise why Da Lat is also nicknamed the 'City of Eternal Spring'. A biting wind made me feel and look foolish in my flip flops and shorts as the locals skudded past tightly wrapped in coats and scarves.

Intrigued by a building shaped and coloured like a satsuma, accompanied by another resembling half a cucumber we tramped around the lake to inspect it. As it happens these intriguing buildings are towers that connect to a supermarket underneath them, anticlimactic but great architecture nonetheless.

In the evening we decided to go to the Linh Phuoc Pagoda, chiefly because it is nominated as a must see and more importantly has free admission to soothe our tearful wallets. A pagonda is a Buddhist or Hindu temple; this one was particularly fascinating as it was completely adorned with purpose broken ceramics. As you might expect the pagoda took a considerable time to finish, and its completion in 1952 boasted exquisitely carved dragons one of which is covered in he brown shards of over 12,000 bottles!the intricate patterns and detail is overwhelming, even the ceiling have beautiful mosaic birds and fish dancing around lotus flowers. The central tower also houses the Dai Hong Chung bell which weighs a hefty 8.5 tonnes. The idea of the bell is pleasing one. You wrote your wish on a piece of paper, attach it to the bell, then strike the bell with a wooden ram which rumbling noise draws Buddha's attention to your wish.

Wandering back south into Da Lat we noticed how the entire valley was covered it stepped slopes upon which sat thousands of plastic green houses - Da Lat grows strawberries by the tonnes as well as a healthy measure of Vietnam's potatoes, coffee and cabbages.

Every night the town centre becomes a hive of markets and food stands where the senses are assaulted by smells of roasting pork and he shouts of sellers. Compared to other areas we have visited in Vietnam the prices here are far higher and not as much variety is to be had. The throngs of cages didn't disappointed however, as chelsea ordered her billionth ice coffee and I my humble coffee with condensed milk.