- 28/04/2020
A shortcut to the local market between Ward 5 and 6, this 200 m sloping path is familiar to many generations of Da Lat people who enjoy shedding 2-3 km away from their daily ride.
Murals depicting wild sunflowers, Da Lat train station or its Cathedral bell tower, among others, extend the length of the hill, covering many private residences as well as public spaces.
The vibrant and flamboyant works offer the dilapidated alley a refreshing gloss.
Apart from symbolic flowers and landscapes, artists included portraits of several locals, high school students from Bui Thi Xuan and historical figures such as Dr. Alexandre Yersin who spent a large part of his life in Vietnam.
In 1893 Yersin was credited with discovering the Da Lat site. Da Lat quickly became a holiday destination for French officers during the colonial period, due to the high altitude and European-like climate. Yersin is world-renowned as the bacillus co-discoverer responsible for the bubonic plague or pestilence.
Nha Lang is Nguyen Bieu Street's former name in Ward 1, and is still employed today by locals. The name derives from the community building at the intersection of five separate roads once reserved for public affairs and gatherings.
The paintings line five roads, covering 19 walls and measuring around 2,000 square metres.
A creators' representative said this slanting alley was specifically chosen because of its modest and ordinary design, which most people forget when discussing the misty place. Instead, the praises focus on the ancient villas and cathedral and their beauty while neglecting the aged hills, alleys, and winding stairs that connect Da Lat's streets.
But these apparently ordinary routes are central to the Da Lat lifestyle. The theme of the project aims to promote that dimension of Da Lat.
Source : bitly/dalat