The land of smiling people, Buddhas, Stupas, Tuk Tuks & Mobile phone towers

We are almost at the end of our holiday after three weeks. Now in PP for a few days of site seeing and shopping in this interesting city that seems to be in a boom at present. You could say it is just another Asian city but we have found it very friendly and easy to get around, the restaurants are great value and the quality is very good. I was expecting a much less developed city, not the bustling city we found with trendy shops & restaurants.
Our hotel,The Boddhi Tree Arman is a very small place next door to the British Embassy residence in a 1950's building close to the Royal Palace.We can pop in for a cuppa anytime we feel like it.
The hotel has been trendily decorated a few years ago but now in need of a touch up. Our room overlooks a rusted steel roof of the food street vendors who operate in the laneway off the street approaching our hotel.
I woke up early this morning and went for a walk around the Royal Palace and the surrounding streets.
Many people were waking up from their beds on the footpaths, others were doing aerobics near the Democracy Monument to the sound of disco music or walking their dogs.
Tonight we meet our friends Bert & Lyn from Australia for sunset and dinner at the Foreign Correspondents Club.