After our trek, we returned to Kathmandu to soak in the mountain city and the sites it had to offer. Nepal is similar to India in many ways, but much more relaxed. The touts aren't as vicious, the weather not so intensely hot and the roads, despite being equally crazy, were not so dirty. Much of our time in Kathmandu was spent in an area called Thamel. Thamel consists of an area of small inter-connecting lanes crammed with shops selling trekking gear, CD & DVD copies, hats, bags , incense, decorative masks, tiger balm salesmen and books to mention but a few. In between these shops, Thamel boasts a large number of cafes, bars and restaurants with a huge variety of international cuisine. The city's congested, dusty roads cause many respiratory problems as cars kick up
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