Bangkok reminds me of NYC in that is it very cosmopolitan. We took a canal tour as our first activity. Very much like Venice, Bangkok had canals for streets. To the east many have been filled in, but to the west there are still many canals. This city has 10 million people and it is huge! I was overwhelmed with how to take it in. So riding in a boat seemed perfect. They picked us up by car to take us to the boat. Drivers say,"Traffic jam." But it was air conditioned, and the city streets slowly went by. There is a huge gem section. Jewelry stores on both sides for a good long stretch. We passed a furniture area. Many many street vendors. The electrical wires are astounding. On street corners are massive bundles of wires going in every direction. Being an electrician would be a nightmare.

Mini, our guide transfers us to a boat like you see here. We stop at the royal barge museum. There is a small collection of long, ornately carved boats that the king rides in during special ceremonies. Some are no longer in use. Dragon headed bows, a raised seating area in the middle, and a steering area in the back. These looked to be in repair rather than a museum. They had a sander out to paint and decorate the sides. There were diagrams of processions and there were up to fifty boats/barges.