Venice of the East

Bkk has been known as the Venice of the east because of it's extensive network of canals. Perhaps the title is not so appropriate now becasue many of the canals have been covered by development. Technically, Bkk is one small section of the city known to Thai as Thrung Krep. The official name has about fourteen words. So, I did the tourist thing and took a boat ride on the canal. It was a very Asian experience complete with an extremely perky (Joanne with a pep pill) tour guide. Her English was good and one more reminder of how fortunate are native English speakers. I asked her if she good give the whole Thai name of the city, she broke into song and all the Thai on the boat joined her. Students are taught the song as a way of learning the city's name...anyone remember memorizing the books of the Bible in song? It's a Buddhist something holiday...Buddha did something on this date via lunar calendar so we got to the canal an hour early because there were no traffic jams. The people who sleep under the bridge, singles and families, were just getting up. We went up a canal on the Thonburi (opposite Bkk) side of the river to a zoo/refreshment place where we stopped for an hour. My recommendation is that you skip Asian zoos. Many Thai live in houses built on stilts in the canals. It made a nice mellow morning and a different view of the city.
Medical update: All stitches are out and only two bandages left. My knee is healed but the doctor continues to bandage it as a protection against bumps. My shin is healing slowly. The wound is near the site of previously surgery so blood flow is less than normal. I'm scheduled to land at MSP Sunday morning....Oh, I hope its warmer!