Getting around town

Jeff and I really enjoy cities, especially the freedom to stop and explore. Walking is a bit tough around here. Things are not set on a grid system and the roads are not marked well enough for us to know where we are all the time. Add the business of the sidewalk merchants, and all of a sudden you've lost your orientation. We've gotten turned around more than once. While people always offer to help, they cannot read our map or guide us from the slip our hotel gave us. Even the taxi and tuk-tuk drivers were unable to take us to our hotel with the address written in both English and Thai. We tried 3 times with no luck. It is easy to get someplace by taxi because the hotel staff can guide the driver - getting back is the problem. Our cab driver offered to wait/come back for us in 1 1/2 hours during our canal tour, and we found ourselves wishing we had arranged that.
We are feeling very comfortable and at home in the neighborhood our hotel is in. The staff at Pantip Court are fantastic. It is familiar to us now. Everyone is so friendly here we have not once felt unsafe or to have found ourselves in a situation where we felt nervous. Thai people laugh a lot and can be very silly and jovial. That's exactly our speed. People have tried to scam us into shopping, but it's to be expected, we're aware of it, and it give us a giggle when we recognize it.
The subway and elevated train system here are fabulous. They are absolutely easy to navigate and well marked. We did see a military presence holding riffles posted in the elevated train system. Nothing felt stressful. They seemed relaxed and to be monitoring things.
We need to start taking more pictures of one another. I'm sure it will happen when Maneekarn joins us. But for now, just a couple of pics from the canal tour. The boat we were in was propelled by a car engine.
Talk to you soon. G