Thanks for the great report on a wonderful trip, johna. I've found the relative rapidity of loading and unloading the boats to be incredible! To catch the public water bus you have to know in advance just where to stand on an (often crowded) dock/pier. The whistling sounds "coming in" and suddenly reveresing to "going out" (d-d-d-d!!) and the ecletic mass of people, monks everyone simultaneously jumping on and off in seconds! The first time my wife took one of these she nearly landed in the Chao Prah River! Bangkok is such a wonderfully interesting city. I take it you had already been to the Grand Palace? If not then next time for sure!