That’s not a typo – ‘botanic,’ not ‘botanical.’ Less like an American botanical garden, which are rather like educational centers or nature museums, this was more like Rock Creek Park – a huge, public park for walks, jogs, exercise, and picnics. Only tropical. I say Rock Creek rather than Central Park, because it is sprawling, irregular, and a touch wild.

In case you hadn’t gathered, we spent a couple of days in Singapore – just a two hour trip from Thailand – and I’ll probably have more to write. But it may be a bit fragmented. I’m writing this at the airport (though the lack of internet means it will be posted later), but I suspect later ones (and much of what I write about this trip to the east) will transcriptions of haphazard notes that will make only partial sense.