I arrived in Surabaya on yet another whirlwind tour of Indonesia yesterday. I was a bit surprised when the plane pulled up to the new terminal building. I’ve been coming to Surabaya for a couple of years now, and I’ve seen the new terminal under construction every time. Now it’s finally open, although like a lot of projects like this in Southeast Asia, open doesn’t mean complete.

The new airport is a lot bigger than the old one, with sky bridges to board plans, big boarding lounges, and lots of shops out front. Some of the design elements remind me of Jakarta’s airport. However, despite the more spacious appearance, the airport is already crowded. Like the new airport in Bangkok, it’s taken so long to complete that the new terminal was at capacity on the day it opened.

Okay, so I haven’t been posting much lately. I promise to get back to my usual posting once a week or so. One of the reasons I haven’t been posting is that I’ve been busy starting yet another web site. The site is now up and running, and is called Traveling Chili.

Despite the name, Traveling Chili is not another travel site, or at least not exactly. Over the years, as part of my other work, I’ve come across some interesting stories about the origins of the foods we eat. You see, many of the fruits, vegetables and spices that we may associate with a certain place actually don’t originate there. Take the chili pepper for example. Where would Thai food be today without hot chilies? But the plants aren’t native to Thailand, or even to Asia. How they got here and what things were like before they arrived can be interesting stories, and that’s the basis of Traveling Chili.

On the off chance that you haven’t heard about this already, the grand Rachaphruek Royal Flora Expo opened today near Chiang Mai, and runs until the end of January The flower and plant exposition is being held in commemoration of the King’s 60th anniversary on the throne. It covers 80 hectares and has more than seven kilometers of walking paths through it (bring comfortable shoes!!!!)

In addition to the displays of Thai flowers, there are other gardens representing many other countries of the world. There are a total of 108 "exhibits" in all.

Admission is 100 Baht if purchased in advance, or 200 Baht at the door. Given the size of the place, a multiple entry ticket for 400 Baht advance purchase may be a good deal.

I probably won’t get a chance to visit until January, but I’ll post photos when and if I do.