The last week

So, the time has gone by rather quickly. Oh, and sorry about the break from blogging...I can't say it's extremely exciting around here. Yes, some odd things happen throughout the day, but I've gotten so used to it, I'm not inspired to write about them anymore.

Here's a few things to chomp on.

My favorite local restaurant, Lonely Planet, was closed down for about 4 days about a week and a half ago. I'm just now finding out what really happens. Seems some of the boys that worked at Lonely planet weren't very happy...who knows why. Seems they disconnected the gas line (and not in a way that it could be easily re-connected) and left for another restaurant...Supprabhattam...I've seen the guys working there. What a drama! I still like Lonely Planet...they are much, much faster, the people that work there are extremely pleasant, and the food is better...but, that's just me. Go figure.

The days are winding down, there are fewer and fewer people practicing each day, and we start later now (yay!)...not that I don't get enough sleep already. I'm spending just a month here, but some little things are already wearing on me...like the same people begging every day...the guys selling drums (I actually saw someone buy one yesterday...a first!), the really old (well, most of it) seafood that is on display each night along the walkway. Most restaurants serve seafood, but, the power cuts out at least once each day...sometimes for hours. Now, how do you suppose that fish is kept fresh? If you ask the workers in the restaurant, of course they will tell you "yes, just caught today"....right. Then the fruit ladies...dozens...each trying to "claim" you as their own...and trying to make you feel guilty for not buying a fruit salad. Most of them have rotten teeth from chewing paan all day long. Not that I want to leave the sun, the sand, Lino and company...but, I'll be happy to be home when the time comes.

Try to stay warm in the midwest! I'm out.

Thali

Today (Saturday, the traditional day off in ashtanga yoga) I was invited to go with Lino and a group of Italians to have Thali in Trivandrum. This is nice becasue in Kovalam the food is usually "spiced down" a bit to fit western taste buds.

We all walked to the Kovalam bus stop and took the bus into town for 10 rupees. A pretty crazy ride indeed...traffic etiquette is seemingly non-existent...but after a few rides, you begin to make sense of the caos. Larger vehicles have the right of way...smaller ones, must move aside to let them through. The 15 km ride took no more than 25 minutes, and after a short, crazy walk through the streets of Trivandrum, we arrived at "Annipuranam" where a large table was waiting. We sat, ordered (8 of us, 8 thali 2 giant paper dosa)....the dosa arrived in minutes with coconut chutney and samar...mmmmm! Then the Thali arrived...served on the traditional banana leaf. And indeed it was much spicier than Thali in Kovalam...I had trouble with some of the items. But after it all came the ice cream...soothing on the way down, and putting the fire out! After we crossed the street to a juice stand where we ordered various things...from fresh papaya juice to a chocolate Sharja (milkshake)...all very refreshing. After, there were some minor errands to run, then back to the bus stand. This bus was a little nicer than the last...had a rockin' sound system. But we sat there what seemed like forever until the could absolutely pack the bus...when we took off, the music blasted! Pumping Malayalam music....fun! After a quick ride back to Kovalam, we walked the path back to the village...and it was 4:00pm...I realized I needed a nap...great day.

Back to yoga tomorrow morning, bright and early. More later, thanks for checking in.

Bad Weather Day...

These words and Kerala, South India in January just don't go together. This morning, it was so humid during yoga practice, most students talked about how exhausted they were after. Then, late morning, it started to rain, making it even more humid. I guess that's life in the coconut palm jungle.

What does one do under such circumstances? Well, sleep, and eat....not necessarily in that order. I spent 3 hours having lunch at Lonely Planet today...partly because it was very busy due to the weather, and partly just socializing, though, I need to learn Italian because that was the language of choice at the table. Luckily there was a translator to help.

Have an enjoyable day.

Not Fair...

I mentioned in my first post this trip how I learned that my friend, Sean O'Shea, was killed in a tragic accident in San Diego Dec. 28. Today I learned exactly how it happened.

Seems it was a freak accident...he was driving down the freeway and a trailer hitch that had come loose from another car smashed through his windshield...ending his young life instantly. It just isn't fair.

This is still sinking in for me....being so far away from home. It will hit me hard soon enough I'm sure.

Sorry I don't have more upbeat stuff today. Thanks for checking in.

A Typical Day

Yoga @ 5:30am
Press-pot coffee at 8:00am
Breakfast at 9:00am
Internet at 10:30am (it takes so frickin' long to get your food here)
Nap from 11:30am to 12:30pm
Beach - 1:00pm to 3:00pm (well, maybe a little longer)
Back to the room...rest, read, shower 3:00 to 6:30pm
Dinner 6:30 to 8:00pm (like I said, it takes sooooo long to get your food)
Lights out at 9:00pm
Start all over again the next day

Ok, it's a little more exciting than that, but you get the picture. I'm loving being a yoga student, and not a teacher for now.

Today, I moved into my new room. Much bigger, quiet, cool, and much less expensive! Yay!

Thanks for checking in. More soon.

Like I said, this is India

Well, so much for the new room today. I've been informed that I can't move in until Sunday. Oh well, such is life. I will manage.

Today was the first led class (every friday is led, all others are Mysore style...self practice). I've always loved Lino's led classes...he's the master. The room was packed...there are so many people that he had to do a second class right after the early one. The temperature was perfect...not too hot/muggy.

Now we have the rest of today and tomorrow (Saturday) to ourselves. Some people will do side trips like a backwater boat, or a trip to Kanyakumari (southermost tip of India). I promised myself I'd stay low...I'm sticking to rest, reading and yes, eating! The food is so good here. I'm expecting many people to leave over the next few days.

That's about all I have for you today...I'll have more soon. Promise.

Peace.

You come back tomorrow!

Hey there everyone. Sorry, took a couple of days off to "clear the mind".

So, I'm moving to a new room. The one I'm in is fine, but a little expensive. There are other, better rooms in my current hotel, but, the manager keeps changing the price on me. So, onward I go. The new place was supposed to be available Jan. 3 (there's a specific room I want), but the date keeps getting pushed back...so, tomorrow is the day...I think??? Such is India. You come back tomorrow!

I was at a popular western hangout called "Fusion" (I only go there for the press pot coffee...the food is horrible and takes forever). The other day, there was, how do I say, a little "incident" while I was there. I was afternoon, I was with a couple of friends having afternoon coffee, when the "incident" broke out. Apparently, a local was there having a couple of Kingfishers (local beer) while waiting for his food. Well, his food took forever and his patience wore thin, so, he decided to leave without paying for the beer. Now, in my mind, the proper way to handle it would be to apologize and invite him back for better service next time. Instead, they tried to force payment...things got a little crazy, and this guy ended up cutting himself as he slipped on the stairway. He was cut pretty badly and needed immediate medical attention...I'll leave the details out. And, don't worry anyone, nobody was in danger in any way, so relax. Just goes to prove that patience is always best.

Yesterday, I tried a new restaurant...having heard great things about their Thali (traditional south indian afternoon meal). It did indeed live up to it's hype...I will go back. They are also one of the few, if not the only place in Kovalam that has Avocado's...well, I tried the Avocado salad. Let's just say that they need to work on the "quality" of the Avocado's that they get...let's just let them ripen a little more, ok? I'll go back for the Thali.

Please, comments are welcome! I love hearing from you guys. I'm out.