Earlier written Goa entiries

I did not have any internet access through my computer for a while... so I am posting the entries I have written earlier just now!

November 25 2008

Sunday, some of us went to Brahmani yoga for self-practice since R&M do not teach on Sundays. It was very nice, the teacher who was teaching had good adjustments and also, Ken the Rolfer began helping her after he finished his own practice and of course he has very good adjustments! After the practice we all went to German bakery. It was great; I was craving to eat there for a week. I love the food there. Afterwards some of us went to Shore Bar (the posh beach shack). I went into the ocean for a long while. Then head home, because I was expecting my friend Dagmar to arrive from the Shvananda ashram in Kerala. As soon as Dagmar arrived I arranged a scooter for her; that is a must especially since we are in Arpora, 15 min. drive to the shala, and one needs a scooter to get around Goa anyways. So, we went to Vagator to pick up the scooter and then stopped by the Juice Bar.
Monday, practice was good and I began working on handstands again, that is not so good, well what I mean is that it is not going so well. I just lost my handstands at some point while in Istanbul, and now they feel impossible. I used to be able to go up by kicking one leg and even with both sides right and left but then they are all gone now. I was struggling to go up with two feet together and now I am struggling to go up with one leg kicking up… so I am steps backwards somehow. I do not know what is the reason for this but will work on it as long as I need to…



November 21 2008
It has been a week since I got to Goa. My train journey was longggg… I am glad I made it but I would not do it again, I think… at least, not the Bangalore-Hubli- Vasco Da Gama route… that was too long and a hassle to shlap my stuff around from bus to train to another train to a bus again and to another bus and to taxi…. I guess it is a bit difficult to do a train journey when you are alone and have bit mush stuff with you. Do not misunderstand, this time I am traveling much lighter but I have got my computer… and that is a big responsibility and also a bit of weight to carry on my back… Well, I made it all right. The ride from Mysore to Bangalore was good since I was with Elena who did not stop talking for the rest of the journey and of course, I did not stop talking either ☺ Yes that was pretty easy and fun ride in a tin can. And when we got to Bangalore for 83 rupees each, Elena put me on this van for 6 rupees, which got me close to the train station. Well, I had to shlap my stuff for a while on the road then up and down the stairs… hardly made it to train on time… that was not much fun. I hardly found where the train was. There was a info boot and when I asked the lady she snapped me for being far from her (could not hear me) and then she wrote on my paper ticket some numbers which I thought were the platform numbers… As I tried to find that platform the newsstand guy said “to Hubli, you got go to platform 8, this number is train number” and luckily I believed him and found the train and on the way, I also realized that train number was some other number written on the ticket and those numbers she wrote were seat numbers which did not matter because you just sit on a seat you find… so, thanks to the newsstand guy, I found my way. The train arrived and everyone rushed to the train as people tried to get out of it. I made my way while being pushed around by Indian women… did not see any Westerners really. While I was moving along the train to find a seat and pulling my duffle back, the man behind me began yelling at me, he was frustrated about my bag. I said what can I do I move as the people in front of me move, he yelled more and I yelled back that I cannot fly the bag over my head…. Then, magically, I saw a seat, there was an older lady and a younger man, and the younger man told me that I can sit. So, as I tried to settle down, the man who was yelling at me come over to the same seat area. I mumbled in Turkish if he could not find any other seat but apparently the younger man who told me I can sit with them was his son. And in a minute both of us mellowed down as if it was not us who were yelling at each other a minute ago. He translated his wife’s question to me and on…. Then a young couple also joined us… The view from the train while there was day light was very green…. Half way through, the son, the wife and the man got of and I felt sorry that they left (figure that out, it only happens in India… ). The young couple was shy but later on, the young man talked to me a little bit, he told me that the young woman is his brother’s wife, they are from Bangalore going somewhere which is before Hubli… Again I felt bad because it was getting dark and the train was getting deserted with less and less women and I did not want to loose my companions. So, they also got off at some point. I was getting sleepy, there were only men around me. One man sat across from me, he was okay, just glued to his cell phone. For almost two hours, he kept dialing numbers and talked on his cell phone about the same issue, I just got that he was concerned about some fax number. It looked a bit overwhelming. It was either a very important matter or he just could not sit without doing nothing.
When we arrived to Hubli it was 10PM. I got off the train, there were only passengers around… but I was determined to find a person who works there and I did. I asked about the sleeper train to Goa. He checked my ticket and told me to stay with him and then he put me to my vagon. That was very very nice of him, otherwise; I was a bit clueless… The sleeper train was okey. Ther were couple of Westerners this time. They gave us a sheet, a blanket and a pillow. I just got the sheet to put under me.
When we arrived to Vasco Da Gama, it was very early morning. I wanted to get the bus to Panaji. There were taxi drivers trying to trick me to take a taxi, telling me bus stand is far away… But I just got grumpy with them and walked straight ahead… After all this way, I was not going to give up here, I was determined to take the bus… and the busses were not so far. It was a nice ride, it was bright morning, and I could feel the difference of Goa air, and Goans already. The bus journey from Vasco Da Gama to Panaji was 16-17 rupees. The ride was surprisingly not long at all. Then I decided that I can make it to Mapsa with the bus again, I could not give up there… So, I got another bus to Mapsa which was 8 rupees but I could not get my change for 10 rupees but would not complain… We were in Mapsa at no time. When I arrived to Mapsa it was time for a taxi. One man offered me to take me with motorbike, I was almost gonna run after him since I was so tired and what was he thinking? Me, my heavy backpack and duffle back behind him on a motor bike? Then I saw a taxi driver I said to Arpora and asked how much, he said 400 rupees I said I am no tourist, I will pay 150 rupees. Of course he refused but another one jumped front and took me to Arpora for 150 rupees!
I arrived to Queenie’s place. The house Alex got for us for this season is a very nice 3 bedroom house right next to Queenie’s house. The living room is big and there is a very nice kitchen. Bedrooms are upstairs, two of them open to a huge balcony… not mine. However, we are a bit far from the shala. It is about 15 minute ride. In the beginning I freaked a bit because of the drive but now I seemed to be getting used to driving. There are also nice places in Candolim, and I guess next time, I will stay over there by the beach. Candolim is very nice, peaceful. The beach is clean and quiet. The new shala is very nice. We are at the roof top, we began when it is dark and while were still doing the standing postures, the daylight takes over. Both Rolf and Marci are in very good mood. I am blessed!




November 14 2008
This morning was the last class in the shala this year… Yesterday was full moon so there was no practice but we carried on with the acroyoga-thai/Mysore massage course (I don’t know what to call it anymore ☺ ). It was a good class, we did the partner yoga sequence we learned but Donna and I were not much into flying so we did not do any of that and then it was the massage part. Fort the massage, we used the feet mainly. Yesterday, it was my turn to give a massage and since we did not have any practice in the morning, I had energy so it was nice to be giving massage. It was also Wayne’s birthday, and at the end, we had ragi ball feast, which are apparently Wayne’s favorite food! Ragi balls are made from finger millet (ragi is finger millet), they are brown dumplings and not so small in size and they are mushy in texture, which I really liked. As we are told, some people feel like they will choke while eating them because of this mushy texture but for me, it was baby/comfort food. They are served with garlicky tomato sauce and coconut chutney; otherwise, by themselves, they are very plain. Nutritional wise, they are high in protein and low in fat. Wayne told us that Guruji used to tell them ragi balls make you strong. Ohh also they are special to state of Karnataka… Well, I discovered them at the last minute, but the next time I am here, I will be eating a lot of them ☺!

This morning, I woke up before 3AM. The anxiety of traveling woke me up. TH practice was nice. Sharat was a bit more