last days: last day

so my last day. i was completely not ready to go. there was led practice that morning at the shala. i had brought flowers for Saraswathi and after rest went to give them to her and my waterworks started. That woman is amazing. Anyone who doubts her strength and wisdom really should try studying with her for a while. I told her my plan to come back next summer and asked her if Molly could practice as well and she said yes and asked about my kids and seemed very pleased about my motherhood, and my intention to bring the children.

After practice i met up with many great folks at Santosha cafe. I have to say, one of the highlights of the trip was the amazing people that i met in Mysore. Just so many amazing, inspiring, loving people.

Later dearest Jeanne brought me down town to the Devaraj market that i had been kind of trying to avoid, but was also very intrigued by and wanted to go see. Conflicted, like usual i am. Anyways, first we stopped at Badsha textiles and chatted with Jeanne's friend Shoaib. I couldn't believe this guy was only in his 2o's. A really sharp well informed guy.

After chai with Shoaib, we wandered into the market. Because of dasara, it was emptier than usual, which was a blessing for me. It was thoroughly enjoyable and i was sorry i didn't make it there sooner. No, Aliya, i did not make it to the meat market. I have no desire to see lots of dead things hanging around and their blood draining onto the ground :P
I did leave the market with incense, perfume oil, puja powder, bangles, and a marriage proposal from the bangle dealer.

After the market we stopped by the famous Bombay Tiffany's sweet shop. There is a treat in Mysore called 'Mysore Pak'. It is confection made of ghee and sugar and grahm (chickpea) flour. I attempted to make this in the kitchen at Alex's. It is complicated. So Jeanne bought me a bag of freshly made Mysore pak. It was quite tasty, but i have to admit that i still thought the Mysore pak from Loyal World was better.

Much of this day was a blur of activity and friends and a haze of sorrow over leaving and a haze of GI problems. I had a delightful visit with Joyce and another with Aaron. I did a bunch of packing. And after the packing was done and all i had left to do was wait for the cab to pick me up and take me to bangalore, I watched Slumdog Millionaire, yes for the first time. It seemed appropriate that i watch it in light of an already completed trip to India.

Last Days: Golden Landmark and Bylakuppe

So Southern Star was so much fun, i decided to go swimming the next day, too.

I heard The Golden Landmark was supposed to have a really tasty buffet and a good price for buffet and swimming and so i went with Alana and Aaron.

Alana and Aaron

my feets at the pool

The buffet here was incredibly tasty. And the swimming pool was beautiful and warmer than the southern star. After eating, swimming, we all sat out in the chairs and chatting and then i fell asleep. When i woke up the sky was turning dark and i could tell that i was not feeling just quite right. Start delhi belly round 2. I made it home, but was starting to feel really out of it. I really should finished this up in india, because the little details are starting to fade, all though the bigger pictures stays.

The next day i went to Bylakuppe with Mary and Noah. I think we were all feeling a little less than perfect and so it was good travelling group, haha. No one had too much energy. Bylakuppe is the second largest Tibetan settlement outside of Tibet. I have read different accounts of weather the Indian government gave or leases the land to the tibetan refugees. But i gather there are two settlements and then a number of monastaries and temples.

The temple we went into is called Namdroling. And i gather it is bost famous for an 18 ft high gold plated buddha. I really felt like crap the whole trip, but i am really glad i didn't miss seeing this place.

the pictures are all horrible because my camera pooped out and i could only take pictures with my ifone. i am now getting a real camera. hurray!

Last Days: Southern Star

hotel formerly know as the southern star


martin

lot


There are a number of hotels in the mysore area that have a special deal for yoga students where by they students can use the swimming pool for a fee of around 200 rps. In the hotter months the pools are packed with students, but september was not a busy month. For my last saturday in India i made a plan with Jeanne and Martin to go to the pool at The Hotel Formerly Know as The Southern Star. It is now called The Hotel Regaalis, but everyone still calls it the southern star. When Jeanne and Martin met me at the flat, Lot was up for the trip too, so the four of us hopped on the scooters and headed into town.


Now that i am home, i feel like i can describe the traffic situation in mysore. I would not have mentioned it while i was there for fear of giving my parents a heart attack. traffic in mysore is chaos, but organized chaos, sort of. Most people get around by scooter. there are also rickshaws, buses, and a few private cars. For the most part, while i was in India i would hit up someone for a ride on their scooter (thank you Aliya, Enrique, Sitti, Martin, and Jeanne!), as i was not up for the task myself, yet. Helmets are optional, except when you go to town and pass the police station, and then it is a good idea for the driver of the scooter to wear a helmet. You will frequently see whole families riding on a scooter: husband driving, two kids sandwiched in between dad in front and mom in back, and a baby balanced on the handlebars. For reals.


Before India, i had had one experience in the states on the back of Matty Nation's Ducati. This did not make me EVER want to be on a motorcycle again. And the first time i got on the scooter with Aliya he said something along the lines of 'you don't need to squeeze me that tight'. I did not realize i was squeezing, but i was terrified. By the end of the trip, however, i loooooved the scooter, or the moto, whichever one i was on. And i did not sustain a traumatic brain injury, as my husband warned please not to do. next visit i will drive my own scooter :)

Aliya on the scooty


Lot on the moto


So, the pool was nice. We ordered some food poolside, which takes forever. Service people in India are in no hurry to do anything for you, although most frequently, there is an overabundance of service people looking like they could do something for you. I had a tasty little curry and extra naan bread, which is not a southern india specialty, so when i could get that instead of chapatis i loaded up. tasty.

Sitti showed up a little later and ordered food too. Sitti is from Thailand, and likes to ask at restaurants if he can get chopsticks. I believe he does this for his own amusement, as the waitstaff usually has no idea what he is talking about but they will not tell you no, so they just give the head bobble and smile and walk away.

I went home earlier than the rest of the folks so i hailed myself a rickshaw outside the hotel. what i learned from Alyson about riding a rickshaw: if you don't have a regular guy who you call to give you rides you either need to bargain a price for where you want to go, or make sure that the driver puts on the meter, otherwise, who knows what you will be paying for your ride. I asked the rickshaw driver, 'gokulam, how much?', and he said '50 rupees' which seemed fair and so off i went home.

before i left the hotel, i did stop at their little pastry counter to get a few pieces of cake. for those of you who know me, you know i have a small obsession with baked goods. i had had up to this point a few highly disappointing cake experiences. i would not recommend cake from either barrista, or Austrian Cafe, although i would recommend both those places in general for other things. i did have a fabulous peice of cake from Julian Paik's Santosha cafe. All his baked goods are delicious, but best of all was a chocolate and coffee cake that he still needs to give me the recipe for. Anyhoo, i would HIGHLY recommend the cake at Southern Star, i had a mousse cake and a tiramisu, that were both a thumbs up, in my book. a good break from the indian sweets :) I would not however recommend their pie.

Pack It In, Pack It Out

Not sure that really applies, but it came to mind.

Last practice today, here, this year. was kind of surreal. had another bout of the delhi belly yesterday and actually had to get up and leave class and go home. wasn't sure how i was going to do today, but took the chinese herbs again (i LOOOOOVE you Dr. Kelly!), and i think i will be fine.

looking forward to seeing my peeps, having really clean laundry, a hot bath, and the roasted veggie sammich from Dogfish Head Brewery.

when i get home: the updates and fotos from trip to southern star, golden landmark (where i think i got the delhi belly), Bylakuppe, and the devaraj market.

right now, gotta go pack up all the stuff i have collected over the last month. if you were really good you might get a present.

One More Thing For The List

If i can't have a hot bath, i at least would like a hot water bottle. Next time.

Everything Is Going Really Well, Don't Worry, Momma!

This here is maybe the cutest little boy in all of Mysore. I was at the coco (coconut) stand the other day, waiting for the man to fill up a pitcher i brought, and this little guy walks up and starts motioning that he is going to help me. I have no idea who this little cutie is, all i know is i am not going to condone him wielding the mini machete they use to open the cocos. There is a man sitting next to me drinking his coco water and he says this little boy is the grandson of the man working the coco stand. So i ask him, ' he can't open the cocos can he.' 'Oh, no, he is too small.' But then the boy sits down next to me and proceeds to flirt with me. I can see him staring at me out of the corner of my eye and so i look at him real quick and he looks away. And then i look away and he looks back at me. And then i look at him real slow and sneaky and he gives me a BIG smile. Too cute. The when his grandpa starts filling up my pitcher, the little guy goes to help hold the pitcher still. Too cute, he was.

The last day my dear Alyson was here we went to Amruth Cafe. Popular among the yoga peeps for chai and coffee after practice. I was told by a few that i HAD to go here for the chai, but was warned by Aliya that it was like one shot straight into diabetic coma. When has sugar content ever been a show stopper for me? Well, it was really strong, and really sweet. And i might have to have a few more before i leave.

The couple who are currently in charge of the building in which i am staying here arranged a big puja here last sunday. I think it was in celebration of the festival of Dasara (go look it up on wikipedia). Eight priests came for the ceremony. They started the puja at about 9 in the morning. They built a fireplace for homa (fire for consecrated offerings), and the fire and prayer went on until about 1 in the afternoon. The priests and our hosts, Lot and Sitta, who were part of the ceremony were chanting in the room with the fire going for the whole time. It was really quite amazing. I had to leave for fresh air a number of times. Towards the end of the ceremony the people who were still there were able to participate a little bit and was glad i was there for that part.

I was especially glad that i stayed for the food afterwards! Sitti and Lot had hired the woman who cleans the rooms to cook a meal for after the ceremony and it was hands down the best food i have had here. It was really a very special gift to have been able to participate in the whole thing.

we thought maybe Lot and Sitti were getting married but they were just part of the ceremony because they were considered the housholders at the time.

there was way more food than this but after it was on my banana leaf i was way too busy eating to take pictures!

Chamundi Hill

My new flatmate, Enrique, and i rode out to Chamundi Hill yesterday. The hill is named after the goddess Chamundeswari who slayed the demon Mahishasura. There are, according to wikipedia, 1511 steps up to the very top of the hill. About halfway up is a statue of Nandi the bull, the vehicle of Shiva.
As we pulled up to the hill, i wasn't sure if i was going to make it walking, but in spite of my inclination towards being lazy, i also enjoy a good challenge. It was definitely worth it. The views on the way up were beautiful, and the steps themselves were also beautiful. Around Nandi, there were many people selling stuff: statues, items for puja, snacks, and beverages. The views from the top and the temple were just amazing. We got anointed with red powder and a little blessing and some bracelets from a swami. While the up was a bit exhausting, the down almost did me in. While Enrique and a little friend he picked up practically raced down the hill, i felt lucky that i made it down without falling over. My legs are super sore today.

just starting the ascent




almost halfway

Nandi

almost there

at the top

made it back down, barely

Enrique and the very friendly little indian boy