India blog 2

My second practice went well! Sharath adjusted me in Utkatasana and he helped me grabbing my ankles in Urdva Dhanurasana (bruggetje). I had lunch at home (learning to eat with my hands here ;)) and we met Eva and Edwin( also from Holland, has been here sinds half october and is staying till the end of march!) for a drink and ice-cream (the people from the ice-cream shop got their certificate in Rimini, Italy and the ice-cream was indeed really good). Maya and I went to the shala-shop: I need a towel for my mat, but it was quite expensive, so I'll go and see if I can find another/cheeper one somewhere else. I do have a towel, only one though, so laundry everyday now, brought only two sets of yogaclothes, but it's fine, keeps you busy. Later that day I went on skype to talk with some familymembers and friends: the world is such a small place nowadays. Then dinner time, movie time (Eat Love Pray) and bedtime.
The third practice day was okay: Since it was my third practice, I was a bit sore in my muscles from the first day and I got a spot close to the (open) door, which wasn't very nice, but I moved to a better spot halfway. As I arrived, Sharath told me that 'my time had changed', so the next day I had to start half an hour earlier (10 am or 9.45 am shala time), which I like! If it changes this fast, I might end up doing practice at 4.15 am in the morning in the end... which is a bit too early for me I guess, but well, what can you do. Edwin is doing practice that early, since he has already been here since october. He is doing intermediate series now and he told me that if you can grab your ankles in Urdva Dhanurasana it will not take long before you can start the intermediate series, but I doubt that I will start that soon, we'll see, for now I'm very happy I can do the whole primary series. I do have bruises on my arms (especially my left elbow) from Garbha Pindasana: unlucky...
After class and a coconut water, we had the chanting class, which is actually very nice, although I would have liked to have a translation with it, because now we're saying all there sanskrit words without knowing what we are saying most of the time, a bit funny.. but I'll check the internet later to find out what we're chanting about.
I had lunch at home, did my laundry, played some guitar, checked my mail, read a book, chilled out in the sun and in the evening we went for a cooking class (Paul, Migi, Dagma, Maya, two others an I) which was a lot of fun and the food was quite nice, but I have to say that the food at home is nicer and Bunny (the mother) wants to teach me some sooking as well, so I'm really looking forward to that.
At lunch I had dal and there was a little stone (dal-size) in my dal, but luckily it didn't break my teeth... it was great dal by the way.
The fourth day of practice was okay.. There were a lot of people wating when I arrived: Sharath probably told everyone to come 30 minutes earlier, but I only had to wait 15 minutes or so, so it wasn't too bad. After my daily coconut water, I went to the advanced chanting class (not that Ii'm advanced, but I just like the chanting) and afterwards I had a great lunch at home: some kind of steamed rice 'cakes' with coconut chutney (very easy to make and delicious), cucumber and for sweet, there were some grated carrots with suger and mixed nuts.
Since I arrived, my troat hurts and is red and swollen (very annoying). Since I was feeling tired as well, I went for a short nap in the afternoon, but slept for three hours (I probably needed it). I'll fininsh my first book soon, which is fine, because next week, when I'll start to take sanskrit class (3 times a week), I will get homework and I will have less time to read.
After 2 big cups of tea (mint, honey, cinnamon and ginger) I had dinner (vegetable curry with chapati) and since Friday is LED class at 7.30 am, I went to bed quite early.
The next morning I woke up and I looked awfull! I had a rash on my arms, shoulders and chest, probably sun allergy or something like that: never had it before though. Bunny gave me some coconut oil to put on it and it helped a little bit.
The LED Class is a special experience. Everyone is wainting outside for the precious class to finish and when it does, everyone walks in, places their mats very close together. It must look like an ants colony. The people of the previous classare in the changing room and they had to pass the yogaroom to get outside: crazy! But I found a nice little space in the back and the practice was good. Afterwards a coconut water and some breakfast at home. Then we decided to take the bus to the center town todat and afterwards to Chamundi Hill to see the temple there and to walk the stairway down, which would be really nice. First, Paul, Dagmar and I, we went to visit a shop where they had lots of sari's, ruggs (for on the yogamat), bags, books and all sorts of fabrics. Paul bought some fabrics and is having a pants and shirts made. I bought a rug to do yoga on (I only brought one towel, so I needed an extra one) and the great thing is that I made them embroid my logo on it! It will be ready on Monday and I'm really looking forward to seeing it: hopefully it's really nice.
For lunch we went to the rooftop bar, where I had Palak Dal, which was good (dal with spinach) and some naan. Afterwards we took the bus all the way to the top of the hill where we went into the temple, offered some flowers, and so on.
When walking down, there was this little girl peeing in the sand, when a big cow just KIND of ran her over, just when I took a picture of her. The poor girl! Luckily she didn't really get hurt.. Later on I took a picture of 3 children and showed it to them and then they thanked me for it: that was really sweet.
As we walked down the stairs, we could see Mysore from up, but there was a lot of smog and dust.. (too far away from the ocean...), so a lot of my pic's are a bit vague...
It took a while, standing alongside the road, to before we got on a bus that took us to the central bus station. From there, I went to the shop with Maya (she hadn't been there yet), so she could buy a rugg as well, with her logo printed on it. She might buy a whole bunch to sell in the Netherlands. Then we went back home by buss and got home around 9 pm: long day!
so we had dinner, I read a bit and then it was sleepy time.
The next morning it was Saturday, so no yoga, which felt a bit strange. I did feel like a good practice. I slept in a little bit and had a nice breakfast (still loving the coconut chutney!). The rash on my skin is getting better: I covered it with clothes the day before and put lots of coconut oil on it and that really seemed to work. Paul and Dagmar joined us for lunch that day and after lunch they gave me a tour. They showed me the chocolate shop (closed), the orphanage ('don't kill your baby, but bring it here', it says), a couple of 'restaurants', the supermarket, the jewellery shop, etc. We did some shopping (grapes, bananas, and so on) and went for a chai tea. Back at home, dinner was union paratha with (salted and peppered) yoghurtdip, which was really nice. Dinner was quite late, so I had a hard time falling asleep and practice the next day was going to be at 6 am.....
On Sunday we had a LED class again as I said, at 6 am shala time (5.45 am). It was a nice class, but I was so tired afterwards that I slept for about 3 hours after breakfast. The rest of the day I played guitar, finished reading my book, just easy life and I backed an apple crumble pie - I promised the mother I would do so and they loved it!
Monday finally mysore style yoga again: I really like that best! Sharath helped me with the dropbacks and I had time to have a quick breakfast and shower before chanting.
After chanting I took the bus to the city and met up with Maya to pick up our rugs and mine was really really nice, I'm sooo happy with it! I also bought a yogamat bag and, since I really liked Maya's bag (she bought a really nice one somewhere else), they're going to make one like that for me too, with my logo embroided on it obviously. And now I really have to stop buying things, because I'll have to carry it all in Sri Lanka...
I was just in time for my sanskrit class and my bhagavad gita & hatha yoga pradipika class in the afternoon (1 hour each) and I already learned al 15 vowels in sankrit (never would have guessed that 'LR' (rolling R) is a vowel!
Early dinner and afterwards Paul, Dagmar and I went out for dinner (Dagmar) and a drink (paul and me) and we joined some other yogi's at the restaurant. Now back home, go sleep soon, but first post this blog, so you have something to read. (well, actually, now you've almost finished). I'll upload some pic's asap,

Big hug!