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Published: November 19th 2007
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Breakfast
Outdoor buffet breakfast after class Hello again
You may be glad to know I resisted the urge to hire a scooter, am still in one piece, and since I arrived here at the retreat there really hasnt been any temptation. There is thankfully one less lunatic to add to the already exhilarating roads.
This place has been everything I could've wanted a more. I arrived last Saturday. It is based in a small town called Assagao about 10 miles inland from the beaches, and it seems fairly well-to-do. Large houses with pretty swanky Suzuki saloons in the driveways, a couple of children's homes, a Birthing Centre! All very Primrose Hill - with the obligatory monkeys, cows, gekkos and rats thrown in. The retreat itself is really nice - two large houses with about 10 large bedrooms each, free internet access, outdoor dining area, pool, aruveydic treatments, and the all important yoga shala at the bottom of the garden which holds about 50 people when practicing.
We have approx 15 people staying here for the fortnight - so nowhere near full capacity. Almost exclusively female, with exception of a german couple in their 30s - Jens the boyfriend is doing very well coping with
Flip Flop Convention
The footwear of choice for most students so many women - and a late arrival was Paul - an English guy. For various logistical reasons, the husband and wife team of teachers have their own students that they usually teach elsewhere, but for these two weeks they are running the classes in shifts - and us newies who are living here get the early shift - at FIVETHIRTY AM. Yep - I am rising at 5 am, necking a peppermint tea and laying out my mat at that ungodly hour. Every hour until 8.30, a new shift of increasingly hard-bodied, yoga gurus turn up - looking way too cool on their scooters with mat slung over their shoulders, tattooes rippling on their arms and start their very advanced self practice - which at their level is almost acrobatic - and very very inspiring to watch. Although of course yoga is not about the ego, and I am happy to just have my own practice, and those more advanced don't judge us beginners....yeah, right.
It is a lovely crowd of people though - a mix of travelling types, many who are actually on a yoga travelling trip around India, some who have flown in especially for this
Class Finishes
We are usually a bit more active than this retreat, and some who are just trying out Ashtanga for the first time. It is very unusual for me anyway to spend so much time with almost exclusively female company - and there is definitely a common, mostly unsaid, ground between us all of trying to get away from our current lives, looking for something different, definitely a bit of self improvement - and encouragingly - still strong desires to drink, smoke and party - so not all wholesome and pure which I was worried about. I like these people. Lots of piss taking as well, and no-one really takes themselves seriously at all.
There is a second class or workshop at 4pm most days which is even more challenging than the early mornings (which I have grown to love - it is very peaceful), and then after some food - vegetarian of course - we all pretty much head to bed at about 9pm. After 3 weeks of pretty much constant drinking in Anjuna and Arambol this really is a welcome relief. Am going to continue the non boozing until B-Day (4th December) - at which point I shall seek out some overpriced champagne of course and celebrate
The Pool
The pool where most of the afternoon is spent the advancing of my years.
There is an american girl here, Melissa, who was having a hard time for the first week, and it is because she heads home to LA after the retreat and is freaking out about it. She is at the end of a 6 month trip. I can totally see where she is coming from - and it made me think about home a lot over the past week. Just the realisation that I do actually have to go home to the real world at some point. But it was a nice feeling really - coupled with the fact that I have a good few months to go with no real concrete plans, I managed to shake off the strange thoughts and lay by the pool in the baking heat for a bit longer.
Anyway - am loving the yoga - so much that I have booked another retreat in Mysore for the beginning of December. Nowhere near as swanky as this, and away from Goa - which will be good. It is definitely time to move on. I am actually getting a bit nervous again to start travelling properly. I feel like Ive been in a bubble for a few weeks being here, not really moving, being able to walk around in vest tops, no-one staring at you, etc.. some people call Goa "India Light" - which is pretty true. It will soon be back to the mania of big cities, haggling prices, being a superstar. Had a taste of it again when we went to Old Goa the other day for a day trip. Groups of men, and families sometimes, constantly stopping you and asking for pictures. One group of 3 men asked me politely and I said yes. They whipped out their instamatic and gathered round me, and before I knew it he on my left hand side nuzzled in at my neck and there was definitely touching of my left breast as he reached in. I wasnt exactly man-handled - but they were taking the total piss. Have started saying no most of the time, but you dont want to be too rude. I dread to think how many family snaps I am in now and that is only after 2 months on the road.
Old Goa the town was not that inspiring really - although we did see a couple of old churches (one protestant, one catholic). In the catholic church (basilico) was the remains of St Frances of Xavier - who came over with the Portugese in the 1500s to "spread the word". Apparantly if the Hindus didnt want to convert to christianity they were pretty much killed - which is an efficient way of dealing with things. I dont think old St Frances, or plain of Frances as he was called back then, was singularly responsible though. Portugese finally relinquished control of Goa in 1961 - which seems incredible really - but true. The christian faith lives on - and the little plastic deities in the cars are now Christ and Mary, as opposed to Ganesh and Shiva. But still they swing merrily in garish plastic, from the rearview mirrors of all cars. They really do like to dress up their cars over here.
Frances's remains are now in a glass casket in the back of the Basilico. He died about 400 years ago now, and his remains are pretty much intact. I have seen this with my own eyes. He looks a bit worse for wear, and definitely leathery - but he is there in all his glory. It wasnt even that disturbing - just a bit odd. I hear more and more stories about this the longer I am here, and watched a video about a Sadhus the other day - and a german lady, who is actually a friend of our yoga teacher here, was explaining how her Sadhu sat in lotus position for some days after he "left his body" and was completely in tact for sometime after this. And I believe it - I really do. I just dont understand it.
And if you are lost... - I didnt know what a Sadhu was either.. although it turns out I have seen many of them going about their business some when I was up at Varanassi on the Ganges - I just didnt know who they were or what they were doing. I wish had paid more attention really. I wont even begin to explain because I wont be able to - try wikipedia.
Am leaving here on Friday night overnight sleeper bus - on which I share a bunk!! With a girl though, so the travel agent promised. Heading to Hampi which is about in the middle of the country, and is supposedly a cross between Pompeii and Macchu Piccu. This is clearly a bold claim, and not mine, but I shall soon find out. Also this is a "dry" town, so still no more booze... woo hoo. That birthday champagne is going to blow my head off at this rate.
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