They are a kind and generous family, no doubt about that. This fabulously stylish woman, her gentle, guitar-playing husband, and their 30-something live-at-home son, all welcomed me into their home and their life without a moment’s pause. I arrived into town, placed a call to these otherwise strangers - friends of a friend - and without hesitation they invited me to dine with them. How could I refuse?! I was looking forward to visiting a French home, and to having a substantial opportunity to interact and attempt communication with locals. I was asked to come over at 7:30 pm. The son [View Full Entry]

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The sun came out today. Not the timid sun that peered through the clouds yesterday, tempting and teasing worshipers with just the slightest hint of its rays. Today, the morning sun blazed through the night sky, releasing a bright new day here along the Cote d’Azur. Today, the morning sun broke through the glass window where I slept, spreading light and warmth into an otherwise cold and lonely room. This is Cannes in November. Here I sit now, in Cannes, on a large balcony overlooking the residential zone, shielding my eyes from this blazing sun as I gaze out into the [View Full Entry]

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I am in Delhi now, thankful to have found a fantastic little guesthouse just west of Connaught Place, with a cozy bed and very hot shower. I tune into the television and find an old episode of Grey’s Anatomy aired in English. Pure bliss. Other than this bright moment, and the discovery of Delhi's surprisingly clean and efficient and all-around phenomenal metro system, I am left with a negative impression of the city. I feel as though I am cheated and lied to at every turn. No one seems to be helpful. People constantly point and lead me in the wrong [View Full Entry]

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Pushkar is sublime. Just outside of Sunset Cafe, I sit on a set of steps that lead directly into the bathing ghats and glistening waters of Pushkar Lake. The sun is just about to set, and a handful of onlookers have gathered to watch. Temple bells clang in the distance as the faithful offer up prayers and blessings to their Hindu gods. A drummer begins to play somewhere behind me. Maracas pick up the beat. Chanting resonates in the distant background. Music. The soundtrack of Pushkar. What a pleasant change of scenery from the madness of Agra. (I actually hated Agra, [View Full Entry]

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6:00 AM: I am so excited! This is my first train trip in India. I have all these crazy romantic notions of train travel in India, spurred on by “Darjeeling Limited.” This is bound to be a great adventure. A child walks by selling tooth-achingly sweet Chai. I feel incredibly relaxed this morning, gazing out the window and sipping on the sweet tea. A woman in a beautiful, colorful sari and bangles sits just across the aisle. The tranquil landscape unfolds and quickly disappears as the train rushes forward. It’s moments like this that I most love India. I finish the [View Full Entry]

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As I said, this is a Turbo Tour: Early Saturday morning (after a fantastic breakfast in the hotel dining room), I made my way to the train station, where I quickly and easily confirmed my train the following day to Agra. I then jumped on a bus and rode the one hour bumpy, trafficky ride into Rishikesh. Once again, I was the ONLY foreigner on the bus. People stared at me. A lot. Rishikesh is a peace-loving little town on the banks of the Ganges, also known as the Yoga Capital of the World - made famous by the Beatles' extended [View Full Entry]

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I booked myself in for a night of luxury tonight at the posh Haveli Hari Ganga hotel, but I can't seem to get there. Just after I finished eating a fantastic dinner of Palak Paneer and butter naan with the soundtrack of lightning and thunder playing in the distant background, the sky opened and the rains began. And what a rain it is! Pouring water, dumping from the sky into the mud-drenched streets of Haridwar. I ducked into a hotel for shelter, and here I wait now, waiting for the rain to let up so I can get back to the [View Full Entry]

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Life at the Ashram is tranquil, despite the heavily structured schedule. Attendance at all events is mandatory: 5:20: Wake up bell rings (very loudly) 6:00: Satsang - Meditation and chanting for over an hour 7:30: Tea time (my favorite time) 8:00: Hatha Yoga class, nearly 2 hours 10:00: Brunch, served and eaten in silence, and very quickly 11:00: Karma yoga (aka chores around the Ashram, sweeping, gardening, washing, etc) 1:30: Tea time again 2:00: Lectures and discussions 4:00: Hatha Yoga class, again nearly 2 hours 6:00: Dinner, also served and eaten in silence 8:00: Another rou [View Full Entry]

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India: This is where I fail as a writer. How can I possibly begin to describe that which I see before me? In a word, India astounds. Breathtaking beauty lives side by side with shit and squalor. The poverty is shocking, appalling, like that which I have never seen before. Crumbling stone structures make do as homes, and likely they have no flooring other than the dirt of the earth. People sleep everywhere and anywhere that they can find enough space to lie down: often along the roadside, under a tree, under a car, uncovered and unprotected from the blazing sun [View Full Entry]

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It is just before 2:00 in the morning. I am blindly following the man who greeted me - my driver - through the Delhi airport. At least, I think we are in an airport, but it looks more like a war zone. A natural disaster, as though a hurricane or earthquake just hit. Or a dusty old construction site that has long since been abandoned. It is filthy, dust is flying, and there are throngs of people everywhere - mostly men, many of them sound asleep on the concrete floor. Fully clothed, bare feet, row upon row of Indian men pressed [View Full Entry]

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