Near the end of my last blog, I mentionned thinking that I might finally be running low on mucus production, but one week later, that still hasn't quite happened. Feeling a million times better than when I typed my last post, but a chest cough still lingers, and the sinuses remain rather generous in their offerings. It was quite a show when I would sneeze last week, with tears and liquid snot and saliva exploding in all directions. My nose was so sore and raw from incessant blowing, that it formed an outer shell which eventually cracked and bled. My eyes were teary, bloodshot and swollen. My skin hurt all over. I'd shiver, then I'd sweat, then shiver, then sweat. Ok, ok, onto better news!
Had a great meeting with Prateek (astrologer) last Monday afternoon, followed by candlelight dinner (electricity is a bit temperamental in India) with an Australian friend I met here back in 2012, here this time for the yoga festival with her mother (who might be intersted in renting my apartment for 6 months after I leave - good start to my ownership endeavour!) Tuesday I headed to Ramana's Garden for lunch with Julia, one of my favorite spots in town. It's a children's home (orphanage) where the kids get lodging, food, and schooling, and even work skills by helping out in the organic garden which produces fresh ingredients for the restaurant where they also work. It's a heartwarming place in an exquisite peaceful setting. Then Julia and I went jewelry shopping, where I bought my first toe rings - don't know what took me so long, I love them! (Even considering a nose ring stud since I tested out the look with a little bindi sticker last night...) Wednesday I went for an ayurvedic nasya treatment to help with my lingering sickness - it's the recommended treatment for anything sinus related. Begins with a face massage, with special emphasis on the sinus area, then an herbal face steam, followed by medicated nasal drops and oil in the ears, ending with a quick final sinus rub. Just what I needed, and it definitely helped, but wasn't a 100% cure. That afternoon I said good-bye to Julia and her dad, who were off to Delhi by train early the next morning, then flying home to Montreal the following day. Thursday I went back to Children of Ganges to play games with the kids, who had just finished their public school exams. Even got to play a little harmonium which Truike (the school's founder) bought for them last year. Friday, I went to yoga for the first time in (I confess) over 2 weeks. Yep, what with being sick and having a friend here, I was otherwise occupied. But it sure felt great to get my body moving again, and it even seemed to help clear up my congestion a little. That afternoon, the rain began. And in Rishikesh, when it rains, it rains. With it came hurricane-like winds and cold weather (though I won't complain about that too much, as I've heard about the nasty cold spell back home...) So I stayed in on Friday night, bundled up with tuque and blankets, watching Indian movies on Netflix by candlelight (electricity extra fussy during rain storms, but it does make for a rather lovely atmosphere). Didn't leave my room much for the next 24hrs, except for a couple quick food runs. By Sunday morning, the sky was clear, the sun was shining, the air was fresh and light, and people were back out and about. Packed a little bag of reading books and coloring books, some sunscreen and a juice bottle, and headed up four flights of stairs to my rooftop to soak up some vitamin D after being cooped up and cold since Friday. That afternoon I went to a little statue shop nearby for several purchases. While waiting for the credit card machine to arrive, Gopal, the shopkeeper, went out to get me a glass of chai, and while I sipped on the delicious drink, we chatted about export possibilities. Like the real estate development, this is not something I had planned, but seems like a perfect little addition to my yoga studio - a small shop with beautiful Indian merchandise. Guess I'm really becoming a business woman! (words I never thought I'd hear myself say, but life is funny that way...)
Sunday night was the beginning of Holi, the annual color festival honoring love and the victory of good over evil. It always falls on the last full moon of winter, celebrating the upcoming arrival of spring. On the evening of the full moon, locals do a puja (worship) in their homes, then head down to the ghats to make offerings to a huge bonfire on the banks of the Ganga. I joined Swati's family for these rituals, and was invited to stay for a delicious meal afterwards. The next morning (which was this morning) is the wilder part of Holi, which some of you might remember from my previous blogs. People throw brightly colored powder and water balloons at each other, and you might even get soaked by an entire bucket of water launched in your direction. My first couple years, I participated in the insanity (or "played" Holi as they say), but the last couple times I've opted to stay home, venturing only onto my rooftop, from where I can safely (and dryly) watch the warzone streets down below. As of 4pm, it's safe to go out, as the mayhem has died down and people have headed home to wash up and rest. So I walked over to visit with a beautiful family (3 of the 5 kids used to attend Children of the Ganges), who I had "played" Holi with 3 years ago. I was warmly greeted and offered a plate of scrumptious gujia, the traditional sweets made for Holi. They were thrilled when I gave them a few pictures I had had framed of our Holi shenanigans 3 years before. The eldest daughter, who is 16, now works in a nearby beauty salon, so I told her I'd go by for a manicure tomorrow afternoon - not something I usually treat myself to, so looking forward to it!
Today's closing quote, simple yet exquisitely profound, is from one of my favorite classic novels, To Kill a Mockingbird (picked up a used copy here from a bookswap shelf):
"Atticus, he was real nice."
"Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them."
Had a great meeting with Prateek (astrologer) last Monday afternoon, followed by candlelight dinner (electricity is a bit temperamental in India) with an Australian friend I met here back in 2012, here this time for the yoga festival with her mother (who might be intersted in renting my apartment for 6 months after I leave - good start to my ownership endeavour!) Tuesday I headed to Ramana's Garden for lunch with Julia, one of my favorite spots in town. It's a children's home (orphanage) where the kids get lodging, food, and schooling, and even work skills by helping out in the organic garden which produces fresh ingredients for the restaurant where they also work. It's a heartwarming place in an exquisite peaceful setting. Then Julia and I went jewelry shopping, where I bought my first toe rings - don't know what took me so long, I love them! (Even considering a nose ring stud since I tested out the look with a little bindi sticker last night...) Wednesday I went for an ayurvedic nasya treatment to help with my lingering sickness - it's the recommended treatment for anything sinus related. Begins with a face massage, with special emphasis on the sinus area, then an herbal face steam, followed by medicated nasal drops and oil in the ears, ending with a quick final sinus rub. Just what I needed, and it definitely helped, but wasn't a 100% cure. That afternoon I said good-bye to Julia and her dad, who were off to Delhi by train early the next morning, then flying home to Montreal the following day. Thursday I went back to Children of Ganges to play games with the kids, who had just finished their public school exams. Even got to play a little harmonium which Truike (the school's founder) bought for them last year. Friday, I went to yoga for the first time in (I confess) over 2 weeks. Yep, what with being sick and having a friend here, I was otherwise occupied. But it sure felt great to get my body moving again, and it even seemed to help clear up my congestion a little. That afternoon, the rain began. And in Rishikesh, when it rains, it rains. With it came hurricane-like winds and cold weather (though I won't complain about that too much, as I've heard about the nasty cold spell back home...) So I stayed in on Friday night, bundled up with tuque and blankets, watching Indian movies on Netflix by candlelight (electricity extra fussy during rain storms, but it does make for a rather lovely atmosphere). Didn't leave my room much for the next 24hrs, except for a couple quick food runs. By Sunday morning, the sky was clear, the sun was shining, the air was fresh and light, and people were back out and about. Packed a little bag of reading books and coloring books, some sunscreen and a juice bottle, and headed up four flights of stairs to my rooftop to soak up some vitamin D after being cooped up and cold since Friday. That afternoon I went to a little statue shop nearby for several purchases. While waiting for the credit card machine to arrive, Gopal, the shopkeeper, went out to get me a glass of chai, and while I sipped on the delicious drink, we chatted about export possibilities. Like the real estate development, this is not something I had planned, but seems like a perfect little addition to my yoga studio - a small shop with beautiful Indian merchandise. Guess I'm really becoming a business woman! (words I never thought I'd hear myself say, but life is funny that way...)
Sunday night was the beginning of Holi, the annual color festival honoring love and the victory of good over evil. It always falls on the last full moon of winter, celebrating the upcoming arrival of spring. On the evening of the full moon, locals do a puja (worship) in their homes, then head down to the ghats to make offerings to a huge bonfire on the banks of the Ganga. I joined Swati's family for these rituals, and was invited to stay for a delicious meal afterwards. The next morning (which was this morning) is the wilder part of Holi, which some of you might remember from my previous blogs. People throw brightly colored powder and water balloons at each other, and you might even get soaked by an entire bucket of water launched in your direction. My first couple years, I participated in the insanity (or "played" Holi as they say), but the last couple times I've opted to stay home, venturing only onto my rooftop, from where I can safely (and dryly) watch the warzone streets down below. As of 4pm, it's safe to go out, as the mayhem has died down and people have headed home to wash up and rest. So I walked over to visit with a beautiful family (3 of the 5 kids used to attend Children of the Ganges), who I had "played" Holi with 3 years ago. I was warmly greeted and offered a plate of scrumptious gujia, the traditional sweets made for Holi. They were thrilled when I gave them a few pictures I had had framed of our Holi shenanigans 3 years before. The eldest daughter, who is 16, now works in a nearby beauty salon, so I told her I'd go by for a manicure tomorrow afternoon - not something I usually treat myself to, so looking forward to it!
Today's closing quote, simple yet exquisitely profound, is from one of my favorite classic novels, To Kill a Mockingbird (picked up a used copy here from a bookswap shelf):
"Atticus, he was real nice."
"Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them."
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