Peddling

While we’re in Fort Cochin, we have our own bicycles for getting around. We’ve been borrowing bikes from our Yoga teacher’s kids so we don’t even have to rent. We invested in repairing one of the bikes, so we could leave them a usable bike when we are finished with it. I would rent if we didn’t have Sajee, because there is no better way to get around. The village is not very big, but having a bike gives us the chance to cover a lot of ground in a short period of time. It helps us to feel open and gives us a sense of freedom to explore.

I peddle vigorously down narrow, bumpy roads passing pedestrians strolling leisurely along the way. I’m more able to experience different places. Occasionally I pause somewhere to talk to shopkeepers or enter a church where puja is taking place.

I’m never afraid of getting lost on my bike. In fact, getting lost is half the fun. Each road looks the same, and with the absence of numbers on the houses and limited street signs, it is inevitable. Getting lost gives me opportunity to ask for directions. Often, as I ride, I shout to a person on the street, “Palace Road…this way?”, Usually, this results in an outstretched arm indicating the right direction and a friendly, “This way, this way. Go straight.”

On my bike I pass the busy markets, sometimes stopping for a freshly made pakora or warm samosa. The masala chai tea maker is an artist in his field. The tea is delicious and he chants proudly as he pours the tea midair in a long stream from cup to cup, before he hands it to me for drinking. What a joy!

Waterways of all sizes…. small ponds, lakes, and streams are all a part of the scenery as I ride. And the Arabian Sea borders the entire area. Occasionally, green parks with old monumental trees offer a reprieve from the concrete buildings. Football and cricket games are usually in action, and people finding shade are, seeking rest from their busy workdays.

Kerala is known for its extremely high literacy rates (97%). I can’t even count the number of schools I see along the roads…everywhere! And they’re all full. I can hear the singing and the choral reading going on in the primary classrooms. The senior schools don’t sound much different. It sounds like the students are having fun, playing music, interacting with each other, and finding learning in their play. On my bicycle I hear it all as I pass.

There is nothing so wonderful as an early morning ride along the shores of the Arabian Sea. Fort Cochin is known for its fishing boats, and in the mornings, it is typical to see the nets being hauled in. Strangely enough, I have rarely seen fish in the nets. More obvious are the plastic water bottles and garbage that is thoughtlessly thrown into the waters. We have heard, lately, that fishermen are paid by the government to go through the motions of hauling in the nets to appeal to the many tourists who visit the village.

Undoubtedly though, fresh fish is everywhere in the restaurants. One of my favourite places is a small outside kitchen called Maxim’s. There, the grilled calamari is deliciously seasoned with Kerala spices and perfectly grilled just to a touch of brown. That, with frites and a fresh veggie salad, and a ginger soda is satisfying and delectable. All for (about) $6.00.

 

Villagers here are eager to help. They do so with a broad, friendly smile, and a typical shake of the head. People are the commodity in India, and in Kerala most people are extraordinarily welcoming and helpful.

We have discovered an old man, dressed in a scant dhoti and bare chest. He repairs and builds bicycles in his small cluttered booth hidden in a tiny space in a wall of a building. Though he doesn’t speak English at all, it seems easy to communicate with him, and several times he has come to our rescue and fixed our bike. Whether it is refilling the air in our tires or reconnecting one side of a handlebar, Rajan helps us feel secure that our borrowed and very useful vehicles are safe.

I am thinking about Rajan tonight as we decide on a place to eat our dinner. Paul’s bicycle is in his shop once again. We are limited to walking. Our choices are diminished. Thank goodness we’ll have his bike back soon, leading again to boundless opportunities in Fort Cochin.

Sunday Outing in Kerala

Our first full Sunday in Fort Cochin is dedicated to exploration and new experience. Instead of early morning Asana practise, today is about travel!

Sajee is our yoga teacher and has, over the years for me, become a close dear friend. His extraordinary ability to share his yoga knowledge is what drew me to him in the first place. His friendship and love is what keeps me close. I have become an extended family member to his family too. His wife Aji, and I are close friends, and his daughter Vinaya and I have spent many playful hours, traversing the streets of Fort Cochin on our bikes and visiting nearby villages and sharing adventures together. At 13 years old, she is appreciative of my western attitudes and, together we share good conversation and experiences. Taku, his son, is often around too, although, as an 18 year-old teenager he often chooses to be on his own. Sajee’s mother Amma, and I also spend time together. Although she’s not that much older than me, I consider her to be my ‘mother’ while I am here.

Our trip this morning takes us south, to the beautiful backwaters of Kerala. The area is nicknamed, “the Venice of India” because the primary means of travel is by boat. There are narrow dirt roads for land vehicles, but most people who live in the villages don’t even have cars. Sajee has recently purchased a car. With the whole family this morning, we pack ourselves into the little black Tata car. The car is capable of manoeuvring its way through the challenging roads and laneways of India. Though early morning activities are not my favourite, Sajee insists that in order to avoid crowded roads and busy traffic, it is a good idea after all. By 6:00 am we pack ourselves into the car, piling on top of each other to make our way the 60 kilometers or so to Kumarakom. With empty streets and quiet passages, it takes us 3 hours to reach our destination.

 

That’s the thing about India travel. Short distances that would take minutes in North America take hours here. The roads are narrow, winding and rocky, with extra high speed bumps (they call them humps here!) to keep us slow. As we ride I become more aware of the sameness of India. The villages all look the same. It’s crowded, with no empty land. Everywhere there are villages, vehicles of all sorts, animals and people.

Kumarakom is set along the shores of the Vembanad Lake, which is the largest fresh water lake in India.  The narrow walkways and lush flora make the area a lovely place to walk. Various species of butterflies flutter freely, also enjoying the lush greenery and trees. A bird sanctuary, a major attraction to the village usually offers sightings of various types of birds. A sign indicates the bird activity for each month of the year. Of course, for January, it said ‘No activity’. It didn’t matter though, the 2 kilometre walk was a wonderful reprieve from the scrunchy, long car ride, and it was particularly wonderful to be out in nature. Spending leisure time with everyone was perfect!

There is life everywhere in India. Covering the land are shanty homes. Shops line the roads and people bustle about carrying on with their days. Life is evident in every space as we pass along the road. Music shouts from the churches and people are either going or coming. The villages are alive with work and play. To me every neighbourhood looks the same and I wonder how anyone is able to navigate their way from one place to another. Streets are crowded with almost identical looking storefronts packed with identical items. Colourful baskets, pails, typical kitchen wear stuffed into small shops. I wonder how anyone here makes a living.

It’s nice to be in the green of the country. The trees are so old. Coconut, cashew, and palm trees line the narrow strips of land that intersect the waters. Rice paddy fields are lush and bright. Kerala is known for its natural beauty and it is evident this morning as we drive.

 

Our long drive is mixed with short stops for ice cream and fresh coconut. It gives me a chance to stretch my legs and talk to the local people. On our journey home, we stop for a visit with Amma’s brother and his family. I feel so lucky to be a part of it all, and grateful for being here and included in Indian life. Sajee and his family have certainly made my times in India richer.

Settling In

The first sounds of the morning, the sounds to which I awaken, I hear even through the droning of the ceiling fan above my head.  The tweeting birds settle outside our window. They are the first to arrive. It is 4:43. If I stay awake, soon the birds that caw will join them. And then after that those that cackle and squawk. By 7:00 there will be a cacophony of sound.

The village awakens and I do the same. The bird music is my alarm, beckoning me to make my way to yoga. I don’t commit to a morning practise. If I am awake. If it is right, I go. So far, I haven’t missed a morning. 

Adjusting to the time change is always a challenge for me. This year the heat in Kerala is oppressive and my body is slower to adjust. Still, I am happy to be here. The ceiling fan lends relief to the intense heat, except during power outages when there is no possibility of finding cool except under a shower.

Being in Fort Cochin I feel a sense of home. It’s really hot. The culture shock is experienced more in the climate change than in the people and the language. Sometimes I feel so familiar to the Indian people. It is easy for me to interact and communicate. I get a sense of belonging, as if I have been Indian in some previous existence. And at other times, I feel so different and I know that we really don’t understand each other. Or perhaps I simply don’t understand. Usually, it doesn't really matter.

We have settled in to our homestay. Our room is simple, with a window that faces the next building's wall. It is covered with a mosquito net so we are invited to leave it open. There are two single beds, which we pushed together and a desk with 2 drawers. A cubby space on the wall has 3 shelves for our belongings and a few hangers on a metal rod.

The bathroom is small. The toilet, sink and shower are all in one space. When we shower, we need to close the toilet seat and remove the toilet paper from the room to keep it dry. A hose in the wall is for use after using the toilet, a typical Indian practise and a way to eliminate the use of paper. It is really very civilized and extremely clean. We don’t have hot water, but we don’t miss it. The weather is just so hot. The cool water is a reprieve.

Our focus for the next month in Fort Cochin is healing. Yoga, Ayurvedic massage, dental appointments, eye doctor examinations, are all part of our agenda. We borrowed two bikes from our friends here and we’ve been getting around beautifully. There is nothing like riding my bike through the streets here. Paul gets a little frightened. Driving on the left side of the rode is unfamiliar and he thinks I’m a bit reckless anyway!

I’ve been going to yoga twice a day, getting my body back into a regular routine. I definitely have some work to do while I’m here. I have lost my sense of self over the last few months. My Yoga practise has been limited to the classes I teach each week. I have been feeling ugly, out of shape, over weight and out of control. I strive to get to a place where I remember the beauty in the world and focus on the inspirations that excite me. I want to be satisfied and appreciative, and revel in the small miracles that abound. I want to remember how wonderful is life… my life, and to be grateful for all that I have and all that I am.

I am finding more and more, that when I lose joy, it isn’t really lost. It is being ignored. Joy is inside me. I can’t look for it anywhere else…. not in my work, my social life, my books. I won’t find it in my relationships with Paul, or my children or with my friends. I am needing to look within for that joy and re-establish connection with my own goodness. Then I can share what I find. That’s true joy! I think I am in the right place for that.

Home for now…Fort Cochin.

Time To Go

The winds are blowing strong and the occasional branch hits the roof of our yurt. The tarp surrounding our outside kitchen is flapping. I’m concerned about the electrical outlet exposed to the precipitation. It’s cold out there! Every time I have to leave the warmth of our yurt, is a struggle for me, and, as I re-enter the toasty warm circle, I sigh gently as I enter the warmth.

The view from my
morning shower

The view during my shower was definitely unique this morning. The snow is falling and if I venture even a step from the shower spray I can feel the crisp air on my skin. Thank goodness for our functioning hot water tank, although I did notice that the water begins to freeze even as it makes it way down. I’m grateful for the experience, and, I’m also glad that we’re leaving. I don’t think I’d still like this after a few weeks!

It’s time to go! Winter is undoubtedly upon us, and we are not equipped to live here comfortably. So we prepare to leave. Our tickets to Fort Cochin India are booked for travel on December 28 leaving from JFK airport in New York.

We leave the island on Saturday for 3 months. Our first stop is New York City to see my mother before we leave the continent.  She’s 87 tears old, and though she seems physically solid and healthy, I welcome the opportunity to be with her and spend some time while she is still here.

Paul and I haven’t been to India together for 3 years. I’ve been there twice since we explored the country together 3 years ago. I am excited to immerse myself in Yoga for the first month and to deepen my practise. Yoga has become a major focus in my teaching and I embrace the idea of broadening the practical applications I’ve learned. Returning to my teacher in Fort Cochin and reuniting with my Cochi community is exciting. I look forward to visiting the schools where I previously spent rich and fulfilling hours and reconnecting with the special people who make those Kerala schools so successful.     

Paul and I intend to travel to places in India we haven’t been before. Rajasthan, Varanasi, and Jaipur are all northern areas where we want to explore. This year I’ll even get to attend the festival in Bangalore at the Gurukala of my dear friend and teacher, Mah. The last two years my visits have been in early autumn and I have missed the weekend festival that occurs annually in February. This year, with Paul, I will be there!

Visiting with Sajee and Aji, has become a yearly event for me. Immersing myself in Yoga practise and enveloping in the environment of Indian family life and community activities is time I have grown to crave. I am getting my yearly fix.

And, though I am joyfully welcoming my trip to India, I also know how much I love my life here on Gabriola, and, once the Winter rage has passed, I can openly engage in focussing again on the land and creating an outdoor living space that enriches and fulfils.

Okay then…Canadian Winter, friends and family who I love dearly here on this continent……see you soon!

Chanukah 2012

         Today is the 5th night of Chanukah. It is evident to me that Chanukah is a time of contemplation. I tend to ritualize the holiday and take stock of my situation in life.

          I remember Chanukahs of years gone by. Our family avoided the exchanging of presents. We kept our celebration focussed on the lighting of candles, praying and singing together, and eating traditional foods, like potato latkes and suvganiot (jelly donuts). The reminder of the miracles that happen in our lives, even those that we forget to consider, was, intentionally included in our gatherings.

       Of course, extended family members just couldn’t hold back with the presents, and several of them sent or gave our kids Chanukah gelt (money) as a gift. So, when Chanukah was over, we would gather the kids and drive over to Toys “R” Us. Each child got to buy something he/she wanted, and also, spent half the money collected to buy a toy for a distressed child. On our way home, we would stop at the Women’s Shelter in our area and hand over the toys! I appreciate that our children grew to practice this with ease. There was never thought of ‘keeping it all for myself’. And, as the children grew, their ‘giving’ spirit grew bigger with them.

          Our family hosted the Gellman/Applebaum Chanukah each year, which was really the only time that the whole family gathered together in celebration.

          In 2003 Paul and I travelled to Israel with our 4 youngest children, our daughters. It was Chanukah when we arrived in Jerusalem and the essential memory I have of that time was walking in the streets of the holy city and seeing a constant display of Chanukah lights in the houses that lined the residential streets of the community. Menorahs of all designs sizes and materials are publicly displayed in every window we pass. It is a most beautiful sight, enhanced even more by the quiet, subtle, spiritual energy that exudes from the ground of the city! That year, we all lit our candles together hugged by the Jewish community that surrounded us outside of our hostel and into the villages all around. There is an embrace that happens for me in Israel like nowhere else. I experienced that during that Chanukah 2003.

        Last year, Paul and I were in Guatemala. Our first weekend in Guatemala City was with a community of Jewish people with whom we, over the 3 months we were there, developed an emotional and spiritual connection that will be life long. Adat Israel (previously Casa Hillel) is a community of Latino people who have adopted Judaism as their own spiritual preference. Many of them were brought up in various other religions, especially Catholic, and were seeking something more personally meaningful and relevant for themselves. Each found Judaism as the ideal way of religious expression. Once they ‘found’ each other, they established a community. They learn together, pray together, share weekly services together and celebrate holidays together as a family of converted Jews. Paul and I spent several weekends (Shabbatot) with Casa Hillel during our 3-month stay in Guatemala. Chanukah was our inaugural experience with them. It is memorable, and, this year, I am thinking deeply about them.

 

          In Guatemala, Paul and I lived in San Marcos, a small Mayan village situated on Lake Atitlan. San Marcos is one of many villages encircling the lake, each exuding a different energy and a variation in vibe. We connected strongly with a hostel called Del Lago where we spent a lot of time, playing music, playing with locals, learning Spanish and feeling close to Mayan culture. There we spent the first night of Chanukah last year. An Israeli “expat” and I used the community kitchen to fry about 150 latkes that we brought over to the local centre to share with others. We lit Chanukah candles, sang traditional songs in Hebrew and English, and shared the stories related to Chanukah. It was a blast!

        This year, we lit our first Chanukah candle with our son and grandchildren in LA. We are in our yurt on Gabriola. Using Skype we are able to light the candles, sing the prayers, even a special Shehechiyanu, and sing Chanukah songs. The times change, no doubt, and practices do differ, but all in all, Chanukah is a holiday about dedication, education, and miracles. I’m up for it all!!!!

                   Happy Chanukah to all, and to all, a good night.

Road Trip

               I live a crazy life…no doubt! We left LA a week ago after a 10 day stay with our son and grandchildren. These past 7 days have been packed with driving, eating, connecting with dear people in our lives, and inching our way closer to home after a month of being being away from home.

                 San Francisco was our first stop. On our way we stopped for the afternoon with friends in Santa Cruz. We’d been there several times before. It is a small, quiet town with beautiful beaches and a tremendous boardwalk. We walked and watched the surfers. I think in my next life experience I might want to learn how to surf!

          Overnight in San Francisco, we spent time with old friends. We walked in the parks, made delicious meals, went to see a movie in a real movie theatre (Lincoln) and just hung around visiting with Gerry, Mark and their two grown up wonderful daughters. We even gave up our plan of going to Reno just to spend extra time with them.

                From San Fran we made our way to Morrow Bay, a quaint little town situated on the Pacific coast. Clusters of residential communities perch on hills overlooking the ocean. Simple, inexpensive restaurants and charming shops line the boardwalk. Expansive, white sandy beaches unroll as far as I can see. People, pelicans, and an enormous assortment of birds find their own space on the sand. The water, more aggressive than our Gabriola ocean, is active with enormous waves. Surfers are everywhere.

                 Rising out of the ocean is Morro Rock, a 175 metres high volcanic neck that stands at the entrance to the harbor. There is a narrow bridge connecting it with the shore. It reminded me of the Perce’ rock in the Gaspe Peninsula. That was the place where I did my first scuba dive after passing my course in Ontario. Like Perce’, Morrow Rock offers an awesome and protective presence.

     We spent two nights with new friends who we met through our ATC membership. With them we ate incredible tacos and visited some of the beautiful sights of the area. The Hearst Palace is just outside of Morrow Bay. We didn’t go inside the castle. The $25.00 entrance fee just didn’t seem reasonable, but we did check out the museum. Interesting but not too impressive.  My take from the display was that George Hearst had a lot of money. That’s his claim to fame. Not impressed!

          What was impressive was the home of the elephant seals along the coast. It happens to be the beginning of the mating season now. The expanse of beach just off the Pacific Coast Highway was blanketed with hundreds of the seals. Some of them are just hanging out on top of each other, clustered together, sleeping. Some are sloshing around on the beach. Others are actually sparring with each other as it is said they do when they are preparing to mate. They are huge and, by adulthood, the male seals grow a beak shaped trunk. I guess that’s why they’re called elephant seals. We loved sharing the afternoon with them.

        We loved the two-day respite from driving. It was nice to take some time to just explore a new place and spend some time together quietly.

        The next few days was all about meeting up with old friends, first in Redding, California, then in Portland Oregon. Redding is right near Mount Shasta, but the clouds were too thick and the rains too rough for us to even get a glimpse. Some of the people we saw were friends we hadn’t seen for 30 years, or children of friends’ who we’ve known since their childhood and we’ve watched them grow into independent adults. It is amazing to reconnect with people from our past. There is something special about weaving these relationships into adulthood, and noticing the growth in the way we interact with each other. Sarah, Paul and I went thrift shopping in Portland. Paul did all the buying! A new hat, a pick up for his guitar and an old novel was some of his finds.

             Our 6000-kilometre road trip has come full circle. Maggie, our GPS indicates our first stop…. Ferndale Washington. That’s where we are tonight, playing guitar with David, eating good foods and drinking simple wines. I feel at home a little bit. We will be soon…until we go off again.

            Our last night was a quiet one having diner with our Jacquie and Lindsay in Vancouver. It is our settling place before getting the ferry to the Islands. I like being at home. As wonderful as our trip has been, I’m craving the opportunity to be still.

Affordable Travel Club

ROAD TRIP!!! We’ve been travelling in our car this past month driving across three states to spend time with our son and grandchildren in LA. It’s not our first road trip. Over the past 3 years we’ve travelled approximately 40,000 kilometres in our little blue Subaru, between Toronto and Gabriola and back, Toronto to New York, New York to California and back, and most recently Gabriola to California and back.

People ask us how we can afford to travel so much. Undoubtedly, the major expense is gas. That’s an expense that can’t be avoided. We bring healthy foods along with us, mostly organic fruits, vegetables, yogurt ad other snacks that we’re able to purchase at local grocery stores. We try to eat only one meal a day in restaurants while we are on the road.

When travelling, our first choice is to stay overnight with friends and family. We use our travel to visit people we want to see along the way. When we need to stay overnight and there is no one we know, we use our membership to The Affordable Travel Club.

Each year we pay our fees of $70.00. We then receive an online catalogue of people throughout the world (mainly the U.S. and Canada) who have also joined. These people are mostly retired seniors who love travel and love meeting new people. They usually live in quite luxurious homes sometimes right in the heart of a city, and sometimes in remote areas deeply surrounded by wild. For $20.00 a night for the two of us, we meet delightful, similarly-minded people and stay in beautiful private accommodations sharing delicious homemade breakfasts with our hosts. I call it “Couchsurfing for the Over 50 Crowd”.

First we contact the people in the area we would like to stay.  Sometimes they are unavailable or travelling themselves.  Occasionally, they invite us to stay even though they are not there!

As we plan our trips, we make contact with members to request a stay for a night or two. Sometimes the accommodations are not available. Many of the people travel too. Sometimes the hosts invite us to stay even though they are not there. Recently I attended a conference in Santa Rosa California, and, not wanting to have the exorbitant expense of a hotel, I chose an Affordable Travel home. For 6 nights I stayed in a gorgeous house in the suburbs of Santa Rosa. The hosts were in England at the time and I had the entire house to myself. How wonderful to leave the conference each day and come ‘home’ to a beautiful house, with kitchen facilities and the comforts of solitude and quiet.

ATC is a traveller’s community. Each person on the list is screened and a clear description of each person is given. Our listing reads like this:

Canada - Gabriola, BC (5 km E. of Nanaimo - Vancouver Is.)

GELLMAN, Paul & BLOCK, Amy., Gabriola Island, CANADA. - Musician/IT Consultant & Ed. Consultant. Int: music, yoga, learning. Cabin, Yurt, acc: 2, bed: double, shared bath, smoking outside. Guide. Gabriola Island is one of the Gulf Islands in the Strait of Georgia. (Dec10)

Other than the nights we spent with friends or family on this trip along the western coast of the United States, we stayed in Affordable Travel homes. In Oregon two of the houses we stayed in were right on the Pacific Ocean. One of the houses was a stunning condominium built on the waterfront. Our upstairs bedroom overlooking the cliffs allowed us to hear the crashing of waves against the shores.

Some of the people we meet through ATC are fantastic!

In Eugene, Oregon we met an incredibly interesting couple. They directed us to wonderful places to go. We even participated in a drop-in yoga class and attended Shabbat service in a nearby egalitarian synagogue. After our experience at the synagogue we went ‘home’ to an interesting conversation with our hosts, one of whom is a non-practising Jew.

In Morro Bay we stayed with Bill and Toni, retired teachers who are active grandparents to a 6 year-old granddaughter. We stayed for two days, which gave us a chance to hang out some. Morro Bay is a small town built along the coast. The entire town is centred around Morro Rock, a huge formation that stands majestically above the water. On our first night, we walked to the local taqueria with Toni and Bill, and ate delicious (and enormous) seafood tacos.

It adds so much to our trip to share time with the people in the areas we visit. I’m sure we see things we would never know about, and eat in local, lesser-known restaurants. Sometimes, we even buy groceries and cook together while chatting and drinking wine. Years ago, while travelling through Arizona, we stayed with ATC people in Sedona, and we became such good friends that we stayed over a week!

Stopping in Depoe Bay, Oregon, our host suggested we meet them at a local restaurant before venturing on to our condo on the water. They have two apartments there and offered us one of them. As I approach the table where they were sitting, I think: “How interesting to have dinner with these people. Paul and I have just spent all day driving together. What a nice opportunity to connect with others too.”

The Affordable Travel Club has been such an inspiration to our travels. We can afford to stay over now even when we don’t have friends or family. We love meeting new people while we are travelling. Even Europe seems manageable now. I never would have considered travel in Europe because of the high costs of accommodations. Now it seems possible.

I like the idea of sharing our home with others too, and, as Affordable Travel Members, that is part of our responsibility. In the 3 years we’ve been members, however, we’ve had only 2 requests to stay in our home in Toronto, and both times we were not there and our house was not available. Now, living in a yurt in B.C. it will be interesting to see how many people want to come to visit.

Our friends in Toronto, Harriet and Morty told us about ATC three years ago. It has changed the way we travel! There is no doubt that meeting new people along the way makes the trip way more interesting. Thank you for the tip!