We Miss You! Even tho we are having the time of our lives we think about All of You and wish You were here to share this Adventure with us . There is always something New to see in Kathmandu and we recommend this place as a Great travel destination. Shoppers paradise ! Amazing Temples and side trips . We will take all of You with us in 2 days to Pokhara, a lake town surrounded by the Himalaya mountains. Thanksgiving day- tomorrow, we will take a hike to a temple- market place and visit a local restaurant that is serving a Thanksgiving buffet! Blessings to All of You as You gather together with your families for Celebration!! We will be thinking of You !!
Love Annie

Annie and I visited a coffee shop in Kathmandu this morning and placed our order. The woman who took the order gave us a piece of plastic with the number “40” written on it for us to put on our table (to let the waiter know where to bring the coffee) and said, “You’re 40!” I replied, “We haven’t been 40 for over 20 years.” She took a second before it registered… then she laughed.

During the past couple days I played with some local kids who were on the way home from school. Two days ago their teacher saw me playing with her students with balloons and spoke with us… Yesterday she came to the Ashram and asked to buy some balloons for her sister’s birthday (later that evening)… Of course I made her a bunch of things and let her ride off on her motorcycle with the balloons tied to her. We also agreed that I’d do a show for the school kids today

(Sunday – they only get Saturday’s off from school) at 1pm.
We woke up for the daily 6am cheating, then netti nose cleansing, the yoga (all yoga sessions are 90 minutes). The teacher asked Annie Continue reading “A school a short distance from the Ashram” →

There was a lovely group of students in the teacher training program at the Ashram. I asked one of them the book they were using for their coursework, and I was delighted and tickled pink to find out it is my Favorite Yoga Guide Book, which I refer to as my ancient dusty guide from India- which has Incredible Illustrations of yoga poses, and Many ab exercises that I recognized immediately as Pilates exercises! Here it was- the proof that Joe Pilates got his work out techniques directly from Yoga!! Including the 100’s, leg raises, the roll over , the double bicycle, and others! I have , in my yoga library at home, this very book, which I have referred to many a time, I have copied the illustrations and the pages are falling out of the book. Just before leaving on this trip, I saw the book in my bookcase, and the thought went thru my mind- Continue reading “The Yoga at Ananda Ashram” →

I was expecting cool temps at the Ananda Ashram and I have with me a lot of warm clothes, but last night took the cake. Our tiny room has open screen windows and the same in the bathroom. I was trying to sleep but Continue reading “Shivering like a leaf, our last night at the Ashram” →

Sunday after 6am chanting and netti nose cleaning, Annie was asked to lead part of the yoga class – giving the yoga students a chance to experience Ashtanga yoga – the style she’s been practicing every day for about 15 years. The others here respect Annie for her flexibility, strength, experience, knowledge… and so many other qualities that makes her Annie, but after the class they were inspired and in awe. In the week that we’ve been here she’s helped guide some of them to find alternate poses, given them a sample of her children’s yoga, led an evening get-to-know-you session, and led a relaxation yoga session. Annie could have her own ashram if she wanted… of course part of that ashram would include arts and crafts.

While playing with kids on the street after school, we met their teacher… Jennifer. She’s sweet and beautiful. We instantly bonded and agreed to do show for her school. When she arrived at the ashram to pick us up on her motorcycle I didn’t think Annie would do it… but the 3 of us got on and drove on the rocky dirt road to the school.

about 400 kids joined us on the playground and I performed Snow White and the Little people (dwarfs wouldn’t translate). When Jennifer introduced me she had them chant “Goowin’s Balloowins” over and over.

The experience was like a dream I’ve hoped for for years. Jennifer, the Principal, the kids, and all the teachers were so appreciative. Afterwards she walked us back to her mortorcycle but we decided we could walk back to the ashram. Jennifer stood by the motorcycle watching us walk down the road until we were out of sight.

When we returned to the Ashram, a number of the yoga students told us they were hearing loud laughter from a distance – the school isn’t far from the Ashram… they had heard the kids reacting to my show.

Sunday at the Ashram

Allynn and I have been taking daily walks and Friday we met on the street a group of children and their lovely teacher. Allynn worked his balloon Magic and I shot video. And we made a plan to do a show for the school today- Sunday! They have school here 6 days a week. Saturday is their only day off. So the teacher, Jennifer, arrived about 11:00 am with her motorcycle and all three of us hopped on! Terrified, I was in the middle, feeling Doom was around the corner and Continue reading “Sunday at the Ashram” →

6:00 bell calls us to Chanting
Netti pot nasal cleansing is next

We mix salt in warm water in a small container with a spout that is small enough to fit into the opening of your nostril, like a T pot. Then we stand with feet very wide apart and lean towards one knee- elbow on knee for support. Then with the other hand holding the netti pot, we put the spout into a a nostril and the water drips out out of the other nostril . Repeat and switch sides. You tip your head as you do this. Then you blow your nose many times, clearing the nasal passages! It takes some getting used to but it becomes something to look forward to! ( I guess life at the ashram is pretty dull))

Next comes yoga class – an hour and a half followed by breakfast on the roof terrace. Breakfast is the same as dinner- a big helping of white rice with tasty and spicy veggies served on the roof top terrace.

11:45 Yoga Nidra class on the roof
This is a guided relaxation where we lay on our backs and take a nap. Really Really Wonderful

1:30 Lunch on the terrace This is fruit- banana. Cut pieces of apple and a bowl of yogurt . A cooked grain of some sort is included ( I can not identify ) . The lunch does not fill me up so I supplement it with a few cookies.

After lunch Allynn and I take a stroll thru town which is not really a town.
And I look for things and people to photograph and Allynn does balloons for kids getting off the school bus.

3:30-5:00 Yoga Class
6:00 Dinner
7:00 campfire with singing or storytelling.

Today, at the request of some of the gals here enrolled in the teacher training program , I led a FairyTale Yoga Workshop . I showed them how I combine a story with yoga poses.

Then a staff member asked us if anyone would be willing to lead the Yoga Nidra class . I said Sure! So I went to the roof as everyone relaxed and I made up a bunch of words to make it interesting .

The days are going quickly . It is all repetitive but pleasantly so. Quite chilly late afternoon and evening. There is no heat but we have very thick quilts to keep us warm at night. As I write this on my I phone, I am sitting on my bed wearing fleece pants and shirt plus a heavy fleece jacket with a down jacket on top . Wow! That sounds like a lot of clothes. Allynn is dresses in just slacks and a fleece shirt. – hardy soul.

I have not washed my hair in 10 days. There is a hot shower here but it is not appealing to me . In 3 days at the end of our week here we will return to Kathmandu to a hotel with a heater I hope And a hot shower.
Until next time , Namaste and lights out!

Annie and I took a walk at about 3pm along the dirt roads. We saw two cute kids walking by us, so I pulled out a couple balloons and gave it to them. What i didn’t know was that they were on their way home from school… a moment later over a dozen kids turned the corner (their school bus must have just left them off). I only had a handful of balloons with me and they saw the other two boys laughing with their balloons. I started playing “ee-nee’mee-nee-mighty-mo” with my eyes closed to pick who would get a balloon. I held up the 4 or 5 balloons I had in my pockets to let them know that was all I had. Here’s a 2-minute video Annie shot with her iPhone.
Oops, posting videos join Facebook is easier than doing it here.

It’s been a good day at the Ashram (what a surprise). The Yoga students are all so friendly and come from so many countries. Annie and i are the only “guests” here who are in the 60’s… all the others are in their 20’s. They are in awe of Annie’s flexibility. She became an instant celebrity… then they found out her age and she became whatever the next stage is. She’ll be leading them in a fairytale yoga session tomorrow. Of course I’ve been doing balloons for the local kids each day. Tonight I did a balloon story for the other guests at the campfire (we have a campfire each night). They jumped into the story, no problems getting them to volunteer. Many of them whipped out their phone cameras. The head guru has given me a title: MHC (Most honorable Clown). He’s a chess player and has been playing one person here each day. His “partner” wasn’t here today and I had mentioned that I’d be up for game if he’d like. We played three. I won the first and determined to play totally “out of the box” to have fun and be sure to lose during the next game. I guess I totally confused him – I won the next three games. When we began game number 4 the bell for yoga class rang so I knocked my king over and said, I forfeit, you win!” we both laughed. In that yoga class there was one balancing pose (more than one) that I couldn’t even get close to. These students are serious, some are taking this ashram’s month-long yoga training course). I adjusted the pose, leaning one leg against the wall and anything else I could think of not to start a dominoes falling effect in the class. A couple of the students must have seen me because they began to laugh… the type of laugh you do in a serious situation when you aren’t aloud to laugh and try to fight it but it keeps burping out. It wasn’t intentional… and I felt guilty. I don’t believe they had an awkward laughing experience like that in one of these yoga classes before.

The mountains are all around us.  It’s cold in the evening…especially because there are only screens in our windows.  We have a squat pit hole for a toilet in our room (it’s a deluxe room).  We keep the door shut (the aroma is a bit much).  I did the laundry today in the sink and hung it up to dry on some balloons.   After three days I finally got the nerve to try the shower… that was an experience.  However I needed to ask someone to explain how to “flush” the squat pit hole in the bathroom.  That’s what the bucket is for next to the sink…. Silly me!I felt like I really accomplished something yesterday when I used it for the first time.  When I told some of the others here that I was going to put this into a post, they thought I was joking….but I thought anyone reading this blog would really want to know these details.

Sunny day at the Ashram. Men are plowing the fields with pick axes and women are carrying rocks and we are doing yoga. I am loving the style of Yoga they are doing here. It involves many  rrepetitive  exercises for the hips and stretching the back. Also core exercises. Then sun salutes with resting imbetween  and all kind of interesting leg stretches. A fellow at breakfast was raving about Thailand and I felt like that really resonates with me !  Then a dramatic thing happened. My acceptance  in Mysore at the Ashtanga Yoga Institute was pending, but after Allynn applied online at the earliest possible moment he could, according to the calendar and their requirements, I figured I was in the door for the month of Feb ($ 500). When you apply online, it cannot be before 2 months  of when you want to go – But- the classes fill up so fast , if you don’t apply at the stroke of midnight, exactly 2 months before your time to be there, you will not get in. So We  planned our whole trip around going to Mysore in Febuary. And last nite, in our tiny ashram  bedroom, Allynn howled loudly and I wondered What had happened! He then read an E mail from The Ashtanga Institite, saying I had NOT been accepted!!’  Horror of horrors and Shock of Shocks!! I didn’t know What to think!! Allynn got busy writing an E mail back, explaining How Much This Means to me- How I live my Life around my Daily Ashtanga Practice for the Past 10 Years!!!!! And this was to be an Event of My Lifetime!!!!!!!’  Ok- Onto  Thailand !!! We will change our plans and go from Nepal to  Thailand . We will see.      Yesterday I had a long walk up the mountain and just as I was taking a picture of a beautiful tree, 2 handsome old gentlemen appeared  from the road behind it and walked towards me, both with their walking sticks. I got a Wonderful photo  and that moment made my heart sing!!! So We Take the Good with the Bad!!

Annie just received and email that she was not accepted in the February class at Pattabhi Jois’s yoga school in Mysore.  That was the reason we came to india.  She’s dreamed of studying there… she done their yoga every morning for the past 15 or so years.   I tried signing her up for October, November, December, and January but they were always filled by the time I applied.  Finally I waited to get her application in at the crack of dawn on the day they began to accept applications for the February class.  They received the application and we set up out 5 months here with the final full month set for Ashtanga in Mysore.  Two weeks into out trip we just got an email that the class is filled and she isn’t in it.

I sent them a letter saying disappointed we are and CC’s it to important Yoga Centers in the US (some reason, some fantasies… all but one name was fantasy (the other emails all came back to me as expected.

Here’s my letter to them:

-as a follow-up, everyone at this ashram who’s “in the know” about what we’re going thru says we should skip Mysore and just reroute to Thailand…. that sounds good to us.

SharonandDavid@Jivamukti.com, StevenAndrews@YogaJournal.com, JulieTaymor@YogaInternational.com, JulieNelson@HimalayanJournal.com

One step away from Doom. That is how I feel when I am riding in a taxi here. I feel like I have to stay on my toes but I try to just relax  and go with the flow because there is no other way when traveling . But it does feel precarious sometimes and a bit overwhelming –

I want to wake up and Continue reading “One step away from Doom” →

I know we should be posting photos and videos….  but to get them off the iPhone or video camera onto the computer and then get a wifi connection and then post pictures with text….  it’s a bit much…  like keeping all your hundreds or photos organized.  We get cameras and phones with cameras, but never take a course in being a librarian, so few of us have a way of organizing the photos to make them useable.   Anyway, we’ve gone the past few days without a post (it feels like it’s been more than a week…. for that matter we haven’t been out of New York for two weeks and it feels like we’re in a timeless world right now and it’s hard to remember
how long it’s been without looking at a calendar… and then we have to study the calendar to remember….like in Shangra La where Continue reading “We’re staying at our first Ashram” →

The first day in Kathmandu we heard enchanting music on the streets and saw it was being made by this man. Later we’ve seen a number of men playing and selling these instruments in the streets. Somehow this guy knew we were Americans….

Yesterday when we visited one temple, a little girl tagged me, begging for money. She wouldn’t accept “no” and followed me endlessly. I took out a balloon and gave it to her. She threw it on the ground, stomped on it so it exploded, and continued to follow me asking for money… That’s a reaction I’ve never had from giving away a balloon… understandable, but new.

As Annie and I were getting into a cab, a woman holding a baby asked, not for money, but for me to buy milk for her baby. Okay, I softened and took a few steps to the guy selling stuff on the side of the road. She pointed at a big container … about 1/3 the size of the kid she was holding… and when i asked, “how much?”, the guy said the equivalence of $5…. I said, how about a smaller container… so he took out something smaller (maybe $3.50) I figured I was hooked so took out a bill (worth $10) and paid for it. He gave me change as though I gave him a bill worth $5… saying that’s all I gave him. Sheepishly I went back in the cab feeling I had been played for a fool by both this woman and the guy selling the milk.

Otherwise, It’s been a good couple of days. I make balloons for the workers and guests at the hotel as well as salesmen at shops. I enjoy spending so much time with Annie, almost like we’re joined at the hip and I love the food… especially the MOMO soup (like a veggie dumpling soup).
We ran into an Irishman who just got done with a 10-day, 10hr/day meditation workshop. He said it was exhausting! I asked if he had found enlightenment? His response surprised me and gave me a good smile.

(click on any image for slide show)

first dinner in Kathmandu

Yesterday when we visited one temple, a little girl tagged me, begging for money. She wouldn’t accept “no” and followed me endlessly. I took out a balloon and gave it to her. She threw it on the ground, stomped on it so it exploded, and continued to follow me asking for money… That’s a reaction I’ve never had from giving away a balloon… understandable, but new.
As Annie and I were getting into a cab, a woman holding a baby asked, not for money, but for me to buy milk for her baby. Okay, I softened and took a few steps to the guy selling stuff on the side of the road. She pointed at a big container … about 1/3 the size of the kid she was holding… and when i asked, “how much?”, the guy said the equivalence of $5…. I said, how about a smaller container… so he took out something smaller (maybe $3.50) I figured I was hooked so took out a bill (worth $10) and paid for it. He gave me change as though I gave him a bill worth $5… saying that’s all I gave him. Sheepishly I went back in the cab feeling I had been played for a fool by both this woman and the guy selling the milk.

Otherwise, It’s been a good couple of days. I make balloons for the workers and guests at the hotel as well as salesmen at shops. I enjoy spending so much time with Annie, almost like we’re joined at the hip and I love the food… especially the MOMO soup (like a veggie dumpling soup).
We ran into an Irishman who just got done with a 10-day, 10hr/day meditation workshop. He said it was exhausting! I asked if he had found enlightenment? His response surprised me and gave me a good smile.

1. NECKLACE LADY

2. RECLINING WOMEN

3. ANNIE AND HER TRIBE OF SADHUS

4. PREPARATION FOR CREMATION

THE GREAT BOUDHA STUPA (PEOPLE WALK AROUND ELEVATED RIM)

INSENSE BURNER AT ENTRANCE TO THE GREAT STUPA

WOMAN SELLING RICE AND CORN TO FEED THE BIRDS

MONKS STROLL AROUND THE STUPA

ANNIE’S FIRST MEETING AT THE STUPA

MONKS AT MONKEY TEMPLE

SCULPTURE AT MONKEY TEMPLE

MONKEY TEMPLE

MONKEY READING

Nov 14 Yesterday moved to a new hotel,from Hotel Pilgrams to Hotel Himalaya Yoga. This one offers a free yoga class ( Sivananda style) at 8:am and a free meditation class at 6:00 pm. Breakfast is free- eggs, any style with hash browns and toast, butter and jelly.Our room has twin beds(small but comfortable) and private bath. The shower and toilet are is all combined, so when you use the shower, Continue reading “New Hotel in Kathmandu by Annie” →