This Stuff Really Works

You know…I’ve been practicing Kundalini Yoga for about 10 years now. (Shocking, I know!) So you would think that some of the awe and wonder of the practice might have worn off by now…but, NO! Not at all. I still find myself marveling at how much this stuff really works and how powerful and obvious the effects are in my day-to-day existence.

I was recently assigned the Pituitary Gland Series by my mentor. This is a relatively easy yoga set to stimulate the “Master” gland, which plays a major role in regulating many of the body systems and processes. From a more yogic perspective we say that the Pituitary gland is associated with the Third Eye Point. This is our energetic center of Intuition. As some of you know, I am a pretty intuitive person is certain instances or moments…but my intuition is always something I feel like I could develop or strengthen more.

I also have to admit that I’ve been assigned this kriya (set of yoga postures) before…and I would do it for a few days and then give it up. I just couldn’t get it to stick. For some reason now is the time. I am on Day 17 of a 120-day practice…and I am absolutely LOVING it! This is one of the greatest sets ever! (If you take my classes you also know I say that about a lot of sets….but they all really are that good)

I love how this set makes me feel afterwards…totally calm, focused and energized. I love the flow between the postures in this set….graceful movement from lunge, to resting to standing, down dog moves gracefully to cobra etc. But, the coolest part is how IN TUNE I am lately. After the first week of doing this set I started to feel like Angad (the owner of YogaSoul, who I do a lot of work with) and I had the same brain. It was like we were literally thinking the same thoughts…a few times I had to ask if we had actually spoken about certain topics or if I had just picked it up intuitively.

And beyond that things just started clicking right into place in my life with SO much ease….I was almost unnerved by how easily some major life shifts happened. In ONE DAY I bought a new car and applied for a new, beautiful apartment…wowzas!

And I can honestly with 100% certainty say all of this beautiful stuff is a direct result of me getting onto my mat every day and practicing this set of Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan.

I know, I know I’ve been doing this forever why am I still so shocked at how well it works? I don’t know why I am still so amazed…but I hope it continues. I hope I never cease to be amazed and grateful for this perfect technology. I hope I get to continue to be overwhelmed by gratitude for the ability to sit on my mat each day, to practice yoga and meditate. I hope that the wonder of it all continues for the rest of my life.

Wahe Guru! (Which translates as Wow! The power of the universal energy, which brings me into the light of the Divine)

Nirmal

PS- Mantra Night is coming up!! Friday 10/1 6:30pm at YogaSoul…come share in my ecstasy by chanting Wahe Guru!! Click Here to Register

PPS- I am leading the Pituitary Gland Series every Saturday during early morning sadhana…4:30-6:30am, come bliss out with a FREE yoga class! Click Here for Details

Amazing Body!

Part I- Amazing Body! Part II- Women Rule!

I L-O-V-E anatomy. One of the reasons I went back to school to become a massage therapist was so I could take more anatomy classes. (I know, dorky, right?) I just think this amazing package we’ve been given to live in is so gosh-darn fascinating.

We are running a Teacher Training program at YogaSoul (Eagan, MN) and this past weekend was one of our training weekends. And on Sunday I got to teach the “Western Anatomy” portion of the course. It combined two of my favorite things, teaching and bodies…so I was happy.

When our bodies were being designed they were so beautifully put together…the nervous system and the endocrine system work elegantly together to keep all of our systems running in perfect balance. Our Respiratory and circulatory system have a harmonious relationship that keeps us moving and energized. How awesome and perfect.

Bodies certainly keep working even when we don’t take very good care of them (another cool thing, I think). But, even better, when we even take SMALL steps to take good care of our body-machine it pays us back with BIG time feel-good rewards. This is one of the reasons I practice yoga…it just makes me feel good in my own skin (and muscles and glands and…)

I am happyhappy that I got to share some of my excitement and knowledge with the beautiful teachers in training this weekend. And it is my prayer that this knowledge will make them better teachers when they get out there and start helping people.

On another note: Women Rule!

Yogi Bhajan (the Master of Kundalini Yoga) taught a TON of wonderful stuff for women. He spent weeks each summer teaching women how to become “Eagles” instead of “Chicks.” The teachings of Kundalini Yoga are so powerful and healing for everyone…and especially for women. If we re-orient the way we expect the world to be and step into our own power we realize how to make everything serve us and how to uplift everyone around us. It is SO great!

I had a lot of resistance to the Women’s Teachings when I first studied them. I didn’t think that how Yogi Bhajan described things was how it SHOULD be….or how I WANTED it to be. But the more I studied and tried applying his concepts to my life the more I surrendered….and this allows me to use the natural energy and flow of the world, rather than fight it.

I’ve been thinking for a long time about how to develop and support the community of women practicing Kundalini Yoga…so, I am very excited to announce:

The Women’s Circle: A gathering of women on a spiritual journey.

Each week we’ll meet in a small group (only 7 spots!) led by myself and my dear friend, Della, we’ll explore a spiritually based book and discuss what it means to be a woman on a spiritual path. This will be a supportive and cozy group and I hope you can join us.

You must pre-register by THIS Friday! 9/25/10

The course runs 4 Saturdays, 10/2, 10/9, 10/23 and 10/30. Cost:$54

Click Here to Register

In October we will be discussing the book: Everyday Grace by Sat Purkh Kaur.

If you’re interested in the November group sign up soon, we’ll be discussing the Eight Human Talents by Gurumkh Kaur.

Yoga-Thon-A-Rama

I was blessed with the opportunity to spend a month in New Mexico this summer. Every year in August the Kundalini Research Institute holds a month-long Teacher Training Course. This year I was invited to attend the course as a Trainer in Training (or TNT as we we’re called during the course).

Most teacher training courses happen over a 9 month period...with lots of time for introspection, reflection and processing. In the immersion format everything is SO tightly packed that there really isn’t time for all of that. I think I’ll still be absorbing and learning from this course for many months to come.

That being said I have grown immensely in my appreciation for and understanding of what it really means to be a Trainer of Kundalini Yoga Teachers. This is no small thing. I truly and honestly believe that the way we are going to change the world to a more peaceful place is by individuals becoming more peaceful within themselves. In my experience Kundalini Yoga and Meditation is the best way to create harmony, peace, happiness and love within MYself...and I see that transformation happen every time I teach a yoga class.

So, to be able to teach other people HOW to create the space for individual students to have their own transformation from darkness to light, sadness to happiness, discord to peace....is a huge responsibility. We’re talking superhero, save-the-world kind of stuff here. Whew!

I know, beyond a doubt, that this is my path in life. To love, share and expand the teachings of Yogi Bhajan...to hold a space where individuals can find their light and learn to turn on the lights of those around them....what an awesome gift.

I hope that as the weeks continue I will begin to grasp even more depth and appreciation for my month at the “mother ashram” in New Mexico...and as I do, I hope to share those insights with you. Thank you all for being a part of my journey on this path.

Sat Nam,

Nirmal

So, What HAVE I been up to?

Our last post took us up to the day I got back to the Borgo…, which was the 23rd of September. A month has passed since then (I can hardly believe it)…so what have I been doing??

When I first arrived back we spent a few days doing normal house stuff, cleaning after some guests who has just left, putting in the winter garden. All of this was intermingled with our deep, dark secret obsession. 24. Yeah, like, the TV show. Someone had sent the Sada Sats the first two seasons a while ago…and we devoured them. I bought them seasons 3 and 4 for my birthday…and again we went through them at an alarming rate. Sada Sat Singh had picked up the 5th season when he took a short trip to The States and they had been waiting for me to get home to watch it. So, the first 5 or 6 days I was back we spent a lot of time vegging out and watching TV. (Which was certainly something I needed after the go-go-go pace of the trip)

We had a couple from Germany stay with us for two weeks. Had pancakes for breakfast. Got higher speed Internet connection. Did lots of yoga. Spent an insane amount of time on Shutterfly organizing and ordering pictures. Did some more gardening.

Then the Sada Sats and I went to Rome for a weekend of yoga. This was the first of two weekends for the Mind and Meditation module of Level 2 teacher Training. And, it was an intense weekend. As the name implies we did A LOT of meditating…and it was great. This course also covers a lot of really complex and confusing yogic philosophy around the mind…so it was overall an exhilarating and exhausting weekend.

On our way home we stopped at the IKEA just outside of Rome to pick up a few things we needed at the Borgo. Three hours later…we were on the road again in a tightly packed car. J

The next day was Guru Ram Das’s birthday. Guru Ram Das was the 4th Sikh guru and is the one often associated with healing. It is also said that if you pray to him on his birthday he has to answer all of your prayers…so needless to say we all did a lot of praying and meditating on that day.

We went to Arezzo. Saw the Chiropractor. Ate chocolate cake for Sada Sat Singh’s birthday. Watched some movies. Called my sister on her birthday. Went to a food festival in Citerna. Had an AMAZING lunch out. Chilled. Did some yoga. Ran errands.

Then (on October 21st) the SS’s left for a 10-day trip to Switzerland. On the morning they left we woke up to an amazing snowstorm!! There were already about 2 inches on the ground, and more was coming down. I could hardly believe my eyes! As we drove down the mountain to take them to their bus the storm let up some…and by the time we were all the way down in the valley it was just rain. But still!

The next 10 days were pretty chill. It was just me up on the mountain with not a whole lot to do…so…I slept, read, knit, napped, watched movies, did lots of yoga…

I also taught the classes the SS’s usually teach. 2 private lessons a week (in English) and 2 lessons a week at the gym (in Italian!!!). Teaching in Italian is teaching me about what is really important when you’re teaching. (Did I use the word ‘teaching’ enough in that sentence?) Sometimes I talk a lot during my classes and in Italian I am just able to get the basics across. But sometimes that is OK. So it is challenging…but good. I also did a few massages for some of the SS’s friends…. I cannot wait to get back into my full massage practice back home!!


I went to a food festival in Monte Santa Maria Tiberina. (Note: In the fall in Umbria there are more food festivals than you could shake a stick at….). It was pretty fun; I tasted some extra virgin olive oil that had been pressed three days before. (Wow). There were a bunch of people in Renaissance dress, some jugglers some musicians…a good time.

The Sada Sats returned on Halloween. And we promptly spent the next 5 days in front of the TV watching Season 6 of 24, which we had ordered and my darling parents had shipped to us! We went to two different food festivals that weekend. One was featuring Truffles, a specialty of this area. I had never had a truffle before…they’re pretty good…. but I couldn’t believe the prices on some of the things there!! Ay!


Then, last Wednesday the Sada Sats left again. This time for a 2-week stint in the US. I asked them for more projects to do while they were gone this time so I haven’t been quite as bored as last time…I harvested the lavender and when it’s dry I’ll make satchels. I’m painting one of the bedrooms, I did a bunch of stuff to finish up the gardens, and I’m doing a ton of yoga…
And today it is SNOWING!! Started out as just a drizzle this morning but now it’s a full out snow day!! The mountains are really amazingly beautiful covered in snow… J

And that’s about it for me. The SS’s get back in a week…then we have a few days to relax, then another weekend in Rome to finish the Mind and Meditation course, then a few days to get ready…and then back to The States!! I am really ready to be home, to see friends and family and get back into teaching more and really start up my massage practice. Which reminds me!


I am a running a massage special for the first two months I am home…buy one massage and your next is HALF PRICE!! (You can also buy a gift certificate as a holiday present and then YOUR next massage is half price.) Send me an email if you want all of the details (lumpkin_k@yahoo.com) or just go online and make your appointment.

Go to: www.openhandstherapeutic.com . Click on appointments. Make a login name for yourself and then pull up my schedule. Appointments available starting December 2nd! Can’t wait to see you at your appointment!! (Please pass this on to anyone else who may be interested)


Blessings,
KNL

And the Crowd Went Wild

We planned to get up around 8 am to begin out Oktoberfest extravaganza...but by 6:15 so many people were up and getting ready in The Tent that we decided to get up too. Apparently we had misjudged how early people will get up to stand in line and wait to drink beer. :)

Once we were on the tram it was easy to find our way to the Oktoberfest grounds. Just follow EVERYONE else. I was amazed by how many people really dress up in the full out Liderhosen and Gertels...wow. We were planning to go see the Opening Day parade...but as we walked through the grounds (at 8am...4 hours before they could begin serving beer) we noticed that the lines for the beer tents were already incredibly long. And after asking around a bit we heard that on opening weekend many tents closed their doors by 11am due to overcrowding. After a bit of hemming and hawing...we got in line.

And so we were a part of the mass crush to get into the hall when they opened the doors at 9:30. You know how you hear about people being crushed to death or trampled in a crowd. I had never before truly appreciated how that could happen. But as my face was smashed into the door frame and my left arm almost removed at the shoulder...I had a new appreciation for "Mob Mentality." Yikes.


Somehow we made it in...and the three of us were still together and we found a decent table. (We found out later you can't get served unless you're at a table.) And settled in to get to know the people around us in the 2 hours before anything would happen. We played cards, ate giant pretzels, tried to figure out how the people next to us got cokes...and then...the band came in.

And the crowd went wild. The band made it's way up to the stage. And the crowd went wild. The president of Haufbrauhause (I think) made a speech that no one could understand. And the crowd went wild. Girls started taking off their underwater and throwing it up onto the giant statue hanging in the middle of the ceiling. And the crowd went wild. They tapped the first keg. And the crowd went wild. They started serving beer. And the crowd (really) went wild.

At Oktoberfest they serve beer in 1 liter beer steins. The glass of the stein is probably 3/4 of an inch thick...and then when it's full of beer....well I had to use two hands just to lift one! I was amazed by the Beer maids who could carry 8 at a time! Yikes! No wonder they all have wrist braces on!

And then it was pretty much what you'd expect. People drank beer. There were beer drinking/toasting (Proust!) songs, which some nice German kids we were sitting with tried to teach us. My favorite toast was explained to us like this:

Julian: It means Cheers to your balls!
Us: Your balls?
Julian: Yes, you know, testicles.
Us: Right.
Julian: You know there is a sack...
US: We know! We know!!!

They also sang really random old American songs while some guys in Liederhosen on the stage lead little dances. Songs like: John Denver "Take me Home Country Road" or the one that goes "Heeeeeeey, Hey Baby! I wanna know, if you'll be my girl."

We were impressed by the bathroom system...even though the lines were long you never actually had that long of a wait. Those Germans sure are efficient! We met some random old guy who had a bunch of food coupons and kept buying us food, mashed potatoes, sauerkraut, weird cheese dipping sauce for pretzels.

After awhile...quite awhile...you sort of loose track of time in there. We decided to leave the beer tent and see what else Oktoberfest had to offer. Answer: not much. They have some pretty cool rides (but at 8 euros a ride, we just watched). There is more food and souvenir shopping and that's about it.

AE realized she had left her shirt inside the beer tent. We went back to see if we could get in to go look for it (unlikely). But as we joined the back of the line one of the Beer maids came up to us and asked us if we wanted to go in. We said "Sure" and she lead us in the back door. She was a sneaky one though...she told us we all had to buy a beer (none of us wanted any more beer at that point). So we bought one to split...she was pissed....but, hey! She was the sneaky one. We found AE's shirt, amazingly and I was struck by the difference in the beer hall after only a few hours.


When we were there early in the day it was good, wholesome fun. Sure people were drinking....but it seamed clean, safe and quaint somehow too. Now after 10 hours of steady drinking and being rowdy the place just felt like any other dirty bar with out of control people. I was only too glad to get out of there.


And so concluded our one day extravaganza of Oktoberfest. When someone asked me later if I was glad I went I could wholeheartedly say "Yes." Then they asked me if I would ever go back and again I could answer with a wholehearted "No." It was amazing to experience...but now that I've done it...It's done.



The next morning we were up by 7am and on our way to the train station. After 10 hours on the train I said goodbye to the girls and got off in Arezzo. (They had another 2 hours to Rome, a quick overnight and then early flights the next morning back to the States.)

As I left the Arezzo train station to get my bus back up to my little mountain town, I felt like I had left my arm behind on the train. After spending 6 weeks, day and night with those two girls it just felt...weird that they weren't with me anymore. And even though the trip had ups and downs, it was, in the end, perfect and I wouldn't have changed a thing.


And so concluded the amazing 6 week adventure.

Up next: what HAVE I been doing since my return to the Yoga Borgo.

Blessings,
KNL

It Was The Worst Of Times. It Was The Best Of Times.

The Tent in Munich is exactly what I expected it to be. A big-top circus-style tent full of bunk beds. There are two tents, actually, in the one we stayed in (the "higher-end" tent" there were, maybe, 200 bunk beds. In the other (lame-o) tent people were just sleeping on whatever patch of floor they could find. The tent was also, like our entire experience in Germany, cold. Really cold. When we checked in (at 6am) and selected our bunks the reception guy told us that they hoped the Tent Heaters would arrive sometime that day. Boy, so did we.

We headed out for our first day after a considerable period of trying to figure out the public transportation system. Munich has an S-Bahn (Suburban railway), U-Bahn (underground railway), Trams and Buses. All of these systems (being German) run amazingly efficiently and quickly...once you understand which ones you want to use that is. But figure it out we did and, after a bite of breakfast we were off.

About one hour outside of Munich is Dachau, the site of one of the Nazi Concentration Camps from WWII. The camp has been preserved and turned into a museum and memorial site. Visiting this site was one of the things I really wanted to do on this trip. So it was amazing to me that as soon as we were on the train on our way there I had a really visceral and urgent desire NOT to go. I wanted to jump off the train at every stop. I wanted to run away and not force myself to think on these horrible events and how human beings could stray so far from Love. But I managed to allow those feelings to exist...and go forward anyway.


We arrived and had a really great tour guide who gave us a half hour introduction about Dachau. It was one of the first camps of its kind and the model for all camps after that. There were some incredibly inhuman men running the camp who would basically train the humanity out of any Nazi officers or soldiers who came there to be trained. It is really appalling the things that happened on these grounds. We've all heard it before and know it our minds how awful that time way...but to stand there and hear the individual stories of people who struggled and died right on this very spot...it was horrible and I hated it. But I am grateful, beyond words, that I got to have this experience and that these places still exist as a un-ignorable reminder to all of us..."Never Again."


We walked first through several of the camp buildings that has been turned into the museum. A lot of really fascinating information. (Too much information, actually. The museum really needs to be edited down...there is a lot of repetition and after awhile you just can't soak in more facts....). Then we went to "The Bunker" the building used exclusively for the worst kinds of torture. We also toured the barracks were 2000 people were crammed into bunk beds (wooden platforms really) designed for 200. We walked the grounds. Saw the fence that marked the edge of camp and several of the memorial sites and religious sites dedicated to healing the wounds of this place.

We had saved the area of the crematorium and gas chamber for the end of our visit. Just as we were walking over to the gate for that area they closed it and told us we couldn't go in. We had lost track of time and the whole site was being shut down. I was really disappointed that we didn't get to see that area of the camp...but I am sure it was just not something we were meant to see...so there it is.


After that we had some dinner (falaffel)...felt like a**holes for complaining about being hungry or cold or that our feet ached...or anything. We tried to shop for some warmer clothes for the cold night ahead... but only ended up buying a hat. (And Thank God for that hat!). Drank some hot chocolate by the campfire that they have outside The Tent every night. I think the 3 of us pretty much just starred into the fire that night and probably weren't very entertaining...


The next day we set out to see the actual city of Munich. Well, truth be told...there isn't all that much to see. We wandered around the big market, saw some big old places and gardens, went to the English Garden and saw the naked sun bathers, had a giant pretzel. Whoa! Back up there...saw the Naked sun bathers...in the middle of Munich...in Germany...no where near a body of water or temperatures conducive to naked sunbathing?!?!?! Yep. You heard right. For some reason in this normally very button town place...they all go nuders in the park. (Makes it more interesting I guess...)

We got lost trying to find the U-Bahn but finally did make our way back to The Tent and I think we were much more lively at the bonfire our second night. :) Although the boys were trying to show off how 'macho' they were by tending the fire. Clearly none of them have ever had to actually make a fire before because...well...they sucked at it. They would pile all of this wood on the fire and then sit around wondering why it was roaring...I would have to go in, re-arrange, blow on the fire...basic things and then...Boom! things would burn! (Thanks Mom for sending me to camp all those years!)


Our third day in Munich we took another day trip to a place about and hour and a half outside of the city. This is to one of the famous Bavarian Castles...Neuschwanstein. And it just so happens to be THE castle that inspired a certain Walt Disney when he was drawing his "Fairytale Castle." Cool, huh?

After a goodly amount of confusion over the train (part of the rail was down for construction so we had to take a bus the last bit...). We made it up to the castle. The Germans have a very orderly and precise system for getting into the castle. First you MUST take a guided tour. Second you must buy your ticket at the tourist office and your ticket will show a specific time when you are allowed to enter the castle. At your specific time you slide your ticket into the correct turnstile and if you are indeed within your specified time you get to go in. Wow...talk about the antithesis of an Italian system (AKA push and shove and see if there is a way you can get in without paying...).

We decided to be very whimsical and take the carriage ride up the mountain. It was whimsical, charming...quaint...all of those good Disney like things. In the tour of the castle we learned that it was built for a totally nuts-o King who only lived in it for about 90 days before his mysterious death. So only part of the interior or finished...and each room that is finished has a theme from a Wagner Opera, because Crazy King loved Wagner. There were some really amazing views of the castle and the castle from the outside is quite lovely.

Then it was back down the mountain, more forms of transportation than I can remember, a quick dinner and back to the campfire and The Tent. This was the night before the opening of Oktoberfest...so things were starting to reach a bit of a frenzy all over Munich and especially at The Tent where more than 300 people had checked in since we arrived 3 days ago. Wow.


Next Time: Something everyone should do once...and only once, in their lifetime.


Blessings,
KNL

Then We Wandered...and Shopped.

So the next morning we were up early adn ready to get into Venice...problem was we didn't know we had to buy tickets for the shuttle ahead of time...so the 10am shuttle was full. We ended up getting into the city around noon. And then we began what is pretty much the only thing to do in Venice. Wander, shop, get lost and ride the water bus.

I really wish I could report more than that. But that was pretty much it.


Ok, ok, ok...we DID also see St. Marco'square, which was pretty huge and impressive. The thing that made the biggest impression however was not the grand churches and elaborate bell tower but...the pigeons. The square is absolutely covered in pigeons, or as I like to call them 'Flying Rats.' And the grossest part of it was people were actually feeding the pigeons and trying to get the birds to land on them...ewwwwwww! That was just too much for me...so we headed out and got down to some serious wandering, shopping and getting lost. :)

Around dinner time AE and Meg were buying some art work from a street vendor so we asked him for a suggestion of a good (reasonably priced, non-touristy) place to eat. He gave us directions to a "big place, not a small place, a big one" where there were "onyl Venetians, ask any Ventiain, they'll knwo it, only Venitian eat here" and remember its a "big place." So we headed off with our map, his directions adn half a hope of finding the place...but by the miracle of God we walked right to it. And it was a big place and there were lots of Venetians there adn the food was really good and reasonably priced...so we were happy campers.

Then we headed back to the campsight, bought a bottle of wine on the way and spent some time hanging outside with some other folks staying there before heading into bed.

Day two in Venice. Don't get to excited this day consists of a lot of wandering, shopping adn getting lost. Only this time we did most of it on Murano. Murano is one of the islands just outside of the city and it is the one known for all of its glasswork. The amount of glass on this one little island is amazing. I mean, glass everthing...wine bottle stoppers, beads, jewelry, plates, cups, wine glasses, lamps, chess sets, chirstmas ornaments, keychains, etc...and it is all so beautiful. You could easily spend several thousand dollars on stuff here. We, however, treid to contain ourselves a bit more than that. We also got caught in a bit of a downpour in the morning...but after that it cleared up and was really a beautiful sunny day.

Seriously, the whole day was wandering and shopping on Murano. Then back to the main city, dinner at the same place as the night before adn back to the campsight and to bed.

Day 3 in Venice. I think you've got the hang of it by now. Today we wandered and shoppe first at the Rialto market. The famouse outdoor fish adn vegetable market in Venice and then took the waterbus over to Burano, the island just outside of the city known for it's lace. As we headed over to Burano we got caught in another huge downpour...there was even hail! It cleared a bit, but there were several more bursts throughout the day where we'd run into the closest store and buy french fries or a coffee or somethign to wait it out. The we headed back to Vencie proper and (you guessed it) wandered and shopped until it was time for us to go to the train station to catch the overnight train to Munich.

The overnight train was...a trip. (Pun intended). First of all you get these amazingly narrow and short little bunks to sleep in and then you get the strangest Sweedish man you have ever encontered in your entire life...and his wife or mother that share you're compartment. I was SO thanful that I was on the third bunk up becasue I could sort of tune him out. Poor Megan was on the second bunk, right at his head height when standing so she got the brunt of his really fascinating questions. "Whats a Google?" "Who's the Prime Minsiter of Britain?" "How much does and LP cost in America?" I am not kidding.

But we still managed to make it to Munich. We stepped off the train and were immediately struck by how COLD it was. I mean realyl cold. So we stopped at the first coffee/pastry place we found and put on just about ever layer we had with us. And then proceeded to find the tram to our hostel...The Tent.

More about that (and the rest of our German escapade) next time.

Blessings
KNL