At the moment I am a bit frustrated with my body. Ican’t seem to get onto the
Italian time. I have beenwaking up every night around midnight, wide-awake, ready to go…and can’t seem to fall back asleep. Usually I end up dozing lightly around 4am for about 2 hours before it is time to get up for yoga…grrr. So tonight I decided to get up and try to update my bloginstead of lying in bed thinking to myself “I am sleeping deeply and peacefully.” (Apparently jet lag doesn’t respond well to positive affirmations.)
Goal for tomorrow: Do some aura work (someone told mejet lag happens because our auras can’t keep up with the fast pace of air travel) and drink lots of water during the day…but none at night so I don’t have to get up to use the restroom at night...we’ll see.
So, lets get updates on what has happened since my last post.
Sada Sat Kaur left on Friday. Chance and I planned a trip into Florence for Saturday. We looked at the bus schedules and train schedules carefully and looked in
my guidebook for ideas of what to do in Florence. We were a bit late leaving the house to catch the 9:54am bus in San Giustino…but Chance drove like a champion
down the mountain and we made up time. She let me off on the corner to ask the other lady waiting for the bus where we could buy tickets as she went to quickly
go park the car. (The car by the way is an adorable, ittty-bitty white Fiat…imagine like half of a Beetle.) As I approached the nice Italian lady waiting for the
bus (Scuzi, Duve comprare Bigilleti per Autobus??) The bus rounded the corner. I pleaded with the driver to wait “uno minutito” my friend was just coming...but
the driver being the noble worker that he was had to uphold his schedule and would not wait. I walked around the block to see Chance running towards me and told her the bad news Florence was not in the cards for us today. Sada Sat Kaur had told Chance that there was a small train station in San Giustino that went…somewhere, we weren’t sure where exactly. “Well,let’s check it out!”
We approach the train station and my first thought is that this is a non-operational station. The sign on the outside of the building said “_A_ _ U _ S _ _O.” Not to mention the copious graffiti and orange construction type fencing. But as we approached the back of the building there was another darling Italian
woman who seemed to be waiting for the train. I asked her where it went and she responded “Perugia.” So I turned to Chance “You want to go to Perugia?” As I
said this the train pulled into the station, She said yes and we hoped on. The handsome conductor sold us tickets onboard and gave us a return schedule.
We were off to Perugia! Neither of us knew anything that was in Perugia and we hadn’t researched it the way we had Florence…but so far it seemed to be working
out for us. About an hour and a half later we got off the train and started wandering the streets of Perugia in search of my first authentic Italian Caffelatte.
On the way we found a tourist information booth that provided a helpful map of the city, a cheese festival in underground tunnels completed with mascot “Mr. Cheese” and a breathtaking view of the lower part of the city. And then, there was the coffee. It…was….so…good. After re-joining planet earth… we wandered Perugia
some more. We found a beautiful jewelry store where the helpful clerk allowed us to try on lots of beautiful things and laughed at my Italian and almost convinced me to buy a gorgeous (but too expensive)necklace. We marveled at the beauty of the main
Piazza and all of the bustling people and kids so smart they already know Italian! (That’s a gibe at my dear old sister J) When looking for a place to have lunch we came down to two choices. A) Only had indoor seating but according to Chance seemed more “authentic” Italian. B) Had a beautiful outdoor patio but had a bear on the sign which automatically put it into “American-ized” Italian in Chances book. The
outdoor seating won out in the end. The waiter was helpful and I had a green salad and a Margarita Pizza, which was quite good…. and I thought the Vino roso was
fine. (Chance said watered down…)
Off again wandering the streets of Perugia. We tried to get into the Duomo and ended up in some museum, which was mostly REALLY old Christian, art…and was mediocre overall. And then there was just time for a quick gelato (berry and melon) and then back to the train station to head home. Overall it was a beautiful, perfect and totally spontaneous day.
Sunday was our day of rest. I took a LONG midday nap(which may be contributing to all of this jet lag) we even watched a movie!
Monday we decided we were going to get the trip to Florence right! (Incidentally if we would have caught that 9:54 train we would have gone to the wrong place…we had been reading the schedule wrong!) We caught the 9:10am bus from San Giustino to Arezzo and the 10:15 super-speedy train to Florence and were walking out of the station into the gloomy day around noon. We promptly started to look for the Duomo
(which is one of the biggest and most impressive in all of Italy, according to my guidebook.) and we also promptly started walking in circles. Finally weary we
settled down and a little café for lunch. This one had both outdoor seating and was authentic Italian according to the Chance-o-meter. And the food was to die for. I had Gnocchi with tomato basil sauce…wow. I don’t know that I have ever had food literally melt in my mouth before.
We then walked around a lot more before finally finding the Duomo. And let me say it is a good thing we did find it…because to not be able to find some so incredibly mammoth in size would really be embarrassing. But the line was SO VERY long…that we
settled for walking around the outside. A bit disappointing. We were determined to get into SOME church…we had come so far. We saw another one on the horizon and headed that way…. when we finally got there, it was closed, and starting to rain. So we decided we were done with Florence, grabbed a gelato(cheesecake and tiramisu) and headed back to the train station.
Sada Sat Singh returns tomorrow and I expect we will be kept very busy getting ready for the first guests of the season who arrive on Friday. I really am excited to settle into the routine of things here…and to start doing more yoga and meditation. I am hoping to start up with Bound Lotus again (if you don’t know what that is I think the website is just www.boundlotus.com…it’s a pretty awesome practice).
And that is the update. So, the moral of the story? Show up early to the Duomo in Florence and don’t plan so hard…fly by the seat of your pants. Or as my brother would say “Jump…and the net will appear.”
Much love and blessings!
KNL
Monday, April 30, 2007
Saturday, April 28, 2007
I have arrived!
Well, the journey here was certainly a long one and the first day and a half were a bit of a fog on jet lag…but I am here now and (mostly) settled in.
The whole train/bus situation wasn’t as bad as I expected. Although my Italian is not nearly as good as I thought it was. I can (sometimes and with a lot of prep) ask the right question, but I almost never understood their response to me. Oh well, I guess I’ve got 5 months to work it out. J And there was no way to “check” luggage on the bus, so all my bags and me got pretty cozy in the teeny weenie seats. At least I only have to do that part once!
San Giustino (the small town closest to the Borgo) is not what I imagined at all. I imagined a handful of cobblestone streets, a café and old men walking down the street with their canes. While there are all of those things…. they are in larger proportions than I imagined. And there are cars and fountains and lots of shops…. but it is still a quaint and beautiful town that I am sure I will have fun exploring.
The Borgo itself is…breathtaking. I think the one word I used most often in my first 24 hours here was…wow! We are WAY up in the mountains so every direction you look has a calendar-worthy vista. The main house is all stone and there are these beautiful nooks and crannies everywhere, perfect for a reading chair or a Buddha statue. There are also several other buildings on the property, which are basically in ruins…but will someday be converted into usable spaces as well.
When I arrived here Thursday afternoon Sada Sat Singh (the husband of the couple who runs the retreat) was already in the U.S teaching. On Friday morning Sada Sat Kaur (the wife) left for a teaching engagement in Berlin. So, it is just me and Chance (a yoga friend from back home who has been here about a week and will stay about two more) on our own at the Borgo! We’ve got some basic upkeep type things we need to do and a few gardening tasks in the next few days. But we also are planning a day trip tomorrow to Florence and maybe on Monday to Assisi. I am glad to take those first few journeys with someone to help figure out the train/bus/general questions of getting around.
I have a room right off the kitchen that I will stay in unless we are completely full…and then I’ll move out into a trailer on the edge of the property. The only thing I am a bit disappointed about is that they haven’t gotten a massage table yet. They are planning to order one soon and Chance and I are going to try to create a stand in solution in the mean time…we’ll see how it goes.
I am excited to get into the swing of life here. I will be doing a lot of yoga. Usually there is at least a morning and an evening class…and often time in the middle of the day for something as well. Plenty of time outdoors tending to the garden, wonderful cooking lessons from Sad Sat Kaur and plenty of side trips to explore Florence, Rome, Assisi, Arezzo, Sicily…. the list seems endless.
I am certainly missing people form back home…so emails are great (lumpkin_k@yahoo.com).
Hope everyone is well,
KNL
PS: I have been trying to post this for about a day...the internet is S..L..O..W...but I think I have come up with a soluto for future posts...
The whole train/bus situation wasn’t as bad as I expected. Although my Italian is not nearly as good as I thought it was. I can (sometimes and with a lot of prep) ask the right question, but I almost never understood their response to me. Oh well, I guess I’ve got 5 months to work it out. J And there was no way to “check” luggage on the bus, so all my bags and me got pretty cozy in the teeny weenie seats. At least I only have to do that part once!
San Giustino (the small town closest to the Borgo) is not what I imagined at all. I imagined a handful of cobblestone streets, a café and old men walking down the street with their canes. While there are all of those things…. they are in larger proportions than I imagined. And there are cars and fountains and lots of shops…. but it is still a quaint and beautiful town that I am sure I will have fun exploring.
The Borgo itself is…breathtaking. I think the one word I used most often in my first 24 hours here was…wow! We are WAY up in the mountains so every direction you look has a calendar-worthy vista. The main house is all stone and there are these beautiful nooks and crannies everywhere, perfect for a reading chair or a Buddha statue. There are also several other buildings on the property, which are basically in ruins…but will someday be converted into usable spaces as well.
When I arrived here Thursday afternoon Sada Sat Singh (the husband of the couple who runs the retreat) was already in the U.S teaching. On Friday morning Sada Sat Kaur (the wife) left for a teaching engagement in Berlin. So, it is just me and Chance (a yoga friend from back home who has been here about a week and will stay about two more) on our own at the Borgo! We’ve got some basic upkeep type things we need to do and a few gardening tasks in the next few days. But we also are planning a day trip tomorrow to Florence and maybe on Monday to Assisi. I am glad to take those first few journeys with someone to help figure out the train/bus/general questions of getting around.
I have a room right off the kitchen that I will stay in unless we are completely full…and then I’ll move out into a trailer on the edge of the property. The only thing I am a bit disappointed about is that they haven’t gotten a massage table yet. They are planning to order one soon and Chance and I are going to try to create a stand in solution in the mean time…we’ll see how it goes.
I am excited to get into the swing of life here. I will be doing a lot of yoga. Usually there is at least a morning and an evening class…and often time in the middle of the day for something as well. Plenty of time outdoors tending to the garden, wonderful cooking lessons from Sad Sat Kaur and plenty of side trips to explore Florence, Rome, Assisi, Arezzo, Sicily…. the list seems endless.
I am certainly missing people form back home…so emails are great (lumpkin_k@yahoo.com).
Hope everyone is well,
KNL
PS: I have been trying to post this for about a day...the internet is S..L..O..W...but I think I have come up with a soluto for future posts...
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
All my Bags are packed, I'm ready to go....
The goal was to be completely packed by Monday night (last night). And I was definitely 95% there when I went to bed last night. That feels good. I get to spend my last day state-side hanging out with my family and relaxing. (and, sure...running those last few errands as well).
The part of the trip I am most nervous for is what happens directly after landing...let's see if I've got it down:
*Land in Rome (9:40 am Thursday)
*Get off the plane and through customs (speaking Italian, or at least English with an exaggerated Italian accent :) )
*Find baggage claim and get bags....reorganize bags a bit to make them easier to carry.
*Locate ticket selling counter. Purchase ticket for shuttle to Rome train station and ticket for IC train to Arezzo.
*Take shuttle to train station.
*Find correct track, and train car, and check ticket at the "little yellow box" on the platform.
*Be on the correct train departing Rome at 10:57am
*In Arezzo, get off train with all bags. Walk outside and across the street to bus station. Purchase ticket to San Gustino Umbro (very important to say Umbro...otherwise I end up in some other part of Italy!)
*Get on correct bus, manage bags and tell the driver to let me off at the Piazza in San Gustino.
*Watch to make sure they don't change drivers...and if they do, tell the new driver where to let me off.
*Arrive in San Gustino and find Sada Sat Kaur, who'll drive me about 7km up the mountain.
*Arrive in paradise.... :)
Check out www.yogaborgo.com, if you haven't already to get a taste of where I will be. I will try to get pictures up soon.
Blessings to all...wish me luck!
KNL
The part of the trip I am most nervous for is what happens directly after landing...let's see if I've got it down:
*Land in Rome (9:40 am Thursday)
*Get off the plane and through customs (speaking Italian, or at least English with an exaggerated Italian accent :) )
*Find baggage claim and get bags....reorganize bags a bit to make them easier to carry.
*Locate ticket selling counter. Purchase ticket for shuttle to Rome train station and ticket for IC train to Arezzo.
*Take shuttle to train station.
*Find correct track, and train car, and check ticket at the "little yellow box" on the platform.
*Be on the correct train departing Rome at 10:57am
*In Arezzo, get off train with all bags. Walk outside and across the street to bus station. Purchase ticket to San Gustino Umbro (very important to say Umbro...otherwise I end up in some other part of Italy!)
*Get on correct bus, manage bags and tell the driver to let me off at the Piazza in San Gustino.
*Watch to make sure they don't change drivers...and if they do, tell the new driver where to let me off.
*Arrive in San Gustino and find Sada Sat Kaur, who'll drive me about 7km up the mountain.
*Arrive in paradise.... :)
Check out www.yogaborgo.com, if you haven't already to get a taste of where I will be. I will try to get pictures up soon.
Blessings to all...wish me luck!
KNL
Sunday, April 8, 2007
T-minus 16 days!
It is hard to believe that this big adventure I have been planning is about to begin. It still feels a long way off...but then I remind myself that this time next month I will be fully immersed in my Italian yoga retreat life. Wah!
I am consumed with last minute details (find a new swim suit, update my website to say that I will on hiatus, complete the test for the Level 2 Yoga Teacher Training module that I am participating in now...). But I remind myself that whatever dosen't get done will be...just...fine. :)
I know it will be sad to be away from my friends and family...not to mention my co-workers and clients and the students who attend my classes. (I will especially miss seeing my beautiful nephew going through the second half of his second year on this earth...) But I know this expereince is one that I cannot miss and I do believe that living with my yoga teachers for this period of time will bring me deeper into my own practice which will in turn enhance all of my personal and professional relationships.
I hope you will enjoy reading this blog. I will try to keep you all updated about my grand adventure. And I will certainly look forward to seeing you all in a yoga class, massage session or over lunch when I return from abroad!
Sat Nam,
Kelsey Nirmal
I am consumed with last minute details (find a new swim suit, update my website to say that I will on hiatus, complete the test for the Level 2 Yoga Teacher Training module that I am participating in now...). But I remind myself that whatever dosen't get done will be...just...fine. :)
I know it will be sad to be away from my friends and family...not to mention my co-workers and clients and the students who attend my classes. (I will especially miss seeing my beautiful nephew going through the second half of his second year on this earth...) But I know this expereince is one that I cannot miss and I do believe that living with my yoga teachers for this period of time will bring me deeper into my own practice which will in turn enhance all of my personal and professional relationships.
I hope you will enjoy reading this blog. I will try to keep you all updated about my grand adventure. And I will certainly look forward to seeing you all in a yoga class, massage session or over lunch when I return from abroad!
Sat Nam,
Kelsey Nirmal
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