I've had a week of them. And I've had a Sunday morning in which to reflect on these happenings. A Sunday morning spent drinking Italian coffee, reading a Japanese novel and gazing out at the Arabian Ocean crashing into rocks and the beaches of South Goa, I might add.
What's happened this week?
I went spice shopping with our beloved cook, Prashant, yesterday. This was an experience I'd been looking forward to for some time and hope to repeat again before too long. I got to point at things and ask "What's this? What do you use this for? How do we make this?" a lot and to see which spices were good, and which blends were not so good. We went to the supermarket first and then to the market in search of vanilla pods. We only found one very sad looking vanilla pod, that smelled fantastic, in the whole of Chawdi. Prashant managed to get it for a lower price for me - 40 Rupees (that's 40p to you and me). I came home loaded with spices - cardamon pods, cinnamon bark, nutmegs, cloves, tumeric root, mustard, peppercorns.... and lots more. We then ground the cardamon, cinnamon, and cloves to make chai masala mix which smelled (and still does smell) amazing. I'm plotting how to send the package home - that will be next week's project.
Currently, I'm undergoing treatment for my pelvis and spine, which have become displaced (long story, not going to go into it here). I also broke my wrist in May whilst learning to drive a motorbike in Hanoi. So I'm undergoing physical therapy for the two things with a holistic, third-generation ayurvedic physician and osteopath from Manipur. Part of this therapy includes daily "stretching" (full body workout) under the watchful eye of the therapists. This is to re-align the body and train the tendons and muscles to work in the right way. We are an expanding group of injured people from all over the world and the general dynamic is friendly and mutually supportive. I get a lift in with a French woman who I meet for chai and banana bread at 7 am, and then a lift home with whoever is available.
Yesterday, the available person was a Transylvanian bee-keeper. He agreed to let me come and collect honey next summer if I wanted to, or at least see his family bee-farm and told me all about what the bees would be doing now. They spend winter in constant movement inside the hive, taking it in turns to be on the outside of the group and flapping their wings to generate heat to protect the collective. They are great problem solvers, apparently and very intelligent creatures. Fascinating stuff.
We stopped for sugar-cane juice at a little stall on the side of the road run by a wizened old tiny woman in a blue sari. I'd had sugar cane juice in Hanoi and found it far too sweet, but this one was made with some lemon and was lovely.
Three unusual experiences in one day.
Other things of this week have included: discussion about karma and awareness at the beach; cutting my foot open on a door (it's recovering now); watching one of our new puppies become more and more insane (she's called "Vata" and is living up to her name extrememly well); learning a little more Hindi with the boys in the kitchen; teaching the people in the cybercafé the basics in Spanish (much to the confusion of a German customer); eating my first masala dosa at the Hotel Krishna - fantastic brunch fare; having a disturbed crow fly to me and try to get inside my clothing for safety from the gang of cats closing in on her...
I saw a baby leopard the week before.
I really should carry my camera around with me more often.
It would seem to be December and Christmas is starting elsewhere. I can't quite imagine what that is like....
What's happened this week?
I went spice shopping with our beloved cook, Prashant, yesterday. This was an experience I'd been looking forward to for some time and hope to repeat again before too long. I got to point at things and ask "What's this? What do you use this for? How do we make this?" a lot and to see which spices were good, and which blends were not so good. We went to the supermarket first and then to the market in search of vanilla pods. We only found one very sad looking vanilla pod, that smelled fantastic, in the whole of Chawdi. Prashant managed to get it for a lower price for me - 40 Rupees (that's 40p to you and me). I came home loaded with spices - cardamon pods, cinnamon bark, nutmegs, cloves, tumeric root, mustard, peppercorns.... and lots more. We then ground the cardamon, cinnamon, and cloves to make chai masala mix which smelled (and still does smell) amazing. I'm plotting how to send the package home - that will be next week's project.
Currently, I'm undergoing treatment for my pelvis and spine, which have become displaced (long story, not going to go into it here). I also broke my wrist in May whilst learning to drive a motorbike in Hanoi. So I'm undergoing physical therapy for the two things with a holistic, third-generation ayurvedic physician and osteopath from Manipur. Part of this therapy includes daily "stretching" (full body workout) under the watchful eye of the therapists. This is to re-align the body and train the tendons and muscles to work in the right way. We are an expanding group of injured people from all over the world and the general dynamic is friendly and mutually supportive. I get a lift in with a French woman who I meet for chai and banana bread at 7 am, and then a lift home with whoever is available.
Yesterday, the available person was a Transylvanian bee-keeper. He agreed to let me come and collect honey next summer if I wanted to, or at least see his family bee-farm and told me all about what the bees would be doing now. They spend winter in constant movement inside the hive, taking it in turns to be on the outside of the group and flapping their wings to generate heat to protect the collective. They are great problem solvers, apparently and very intelligent creatures. Fascinating stuff.
We stopped for sugar-cane juice at a little stall on the side of the road run by a wizened old tiny woman in a blue sari. I'd had sugar cane juice in Hanoi and found it far too sweet, but this one was made with some lemon and was lovely.
Three unusual experiences in one day.
Other things of this week have included: discussion about karma and awareness at the beach; cutting my foot open on a door (it's recovering now); watching one of our new puppies become more and more insane (she's called "Vata" and is living up to her name extrememly well); learning a little more Hindi with the boys in the kitchen; teaching the people in the cybercafé the basics in Spanish (much to the confusion of a German customer); eating my first masala dosa at the Hotel Krishna - fantastic brunch fare; having a disturbed crow fly to me and try to get inside my clothing for safety from the gang of cats closing in on her...
I saw a baby leopard the week before.
I really should carry my camera around with me more often.
It would seem to be December and Christmas is starting elsewhere. I can't quite imagine what that is like....
