Time Signature · 10 January 2010
It has been twenty four hours since I boarded an airplane in Detroit. That was three days ago.
Meanwhile, at the Pompidou, steamclouds billowing from a crack in a building, facing the wall of blue pipes of the great art monstrosity. Bikram Yoga Paris. A sweaty man hoists on his pea coat, says merci beaucoup to a woman who is leaning on the front desk, wearing a bikini and tipping back a water bottle. He lifts his head to open the door, looking up at the exposed blue waterworks through the cloud of steam that follows him in to the street.
Under the broad low curves of the Eiffel Tower, a holler, and suddenly twenty Algerians are running for the perimeter. They’re all dressed in black, carrying racks of hats for sale and giant metal keyrings strung in replica Eiffel towers. The cops mill as the tall running salesmen emerge from the crowd and regroup running north, their tower-keyrings jangling, weighing them down, and catching the light.
Filing in to Notre Dame, a sign picturing a human removing its hat, with the instructions to descubrirse. Please discover yourself. There are two confessionals in glass-walled rooms alongside the tourist din. The confessor’s back is to the sanctuary. He leans in to the table in front of him, making eye contact with the priest.
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Bikram in Paris? You’re too funny…
What an adventure! Can’t wait for the tales to unfold (please write!)
xo
Posted by: Liz · Jan 10, 07:08 PM · #
you’re in paris…just when the buddhas have evacuated musee cernuschi—
i advise you to go anyway. the trees in parc monceau are their own kind of buddha.
climb the grand-ish stairwell in the converted mansion, climb another addendum of a stairway (it’s free, all this climbing) and give a wink and a nod to amitabha, who, in his infinite compassion, will not mind if you smell like you just left bikram class after drinking bordeaux, eating cheese, and baguettifying yourself.
if so inclined, seek out trong, who will sing you an unforgettable lullaby featuring tofu.
Posted by: Sara · Jan 10, 11:33 PM · #
Musee Cernushi – my bro will go in my stead. Today he sees this. Moreau’s old home is a museum.
I’m at Chas de G. It’s late morning (9ish) and I’ve been up for hours – but my computer thinks it’s three am. Just ate a crisp little mini-croissant. How does one go about eating one of these?
Computer battery’s running down fast. The only outlet is attached to a big blue massage chair that one can sit in and be jiggled for 2 euros. People going to Bangalore are, apparently, too decent for that. Maybe I should bogart the current…
Posted by: (0v0) · Jan 11, 12:10 AM · #
Love this.
Love the motion.
Posted by: Rebecca · Jan 11, 06:10 AM · #
Of all the yoga in all of Paris, you chose the Bikram joint… Huh. Good travels.
Posted by: KNL · Jan 11, 09:37 AM · #
I’m gonna tell Caroline on you! She’s waiting for your practise by Bastille!
Posted by: cij · Jan 11, 03:53 PM · #
Oh no!!! Big mistake!!! I didn’t GO to Bikram practice I SWEAR IT!!! Just walked by because we went to the Pompidou! I will go to Caroline next time. Promise. No Bikram tourism. That is too much like the guy who tried to go to every McDonalds. Actually… Bikram is just around the corner from the only McD’s, and the only Starbucks, that I saw the whole day…
Got in to Mysore two hours ago, after a 4-hour drive from Bengaluru. Damn, I didn’t realize I loved being here quite like this. It is strange to realize I might be one of those suckers who just loves to be here. (Admittedly, I secretly wanted to go home after the first week last March before I bucked up.)
It’s 6:10 am here, 7:40 pm in Ann Arbor, and my brother just went to bed at 1:30 am in Paris. Hi, planet Earth. No idea what day it is, subjectively. Haven’t much slept, but practice sounds like a great idea. Some of that and then tea with the lady of the house.
Is anyone reading this here? My contact is insideowl @ gmail. Late breakfast? I am a few blocks from Julian’s.
Posted by: (0v0) · Jan 11, 04:50 PM · #
I’m glad you straightened us out about the Bikram. I was starting to worry.
heh.
Posted by: Liz · Jan 11, 08:46 PM · #
Glad to know that you’re enjoying the natural warmth of Mysore presently rather than missing out on an hour at the Centre Pompidou whilst in Beaubourg.
Looking forward to happy tales from the warmth. Have fun over there!
Posted by: cij · Jan 12, 12:30 AM · #
I was just about to say….enough with the Bikram already!
Posted by: LI Ashtangini · Jan 12, 12:45 PM · #
Haha, too funny! I thought you went to bikram too, it just seemed kind of fittingly crazy?? What a perfect place for it though, Pompidou!!
You sure are living in a whirlwind lately, and processing stuff at superspeed… I can’t wait to hear about this trip.
Posted by: susananda · Jan 12, 02:10 PM · #
Yes, I agree that I’m processing at superspeed. Weirdly, I don’t feel overwhelmed or discombobulated. One thing that’s helped is not getting in to planning mind or regret mind too much. That’s weird… from LA to the road trip to Ann Arbor to Paris to here in one moon cycle (ending tonight), there’s been so much to anticipate and so much to miss. Maybe the sheer quantity of it blew a gasket in my brain and I had to just give up and be where I am.
But too, Mysore is much more mellow right now than it was last March when I arrived. Fewer people, the city is cooler and the light less bright, people out an about seem unrushed, and Sharath and Saraswati are in a really good place (quiet and balanced, not overworked, somewhat at peace over SKPJ’s passing). The tales of chaos and overcrowding aren’t yet looking true, though it is very nice to see a few familiar faces.
Led class in four hours at 6 am (and I thought I’d conquered jet lag). Rather than the usual Friday two – there’s only one class! That might change my perspective on things…
Posted by: (0v0) · Jan 13, 10:27 AM · #
Just curious – will Mysore be a yearly thing now that you;re practicing on your own in Ann Arbor?
Posted by: rick · Jan 13, 01:40 PM · #
Hi Rick. Emoticon, emoticon.
That is a good question. I doubt it, but also would not have expected to find myself here now.
Posted by: (0v0) · Jan 13, 10:22 PM · #
no more choudhuryish asana? the line of bisnu ghosh goeth way back, and paramahansa yogananda, after all?
“A cook may be taught, but a man who can roast is born with the faculty.” Brillat-SavarinPosted by: robbieeyore · Jan 14, 09:49 PM · #
see you in mysuru!!
Posted by: robbieeyore · Jan 14, 09:50 PM · #