Not In India 2012- January 20, 2012

Not in India 2012! January 20, 2012

Hi all

Herzlia Promenade on a Sunny Winter Day

Just set up this new blog, since I have really felt the need to sit down and write about the new experience of NOT being in India this time of the year, as I have been regularly since 2007.  There are many reasons for my not being there right now, which I may tell you about at some point, but I am feeling the longing for India, for Ma Ganga, for my dear friends there and for the many things which I am blessed with while there for several months each year.  (if you are reading this on the old blog, just follow this link to get to the new blog:   http://notinindia2012.wordpress.com

However, I have been blessed with wonderful new and amazing surprises in my life here in my “other” reality as well, and these are the things I will be posting about here.

I also hope to share photos with you as well, as I have always done in the past.  There is beauty and wonder anywhere we may be in the world!

Fishing in Tel Aviv Port

Hope you will enjoy this blog as much as you have enjoyed following my adventures in India.  Life is always a journey, an adventure to be experienced in the moment, in every moment, to the fullest, and that is what I hope to share with you.

Namaste

with love light and JOY

Jane

Sept. 25,2011 – Back to India – Well, Not Really :-(

Hi all

It’s been a long time and not only do I miss India, I miss “talking” to you all.  This is the time of the year when I am usually getting myself ready to return to my other reality – these past number of years – in Rishikesh.

But life has a way of surprising us in many ways.  As things stand now, I will probably not be back to India until late fall, 2012! This will be the longest I’ve been away in many years, and it is really not easy.

The reasons, on the surface, seem fairly straightforward, but if you have been “with” be for the past years, you know that  I believe, and have learned from experience, that all things happen for reasons we don’t usually understand at the time, and if we are lucky, the benefits of unpleasant surprises are only understood later on in time (sometimes, never understood at all by our limited faculties as human beings).

It all began last year when I began getting a government subsidy to my regular government pension (called Bituach Leumi here-meaning National Insurance).  It was wonderful getting this extra money each month and made a big difference in my standard of living.

However, I did not realize at the time that this extra subsidy would limit the amount of time I could spend abroad in any given year,,,specifically limiting it to 72 days per year!….

Without realizing it, I overstayed my 72 days at the beginning of 2011 .  When I returned from India I found that the subsidy had been cancelled and I had to reapply stating my reasons.  Luckily, it was reinstated but with the definite warning not to leave the country for the rest of 2011 under penalty of forfeiting this subsidy permanently.

I had expected to attend the wedding of my nepheew in the states this past week, and could not even get permission to do that!

So my position now is that I have 72 days a year and the plan is to travel the end of 2012 and then stay for the beginning of 2013 thereby giving me a nice long stay in India.  But it is a very long time to wait.

But, as things happen, there is a very wonderful compensation for my having to stay put in Israel.  And I truly believe that this all was set in motion by the Universe knowing WHY I would be happy NOT to leave Israel right now.  A wonderful new relationship has begun, something quite different from anything I’ve know before, and I am very happy to be “forced” to stay put for now.  If things truly get difficult for me, I may plan a short (1 month) stay beginning of 2012 but of course on the condition that I don’t go alone this time!!

I am also committed this year to certain family issues which definitely require my being here as well.  So, although I have been forced not to travel, if the option was still available to me and I had to decide myself what to do, it would be an almost impossible decision for me to make.  So God has been loving and generous with me, and has taken this difficult decision out of my hands.  This allows me the great luxury of enjoying each precious moment here without feeling that it is at the expense of something else I would want to be doing, since I have no choice in the matter.

As usual, and as always, I am truly blessed.

Namaste to all…perhaps I will write here once in awhile just to keep in touch.  Many of my friends are already back or on the way back to India, and if I hear any interesting stories, perhaps I will post them…or just post now and then some of my favorite photos when I really get homesick.  If not, you can always follow my comings and goings on my Mindfulness Journal (link on the sidebar) where I post regularly, if not frequently these days!!  There is only so much time in the day, and night, and priorities must always be set.

Love light and joy to all and a very Happy New Year.  You might like to check out this link regarding the New Year and the opportunities it offers:

http://mindfulnessjournal.wordpress.com/2006/09/22/the-jewish-new-year-and-another-golden-opportunity-to-get-yourself-out-of-the-shadow-of-the-past/

Jane

April 6, 2011-Perfect Aloo Parantha

The Importance of Having the Proper Tools of the Trade

I didn’t expect to be posting here again, but since what happened today at home is directly related to my last stay in Rishikesh, I decided to post anyway.

Perfect Aloo Parantha Puffed Up on Tawa (pan)

I just made the perfect aloo parantha…thanks to the new rolling pin I brought back with me from Rishikesh and the practice in Seema’s kitchen…you can see it is perfectly round (which I never accomplished in the past) and beautifully puffed up here…and it was SOOOOOOOOOOOO yummy!!

Preparing Parantha in my kitchen

I’ve been making parnathas for several years now (paranthas are made from dough – the same used for chapattis, which is filled with various fillings, rolled out flat, and then cooked over a high flame on a cast iron pan to insure that they puff properly and are cooked through by steam), as well as chapatti, and although they have always tasted good, they have never been round, and rarely puffed up to be properly steam cooked.  While in rishikesh I asked Seema again why this happens and she invited me once again into her kitchen.  When I rolled out paranthas in HER house, they were perfectly round, with no problem, and the filling did not come out all over the place.  we tried to figure out what was different, and came to the conclusion that I was using the wrong type of rolling pin and because of this, they also were not coming out round, and not puffing.  If the dough is not rolled out exactly evenly all over, it will not puff on the pan, or when placed directly over the flame, and then will not be cooked properly inside.

So I bought a rolling pin exactly like seema’s and a couple of days ago it arrived in a parcel. You can see it in the photo above.

Today I made my dough, as usual, my potato filling, as usual, and the only difference was the rolling pin.  And to my great amazement, as well as that of my daughter, the paranthas came out as perfect as perfect can be!

Lovely Round Aloo Parantha Cooking on Pan

Which only goes to show that we can make every effort possible to make sure things are done properly, and insure the best outcomes, but without he proper tools, are efforts are very often in vain.

Shalom

Jane

 

 

Changing India-Impressions from a Delhi Mall

Impressions from a Delhi Mall

I visited a friend in Delhi and she decided our first stop on our day out in town would be a local mega mall, which had just opened up a new section which even she hadn’t seen.  She is a shopaholic and her greatest pleasure is “shop until you drop”.

The Mall was everything a Mall should be and more, and this was, I was told, the SMALLEST of the malls in Delhi.

I expected it to be empty but it was full of people shopping, eating etc. You can see some photos on the facebook link as well.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=281708&id=547896544&l=d212f45e57

The only thing which would make you realize you are in India are the products being sold in the department store.  In addition to the regular western clothing and housewares, there are local items to be found as well. I love the photo of the jeans and saris on racks right next to each other, which is a true testament to the changing India!

Jeans and Saris - India -the New and the Old Existing Side by Side

and of course the buckets which are still used for bathing in many homes.

and of course the local dress still worn by a majority of women.

or the incense sold in the supermarket on a shelf called “pooja needs” (items for religious ceremonies)

To give credit where credit is due, environmental awareness is high in India, and the supermarkets no longer use ANY plastic bags.  Goods are packed into locally sewn cloth bags which can be reused, and they are free!

We walked around until I was ready to drop- literally, and than had lunch in a lovely franchise place called Chilies (I think) and the food was delicious, but expensive for India – and yet the place was FULL of people taking a food break while out shopping.

The toilets were also modern and beautiful as befits a fancy mall

– but note that even though the toilets are western style, a hose for washing instead of using toilet paper is still provided in the stalls!

or the women carrying their purchases on their heads!

–remember more photos available at facebook LINK

Namaste

Jane

March 15-17- Journey Home via Delhi

March 15-17- Journey Home via Delhi

Driving from rishikesh to delhi by taxi, for the first time in the day time.  In March….

It is hot, the windows are open (no AC), it is dusty, I am dirty, I am sweaty, and the trip despite the new “super highway”, (every type of vehicle known in India can be found on this road and you can see them on the facebook LINK: Aside from the poor condition of most of the roads, these vehicles are probably the main reason why a 250 km journey takes AT LEAST 5 hours and can be as long as 7.  If you hit top speed, about 80 kph, you might travel like that for 5 minutes at a time.  Average speed is between 40-60 kph for most of the journey

vehicles on super highway

is interminable – I am tired.  We just stopped at cheetal (more later or in another post),

Cheetal Rest Stop

but for the first time since arriving in India, I FEEL like I am in India…

I left Rishikesh this morning after saying a sad goodbye to my dear friends here,

Me with Seema and Ashish

but God willing, we will see each other again next year. And then, into a taxi for the journey to another friend’s house in Delhi.

Actually, I am sitting in the taxi trying to make the time pass, and I am connected to the Internet with my netstik!  This is really cool!!   On the one hand, at night, I doze on and off and the time goes by.  On the other hand, traveling during the day, despite it being more difficult, lets me see sights I would not see while traveling at night. As usual, you can see all the photos on the facebook link:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=281695&id=547896544&l=14d56f320d

(there will be several different photo links in this post, so check them all out if you feel like it!)

We finally made it to Delhi, and then the driver, despite speaking to my friend on the phone several times, still spent 1 ½ hours being lost!

By the time I got where I had to be, I was beyond tired, hot and dirty!  But arriving here, was like being given an injection of “new life”.

I absolutely cannot describe to you what my friend calls her “farm house”.  It is an enormous estate owned by a billionaire Dutch business family, and it is well beyond anything I could ever imagine. . Twenty two gardeners are needed on a daily basis just to take care of the grounds! I have taken some photos, but know that this will also not give justice to this paradise located in South Delhi, in an area called Dera Mandi.  It could be anywhere in the world, and would still be beyond anything I could describe.

Main House on Estate

Sunset over Estate

I was first given the grand tour of both the vegetable gardens, (see photos on Face book LINK:)

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=281695&id=547896544&l=14d56f320d

and then the estate,  and then went back to shower and “make myself human” again.  After that, I was given an early dinner (as my hosts did not eat until well after 9 PM and I really had to get to sleep.  I was served a wonderful, simple meal, all directly from the gardens, and am sure I will forget something, but it included first of all, a lovely vegetable salad of sliced veggies, some partially cooked to make them edible (like the potatoes), and others just fresh:  3 kinds of sweet peppers, beets, carrots, cabbage, broccoli, very tiny potatoes, sweet peas, tomatoes, and more which I don’t remember..;.should have taken a photo but I was too tired by then to care about anything but eating and going to sleep.

I was then served delicious palak paneer (spinach – from the garden and Indian homemade cheese), wonderful dahl full of fresh coriander and fenugreek and parsley, chapattis also made with fresh herbs in the dough and covered in homemade ghee, and a delicious veggie dish of cabbage and sweet peas gently cooked together in ghee.  Rice of course (curiously made in the microwave) …it was sublime.

I went to sleep shortly after and to my surprise slept a full 12 hours!  Luckily I have my earplugs, because if I didn’t, the horrible squawking sounds of the peacocks would have kept me awake all night I think! I guess their beauty ends with their colorful feathers…

Peacock on Estate's Tennis Court

Woke this morning to a warm day, and now sit waiting for my friend to finish work so we can go into delhi for the afternoon.

I was served a breakfast of papaya (from their own trees), fresh coconut milk and the thinnest, most amazing stuffed potato (aloo) parantha I have EVER been served anywhere.

I know this day out in delhi will be exhausting, but it will also be fun being in town with my local friend, rather than as a tourist.  And I will still have time to rest before my flight…I have to be at the airport at 3 in the morning so will be leaving here at 1:30 AM.

More later I guess.

It is now 10 days later, to my dismay, but finally have gotten back to this.  My arrival home precluded my doing anything as “trivial” as blogging, but I am hoping that I will remember everything I wanted to write about the day in Delhi and the trip home.

We left for the city in her SUV vehicle with driver, which was a great luxury as she didn’t have to worry about parking every time we stopped someplace, or she wanted me to look at something along the way. It was also air conditioned and truth be told, was TOO cold for me!!

She lives in South delhi and while driving into the city we past the CChatapurTemple which was amazingly beautiful but closed, so I could only see it from outside.

Chatapur Temple Delhi

Me and Hanuman from Outside the Closed Temple

Hanuman The Monkey God Chatapur Temple Delhi

Vedic Aymbol Chatapur Temple

She finally decided that my first stop, before she did her shopping, would be a local mega mall, which had just opened up a new section which even she hadn’t seen.  She is a shopaholic and her greatest pleasure is “shop until you drop”.  .  IT is really not my thing but I couldn’t disappoint her, gracious hostess that she was (I have one daughter who would LOVE to spend a day with her!!).

Sitting area inside Mall

The changes in India are felt even more so in the cities, and Delhi is THE city to see change.  The cars are one example. Up until a couple of years ago one saw old cars and many many Ambassador cars on the road.  Now you have to really search to find an Ambassador, and the road is full of every type of new car you can imagine…Toyota Corolla, Ford Focus,Honda Civic, BMW, Mercedes, Chevrolet, and assorted chauffered cars where the drivers hold umbrellas open for the madam so the sun won’t get on her face.  The streets are clean, the roads improved, but still congested and Indian “rules of the road” still apply!  The busses are all new, European models, low to the ground for easy access, digital signs proclaiming destinations, AC of course and quite lovely to see.  The bus stops are also clean and neat.  And then everywhere, you see the Metro running.  The stations, at least from my viewpoint below, look beautiful, with large parking lots full of cars.  I have not had the opportunity of riding the metro yet.

The Mall was everything a Mall should be and more, and this was, I was told, the SMALLEST of the malls in Delhi. Please see the next post which will be entirely about my impressions from the Mall. It is worth a separate post and gives further insights into the changing as well as traditional aspects of life in India. But for now you can see photos at this LINK:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=281708&id=547896544&l=d212f45e57

We finished there, back to the driver and then my friend took care of her own business.  Some of it personal, some of it as estate manager (which is the reason she lives in her house on the estate!).  To purchase flowers for the main house, we went to the flower market which was beautiful, but many people forbade me from taking pictures of their wares – don’t know why, but THIS PHOTO will give you some idea of how beautiful it was.  You can again, see lots more on the facebook LINK

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=281695&id=547896544&l=14d56f320d

View of Flower Market

Back home, again, dinner by myself which was uncomfortable, but necessary so I could sleep for a few hours before leaving for my flight.

Because of this rest, and good food, before flying home, my flight home was probably the easiest I’ve ever had and I really was blessed to be able to do it this way

The new departure lounge is everything a modern international airport should be, and more, but once again, I did not take photos.  If you want to see it, you will have to come to India!!

From the plane I saw my LAST SUNRISE over India for this trip….

Last Sunrise Over India from Plane

I’m going to end this here so that I can begin posting it in the hope that it will finally reach you.

I had thought to write about the Cheetal Rest Stop as well, with it’s amazing flowers which change with the seasons, but I will simply post the photos on facebook as well and let you see for yourself.

Cheetal Flower Photo Link – worth viewing:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=281705&id=547896544&l=861eee8adc

Too bad this is now off the main highway, and not easy to reach.  Don’t think I will be making this stop in the future.  It adds a good ½ hour onto the travel time between delhi and rishikesh, and as beautiful as it may be, and as tasty as the food is, and as clean as the toilets are, when I am traveling that many hours, I would prefer not adding that extra time .

It has been a wonderful journey, and being home now, makes me appreciate it even more.  I am happy to be where I am now, but am grateful for the few months of personal time I was so lovingly given.  I am truly blessed!

Namaste

Jane

March 12-14, 2011 Vacation days 11,12,13 – Countdown and Homeward Bound

March 12-14, 2011 Vacation days 11,12,13 – Countdown and Homeward Bound

Sunset Over Ram Jhula

This will probably be my last post this sojourn in India.  For those who are new to this blog, I hope you enjoyed your time with me in India.  For those old-timers – sorry that this was not more interesting, as perhaps it was in past years.  I will still be posting on my other blog during the year if you are interested:  http://mindfulnessjournal.wordpress.com

And look forward to seeing you there as well.

The last few days have been peaceful, despite them being just before my leaving Rishikesh.  I did not find the usual pre-travel days stressful as the have been for me in the past and that for me is a big change, and a blessed one.

The weather has definitely changed to summer…it is now already dark outside, but all the windows in my room are opened and it is warm.  It was quite hot outside today…to really be exhausting for me.

This, an many other things, have made it quite clear that I am going home at exactly the right time, despite it being a month shorter than I had originally envisioned. For one thing, all of my supplies have run out over the past few days:  shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, dishwashing liquid, body soap, floor and toilet bowl cleaner, honey, dried fruits, food stores etc.  All letting me know that this is the perfect time to leave.

I would have enjoyed the warmer weather for a week or so more, but then I would have had to restock everything, and that would not be cost effective.

I am still weak, but have been given some further herbal remedies by Dr. Arora to get me back in full energy.  I have already brought all of my things into storage – kitchen and room supplies here at the guesthouse, and clothing and other items by Seema.  My bags are packed (to my great surprise, I still had too much stuff-even after sending a parcel last week – so this morning I sent off a second parcel and hopefully I will not be overweight at the airport.

The last few days were spent with old friends, and several new ones I’ve met this trip…saying tearful goodbyes – being invited out for meals, and just talking and relaxing together.  IT has been a good way to end this trip.

I will be leaving at 9 AM and going to my friend’s house in Delhi…will be there all day Wednesday and will be at the airport at 3 AM Thursday morning for my 6 AM flight home.  By 12 noon on Thursday I will be in Tel Aviv!

Hope to get some shopping done in Khan Market since I am already there, and this friend loves to shop, and of course has a car.  And then just rest up before heading home.

I am now getting into bed to watch the latest episodes of both “Bones” and “The Mentalist” and hopefully will be tired enough to get a good nights sleep.

And as quickly as the time came to GET to India, the time has come to LEAVE India.

It has been a wonderful 3 months, different than other trips here (but then again each sojourn has its own personality, and brings me different things), and now look forward to the next stage of my journey, with gratitude for what was and acceptance of what awaits me.

Namaste

Jane

March 11, 2011 – Vacation Day 10 – Change of Plans and Final Shabbat Shalom from Rishikesh

March 11, 2011 – Vacation Day 10 – Change of Plans and Final Shabbat Shalom from Rishikesh

At this time next week I will probably just be waking up in my own bed!

Hard to believe 3 months have gone by so quickly…and so beautifully.

Now cooking probably for the last time here, as I want to get my “kitchen” packed away today. Making plain pasta with just some ghee.

Earlier today, I woke up feeling really good, especially happy with the fact that I have gotten back to eating properly and pleased with myself.  Got dressed up nicely, put on my makeup for the first time in a long time, and went down first to visit by Dr. Arora and explain to the girls why I hadn’t been around for a few days, and then go take care of a couple of things I needed to finish in Ram Jhula, and hopefully go sit along the Ganga.

Well, this was not to be. I got down to Dr. Arora and simply mentioned my feeling so weak and having a slight fever a couple of days back, and resting up the past couple of days.  He was a little surprised and when he checked my pulse found it weak.  I asked if this has anything to do with the panchakarma, and he asked what I had been doing the whole week.  Didn’t mention everything I ate, but did tell him I had done lots of wonderful walks in the beautiful weather.  And he immediately understood what had happened.  He said even the slight fever was an indication that my body was very tired, because I had not rested properly after doing panchakarma.  Just then I got up to talk to Laxmi, and felt so faint I had to sit down.  He took my blood pressure which was also quite low, and simply told me that I must respect my body and just rest for the next few days.

Truth is, in past years, I did panchakarma at the beginning of my stay here, had plenty of time to rest for a week or 10 days afterwards, before getting back “into action”.  But this time, I finished just a couple of weeks before going home.  Also, the weather had been so bad, I wanted to not only get out and enjoy walking, but get in as much walking before going home.  So I literally went directly into action the day after finishing my panchakarma.  And a week later, my body just rebelled….knowing that better than “me” what was good for me.

So now, instead of all my plans to take full advantage of walking for the next few days, I have been advised, especially before traveling and coming home, to rest as much as possible.

So looks like the next 3 days I will stay very close to home, enjoy the weather from my rooftop, cancel my plans to go visit Devi, Laxmi and Manju, no Papu Lassi in the Market, no facial in the Market as well, and no special meals back at Prem’s Namaste Café.

Perhaps in another day or so, I WILL feel a little better, but truth is, I was so weak, that for the first time here I had to take a rickshaw all the way up to Swiss Cottage…I could not walk back up the hill!

Came back, had my pasta for lunch, and then went down to visit by Seema, as well as the ladies there…came back to my room, had some chai and carrot cake and later a fruit salad, and finally a pleasant visit until now with a lovely young American girl who I have been spending time with over the past week.  I had originally done Tarot and healing session with her, and we “hit it off” and have had some lovely discussions since then.

I will now read a bit and then go to sleep

Shabbat Shalom for the last time from India this year!

Namaste

Jane

March 10, 2011 – Vacation Day 9 – Story of the Silk Cotton Tree-Simple Lesson in Focused Intention and How We Are Provided with Anwers by the Universe

March 10, 2011 – Vacation Day 9 – Story of the Silk Cotton Tree-Simple Lesson in Focused Intention and How We Are Provided with Anwers by the Universe

It seems that sincere intention to know something, will always bring an answer – and usually from a place, or in a way, that we could never imagine.

Silk Cotton Tree

 

Yesterday was a relaxing day spent close to home.  Didn’t want to push my luck after feeling so weak the day before – especially just before coming home.  So hung around close to my room, did further packing and sorting, read, needlepointed, visited friends, friends visited me and was even invited out for dinner.  Ate properly the entire day and felt at peace.

Although I am enjoying the beautiful weather immensely, I am now completely ready to return home, for whatever waits me there.  And that is also a good feeling.

Just after posting yesterday, with pictures of the “cotton” tree, I continued to be curious if that was really its name and to find out more about it than the owner could give me.  I was thinking of googling it when I decided to first sit down and read for awhile. …I was reading the book I mentioned by Ruskin Bond, “The Book of Nature”, and when I opened to the page I was up to, what did I find but this chapter “The Silk-Cotton Tree”!!

And as I began to read it, I realized he was talking about the exact tree I sat next to the previous day.  Since it is so nicely written and explained…I will just quote the whole few beginning sentences here.

“Most of you, even if you do not play badminton, are familiar with a shuttlecock.  Well, if you take a shuttlecock and paint it a bright crimson, you will get a fair idea of what the flower of the semul (or silk-cotton tree) looks like.

Now just imagine a tall, leafless tree covered with masses of crimson flowers, and you will know what this wonderful tree looks like in spring..  There are few trees in the world that can compare with it in beuty and brilliance.

You may, of course, have seen a semul tree either in the jungle or along a tree-lined avenue in one of our citis.  It is a god shade-tree, losing its leaves for only a brief period, just before it flowers.  During the summer months, you will find its seeds overed with white cotton, which is blown far and wide by the slgithest breeze.  This cotton is not suitable for spinning and weaving into cloth, but it s used for stuffing pillows and cushions.”

And now both you and I know a little more about the tree!  It seems that sincere intention to know something, will always bring an answer – and usually from a place, or in a way, that we could never imagine.

Have a great, focused, day.

Namaste

Jane

March 9, 2011 – Vacation Day 7-8 – Paying the Price

March 9, 2011 – Vacation Day 7-8 – Paying the Price

Flowers on the “cotton Tree” -more later in the post and on Facebook Photo Link

Outdoors until bedtime…beautiful weather for sitting, and still cool enough that mosquitos are not yet a real problem.  But staying up and about until this hour, also makes me hungry for more food.

You’d think I’d eaten enough already today….will just have some nuts and dates though…in the end I ordered a fruit salad!

fruit salad - apples, papaya, pineapple, clementina, grapes, pomegranate

Have begun getting myself ready to leave….going through my stuff…what stays, what goes, what I still need to buy etc.  Just 5 days left here then I will be for a day and a half in delhi before my flight.

I will begin with the morning of the 9^th after the night of the 8^th!!

One lesson I have learned in life, and tried to teach to my children as well, is that everything has a price…before you make a decision to do something, consider the price and if you are willing to pay it!

Every year following panchakarma I kind of go crazy when it comes to eating things I shouldn’t, and things I couldn’t eat for the past month.  And after a week, this always ends and I go back pretty much to the “straight and narrow”.  Of course, this type of indulgence definitely has a price…and I paid most of it last night, and am paying the final installment today!

I don’t get diarrhea or anything, but certainly would be happy if I could vomit (but never manage to)…It is just a feeling of such total discomfort in my stomach and abdomen that I feel like crying…the pain is relieved temporarily with Reiki, which helps to release gas from the area, and by taking lots of ginger oil and drinking hot ginger.  But there is no way I could sleep last night, and am still uncomfortable today, and of course tired from no sleep, and weak from not eating.  Today I will stick to hot ginger and some dry toast with a drop of ghee.  By tomorrow I will be fine, and if truth be told, when I think back on it, except for yesterday (which still makes me nauseous when I picture everything I ate), the week of food fun was worth the price. (It is now evening, and  I am not feeling well at all.  My stomach seems to be much better, but I am feeling, weak, slightly dizzy and have a very slight fever.  Hope it is nothing more serious than just overeating, but tomorrow will tell for sure)

So what did I eat yesterday?  Well, that is part of nice story of  what I DID yesterday.

I woke up in the morning and decided I had to get back to properly before I head home.  Most of the restaurants I eat at are noisy, crowded, with loud music, etc., and also serve only standard meals from the menu.  Which means if I want to request with no potatoes, cabbage or cauliflower it is a problem as the veggies are chopped and mixed in the morning for the whole day. I also want a place with a shady outdoor view overlooking the GAnga, which also limits me to where I can go.

So today, I went checking out some new haunts, and after several unsuccessful attempts, came upon Prem’s Namaste Café down in Laxman Jhula, with an upstairs sitting area overlooking the Ganga.

view from Prem's Namaste Cafe

The owner came from Nepal in 2000 and opened the restaurant with the idea of bringing something a little different to the area.  And he seems to have succeeded.

He has the standard dishes, but also a more varied menu as well.  Some lovely fresh salads, brick overn pizza, lots of tofu dishes and many many veg dishes to choose from.  When I asked about things I could not eat, he was very accommodating and promised me a good meal to my liking.  It was freshly prepared (which means waiting, but these are always the best meals and the freshest),  Everything lived up to his promises and I hope to be back there for my last few days here in Rishikesh to try some other dishes. (obviously I was not there today, and looks like tomorrow I won’t be either).

It is really quiet here, overlooks the Ganga and is very clean as well.

There is a pleasant cooling breeze coming off the river making it really comfortable..not a drop of sun – probably freezing in the winter, but just perfect now.

 

SO…what did I eat:

Veggie and tofu dish with beans in it which was scrumptious – not greasy, not spiced in any way – just lovely and something I’ve never tasted before anywhere in India.

I also ordered a butter Naan, the first time I had one this trip, and it was also delicious:

butter naan

And just then, eating, relaxing, enjoying the view

view towards laxman jhula

I had one of those moments when tears of gratitude overwhelm me!  I am so blessed to be here and so grateful to all the powers which make this possible for me.

And the final, extra touch, was my chai was served in a holder so that I don’t burn my hands as usual on the hot glass/

chai in holder

There is this gorgeous tree here with amazingly beautiful red flowers.  Owner says it is a “cotton tree” and that after the flower and fruit, the tree is covered with cotton!  And he says that this tree is one of the blessings of this restaurant for him here in India.

cotton tree-see more lovely photos on the facebook link below

See this link for lots more beautiful photos of this and more from today:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=275834&id=547896544&l=02a97cc25b

It was just so beautiful I could not leave, and sat and did my needlepoint for quite some time, and just enjoyed the view.  At one

YUMMY!!

point, a monkey came along to feast on the cotton flowers and must have eaten more than 20 before taking off.

let's see...what's next

I wonder if you can see how much he enjoyed his lunch from the pictures

 

 

And then, coming down the Ganga, was a traveler, with small pack on his back gliding along on what looks like a surfboard with a paddle!!

guy gliding down ganga on surfboard -see more on the facebook link

By this time, I was hungry again, and decided on something sweet.  I ordered something called a bhagsu cake, described as layers of cookies, caramel and chocolate – very sweet.

Bhagsu Cake - Sugar Ecstacy

(I am feeling nauseous right now just thinking of it!!!)…Well, it was pure indulgence – sugar ecstasy for sure.

And that is what I ate yesterday and thought I was paying for today, but perhaps it is something else…will see how things go tomorrow.

That’s it for today – Don’t forget to check out the Facebook Link for lots more photos of today…I sat for hours in just one place and so much beauty found me!

Namaste

Jane

Assistance Along the Journey versus Going It Alone-Powerful Message in a Dream

Assistance Along the Journey versus Going It Alone-Powerful Message in a Dream

“When from our better selves we have too long been parted…how gracious, how benign is solitude”

The above is a quote by Wordsworth which I read last night in a book I am reading .  I had actually woken in the middle of night, unable to fall back to sleep.  When this happens to me, I don’t fight it, and usually get up to read until I feel sleepy again.  This quote was used in the book, and after reading it, DID go back to sleep, only to find myself in the following dream, which kept recurring until I woke up just now, several hours later.

The dream:

Riding along in a bus and knowing where I have to go.  The bus is going through a familiar area and I know where he must turn to get me to where I have to go (a place called givat Chen which in Hebrew means, loosely translated: “charming hill”).  As he comes to the corner where he must turn right to get me there, I get up to get ready to get off, but then he passes that corner and keeps going straight.  I KNEW I should have rang the buzzer and gotten off right away to continue the short journey to my desired place alone, but my mind told me  “Sit down and wait.  Perhaps he knows an easier way of getting there.  Let him continue to take you”.  As he drove further and further away from my desired location, I began to realize that something was wrong, but hesitated to question him, not wanting to bother him, or the other passengers.  I eventually found myself so far from where I needed to be, that I DID go and speak to him, only to be told that he has no idea where the place is I am talking about, and it was never part of the route.  I became flustered, and angry and frustrated and began shouting and at one point he yelled back at me but the other passengers just asked me to be quiet so that he could concentrate on his job of getting THEM to their desired destinations, and telling me I could not blame him for my not paying attention and knowing when to get off.

– just as I sat down on the bus and realized I would have to find my own way back, no matter how difficult it was, no matter how lost I was or no matter how far away I now was from my desired destination…I woke up!w

There are times when  we all need assistance.  When we are so far away from the place we know we want to be, that we need help getting closer to that path along the journey.

It may be from a teacher, guru, healer, doctor, even friend, relative or relationship.  When you find the assistance you need, it is a wonderful blessing and should be accepted with gratitude and joy. But you must also know when you have been taken as close to your own path as possible by another person…when you see you have come as far as you can with assistance, and then don’t be afraid to ‘get off”…don’t hesitate or you will be taken very far astray.  You can always return to the place you wanted to be originally, but it will then take that much longer and require that much more effort and energy .

Knowing your own strength and trusting your own instincts will always keep you as close as possible to your own truth…assistance is needed at times along the way…no one can do it all by themselves,  but we must also be alert at all times to the signs that we have gone as far as we can with the help of someone else and know when to once again go it alone.

Know which stop on the bus route is as close to your destination as the bus is going to get you and GET OFF.  Walk the rest of the way on your own.  Don’t hesitate-when you know for sure that this is the place, don’t think that perhaps there is a shorter or easier route.  Let your own knowing guide you from there…And if you do NOT listen to your own inner voice, never blame someone else for taking you astray!!