DHARMA EN PLAYA PART II: SUNDAY 12/5/10
Vamos a la Playa-a-a-a-a




Is there anything better than awakening to the smell and sensation of warm, humid sea-air and the sound of screeching tropical birds?

Add to that the fact that the usual day-after-travel migraine has not appeared.

Add to that the knowledge that one has nothing better to do all day than practice and enjoy a complimentary breakfast and go to the beach and sit on the balcony and write - all at an unspecified time - and one realizes that yes! I am on vacation.

(Actually there is something better - knowing that you will see the Teacher very soon! Then, all the migraines and vacation constipation in the world fall away).

This is the view of the balcony, from Prasarita Padottanasana (notice the beautiful green coconut palm, just like India):



During practice I realized that the tight, painful, about-to-be-pulled right hamstring that appeared two weeks ago was completely healed by the lack of mental tension and warm, humid air.


After practice I headed down to a complimentary breakfast.

Everything had been put away, even though there was a half-hour remaining.

Armando pointed to the clock: "Son las once." (It's 11:00).

Oops!

Turns out I was still on Central time.

Armando was so sweet, and made me a massive, wonderful salad and a basket of wheat bread.

It was wonderful.

And, unlike India, I wasn't afraid to eat it.

And, unlike, India, I ate it while listening to a recording of "Arthur's Theme" by Christoper Cross - played on the pan flute.


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Later, J and I headed to the beach.

On the way we saw this:




And this:


Go Bulls!



And this:


Jai Gautama!




This is the view from our chairs:




Looking up:




Looking right:




Looking left:





Straight on:




The water was warm, salty and welcoming. I actually went in, and made sure that I put my head under. Being immersed in the water felt renewing, like a re-birth.


On the way back we came upon a U.N. Bird Convention:





And other things:


This one reminded me of India.





And then we reached the goal:









This is Jorge, who is a whiz with a machete and incredibly patient with my attempts to have a conversation in Spanish. ¡Así se corta!



















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Later we kept running into other members of the Dharma family (the workshop starts tomorrow) and marveled at the Indian influence here.