merry mysore christmas

as i lounged around the pool of a fancy hotel all day, i tried to remember where i was last christmas. ah yes! on an overnight hike with greg, andrew and sylvie. the four of us headed out into the seorak mountains looking to camp overnight for a few days. i remember the beginning of the hike starting off well. it was frigidly cold but we quickly warmed up as we began to climb the steep trails. i recall some scary moments working our way across the ridge line and a very, very chilly sleep where i refused to take even one layer off in my sleeping bag. the next day we decided to head out of the mountains and had a joyous time running downhill to jangsudae catching the bus back to sok'cho and a hot shower. this memory felt a long ways away from the tall indian coconut trees swaying above me.
things started looking up around town last night as penni and i met up with hiroko and alice, two fellow yoginis. our night started off at the southern star, the fancy hotel with a pool mentioned above. the indian people were out in full swing with fancy dress and buffets happening all around us. opting out of the buffet, we went to the restaurant next door which had great food and some even greater laughs. afterwards we headed to st. philomena's church, one of the biggest and most beautiful churches i have ever seen despite all the coloured flashing lights. i had no idea so many indians were christian but the place was packed with worshippers, kids selling flowers and candles, and a live band. we stuck around for most of the late service but when it kept going past 12 a.m, way over a yogi's bedtime, we caught a rickshaw back to our neighbourhood with plans to meet for lunch at the southern star the next day.
having recently just read about the southern star hotel in the book 'yoga school drop out' by lucy edge (very funny and informative about india, highly recommended), i was interested to check out this pool scene. apparently this was 'the' yogi hang out, a place to meet, greet, talk 'asana' and teachers.
after spending the day there, it definately lived up to it's reputation. when penni and i first arrived, there weren't many people there. the christmas lunch buffet was going on just next to the pool and had a live band doing some great renditions of 'hotel california' and 'cocaine'. one by one, the pool chairs filled up around us and the chatter quickly turned to enlightenment, which teachers are currently in town and where the cheapest internet is. at one point, a strangly familiar looking man came onto the deck, cell phone in hand, and arranged himself in the sun. as i stole glances at him, trying to figure out where i knew him from, alice leaned over and said 'did you see david swenson over there?'.
although i haven't had a conversation with david swenson, he has had a huge impact on my yoga path for several years. i was introduced to his video tape at the same time i was introduced to yoga and have travelled around the world with that tape in my backpack. in the introduction of his practice book, he talked of his trips to mysore to study with his guru, pattahabi jois, inspiring plans of my own to make it there one day. i thought of going over to him to tell him how he indirectly brought me to mysore, ironically the same time as himself, but opted to send him thoughts of gratitude and a loving kindness meditation instead. i hope he received it through all those oiled half-naked yogis and yogini's lolling around.