The Fruteria

One of the most wonderful things I found in Buenos Aires was called the Fruteria. They all had these impressive stacked and cascading displays of fruit and veg pouring out into the street. I saw them everywhere and LOVED them. The 2nd greatest thing was the hand drawn signs. I was mesmerized..

This is one of my favorite photos from Buenos Aires..

hot

I've gone to 12 Bikram Yoga classes in 21 days.. not as many as I wanted to initially.. but I also didn't really know what the hell I was getting into. Whoa. Nothing can prepare you for 26 Yoga poses done twice over 90 minutes in a 104' F room at 40% humidity. I recommend about 3 litres of water a day or you'll have a constant headache. Lordy, I've never seen so much sweat pour off my flesh ever. It's like going swimming in air. I've also had loads of energy and great looking skin.

The first class I made it through to maybe 40 minutes before I was laying down, panting, curling into a fetal position and pretty much dying for the class to be over (they suggest you try and stay in the room and not leave and it is better to do this because you get used to the heat quicker). I heard the 9pm cannon go off in Vancouver and tried to steel myself for another 30 minutes while refusing to acknowledge the fact that I wanted to vomit. (this is normal in your 1st class)

But I digress, by the 3rd class I was saying to myself.. did they adjust the heat? Whoa.. why do I have goosebumps.. is that a cold chill? Oh hey.. I can bend over, put my hands under neath my heels and almost wrap my elbows behind my calves.. that's new. Oh dear god... I think I'm going to faint if I stand upright too quickly.

To reward my burgeoning flexibility, I bought myself some groovy lightweight shorts and a yoga mat from hotshot Vancouver yoga clotheshorse- Lululemon (lately a contributor to this local phenomenon..), learned a bit about electrolytes and I'm determined to make it to 18 classes in 30 days. I plan to keep going for 2 more months before I'll consider if I'm insane for wrapping myself into a pretzel in sauna with a teacher shouting "Lock your knees! Lock your knees! Lock your knees!"

adjustments

I've felt like crap for a while now. Maybe you've not noticed. Just bummed out. Even in Buenos Aires.. Just blahhed. I've had raging anxiety for years, low self esteem, lacking confidence and confused about a career direction and a poor diet for years and years. It was all starting to catch up to me and I was suffering from some pretty terrible thoughts.

I don't really know what to do about it all. Career direction is and has been a labyrinth maze I've been too exhausted to begin so I shuffle from adequate job to adequate job. If you have ideas.. do tell me. I simply don't know where to start most of the time..

But I did figure out someplace to start.. I started practicing Bikram Yoga 4-5 nights a week. I've dropped all sugar (except for fruit) and processed grains. I only eat low fat dairy and I try and eat vegetables, nuts, seeds, lean proteins. I drink alot of water and started taking an antidepressant to lessen depression and down moods. On Tuesday, I have an appointment with a life coach who is also an intuitive.

I want to make positive changes in how I'm feeling and I think it will help the rest fall into place.

Today, I am looking forward to my Bikram class. That's a start.

Recoleta Cemetery

IMGP0166, originally uploaded by jacksforjill.

Cure for the home from amazing holiday blues?? Take a holiday.

There's a Blues Festival in Victoria and it's a beautiful weekend. I've always wanted to take a road trip with my scooter and i found some directions that avoided the highways and with going a little bit out of the way.. I managed to get myself to Victoria on back roads ( a 50cc scooter is not permiteed on highways) I pretty much followed the routes found in this link which did take me through some great farms in Ladner and through a cow tunnel taking me under the 99 highway.. It was a bike path and I ignored the "no motorized vehicle" sign. It took me 5 hrs and half a tank of gas (about $5) to get here. I hope I can find my way back!!