Peru 5 - Yoga Dos, Burning Palapas, and Signs of the End of the Weekend

Oct 10, Monday, 9:38am, outside dining room table, Eco Truly, Peru

How do you know the weekend is over? The new bars of soap in the bathrooms that appeared Friday night have vanished this morning. But the tranquillity!!!! All those pestering weekend yoga warriors / turistas have vanished, so us true spiritual seekers (sans soap) can restore peace in our souls. Actually I am just waiting for breakfast, which is a tad late today – I think that’s a sign that they are baking cinnamon buns, Eggs Benedict, fresh mango/orange/strawberry juice and chai lattes.

Had a long sleep last night, so off to yoga this morning for my second class. The instructor slowed the pace a bit this time, for we are slackers. Seven appeared at 7am, five volunteers, one visitor, and one “office” worker who left sniffling after a few minutes – her cold must be worse than mine. I'm thinking maybe the Krishnas have their own yoga classes separate from the peons – I will ferret out this info as my infiltration into this community deepens. Sure enough, I ask Pancho about it later. The Krishnas work early in the morning, and will do yoga in the afternoon if they wish. Y tu, Pancho, practica yoga? He replies, No, I prefer to run and do pushups.

Halfway thru the yoga, the teacher says Muy bien Miguel. For I can almost do one pose relatively well – as a rank beginner my ego swells at the comment, instead of my heart. Fail!

I took a short stroll on the beach after my sweeping meditation (my favourite practice). Eco Truly is beside Chacra y Mar Beach, a popular beach in the summer when it gets hot (Jan – Mar). There are these huge palapas just above high tide, with roofs of thin bamboo to provide shade on this treeless desert coast. Of the twelve palapas all but three are missing most of their roofs, for underneath are remains of some fires – marauding night beach gangs need to keep warm so they have torn down the roof for some easy firewood. Or perhaps the beach “owners” are simply replacing the old roofs and what better way to dispose of the rotting bamboo than to roast marshmallows.

Wow, a huge lineup at the breakfast window (9:53am) – we are all hungry and ready to start another relaxed day in our little paradise by the sea. I really like the pace here – so civilized! :)

Oh oh, another bus just arrived with a large group of male students all in school dress of white shirts and black pants – dang, way to blow my bliss bubble.