Change of scene

After all the drama about the weather, of course our travel plans ran very smoothly! I’m glad I didn’t expend too much energy worrying about it 🙂 I’ve now escaped the snow and ice back home and relocated (albeit temporarily) to somewhere significantly warmer and sunnier — Athens. First day was just for settling into our new environment and we went on a long walk to find our sense of place and get back into the swing of Greek living. First Sunday of the month means that the monuments are open for free so we strolled up to the Acropolis to enjoy the views and hang out. The work will wait.

My walking pace has already slowed right down to fit in with the locals; my smile is broader and my spine feels a little longer. Usually this happens as a result of a good yoga practice; right now it’s just because I’m feeling warm and comfortable in the sunshine and losing some of my Anglo reserve. Plus I’m happily full of my favourite Greek coffee and spinach pies, which at this time of year get offered as with cheese or without cheese because of Lent. My local bakery already knows which type I favour!

Last time we were in Athens I was barely able to walk up the Acropolis hill with its slippery stones and uneven, rocky surfaces, because I’d pulled a hamstring. Back then I’d have been baffled to think that when I came back to Greece I’d be qualified to teach yoga and be leading my own classes three times a week!

That last trip I remember the two rather ambitious yoga books I brought with me: one of Feuerstein’s erudite works on the history of yoga and the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. They were quite hard-core for my level of understanding of yoga then. This time I’ve limited myself again to two books, hoping to engage with them in some detail (though I have sneaked some onto my kindle in reserve..). Now it’s Keil on Anatomy and Christopher Wallis’ Tantra Illuminated (which Hubby wouldn’t let me read on the plane in case the guy next to me got the wrong idea! 🙂 )

Now I need to put down the books and the computer because we’re off to an evening lecture for Hubby’s work, meeting up with old colleagues from my past life. Better leave off the yoga leggings tonight I think! 🙂