being a tourist in Chicago.....

Monday, and Eleanor and Matt took me into the city to be a tourist. It was great. We took the train into the city (Matt and Eleanor live in Des Plaines). We went to Millenium Park and the Art Institute of Chicago. The outdoor sculptures at Millenium Park were being enjoyed by many, many people, lots of children playing with the water sculptures. There is an amazing, huge outdoor concert venue. At the Art Institute, we saw an exhibition about wine from Ancient Egyptian times to the present. We went to 'American Decorative Arts, 1920-1970' - lots of Frank Lloyd Wright, Charles Eames and others, then, Ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman Art. Passed by the famous 'American Gothic' painting, and the Seated Buddha. Excellent day.

Chicago 1st - 10th August

I took the Amtrak from Milwaukee to Chicago - practiced a class first, went to lunch, then Carrie dropped me off at the station - the other half of the Greyhound Depot. It was only an hour to Chicago, and Matt and Eleanor Mattison, friends we made on a trip to Indonesia many years ago, picked me up. It was wonderful to see them both - the last time I saw them was 15 years ago. Eleanor had checked out the location of Bikram Studios for me. I went on line and looked up the studio at Naperville, and discovered that Esak, who had been leading a back bending clinic in Milwaukee while I was there, was giving a seminar on Sunday afternoon. Eleanor very kindly offered to take me there, about an hours drive. She did the seminar with me, and then we practiced a class afterwards, Eleanor’s first class. Now all you people out there who say it’s too hard /hot etc, Eleanor is in her 70’s and she did an awesome class, every posture, didn’t sit any out. I was impressed.

Yoga in Milwaukee

I got to practice several classes at Bron's wonderful studio, and Carrie gave me two of her classes to teach. Carrie is a fabulous teacher. Her dialogue is excellent, she has wonderful energy, and really commands the room. I thoroughly enjoyed her classes, and it’s another Group 2 success. Bron has done a wonderful job with the way he has set up his studio. There is a nice, open entrance and reception area with lots of room to sit and wait for class to start. He has two yoga studios which means that he can have seminars on at the same time as a class is in session. There are big changing rooms, with plenty of showers - at least, the women’s changing room is like that, didn’t go into the men’s changing room! I liked the heat and humidity there, made for a good practice. If any of you out there ever get to Milwaukee, go practice at Bron’s studio. You’ll love it.

Milwaukee

Milwaukee is a lovely city, and if you ever get a chance to visit it, take it. I really liked it there. Right on Lake Michigan, it is very green and picturesque. I had no idea what to expect, and I was very impressed. Carrie and Matt live in the city, but they also have a house out of the city on one of the smaller lakes. I spent a few days with them in town, then out at the lake house. While staying with them at the lake, I did something I have never done before.....I practiced a 6am class!!!!! That meant getting up at 4 am to drive into the city, Carrie was teaching. A bit of a shock to the system, and I don’t plan to make a habit of it.......

We did some sightseeing around the city, including seeing a statue of ‘the Fonz’.

Here we are, Carrie and I with 'the Fonz'.

Baseball in Milwaukee - Thursday, 30th July

Carrie and Matt have season seats at Miller Park Stadium to watch baseball, and they took me and a couple of their other friends to a Brewer’s game. It was great fun, all the pre-game, during the game and after the game activities were great to watch. There are food stands, drink stands, and all the baseball merchandise for sale in the shops there. I’m not sure how much of the game the spectators actually watch because people are always getting up and moving around. There’s lots of noise, flashing lights, fireworks, masses of stuff going on around the stadium. Thanks, guys, I had a great time.

Yoga Seminar with Mary Jarvis, August 25

The Bikram studio in Milwaukee is wonderful, brand new, with 2 yoga rooms. The studio is owned by Bron Gacki who was at my teacher training in Hawaii. Mary Jarvis has been teaching Bikram Yoga for many years and is very highly respected in our yoga world. She taught the 8 am class before she presented her seminar. She took us through all the backward bending postures. She had had a serious car accident a few years ago, and used Bikram yoga, with extra emphasis on the backward bending postures, to heal herself, to heal her spine (I think she had 5 herniated discs among other injuries). Her surgeon wanted to operate, but couldn't give her any reassurance that the surgery would help. It took her 2 very patient years, but she did it.

I consider myself very fortunate to have had the opportunity to participate in this seminar.

Milwaukee Friday 24 to Saturday 1 August

I was rather apprehensive about taking the Greyhound bus to Milwaukee, and asked Hunter if he would wait with me until the bus left, which he very kindly did. The St Paul, Minneapolis bus station was, well, a little grotty. There was lots of activity, people coming and going, and only one minor altercation between travelers. While I was waiting, a little boy, about 5-6years old, came up to me, touched the blue cross necklace, and said ‘hello, my name is Angel, and I like your cross’. I felt ok after that, Hunter didn’t have to stay, and the bus ride turned out really well. There was a cheerfully grumpy driver, and no delays. The ride took us through some interesting country side where I saw an Amish family on an outing, and at one of the stops, a Hutterite family got on board. The bus arrived on time at the shiny, new bus station in Milwaukee, and Carrie Belanger was there to meet me.