EmmaGoodEgg

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For my review of Danura's yoga class last year, click here.

The Tale Of SiriKitty Ends Here

5 days 4 nights in Chiang Mai on holiday with Diva D, Melee and SiriKitty was long enough to feel guilty about leaving the boys at home. But I am lucky that the husband is supportive of such endeavours, and (unlike my fellow blogger Jewelle) beloved son is old enough to fend for himself for a couple of days. To be honest, with only boys at home, I needed some girlie downtime. After places and tickets were booked, Diva D emailed the holiday packing list: 1) Yoga clothes 2) Chill clothes 3) Pretty, casual clothes 4) Comfy 'nightmarket blitz' footwear 5) Flipflops 6) Evening slippers 7) Bikinis & Pareos 8) Accessories: Sling bag for shopping. Camera/Phone/Laptop charger. Evening purse. Magazines, preferably the mini ones from Europe, or slim gossipy ones like Hello. Books, preferably Chick-Lit. We were sorted like bob. And Chiang Mai, during the Festival of Lights, with its colourful markets and cheap spas, is as good as a girlie getaway can get.

We stayed 3 nights at The Chedi and on our last night we gave B & B Baan Orapin a try. Our days at The Chedi were filled with asanas, breakfasts and lying by the pool. Our nights in Chiang Mai were filled with dinners with extremely spicy Tom Yams on the menu, night markets galore and enjoying the lights and sounds of Loy Krathon with the Thai folks on the streets. Melee, Diva D & SiriKitty even had time for tea at the yoga-inspired pool area of the Mandarin Oriental, and a shopping spree at Vila Cini (a store like Jim Thompson that sells various Thai silk accessories). I may have resisted the female hormones DoBuy at first. But not for long. I think I DO need a gorgeous orange and pink striped silk pouch to put my tissues in. Being on holiday with the girls make you feel like a shopper. Even if you are not one. To wit. See our lovely silk slippers at the top. The girls felt that buying the same slipper, albeit in a different colour (but of course), will embody the spirit of our holiday. It's unbelievable, the justifications a woman can think up when there's silk and feathers involved.

And being that's its a holiday, we took a lot of pictures.

My dear friends Melee and Diva D love a good holiday, are the best shoppers bar none, girlie (but tough, of course), make great travelling companions.

At The Chedi we enjoyed having breakfast at the breakfast nook by the river, and spending lazy hours by the pool.

Diva D, Melee, Suki with SiriKitty on her shoulders, and the yoga crowd, plus husband.

Paul, his mother Celia, and wife Tanya, out on a Tuk Tuk on Saturday night.

We liked the Baan Orapin, a boutique bed & breakfast, and Opas, its shy and helpful manager. The Baan Orapin is a bed and breakfast run by third generation guest house owner Opas and his family. Our room was lovely with a four poster bed and large clean bathrooms.

SiriKitty at the Mandarin Oriental for afternoon drinks. The white plaster sculptures surrounding the pool, set in their various poses were a surprise.

As soon as you arrive in Chiang Mai you come across Chiang Mai Oasis Spa pamphlets with its 500Baht discount vouchers on selected treatments at airport, hotel and restaurant counters. Service includes a free pickup and return in the cute Oasis Spa vans. Reasonable massage, great staff and surroudings, its affordable too, and therefore not to be missed.

Vila Cini on Charoenrath Road for some christmas shopping.

Thank God for VAT.

The End.

Virabhadrasana - Meeting The Warriors of Shiva

Prior to the Yoga Retreat in Chiang Mai with Melee and Diva D, I haven't been on a girlie holiday for 2 years. Sometimes we can be terribly lazy with our friendships. When Diva D floated the idea of going on the retreat, I thought I would end up with a last minute pullout. But thankfully the girls never let me bail. So I painted my toes, got on that plane and joined them on a girlie holiday disguised as a yoga retreat.

Which now begs the question, after four (one with guest yogi Jonas) classes with Vincent the Yogi, am I a yoga convert? Let's just say after one session with Vincent and his caribbean way of teaching yoga, I was warming up to the idea and four sessions later, I'm thinking let's go join Nora at BodyActive. It was pleasant working up a sweat very early in the mornings. Morning classes started at 6.30am and what an achievement it was to roll myself out of bed and go to one. The morning air cold at first, but gets warmer. Then everyone goes to have a huge breakfast that take hours. The crowd was good too, and some of my yoga classmates (with their various posse), stood out more than others.

This woman Belinda is amazing. She hardly speaks a word of English, conversing almost exclusively in Hokkien, has an elderly father in tow who sits quietly reading Chinese comic books by the pool while she does her yoga. Belinda does her asanas with the same admirable passion as she performs her filial duties. She has a belly ring and also wears a silver belly chain during classes. Breathtaking and namaste.

Tanya (on the further side with longer pants), blond and beautiful and toned as hell. Married to Paul who she brought along, she's been a dressage rider, marathon runner, aerobics and fitness instructor with her very own mexican tv show to showcase her skills. She brings her mother-in-law Celia on holiday and cares for her charmingly. We liked her. Now Alice on the other hand, loves her short shorts too much for me to be comfortable sitting behind her in class. I would rather take pictures of her form. She is a scary yoga person though. Executes her poses excellently but sucks in the temperament department. I thought yoga made people chill. Each to his/her own I guess. She was asked to teach the Beginner's class, but only two I think, took her up on it. I think most would rather have Vincent teach them in his gentle ways. We called her Namaste. Biatch. Just kidding because she could scissor kick me into a considerable amount of pain easily.

Azalena's mother is a blond Chinese woman who has her own yoga studio in Puchong (I kid you not) in Malaysia. She sat through one yoga class and took videos during one and was absent out shopping during others. Her daughter is a gem, precocious and cute and was mostly looked after by niece Rachel.

Rachel managing some downtime at the pool when Azalena was asleep while her mother was spa-ing.

It helped, of course, that in between sessions Vincent cleverly organised lunch and dinners at 'hidden gems' of local restaurants and brought us nightmarket trawling. He obviously knows his target market of women who love to yoga, dine and shop. And allowed time to mong, spa, have a foot massage and other touristy activities. The Yogettes and SiriKitty did all except go see the flowers and elephants.

Posing Shivas.

Chiang Mai has its night markets especially during Loy Krathong to trawl.

Having a paw massage at M M Boom, a respectable massage parlour 3 minutes away from The Chedi, that gives foot massages for 2 hours at 200Baht (approximately B$50). Much needed after all that trawling.

We walked down the bohemian streets of Tapae Road and had lunch at Ratana's Kitchen, an eatery frequented by backpackers and was featured in the Lonely Planet's Rough Guide. Diva D had an avocado juice with the essential orchid. The restaurant was a haven of information for backpackers, its walls and bookcases filled with pamphlets for hostels, best surfing beaches, travel books and the like.

We made time to mong and swim. Some of us sunbathed, happily shining in the sunlight in a hot pink thong.

Namaste. To be continued.

Loy Krathong In Chiang Mai

According to legend, Loy Krathong or 'Festival of Lights' dated back seven centuries, when Nang Nophamas, Royal Consort of a Sukhothai King made the first Krathong out of bamboo leaves, flowers and incense sticks showed it to her King, and floated it (Loy) down the river. These days, the Thais celebrate the Loy Krathong ritual in a similar fashion. One lights the incense sticks and candles, make a wish and float the Krathong down a klong (canal or river). In Chiang Mai, the Ping River becomes a river of flickering lights and its skies a mirror with fireworks and Khom Loys, paper lanterns released into the skies similarly to a hot air balloon.

When the Yogettes and SiriKitty were in Chiang Mai last weekend, it was during the full moon in November and the whole of Thailand was celebrating the Loy Krathong Festival. On our first night, we thought we heard gun fire and mini bombs in our sleep. Turns out the exploding sounds were fireworks. The Chedi being right on the Ping River and next to a Buddhist Temple, got quite an onslaught.

Sitting on the Chedi Terrace and watching the skies above Chiang Mai explode in light on Saturday evening.

The Festival of Lights as seen on the Ping River.

Over the holidays we made friends with husband and wife, Paul and Tanya and Paul's mother, Celia, who had kindly asked us along to dinner on Saturday night when the Festival of Lights reached its peak (and quite frankly, you could not hear yourself think with the constant barrage of fireworks). If not for the indomitable enthusiasm of the Thais with their smiley faces, the whole experience would be a headache. We had dinner at La Gondola, a rather basic Italian restaurant in large rundown hotel by the river, that boasts an Italian chef, that made the food (and ice cream) authentic and delicious. We had dinner under the stars and watched fireworks and Khom Loys wishes float into the night. The roads were jam-packed full of Thais and tourists enjoying the mardi gras vibe in the air.

Street sellers with their wares. Lotus-shaped floaties made out of bamboo leaves and flowers. Three incense sticks and a candle are lit for your wishes or the sins that you want forgiven. The cheapest would be around 50 Baht (approximately B$2.50).

The Ws and their Krathongs.

The Ws and their Khom Loy. Boy monks help light them and assist in take-off.

See how they float.

Floats from La Gondola.

Despite the deafening noise the fireworks brought, we were fortunate to experience Loy Krathong at its peak. On Saturday evening the noise was mind-blowing, there was glittering light and fire everywhere, and everyone looked like they were having fun.

SiriKitty in a Tuk Tuk, watching mardi gras in Chiang Mai.

Sukhasana - Meeting Cats, Dogs and Queens

Being a yoga dunce newbie, prior to attending Vincent Tam’s first yoga class at the Chiang Mai Yoga Retreat, I was worried that he expected only serious yoga nuts to come along and would be displeased that the yet-to-be-converted would deign to partake in asanas. But, I would soon discover that Vincent (and his partner Dennis) is as Diva D and Melee repeatedly assured me, affable and easy-going.

Vincent left, Dennis right, looking happy.

Between the both of them, I thought they organised the yoga retreat very well. The package included 4 yoga sessions, 5 days 4 nights stay at The Chedi, (free laundry, minibar, breakfast, cocktails in the evening. Dennis and Vincent also hosted lunches and dinners, and night market excursions throughout your stay in Chiang Mai. Good-natured and warm, they bonded with all of us in true yoga fashion. I am sure it is not easy to care of 30 women's needs, some with an elderly father, husbands, children and mascot tagging along.

Melee et D. You're on holiday if you're drinking out of glasses with orchids, straws and huge smiles.

When we arrived at Chiang Mai airport, Dennis was the welcoming committee with comfortable large vans courtesy of The Chedi, ready and waiting to bring us to the hotel. After driving through the bustling, bijou, happy, crowded streets of Chiang Mai, I found the city rustic and charming. When we arrived at a non-descript building (from the outside) that was The Chedi, Vincent The Yogi was there to greet us (in long board shorts and not appropriate yoga wear I was very glad to observe) and briefed us on the next few days’ itinerary. We sat around low wide couches in the patio-like atmosphere of the lobby for a no-fuss check-in.

The Chedi's facade.

At the Lobby.

Vincent and Dennis then led the way to the Good Village restaurant a 5-minute walk from the hotel. The restaurant, in an old renovated double-story wooden house with a lovely garden, provided a good variety of local food during lunch. Diva D said that after 5 days of Tom Yum-ing in Chiang Mai, she had the best Tom Yam there. During lunch I had a good look at my fellow classmates and found that the yoga crowd consisted mostly of Chinese housewives and some career women, one Chinese man, one European woman of indeterminable age (with her husband and mother-in-law in tow), and a European housewife. A few of the Chinese women had their families with them, so we also had a precocious little two and a half year old Chinese girl with a smile that could light up a room, two blond kids, three husbands, and one elderly father. I was the only Malay carting around a stuffed kitten with diamante eyes as a mascot, and the only one true beginner. Some of the women looked like yoga freaks, some dressed 'yoga chic' and some in a hot pink thong by the pool. Pictures later, I promise.

SiriKitty, on a rather cheeky sign, enroute lunch.

Lunching at The Good View Restaurant.

After a good lunch of appetisers, a variety of main courses and vegetable dishes and the always present Tom Yam and mango with sticky rice, we burned a few calories off during the walk back to the hotel. The girls and I got the keys to our room and were suitably impressed.

There was a yoga class scheduled at 4pm the day we arrived, and to tell you the truth I was scared. After attending one Beginner’s Class of Nora’s, the most perfect move I could do was the ‘Corpse’ position. Basic warrior poses, sun salutations and the downward dog I could attempt fairly well. I am far from being a yogini. My upper body strength is shameful, not to mention the breathing during poses still confuses me. Don't get me started on the toe touching. What if everyone could do that headstand? I know Yoga isn’t a competitive sport but still...

After an initial bout of monging in our suite, we ambled in a few minutes before 4.30 and found the back places filled up. Some were already doing serious warm-ups. We, on the other hand, took pictures. Soon enough, Vincent’s first class began. The first class was held outdoors, just off the beautiful Chedi pool (with its water feature topped with water lilies), under large trees, on a wooden deck, and by the Ping River. Under the cool shade of trees, although slightly cramped, the venue had atmosphere.

The class was made up of women (and one man) who: intermittently attend classes as best as their busy schedule allow them, intermediate yoginis, good yoginis, and there were some very good yoginis and yogi. And then there was me. I had the only Jungle Jane green yoga mat, no yoga bag and no proper yoga top. I would have bolted and headed for the pool had Vincent, in board shorts, not began the class by saying “Now there is no need to push yourselves, just do what you can, and don’t forget you are here to have fun and there is a night market to go to this evening”. Twist your hip hip hooray I say. So I followed the best I could, I sat out on the poses that I couldn’t even attempt, and took more pictures. The class ended just before 6pm and everyone headed to the Chedi Club’s verandah for free cocktails.

I took some breathers and photographs.

SiriKitty and the Yogettes relaxing after some bendy-wendy.

Dinner that evening was at a Chinese Restaurant another 5 minutes walk from the Chedi, and the food was very good. Melee, Diva D and I bonded with the Europeans and an architect we called Suki. After which, to the market we go.

Namaste. Tune in for the next pose, I mean, post.

The Yogettes & SiriKitty Saluting The Sun

On Friday morning, the Yogettes and SiriKitty woke up really early to catch the 8.50am Air Asia flight to Chiang Mai to embark on their Yoga Retreat. Dressed inappropriately, perhaps, in 'Wisteria Lane Holiday Wear', the Yogettes stood out from the rest of the yoga crowd, who were also catching the same flight. The rest of the yoga crowd looked the part, carrying yoga mats in sling bags and some already in yoga wear. SiriKitty and the Yogettes stuffed their mats inside their luggage. It was pertinent to note that they overpacked, as usual.

Although the Yogettes have been on AA flights several times, it was the first time for SiriKitty, and she was very well looked after by AA cabin crews (from left to right) Kanchana, Diamond and Lazarus. No particular beef with AA, save for no food and drinks (unless you pay) and cramp seats.

[Prior to embarking on our holiday, I surfed the appropriate sites and found this story here about a Texan Squadron Leader in the 1942 by the name of Charlie Bond first time 'landing' in Chiang Mai. Although I am not flying my Tomahawk into Chiang Mai and seeing Doi Suthep for the first time, my first sight of the Chiang Mai's landmark mountain and its blue skies were no less impressive (despite the haze).]

After the fairly lengthy queues at the immgiration in Chiang Mai airport, we were collected by The Chedi and got a whole van to ourselves. Perhaps the yoga crowd can smell fakes.

One of the reasons (if not the main one) the Yogettes and SiriKitty chose to go on the Retreat was the accomodation at The Chedi Chiang Mai (usually pricey, but you get what you pay for), available at an affordable rate. The package included four yoga sessions, airport transfers, free laundry, free minibar, with breakfast and dinners included. The Chedi, we found out soon enough, is lovely.

Lots more from SiriKitty later. She needs to mong, sun and swim.

Namaste. Over and Out.

* Related Posts: Yoga Mascot, First Foray, Emma The Yoga Bhani

Yoga Mascot

I have been mulling about the kind of 'experimental travel' to undertake when on Yoga Retreat holiday with 2 girlie friends in Chiang Mai. Most of the Lonely Planet's (LP) index of experimental travel (ET) involves friends who want to partake in your warped sense of travelling, or best-done solo. But on Page 170 of the LP's ET Book, there is an experiment called "Mascot Travels". This is what it says:

Hypothesis: See the world through the eyes of a mascot
Apparatus: A mascot of your choice and a camera
Method: Pick a personal mascot and take it on your travels with you. Take its picture outside famous landmarks and record its other experiences with a camera.

Now THIS is do-able, as I don't foresee dragging Diva D and Melee (who would rather mong, spa, shop and I don't blame them), to experiment "Alternating Travel" (where you just keep on taking left and then right turns and see where you turn up) with me. Although I did not bring my own mascot from home, I have borrowed one from Diva D. I chose a stuffed toy in the shape of a kitten for various reasons:

1) As my mascot will be in all of the pictures, my lovely travelling mates will not be happy to pose with say, a garden gnome or a pet rock.

2) An ode to the Kittens I have left behind, both in human and animal form.

3) The stuffed toy kitten has diamante eyes.

In a previous life her name was TokyoKitty. But from now until we return from Thailand, she will be known as SiriKitty. Let's hope SiriKitty can take my place in the ungodly hour yoga classes, especially when I've hit the snooze button twice.

* Related Posts: First Foray, Emma The Yoga Bhani

First Foray

So I went to my first proper yoga class yesterday. I now know how to execute a downward-facing dog and during which was I giggling? No. Did I find out that yoga is tough but strangely calming? You bet.

I drove to the studios of Body Active at the always-busy Delima Square, full of intent and purpose, armed with a yoga mat. I did some lunges at home so I was feeling pretty limber. With a spring in my step from the ol' trusty Nikes, I entered Nora's yoga class for beginners. I don't know whether it was the afternoon sun peeking through the windows and bouncing off the wooden floors of the studio combined with ethereal yoga music, but it sure was surreal. It reminded me of the best corner in a library, and that is a compliment. My classmates came sorted with their yoga mats, yoga wear and a No-Shoes policy. The sneakers I had on suddenly felt constricted so I liberated my feet from wearing shoes the whole day and the journey to relaxation starts.

Teacher Nora taught us the very basics of yoga: like how to breathe properly during asanas (poses), how to sit in a lotus position and touch the tip of the thumb to the tip of the pointy finger (as if you are doing an OK sign) and place your hands face up on your knees, simple effective stretches, Amazon Warrior moves (I swear) and my favourite downward-facing dog, a few rolls and sun salutations. Another favourite of mine is the lying-still-on-your-back-hands-on-your-side-palms-up and & "let your eyeballs feel like they are dropping into the back of your head", excellently described by the teacher thus excellently executed by me. All throughout the class, Nora teaches in a gentle, unobtrusive way.

Bobby says that yoga is best experienced in private and I quite agree with that. In an ideal yoga world, I imagine doing a sun salutation butt-naked on top of a high cliff overlooking the ocean whilst watching the sunrise. But I don't live in an ideal world, yoga-related or otherwise. Therefore, having a teacher that gently and effectively imparts the wisdom of her teachings, in a surrounding that soothes, is good enough for me. I felt a sense of peace during yesterday's class, as opposed to say, if I were in a taebo or hi and low aerobics class, where the music remixes alone could make me swear off exercise. But that's just me. One of my aunties is an aerobics freak and has been doing it for years and years. She has close aerobic buddies; they even go on shopping trips together. Each to his/her own I guess.

Am I a yoga convert? The jury is still out on that one. The plan was to learn a few basics of yoga and then go on a holiday disguised as a yoga retreat, but I must say I enjoyed my first foray. I enjoyed it for the simplest reasons: like learning how to BREATHE properly, that the yoga studio had the peaceful ambience of a library, and that our yoga teacher is wholesome and not some emaciated person who looks as if he/she eat lentils all day. But the next beginners class is not until the 1st of November, and that means I may have to ask Bobby to teach me some yoga moves in between then. Now, this has its pros and cons of course:

Cons - The husband seeing me ungainly.
Pros - Me seeing the husband with very little clothes on.

Namaste. Eseh man.

Emma The Yoga Bhani

I am blessed to have friends that come up with the best (and strangest) ways to have fun. Diva D and I was sitting around watching Step Up one Saturday afternoon when she sits up and says, "Oh! Let's go sign up for a yoga package!" And from my horizontal position on the couch I responded with a slouchy Getouttahere.

You see, I am not limber. Especially if there's nothing in it for me.

Being a person who has not been able to touch her toes without a great deal of stretch since, oh most probably her toddler days, I suffer from what I call exercise anxiety. Which loosely translated means, I would LIKE to exercise but I a) am busy b) am lazy c) would rather sleep. So of course I thought of Diva D's idea with some trepidation. Until I heard the good part. The part where she tells me Melee (a friend of ours) knows a yoga teacher called Vincent Tam. And that Vincent the Yogi is organising a yoga holiday package at The Chedi in Chiang Mai. The Chedi! Chiang Mai! I wonder if I could nicely ask the Concierge whether he could ask Vincent to move the 7am lessons to say, 10? Before I knew what hit me, completely agreeable to the thought of a swell girlie holiday, filled with bedtime gossip, pareos, massage oils and trashy novels, the Markets, the quirky places to eat, I yelled, "Let's GO!"

But yes, there is that bit about the yoga sessions in between the free laundry, cocktails, transfers, spa-ing, visiting the sites in Chiang Mai that I have to worry about. And I have 18 days to learn some yoga basics before Vincent makes me wear the Dunce hat in class because I giggle when he poses and says downward facing nn-doooog.

In a slight panic, I paid Danura a visit at Danurasana because she's done a swell job at making yoga a trendy way to stay healthy in Brunei, and then all yoga-ed up, I checked out the class schedules at Body Active. Last Saturday, fueled by the desire to not be a yoga fool, I went around the Nike section at the top floor of Hua Ho Yayasan, bought a pair of yoga pants (grey, v comfy, v good) and recoiled in horror at the price tag of a Nike yoga mat. B$75 for a rubber mat? You got to be joking.

Anyway, Bobby does yoga. Bobby subscribes to the motto of wearing the least possible when yoga-ing, and cannot fathom pricey yoga-inspired Christy Turlington-does-Puma Nuala shoes. That's why Bobby refuses to go to class. Bobby uses a B$25 yoga mat he bought at GL Extra (a store which sells mostly camping gear and Navy Seals Wannabe gadgets), so after Yayasan I headed over to Kiulap to get a green one, in case I decide to be Jungle Jane one of these days.

Happy with my cheap new yoga mat, I contemplated on going to a yoga class while testing out my yoga pants, but they were much too comfortable on a lazy Saturday afternoon that I slouched about at home. But Wednesday is a Brand New Day and I shall bring the yoga mat for a test drive at the 4.30pm Beginner's Class. And then after all that stretching, breathing and good ol' perspiration, all calm and at peace with the world, zoom back just in time to break my fast.

Namaste. I hope.