pics #688 - #706

Monday March 14th - Yellow Lunar Sun
I go to seriously visit the renowned Kazimierz, the Jewish district. There is actually not much to see. One synagogue looks fine from outside but it is needed to pay to get in, the rest is rather ugly, poorly maintained buildings. The reputation of the district comes from its cafes, bars and artistic life. Pathetic bimbos and ridiculous machos show off in terrasses, polluting our air with their tobacco smoke and big cars. And of course prices are inflated. There I meet a couple of Belgian, the guy is cycling as well, it is my first meeting with a fellow bicycle traveller. After a visit in a cafe on main square for a soup served in a loaf of bread, I head to my last hosts Ania and Agata. At start, it is hard to tell from who is living in their house and who is a guest. It is a free hippie-like ambiance, nice.

          in Kazimerz

           method of defense against a Polish soup:
           1st- drink the soup
           2nd- eat the bowl

Tuesday March 15th - Red Electric Dragon
I give a last try to find a bike computer altimeter but it is not successful. I am going through a commercial zone with many names of shop I find also in France: do not worry if European Union lacks of democracy, it is doing well in economy! When entering the bicycle shop asking for a bike computer, the question of the salesman is "how many functions do you want?" Of course, am I stupid? It is not about which functions I need but how many. Be a successful man: how many liters of alcohol did I have, how many chicks did I score, how much do I earn and how fast am I dying. How out-of-date am I! Well, there will thus be no bike computer so I will not look at numbers to increase, after all, I will have more time to look at the scenery, more time to live the trip, to be, simply to be. Release and let go: peace is closer.
I get to Kopiec Krakusa, to make picture this time, and then passing by chance to an open Jewish cemetery. I am given a kipa for the visit and I notice in the end looking at a guy I do not wear it correctly, afraid it would fall from my head. Lunch in a Milk bar; these very cheap cantines are a bit everywhere in the city and you can have many traditional dishes, although the waitress is usually not as young, as good looking, as smiling as the ones in high class restaurants. The grey weather is getting my moral down again, Friday will be freezing apparently so it is not a good idea to go to the mountains at that time. I had planned to live on that date but not feeling like playing the cycling hero in the cold again. But I want to leave. Uncertainty is uncomfortable.

           a monument in memory of the Jewish ghetto: the chairs symbolize the furniture left by Jews on this place when forced to move in

Wednesday March 16th - White Self-Existing Wind
It is now one week that my 'stand up with the alarm clock' experiment started and it works. It is a little light in my feeling of the moment. I am facing myself through this moody weather, doing little, hesitating, wondering. Despite the warmth of this house, I am a stranger anywhere I go. Telling always the same story, answering the same questions, tired of hearing myself repeating it. There is dance and music in the house tonight. Without alcohol, not speaking Polish, I am soon becoming an observer, out of the scene. What the point to speak English if it is to fall short from my interests in others and ending hearing myself telling my story again? Being in the middle of this happiness, I am dreaming, nostalgic. True happiness: what is it, when is it? Being bitter keeps an advantage: reducing pitta.

Thursday March 17th - Blue Overtone Night
This morning I am getting back to the basic of my yoga practice. I regularly feel resistance about starting a 2 hours practice of the Primary series practice. So I am making it simpler and shorter: the Surya Namaskara, a few poses before the finish sequence, all very slow, focusing on breath, consciously. I feel great afterwards. For breakfast, there is no bread and I have to go out to buy some, under the rain. With that weather, and these brick buildings, it does feel like The Netherlands.
My hostess announces me she cannot extend my stay because more guest come in the week-end. So I will leave on Friday, no matter what. It has the benefit to make the situation clear. Again the Blue Storm energy of this wavespell -according to Maya calendar-, has blessed me by cutting the doubts out. Not subtle, but at least getting me back focused onto what matters now. I have a meeting with Janek, we talk about yoga, eco-villages, bicycle around a Yerba Mate. He tells me how Krakow has an effect on people to not be so dynamic, to extend their stay to wonder in doubts. Well I happily make the city responsible for my own indecision while doing groceries for the next cycling day: Tomorrow!
I learnt something: doubting, the lack of decision-making has been the cause of the sad and nostalgic state I experienced.