Back to it!

Hello hello! After a long haiatus (wow, has it really been two years??) I'm going to give this whole blogging thing another go!

Bendy Bean is Back!

But first, where have I been all this time you ask? Well, everywhere! I've started a new job (in Europe!), visited 10 new countries, tried new and exotic cuisines, and was adopted into new "families" on 3 continents. I dove with 'sea gypsies' in Indonesia, camped on a deserted Thai island (waiting for the opportune moment to capture a jar of coral sperm), ate the world's best macaroons under the Eiffel Tower, motorcycled through an angry mob of opportunistic men in India with two other ladies on the back of my bike, hiked through the Swiss alps with two of the world's most influential evolutionary biologists (at an embarrassingly comparatively slow pace, considering they are well into their 80's), smuggled a suitcase full of avocados across not one but two international borders (worth it!), and (hilariously) accidentally documented nearly launching myself off a castle wall in Prague.

Icy cobblestones + bad traction + overeager panorama taking...

And all the while my yoga practice has been right there with me, my constant companion! In fact, in a way it is yoga that inspired me to resurrect my poor, neglected little blog, since in about a month I will be headed back to India for the third time. Before then, I plan to write a few posts that go into a little more detail on some of my recent adventures. But, in the mean time, here are a few highlights of quite possibly the most important component of any adventure... food! (And, of course, coffee).

Mochi in Tokyo (unfortunately, after having such delicious mochi, I can never eat mochi again)

My favorite dosa in Mysore (I'm coming for you, dosa!)

Thai Street Food: Part 1 (near Phuket)

Thai Street Food: Part 2 (in Bangkok)

Appropriately artistic and beautiful cappuccino art at the Rijks Museum in Amsterdam

Jus Alpukat: Indonesian avocado milkshake (low cal, low fat!)

*THE BEST* Fish tacos! From a taco truck literally within sight of the Mexican border (SoCal)

Greek Yogurt x3, Crete (I couldn't get enough!)

And finally... 

Macaroon, Paris! Near a structure you may recognize?

Well, that's it for now, but more to come soon!

PS- getting started on Instagram as well, so if you'd like to see photos of yoga, food, and travels, find me at bendy.bean! 

Tokyo

My recent 3-week trip to Tokyo combined three of my favorite things: science, yoga, and international travel.  I was thrilled to be invited out to the Earth-Life Science Institute (ELSI) at Tokyo Tech to follow up on a research project with which I had been involved during my masters in Hawaii.  I was a little intimidated to be flown so far at someone else’s expense for the sole purpose of contributing my ‘expertise,’ especially since I don't really feel like much of an expert in anything.  However, it was an extremely interesting project, and how could I say no to a new stamp in my passport?

A friend in India once told me that Japan is the antithesis of India, which couldn’t be more right.  It’s quiet to India’s constant noise, orderly instead of chaotic, and clean; oh so clean!  It was so immediately apparent just how ‘perfect’ (at least on the surface) Japan is… it seemed every sight was exceedingly beautiful, every sound harmonious, and every taste delicious.  The babies don’t cry, the dogs don’t bark.  The blossoming sakura trees (which I was fortunate enough to see) seem to punctuate the experience, as if every view were a painting.

Not surprisingly, any society with such pervasive order and politeness also comes with an underlying rigidity.  It presents a seductive front to tourists like me while suffocating those who must live within its strict confines. Anyone who deviates from the expected is ostracized or left behind.  For example, in an effort to assimilate, Korean and Chinese immigrants will actually change their names to Japanese names.  One Tokyo native described to me a sense of heaviness she feels while in Japan, a weight that is lifted when she travels to other parts of the world.  That said, as an outsider, Japan is a dream to visit. 

 

A tasty, caffeinated dream.

I spent my first two weeks working with researchers I had met previously in Hawaii.  The institute itself is relatively new and has brought together international scientists from all disciplines to work on solving the problems of the origin of life on Earth.  It was thrilling to be immersed in such a stimulating intellectual atmosphere.  During various lunches and tea times throughout my stay, I engaged in discussions ranging from ancient Japanese ceramic techniques to the effects of an earthquake as experienced by an underwater diver.  My research was incredibly productive, but more than that I felt completely reassured that science is exactly what I want to be doing with my life.

I added a third week to my stay so I’d have a chance to explore, and I was so happy to find out that my time overlapped serendipitously with one of my favorite yoga teachers and friends.  With him and his wonderful girlfriend (both practiced Tokyo travelers), I got to see a whole new side of Tokyo, from Palestinian food to an authentic Tempura dining experience. They are truly two of the most insightful and intuitive people I’ve ever had the good fortune to meet.  We indulged in hours of thought provoking discussion over some of the best coffee Tokyo has to offer.

 

... and it has some damn good coffee

Tokyo was an incredible adventure, and I’m happy to report that I was invited back for a workshop this summer, so I’ll likely be spending two more weeks in Tokyo and an additional 3 weeks in Kobe in July and August.  I’m looking forward to returning to Japan for the parks, the decadent cream puffs, the delicate and refined green tea, but most of all for a new adventure.

Seva: Volunteering in India

One of the most important facets of my trip (which, so far, I have not written very much about) has been my experience volunteering at a school called Chethana Trust.  My original intention was to work with an organization here in Mysore called Odanadi, however, since nothing in India seems to work the way you expect it to, I ended up instead working at an after school program run by the wonderful people of Chethana Trust.  

The center was founded by two Psychiatrists and caters to an oft neglected part of Indian society: individuals with disabilities.  There is a day program for children with disabilities such as Down Syndrome, a vocational school to help older students to develop a trade, and an after school program for children with learning disabilities.  They also recently opened a beautiful school just outside the city that caters to all students with the goal of providing individualized education, something sorely lacking in most children's educational experience.

Two amazing women: Dr. Rajini (left) and Surabhi, one of the teachers.

For the past four months, I have been volunteering with the after school program.  I've been working with children ages 5 to 15, teaching them everything from simple reading and writing to cellular biology.  Though some days have been more challenging than others, every day has been rewarding.

This is Saria

After 4 months of practicing spelling, this is as close as she
could get to "I'll miss you"... touching nonetheless!

I have learned so much from the heartbreaking stories of some of these children.  In classrooms of 50-60 students, learning disabilities go completely unnoticed and unaddressed.  One of our students was repeatedly beaten at school for failing to perform a "simple" writing task that, given his entirely diagnosable disability, he found extremely challenging.  What's even more sad is that even once parents are made aware of their children's disabilities, they often refuse to acknowledge them out of pride and cultural pressures.  They would rather watch their children struggle than get them the help they need, if that means labeling them as somehow "inferior."  One of our more severely dyslexic and hyperactive children was pulled from the program for this reason. 

The lucky few who I had the pleasure to work with affected me deeply and taught me so many things.  There are moments I'll never forget, like when they made me eat freshly picked clover (a delicacy!), when they left me in charge of their pet locust, or when I accidentally confused a girl's name with a delicious breakfast food.

Poori

Purvi

I will miss their bright smiles and beautiful faces, and I feel lucky to have spent time with them.

Coming home

It has been over a month since my last post (I knew I would be bad at this blogging thing), and since I last wrote I finally purchased a return ticket!  I am now just two short weeks away from the end of my trip.  After four months of living here, leaving comes with mixed emotions.  I'm excited beyond words to spend the holidays at home with my family, but I will be sad to leave India, especially when it has blessed me with so many amazing people, opportunities, and experiences.

Things I will miss:
-The people!
-Fresh coconuts

Oh sweet nectar of the gods

-The colors.  From temples, to saris, to floral garlands draping recently puja'd rickshaws, bright colors are inescapable

-My favorite coconut-loving street dog Roger

What a dapper fellow

-Daily chai with my amazing new roommates
-My students

Cute little monsters

-Dosas
-Pollution-enhanced sunsets

#NoFilter #SmogFilter

-The amazing Saturday "eats and sweets" that I never thought I'd get to enjoy in India (rose and honey creme brulee, gyoza, pear frangipane? yum.)

-Harrowing rides through Indian traffic and the accompanying adrenaline rush
-My guru, Saraswati, one of the most inspirational women I've ever met! Kicking butt and taking names at 72 years old.

Things I will not miss so much:
-Hand-washing everything
-Bucket baths
-My nightly serenade of barking dogs, honking rickshaws, and howling monkeys
-Constantly covering my knees and shoulders and being on the lookout for unwelcome advances from nefarious individuals

-Haggling with rickshaw drivers
-The ever-lurking threat of food poisoning, especially when fresh vegetables are involved

-Blowing black soot out of my nose after spending any considerable amount of time outside

-Leaning uncomfortably over weirdly and inconveniently designed Indian sinks

Setting out for this trip I dreamed of filling my passport, yet somehow I'm coming back with just one new stamp.  Still, I don't regret a single moment of the four months I've spent earning that stamp... plus there's always next trip ;)

Festivals and Bananas

The past few weeks have been a very festive time for Mysore.  People from all over the country come to see Mysore’s elaborate processions and lights in celebration of Dasara, one of the biggest holidays in India.  The city swelled with people and traffic, all of which culminated in a grand procession of floats, performers, and elephants that have been training for weeks.  Unfortunately, this procession is so famous, it was virtually impossible to get anywhere near it.  But that didn’t stop us from trying!  It was worth it just to see how creative people can be in looking for a good viewing spot.

Yeah, that looks safe

After about an hour of trying in vain to find a spot where we could see something other than people’s backs, we gave up and went to an air-conditioned coffee shop, where we could watch the parade on TV.  Luckily, fate delivered another (perhaps even more amazing) procession into our laps.  I was taking a dawn motorcycle ride with a friend to the top of Chamundi Hill to see the sun rise when we noticed what seemed to be an unusually high volume of people gathering.  So, we decided to stick around and see what happened.  Being literally the only westerners there, we were the object of much attention.

Part of our fan club

Fortunately, a family sitting nearby flanked us and warded off the onslaught of grinning teenage boys.

Our adopted "Auntie" 

While we were waiting for the unknown festivities to start, we noticed people walking through the crowds with baskets full of bananas that were adorned with sprigs of sage.  Everyone around us was buying bananas... for what reason?  We had no idea.  Suddenly, we heard an explosion, and saw smoke rising nearby.  Our ‘adopted family’ laughed at our surprise.  As it got closer, we saw the source.  Roughly every dozen feet, a team of men would pack a small cart full of some kind of explosive, and then a man with a long, smoking stick would light it on fire.

Safety: not a priority

This caused an explosion with flames reaching tens of feet into the air and bits of (hopefully harmless) “shrapnel” spraying the crowd.  I’ve never been that close to such a powerful explosion... you could feel it through your entire body.

We noticed everyone was preparing their bananas, the main event was arriving!  Several hundred people were using thick ropes to pull a cart with enormous wooden wheels, on top of which stood several live people and a deity.  People cheered and shouted "Mysore!" as it lumbered down the street.

Our new friends passed us bananas and excitedly instructed us to wait until the altar got closer and then throw them!  The goal was to get our bananas stuck in the top, for good luck.  I will never forget the sight of hundreds of bananas flying through the air and pelting the elegantly decorated shrine. 

It was bananas (ha!)

Exiting the festival was daunting, as thousands of people bottlenecked through alleys and around parked cars (not to mention our shoes and pants were coated with mushed bananas).  Some small children nearly got trampled when one fell in front of the dense and unforgiving crowd.  At one point I’m fairly certain I could have lifted my feet and continued to move purely through the pushing throng of people all around me.

Like most other experiences in India, it was strange, colorful, devotional, exciting, and full of men.

Sticking it to the 'men'

The best way to fuel my desire to do something is to tell me that I can't do it.  This almost resulted in my being disowned when I told my mom that I was going to skydive in Hawaii whether she liked it or not, because "what are you going to do about it?" (many hours of profuse apology later, we eventually reached a peaceable agreement and I jumped out of a plane at 14,000 ft. You're the best, mom!).  This week, I was told flat out by at least a dozen different men that women cannot ride motorcycles.

Oh really?

I’ve had a ‘need for speed’ since my dad took me 100 mph in his 1989 Mazda Miata convertible (shhh don’t tell mom) as a child.  In fact, my dad has encouraged this behavior as long as I can remember.  Just this past year we went for a spin at the BMW test track in a 414 horsepower M3, because nothing says father-daughter bonding like spinning out on the skid pad.  I got my motorcycle license 5 years ago (as soon as my mom would let me), and settled for driving a Vespa around Honolulu for the past 2 years.

The Ferrari of scooters

The point is, I have complete confidence in my ability to drive almost anything, including a motorcycle.  The men of India, however, had a very different idea.  I’ve been craving a motorcycle trip through the gorgeous countryside, so my friend Alexis and I set out to try to find bikes to rent.  Apparently, although the roads of India are full of men on motorcycles, it is extremely uncommon for women to drive them.  Scooters yes, motorcycles no.  We were literally laughed at, and told that it was "too complicated for us to possibly learn".  Another man had two friends with bikes ready to rent, but when they found out they were to be rented to women, the owners refused.  Patriarchy runs deep in India.  Helmets aren't even available in women’s sizes or feminine designs.  Even one seemingly westernized Indian friend asked, wouldn't it just be better if we rode on the back of a man's bike?

After several frustrating days, we finally managed to rent two motorcycles.  We were feeling pretty good about this accomplishment, and told one of our few supportive male friends we were "sticking it to the man."  He replied, "No no, you're sticking it to the men."

300cc's of bad-assery

Now that we had sweet wheels, we needed somewhere to take them.  So, we organized a trip to a nearby temple and set out after breakfast.  Two ladies on two motorcycles, and three men on two scooters (and one more man on a motorcycle).

Biker chicks

The temple itself (Somanathapura) was beautiful, with layers upon layers of intricate carvings.

Many carvings had deep spiritual significance...

...others were just ancient smut

We were of course followed by small children who wanted to take pictures with us

I'm not sure why they found me so funny

It was an incredible day, and one that I will never forget.  I think my favorite part of the whole experience was the look of confusion and utter shock on the faces of the men we passed along the way.

Our motorcycle gang

Food!

As anyone who knows me is probably already aware, I love food.  When I think of past vacations or cities I’ve visited, often the first thing that comes to my mind is that one meal that still makes my mouth water.  For this reason, a good portion of my phone’s memory is dedicated to photographs of food.  I was surprised, then, to find that I’ve actually taken very few pictures of food since I got here. 

I’ve always loved Indian food, but it turns out that what passes for ‘Indian’ in the United States actually represents only a tiny fraction of the foods of the Indian subcontinent.  From what I’ve seen so far, the food in the U.S. is almost exclusively north Indian.  The names of foods on menus here are almost entirely unfamiliar to me, and the tastes are more foreign still.  Through trial and error (and a little help from people who know better than I do) I’m starting to figure out what I like.  With one exception, though, I’m still not blown away by any of the food I’ve eaten so far.

That one glorious exception is a ‘street food’ called dahi puri.  It’s similar to a food that a good friend once described to me as ‘Indian nachos,’ and consists of bite-sized, deep-fried, pastry like shells filled with chickpeas, yogurt, tamarind sauce, and who knows what other fabulous ingredients.  The combination is heavenly.  The best one I’ve had so far was from a small stand on the side of the road, and I was so enamored I forgot to take a picture (so I’ve borrowed one from google).  

Yummmmm

Apparently dahi puri is something that is only served in the evening (why not lunch??).  I’m still trying to figure out what exactly is served at what time of day…

For example, most everything in this picture is considered a breakfast food.  On the left are the accoutrements that come with nearly every meal, coconut chutney and sambar, a tomato-based soupy sauce.  On the right are the four things that appeared on my plate even though I only ordered two of them.  The white one, front left, is idli.  Despite having it explained to me repeatedly in broken English, it took a google search to convince me that it is in fact made of (de-husked) lentils and rice.  It doesn’t taste like much, but dipped in the chutney and sambar it’s delicious.  The two in the back are kesari bath and khara bath, which (again thanks to google) I now know are made of semolina.  One is sweet, the other savory.  The doughnut-like thing in the front left is I think called vadai?  It’s soaked in oil, slightly savory but nearly tasteless.  I don’t like it at all, but for some reason they keep serving it to me.

 The most common breakfast food here is called a dosa.  I’m not a huge fan, so I don’t have any pictures of the typical dosas (masala dosa- super fried and oily, or set dosa, basically a savory pancake), but here is an onion dosa that was actually super delicious. 

Most restaurants and households here serve food on metal dishes.  I’m not sure why this is, but it makes for a very interesting alarm clock when my landlord’s family does their dishes every day at 5AM.

 

Dessert or pond scum?

 Because this is a town that caters largely to yogis, it’s actually surprisingly easy to get western-style food, although it often has a distinctly Indian twist.  For example, this delicious homemade pasta was served with baby corn and took over two hours between ordering and eating.

I've now taken an Indian cooking class and a western-style baking class and somehow managed not to take any pictures of either, but here is a crème brulee made by the same pastry chef who taught the course.

Apparently it took him 2 years to find a blowtorch in Mysore

Another memorable meal was from when I was sick, shortly after arriving.  I was lying around my apartment in a daze, recovering, when I heard my landlord’s wife knocking urgently at my apartment door.  She burst in with a set of dishes, all stacked on top of each other and clipped together, and proceeded to take them apart and tell me what each of the foods were.  I was so deeply touched by this loving gesture and was thanking her profusely as she left when she said, “125 rupees! You pay tomorrow.”

Home cookin'

One last note on what is perhaps my favorite Indian food of all, chai!  The chai here is simply sweeter, creamier, spicier, and more delicious than you could imagine.  It (like everything else) is served in metal dishes, with a clever twist so as not to scald yourself on a regular basis.

The chai is served piping hot in a small metal cup, with a wider, shallower cup underneath.

You can then pour out the chai, either a little bit at a time or all at once into the broader dish in order to cool it and save yourself from third degree burns.  At this point I'm so spoiled I think it will be difficult to drink "chai" back in the states ever again...

I now have internet in my apartment for the first time in 6 weeks, so (hopefully) my posts will be a little more regular (and if anyone wants to skype, hit me up!).