Photos From the north … 
Annie, Jin & Kari
Those look just like the little trains on the cake.
Sandra (Lily’s mom) with Kando.
Horse drawn wagon in Sacramento. They rode the train there the day after the party. Alo likes the train …
Akuch’s first glass of wine in a long time!
Blogged on Amma’s iPhone with LOVE!
What a sweetie!
Evidently there was a free day at the merry-go-round. Notice Alo is on a different animal in each shot. That’s our boy!
Another photo from Maya’s first day at school. 
We get to pick her up from school today so I’ll get to see first hand. Jamie flies in this morning so she’ll get to go with us. Then off to gymnastics!
Here’s a good shot. All the Beatles’ sons! L-R – Ringo’s 2 sons, Paul’s son, John’s two sons & George’s son.
It’s going to be another scorcher. A day to be glad we have air conditioning.
Blogged on Amma’s iPhone with LOVE!
A big day indeed!
And …
You know you live in OB when …
This all started around 3:30am with blood curdling screams from up the street, followed by a woman running down and into a house across the street from us.
Even though I was rudely awakened at an ungodly hour, I still had a nice walk this morning – proof:
And now off to work.
Jamie arrives tomorrow!
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I love and miss you little buddy.
A big 2 year old today!
Blogged on Amma’s iPhone with LOVE!
Above – It’s a little blurry, but proof that I’m back!
What did I do on my first day home? Well, I slept in until 10:50am when Bruce woke me up because I had an 11:30 haircut … in PB! In my jet lag super, I jumped out of bed and into the shower, grabbed my poached egg on a piece of toast Bruce had waiting for me and ate it open face style while I drove to my appointment. I really needed the appointment because I had an interim haircut while I was in iNdia and the woman botched it up pretty badly.
After the haircut I picked up the silly little gymnast and took her to her gymnastics class where she wound up getting a private lesson because none of the other kids showed up. She’s a super star!
I brought over some Indian clothing I bought for the kids. Here’s Sparty wearing his outfit for probably the first and last time … 🙂 I think he looks pretty darn cute.
And look – The Navy Seals came out to welcome me home. I must be pretty important!
That’s about all I have to offer right now.
Blogged on Amma’s iMac from HOME with LOVE!
Above – Check out the huge bubble on my fresh lime soda at the Chetak! Grand-E-Oso!! What exactly IS a fresh lime soda, you ask? It’s an iNdia favorite consisting of club soda, lime and sugar. The drink is served like this: a glass with lime squeezed in the bottom, a bottle of club soda and a small bowl of sugar (on the side). Instead of a bowl of dry sugar sometimes it’s served with simple sugar (liquid). When it’s all added together, it’s like a chemistry experiment. Rule #1, always mix the sugar with the lime BEFORE adding the club soda. If you add the sugar after the club soda is poured, an eruption occurs and at least half the fresh lime soda bubbles over the rim of the glass and all over the table nonstop (trust me on this one). Even if you add the sugar first (which I did above), there will still be a tremendous burst of bubbles.
After seeing the Kelkar Museum Sunday, Nana took me and Jill to see some more temples. This is the Ramakrishna temple. Ramakrishna Sangha was founded by Swami Vivekananda who was the first known person to bring yoga to the West. There are Vivekananda temples in Chicago and San Francisco, as well as others.
Plumeria growing in front of the temple.
I captured this drive-by photo on our way to the next temple.
Does this need a description?
This is another St. Dyneshwar temple (St. Dyneshwar – the same saint who took live Samadhi in Alandi).
Man sleeping in temple.
The shrine.
Here I captured Kurma pointing toward the temple door and the sleeping man with dieties in the background – a 5-in-1!
Hanuman (the monkey god).
Cows like this one are common outside temples.
A look at the temple from another direction.
This man was sitting inside the entrance to the temple. He had a beautiful toothless smile, but when I asked if I could take his photo he quickly posed for me like this. After I took the photo, the toothless smile reappeared.
Nana said this temple dog is always here.
We then walked to this nearby temple next to a river.
There was a group of people on some nearby steps – men cleaning, kids playing.
It wasn’t long before the kids ran over and asked “What is your name?” “Where are you from?” I think they were practicing the only English they knew – those two sentences. But we communicated well enough to share some smiles and take some photos.
There can never be too many selfies. Such beautiful faces!
Then off to a second, much smaller Vivekenanda center.
Beautiful coleus in front of the temple.
Inside the temple. The photo in the middle is Swami Vivekenanda.
Nana …
Just outside the temple hall.
Windows from outside the hall.
You don’t see many of these in Pune. It’s a trash can! 
Back at the Homefront
Peace (did I already post this one?)
It’s now 3:50am Tues Sept 1 and I’m sitting in the Mumbai business class lounge trying to get this post published before boarding. I got 3 hours of sleep before leaving for the airport, so I’m hoping to get plenty of rest on my two legs back home. Next stop – Dubai, then LAX, then SD!
Blogged on Amma’s MacBook from Mumbai with LOVE!
Above – At the Kelkar Museum, an antique hanging ornament title “acrobat” which I believe looks more like a straight arm Vrishikasana. There’s probably a yoga name for it but I don’t know it.
Yesterday Jill and I spent our last afternoon with Nana. He took us to the Kelkar Museum, which houses many old artifacts that go back past the 13th century. They were all photo worthy, but here are some of my favorites. I took pictures of some of the descriptions, which I posted under the respective artifact’s photo.
Back at the Homefront
More baby Kando photos … 
This morning I attended my last Prashantji class and had a good practice afterwards, keeping in mind I’m going to be spending much of the next day and a half traveling. We’re getting picked up in front of the flat at 3pm to go to the Pune airport. I’m sharing a hotel room with Jill for half the night in Mumbai but then will need to be at the Mumbai airport for my 4:30AM flight. Considering I woke up at 4:30 am this morning, I may be able to get a little sleep on the plane.
Saying goodbye to Nana yesterday was very difficult. He has turned into such a great friend in the two months I’ve spent in Pune (2013 & 2015).
Blogged from Amma’s MacBook from iNdia with LOVE!
Above – Flower blooming in the park next to our flat.
I’ve seen this endless line of rickshaws parked here a lot. Friday I finally asked Amin what the line’s for – “Petro.” It’s a really long line of mostly rickshaws and some busses. Most of the time the drivers are standing in the street talking, so I’m guessing the line doesn’t move very fast (much like everything else here). Amin said he has to wait in it too …
Oh look … water buffalo!
This is Mini, Vinish and their 2 year old son, Haddarth. Mini and Vinish are the Ayurvedic doctors I’ve been going to. I call Vinish “The Man with the Magic Hands.” It’s a mom and pop Ayurvedic clinic called Ayurjoyti. A treatment means getting slathered up with all sorts of wonderfully natural Ayurvedic smelling oils (this generally takes about 45 minutes) and deep tissue massage (add another 30 minutes) dressed in a loin cloth (literally & seriously), followed by a shower and delicious Ayurvedic lunch that Mini cooks for us. All for 1500 Rs = $22.67 US dollars! I have been spoiled rotten and will miss this tremendously. Mini and Vinish are two of the most special people I have met here. One day while eating lunch, I asked Mini “Does your whole family ride on one motor scooter?” (they have another older son) and she said yes. Inquiring minds want to know …
Here’s Pandu. He’s the big money collector at the Institute. I made him smile by giving him a $100 US bill folded into a bow tie. He liked it so much he asked if I’d do another one with an Indian rupee. That’s what he’s holding up.
Friday – Kathleen, me and Amin in the rickshaw after going to the Gandhi Museum.
A last photo in front of the Institute with friends leaving for the month – Kathleen, me, Jill, Louise (UK). Kathleen and Louise left yesterday.
A final farewell lunch with Kathleen at Vishali’s (great South Indian food).
Below – Jill took this photo of Kathleen and me walking back from Vishali’s. This is really a good photo showing what it’s really like walking through the neighborhood.
This photo shows two huts that appear to be homes. 
Did you know…
Milk here comes in a plastic pouch.
Eggs come in a half dozen.
Stoves need an ignitor.
Our stove only has two working burners and the oven doesn’t work (note the tape over three of the knobs).
There’s a switch next to every outlet that turns that particular outlet on. In order for the toaster to work, the switch on the right has to be in the on position (which is upside down to our standards).
Don’t drink the water. This is my Camelbak water filter that supplied safe, drinkable water to me, Jill and ManYee. It’s the best thing ever and probably one of the most necessary things to have. Simply add tap water, push the button on top, agitate (shake it) for 60 seconds, and wha-la – fresh drinkable water! I used it in 2013 too. It works like a charm.
More on the Homefront
Today is Sunday. I leave Monday. One last day. One last night. I will be sad to leave this wonderfully crazy land of yoga and beautiful people.
Blogged on Amma’s MacBook from iNdia with LOVE!
Above (I hope I didn’t already post this photo) – In Alandi, two women talking. Notice how the woman on the left is squatting and the one on the right is sitting on the ground, both comfortably and naturally, and they aren’t young!
In this photo it appears these three men are merely walking together.
At a closer look, the man on the left has his arm around the man in the middle, and the middle one and one on the right are holding hands. It could be the outside ones are helping the middle man out, but it’s not uncommon to see men showing this kind of public affection. It’s normal here.
This is how Nana relaxes while waiting for us to finish whatever it is we’re doing wherever he dropped us off. In this case, I was taking the “organized chaos” video at the bottom of this post.
Cow!
One last selfie with Cristy and Chris before they left last week.
Then someone walked by and offered to take a “real” photo. 
These are the new shirts I had made with the www.obyoga.com logo on the back.
ManYee and her luggage squeezing in the elevator as she left a few days ago. Jill and I now know who made all the messes in the kitchen. Busted!
Winnie (from DC) and me at the Shraddhanjali.
On our way back from Alandi – views from the rickshaw. 
Ya gotta love Nana! He knows how much I love animal sightings so he pulled over for me to get this up close & personal cow photo. I didn’t even have to ask him to.
Here’s the video I mentioned above. It’s a two minute video I took at a fairly busy intersection. I’ve been at this intersection when there’s been a lot more traffic than this, so this is actually fairly moderate.
This morning I took my final class with Geetaji. The time ran over, so the class ended up being 2 1/2 hours long. During class she worked with several people working toward upliftedness in Sirsasana (headstand), Adho Mukha Vrksasana (full arm balance/hand stand) and Swastikasana (seated cross-legged pose), then a very nice Pranayama session following a long Sarvangasana (shoulder stand). Most of the August westerners have already gone home, so there was plenty of space in class and in the practice hall this afternoon. I’m guessing Monday’s 7am Prashant’s class won’t be very full either. What a nice way to go out!
Geetaji: “I’m not just talking about taking the spine in. I’m talking about taking the skin to the muscle and the muscle to the bones.” “You have to work this way”
Tomorrow I plan on observing the 9am kids’ beginner class. I’ve really enjoyed following them this month. Then after having leftovers for lunch, Nana is picking Jill and me up for our last outing with him.
On the Homefront
Alo and Ernie with their baby brother, Kando
Awe … 
Blogged on Amma’s MacBook from iNdia with LOVE!
Above – the Agakhan Palace aka Gandhi National Memorial in Pune. This is where Gandhi, his wife, Kasturbaji and secretary, Shri Mahadevbhai Desai were imprisoned, and Desai and Kasturbaji died here.
Kathleen and I booked Amin this afternoon to go to the Gandhi Museum. The trip turned out to be a nice surprise. It rained lightly the entire time we were out which made the foliage rich in color for perfect photo opportunities.
I’ll let some of these photos speak for themselves.
Below, Gandhi’s wife, Kasturba.
Below, Gandhi’s secretary, Desai. The two photos below this one explain his death.
Kasturba’s and Desai’s ashes lie here. 
And here is where a portion of Gandhi’s ashes lie.
Looking down one of the driveways toward the main road.
From down the driveway looking back at the palace.
Closeup view of palace from ground level.
These beautiful flowers were growing around an archway.
Selfie – In the rickshaw – Kathleen, me & Amin
I still have photos to share from when Chris and Cristy were here and of Alandi. Let’s see if I can get them all posted before I leave Monday.
This morning I had a really nice 9am practice before heading out for lunch and museum tour. Tonight Geetaji will be teaching the Friday evening Pranayama class and then she’s giving a talk on Chapter 15 of the Bhagavad Gita. After I read up on the chapter on iBooks to get a little background, it appears this will be interwoven with the teachings of the month.
Did you know … I only have three more nights here?
Back at the Homefront
Precious baby Kando – 3 weeks old. There are plenty more photos where this came from and of the whole family (including Ernie in a couple of them) I will share in the coming days. I can’t wait to hold this little bundle!
Blogged on Amma’s MacBook from iNdia with LOVE!