flexible dogs and semi-flexible gweilo

just over one year ago i made the huge life changing decision to start up yoga.
and hot yoga at that.
unfortunately for us guys living in hong kong, yoga is still considered a bit of a feminine sport and it wasn't uncommon for me to walk into a room with 30+ girls, plonk myself down on my yoga mat and try to blend into the flooring. being the only gweilo (foreigner) in the room didn't make it an easy task...

friends back home who are into yoga tell me about all these great people they met in their class and how they will often catch up for a wine or some nibbles with them after a work out. god knows why but nobody spoke in our yoga classes. the only chatter was deep breathing followed by a few grunts and the occasional fart. and no, it wasn't me!

the only girl i spoke to was my instructor. or should i say she spoke to me. in-front of the whole class... take about embarrassing!
while the 30+ girls and me had our legs pointing to the stars and our arms twisted behind our backs my instructor could often be heard saying "good mr sekimachihato, you can do it, a bit higher!"
i could so feel the 30+ girl-eyes on me... talk about unnecessary qweilo-attention!

it was slightly more easier to make conversation with the guys in our club, especially as we had to get naked together... (um, changing room-naked that is)
i found it a bit tough chatting to the spin-instructor as i never took his class again after my horror experience. (you can read about it here) i guess he knew i would never be back though.
then there was a school teacher with a body to die for. you would never guess he had the abs i've been trying to get all my life under those frumpy clothes!
i never found out which guy it was who would snore loud enough to rattle the windows. just before the end of class we would go into our shava-asana pose and as soon as we had laid on our backs you could hear him fall into a deep snoring sleep. i don't see how anyone could become that relaxed in a room full of strangers.
lets see, who else did we have....
oh yes, the gay guy. (i think there were a few) but one guy used to prance around the changing room naked showing off his tan-lines, or lack of them. i think he was a nude sunbather.
he was a nice enough guy though. his flamboyant personality made up for what he was lacking down below.
there was also an indian guy with a beautiful smile and lovely eyes. why is it that indian guys have such intense eyes!?
i always wished i had an indian guy for an instructor. with yoga coming from india and all, it would have just felt so right to be coached by a true yogi. hearing yoga instructions in cantonese just didn't do it for me. "kup-hei... fuu-hei..." (breathe-in... breathe-out...)

although no deep-life-long friendships were made in those changing rooms, i'm gonna miss my hot yoga class. yup, i've just been to my last class.
i really don't wanna quit but our office is moving and there is no way i can get to the class on time from our new location.
one year ago i couldn't even touch my toes. you should see me now! i can tickle the underside of my feet (only just...)
still a long way to go if i want to be able to do those things some "talented guys" can do, but hey, yoga is all about being at ease with oneself; and i think i got to that level during this past year.


mmm, a post with no photos doesn't work for me so i'm gonna put up some photos i took of this flexible dog i captured in thailand. he stayed by my side at the beach. talk about cute!
and no, i didn't capture him, i shot him.
with my camera that is...