A day in Zhongshan 中山, China

I spent yesterday with a friend on a company-sponsored day trip to Zhongshan 中山, some 50 or 60km north-ish of Macau.

I got to skip my morning dog-walk duty because I had to have crossed the border already by 7:45am for the meet up. But then again, I forgot, the passport lane is usually empty in the early morning, so I had quite some time to spare.

As everybody likes photos, I'll do less talking and more showing :-)

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We went down to the shopping dinner, had a quick dinner in a Korean place, then went to change the screen protectors of our iPhones and headed back to Macau.

First "serious" class of Yoga

I'd be lying if I say I've never taken yoga before. I had a couple years back participated in some state- or municipal council-run yoga classes. They were a pain to enroll in (the enrolment office opens at 8am and if you go there at 7.30am there is already a long queue made up of housewives or retirees or unemployed people queueing since, possibly the night before) and after I managed to enroll in 2 different courses, I never managed again.

Anyway, so I enrolled for a free trial course, and I went to it in the afternoon. When I enrolled, I asked to join a beginner course. The girl guaranteed a beginner course and slotted me into the time slot. Asthanga Yoga, or Sun Yoga, I understand.

It was the most gruelling of yoga class I've ever been to. I never knew I could sweat from my stomach and my butt. It was brutal, and I couldn't do some poses where I have to bend half-way on my right knee - My right knee just can't handle. Then there were some other crazy poses where the legs have to twist over the arms and whatever else. I can't do those. But I must not let it be left unsaid: I felt good after that.

After the class, the girl asked me how it was. I said, "Are you sure that is a beginner's class?" and she said, "No, Asthanga Yoga is a tough one." gawds. So I said I requested for a beginner's class, the girl there talked smoothly and assured me that it's OK, I could choose other more simple classes according to my schedule. The part time girl that scheduled me in might not have known Asthanga Yoga is a more advanced type of Yoga. I think the girl that assigned me to the class is called Kitty. I believe she is one of the instructors there, but, ohwell. I'll keep quiet for now.

I'm now signed up for 18 months, on the 2 class-days per week package. What it means is, in a week (starting Mondays), I can join any classes for 2 days. If the Tuesday has 10 classes, and I have the physical capacity, I could, technically, participate in all 10 classes on Tuesday, and participate in another 2 classes on Friday (classes on 2 days a week). The rest of the week, I could use the gym facilities.

The other plans are the 4-class-days a week, and unlimited (i.e., 7-class-days). I could probably work 4 class days, but I didn't want to be over-confident in my procrastinatic nature. Checking the schedule shows that, according to my beginner-status and my work schedule, the 2-class-days one works best.

For the coming week, since the boss is back, I don't want to be over-zealous, so I've already picked a Saturday morning and Sunday morning Hatha Yoga (B) (<-- beginner!!!!) class. When my boss is not in town I may consider the Body-Combat (I think is like a kick-boxing-dance type of thing) on Wednesdays.

Ah, that and unlimited use of the steam/sauna and shower facilities. Since when do I use the steam room anyway? I'll see. Maybe in winter, haha