Live in the moment!

Every morning I wake up and immediately photography is the first thing on my mind. And after I've fallen asleep, it enters my dreams. But lately all I can think about is going home. Why is it that I am in this beautiful continent of Europe and all I can think about is leaving it?

I miss my family, friends and my Miso, that's why. I love traveling, and most of all finding beauty in unique places, but Bridge and Photoshop don't talk and they won't go to lunch with me either, "hmph." Facebook and Twitter keep me connected to life in San Diego, but like I said before there are no deep conversations over a good bottle of red wine. I am beginning to wonder if I can still carry a decent conversation.

Thank goodness for Brian and his infinite wisdom, he always reminds me to live for today, not yesterday and not tomorrow, but today! Focus on the opportunities you have available today, and not tomorrow, or the next day or next year.

Here are some images from our trip to Scotland. Everything is so ancient, so I couldn't help but think in in terms of old school photography. I love grain and sepia tones!

It was nice to be with my sister and brother in a foreign country, plus Brian and I needed help drinking Scotland's beer!

Who is hungry for Turkey?

It was late when we arrived. Our breaths condensed as we exhaled and stepped out of the taxi. We were ecstatic to arrive and finally get some rest. But we were in for a surprise.

After talking to the guy at the front desk our jaws dropped. Our booking for the night was not confirmed and they had a full house. How was this possible? And how were we going to find a place to stay at midnight in Istanbul? Thank goodness for Istanbul hospitality, the receptionist let us use the internet as he called to find a room for us. Without him we would have been left outside to brave the cold night.

To put it modestly Istanbul was amazing. How many cities in the world can you travel to and experience history founded in 667 BC? Even Turkey's flag represents its epic history; the crescent moon is a symbol of the Greek goddess Artemis. Also don't forget Istanbul is the only city in the world that spans across two continents.

A weekend gave us little time to see this great city, but we managed to visit the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque), the Ayasofya (Hagia Sofia), the Galata Tower, the Basilica Cistern, the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar.

90 Minutes of Anguish

When I walked in the room was warm, warm enough to be a sauna. I thought to myself, "How am I supposed to do yoga in a sauna for 90 minutes?" The room began to fill and soon enough yoga mats covered almost the entire surface area of the floor.

The class started with two breathing exercises. "Breathe, I can breathe. This is doable." By the second breathing exercise sweat was dripping down my arms and forming drops at my elbows. The perspiration continued as I moved into the next posture. My hands were stretched overhead with my palms pressed together and my fingers clutched while I tilted from side to side.

It felt like 120 degrees by the time I reached the 12th and final standing posture, but I sighed with relief as my back crashed to the mat. After two minutes of rest I continued the next few poses on my stomach and the room began to feel hotter than it ever did. It felt like noon in Florida on a summer day. I could feel my heart pounding and I struggled to maintain deep blood-oxygenating breaths.

Eventually the hour and a half passed and crisp La Jolla air entered my lungs. As I left the studio my intention was to never return to the hot room anguish ever again.

One session of hot room torture didn't keep me away because the benefits are life changing. We are a pill popping society and we don't always think about the consequences or side-effects of our prescriptions and over-the-counter medications. All we care about is getting rid of the pain and discomfort. Yoga is a natural form of healing, but it requires time, dedication, focus and faith. Try it for yourself and maybe you will be the next success story!

http://www.bikramyoga.com

Thank you, San, for being a great model and wonderful teacher.