Throughout my travels, my psychic roots in Varkala remained strong and I am enjoying sinking them back into the red, soft earth letting myself slow down and Flow. We spent our return happily enjoying two gorgeous weeks of bright sun, clear weather and Onam festivities. Onam is the time when the great Kerala king, Mahabali, returns in joy to celebrate his precious land of abundance: miles of coconuts, full rivers, lush fruits and glittering gold. In his honor all Keralites, Hindus, Christians and Muslims alike, light huge oil lamps decorated with sweet smelling jasmine, make lovely flower mandalas called attam on the streets and in front of their homes, and spend hundreds of Rupees on new clothes. It reminds me a little of Christmas: the return of a king, big feasts and yummy sweets, mad shopping and no work for a week. Leon, Yoko and I spent the days walking around the neighborhoods and checking out the lovely attam designs (akin to viewing Christmas lights I think), eating delicious South Indian food at friend’s homes and unpacking our Western treats from all our suitcases that we managed to lug across the globe.

Rubybleu House is looking beautiful, having been well kept by a friend over the summer monsoon months. Hundreds of passion fruit have sprung up, huge, sweet yellowy fruits unique to our garden. The rest of the garden was lush and jungly and Leon had to spend a few days hacking it back and clearing the paths so Yoko can run along her own private fairyland once again (naked, of course). She loves the garden, walking with her cane, playing tea party and building sand castles in the backyard. Our hotel is getting more popular as the years go by and we are happy to welcome a new addition this year, Jovan from Australia, who will be running and renting out the upstairs rooms. We are also now listed in a popular German guidebook, may make it into Lonely Planet next year and will even have our own website up in the next couple months, thanks to Jennifer at Chaotech Designs. Check out www.rubybleuhouse.com coming soon!

Since our August fundraiser, the rubybleu foundation has given its first scholarship to a young woman from a very poor fishing village. Gigi, born to an unwed mother, has managed to fight the overpowering culture of poverty and oppression and rise above her situation. At the top of her class, she was accepted to an excellent college just 40 kilometers north of Varkala. We provided the tuition necessary to complete the first year of schooling and hope to continue giving her the support to finish her Bachelor of Science degree. I am very excited to be supporting a young woman who has such a bright future and has already overcome so much. The article about Gigi and the Centre which we are connected with will be online next week at www.rubybleu.org/projects