Bordeaux: Bikram Yoga While Apparently Still Drunk.

This week in Bordeaux has been a delicious strain on my liver and stomach. While at no point have I been "loopy drunk" (which typically happens after three glasses of wine), I maintained a lovely euphoria of "delight" throughout the week.

I think that is due to the culinary experience we had in tandem with the wine and wine education. 

So I found myself perfectly ready to tackle a Bikram class in Bordeaux, at a studio owned by someone I went to training with in San Diego. He was teaching the class, and I felt relaxed and warmed up from the  hot day outside.

"I am ready!" I said to myself. "I haven't practiced since Saturday!"

I got changed into my practice clothes. And I head into the studio. I pick a spot in the front row for my mat and towel. And I start to do my warm-up stretches that I typically do before class. I found my body very pliable. I was very bendy. And my hip flexors seemed to be permitting a deep stretch.

"This must be due to all of the walking at the chateaus," I said. We hadn't done a whole lot of sitting. So my hips weren't "sleepy."

I laid down and felt my body start to sweat pretty fast. It was hot in the room. And very humid. Very typical.

Once class began, my friend - who taught all in French - pointed out to some of his students my form. He was complimenting me! So, naturally, I felt obligated to not fidget and be a good example.

Well, that only lasted through the Standing Series.

From the first backward bend (where I could see more of the floor than ever before!), followed by the first forward bend, I wanted to puke. I could FEEL MY SPLEEN all swollen inside of me.

"Oh shit!" I thought. "What is that pinching on the left side?"

I quickly realized it was my spleen. So I decided to pull a little more on the right side of my body. And that's when I felt my liver... And it was really pissed off at me.

Really pissed off.

Once we moved into the Balancing postures, I was wobbling all over the place. But I was pushing through. Again, I wanted to be a good example. But once we hit the floor posture... All bets were off.

I couldn't even do Cobra, where we push our bellies into the floor and lift our upper body up. It was too painful. And the world was spinning.

"I was clearly still somewhat drunk when I started class," I thought. "And now I am pushing my body into hangover mode."

But I was confused as to why I hadn't realized how drunk I was prior to class. And I determined that because we had maintained a nice steady intake of alcohol all through the day, and with food, that I had mistaken exhaustion from less sleep and the hot day as being what was draining my energy. But in reality, I was still intoxicated. A little, anyway.

It wasn't a totally bad class. I was so grateful for the opportunity to see my friend's studio - which is gorgeous. And I was even grateful for the experience of having practiced and "detoxed" the alcohol out of me at the same time.

But what I am most grateful for... Is this...

While bending forward in pain, I noticed in class that I actually have tan lines! While this may seem to lack fascination for most people... I haven't had tan lines on my feet since... Maybe college? But all of this walking outside in the Sun while traveling, I developed a nice layer of soft color. I even had to change my face powder to TWO SHADES DARKER than what I normally wear... Which is usually whatever is the palest color.

So something happy came from the experience. And now, as I find myself at the airport waiting for my flight to Geneva, I begin my food and alcohol detox. I won't be drinking again until Rome in two and a half weeks.