Bliss beat festival

Just had a truly inspiring weekend at a yoga festival in the north of Italy. Wonderful people and teachers.

Yoga stars

Studio

Another session in the studio in Ascea. Slowly getting the album together. Drums today with Denis Citera. Top stuff.

Dog food never tasted so good

Garden fresh

Sunday afternoon

Jamming with friends in Perdifumo. A lovely lazy Sunday.

Dog food

Cooking for the carne. Even the dogs in Italy live on pasta.

Mozzarella machines

Hanging with the Buffalo. My friend Anthony from Australia is making his own mozzarella brand - Belmosa.

Back in Italy

My friend Piera Lombardi played a great concert in Valo last week. Check her out.

Organisation

Check out motherandchildindia.org they need donations and more volunteers.

If you want to come and stay too you can sleep in the centre and help out with the kids teaching or just talking to them. They also need people who can sew clothes and make furniture in the workshop. They're trying to become self-sufficient.

If you can't come and still would like to help, send clothes, books, food or money. Or try fundraising. Or write to businesses asking to send donations, like mattresses, paint, chairs, etc.

Workshop in the words

The orphan's founder built this factory/large workshop in his back garden. Importing all the equipment from Italy. It's fully equipped and two years in the making. A beautiful location in the jungle, so peaceful. They've invested a lot from foreign donations but it needs a kickstart to get going. There's only one volunteer working here at the moment. I tried to help out a bit but they need someone with knowhow.

If you are handy they would dearly love someone to come over and help make things. And teach the locals.

Some of the students

It's like trying to herd cats! Very challenging but I'm getting the hang of it. A teacher friend recommended some learning games and they're working much better than my initial efforts.

Mother and Child Foundation

I'm staying at an orphanage near Thoropuza for a week teaching English to the kids. Pity them. A bit of karma balancing after the Ayurvedic treatment I received.

Rice for breakfast...

...lunch and dinner

Three Tier non-AC train north

Tea, tea, as far as you can see

Yoga

I've done yoga every morning for the last three weeks, but it will be a while before I'm half as good as Revi the instructor.

The backwaters

The people on the march

Shiva

Not sure of this one

Front view

There were five elephants in the parade. They didn't look to happy, particularly walking down the steep steps out of the temple. How they made it I don't know

Waiting for elephants

One god

Back view

Peacock man

33,000,000 gods

They have millions of gods in the Hindi religion, and most were represented in the parade

Festival season

Festival season is coming to an end. I saw a massive parade leaving the temple on Saturday.

Varkala beach

A famous holy site in India is just along the beach from where I'm staying. You can have all your sins washed away in a short 5 minute ceremony

Back treatment

Got some relief from back pain yesterday. Hot medicinal oil soaks in. I have a vertebra out of place, for a long time now. Seen many chiropractors in europe but none could fix it. The doctor here can do it but it takes 41 days - preparation, adjustment, wrapping, etc. Something for next time!

Ayurveda treatment

Ready for daily Ayurveda therapy with Deva, my masseur. The doctor said I wasn't strong enough to do a panchakarma so I'm having a 2 week rejuvenation therapy instead. (I'd had a fever after the typhoid vaccine). It's good treatment, medicine before and after food (revolting liquids), and daily massages (great but I'm stained yellow and staining everything yellow). Today's treatment was clearer the blocked sinuses, which was the reason for my headaches.

Quay in Cochin

The day's tuna catch

Kerala

A beautiful state in the south west of India. Very very warm. 33 degrees, but with the humidity it feels like 43! Kerala is a socialist state and voted in communist government in 1957, the first in the world. The people are really nice and there's a great vibe.

First view of India

Landed in Delhi and had almost a week battling the mass of people and traffic and noise and pollution and a fever brought on by my vaccinations. Delhi was too much for me.

Amsterdam > India

I'm finally going to India for a month next week - it's been a long time wishing but now at last. I'll be heading to Kerala in the south, staying at the Mother and Child Foundation for two weeks helping out where I can, and then doing a Panchakarma, ayurvedic treatment for the rest of the time. 

 But before that I have a house concert in Amsterdam this coming Friday (8th March) and you are invited. 86 Haarlemmerstraat. Welcome from 8pm - start at 9pm. Please RSVP to jackstafford[at]thejackstaffordfoundation.com so I know numbers - you're welcome to bring others. Bring your own booze. Suggested donation is €10 if you can afford it, to help pay for my flight back from India, otherwise I have to stay.

On the port in Agropoli

Singing by the port in Agropoli, Campagna. Filmed by Vincenzo Iroutua. Apologies for the dodgy lip-syncing.

Show in Delicatessen, Amsterdam Saturday February 23rd

There's going to be a nice roundtable of music at Delicatessen on Saturday night in Amsterdam... a group of random musicians getting together to play songs from one another as an impromptu band. Come down early for indian food or the music around 10pm.

Riviera gig

I'm delighted to be playing in Agropoli again Saturday night in Riviera Rock. Come on down! More info

Concert Saturday 12th January

I'm playing in Paestum on Saturday night. Not in the temple unfortunately, but in Casa Ribini, a really cool little wine bar in the old town by the entrance. Starts at 9.30pm. Free entrance. Come on down.

Table jam with Gabrielle and Danielle