Yoga in the "Trachtenheim"

I can't think of a better way to translate "Trachtenheim" than "Folk Centre". It is a quaint little building, a bit like a hunting lodge, where people go, as far as I could ascertain from the decor and the photos on the walls, to wear their Dirndl/Lederhose and just hang out. It was thus a rather incongruous setting for a Hatha yoga course.

It was going well at the beginning - the teacher, Helga, had us all lying down while she gently hypnotised us into a seaside environment. I could nearly hear the waves crashing on the nearby shore, when I made the mistake of opening my eyes. Looking up, I met the beady gaze of a pair of stuffed owls perched on a giant antler.

All in all though, it was most pleasant. Helga and two other women are probably about my age - the others are well over seventy. I was really surprised to see two crusty old farmer types there (I see them all the time, racing their tractors around the village). By the end of the session I was nearly asleep, but pulled myself together for a fun drive to the nearest Lidl.