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6.6.2005 / Sport camp in Greece

Sun, sea and Taekwon-do



Pavel Bareš:

Three of us spent more than week on wonderful camp in Greece. Pavel Bareš, Martin Svitek and Pavel Zavadil sunbathe, enjoyed water pleasures in swimming pools and sea took really intensive taekwon-do trainings, visited some historical places and that everything with great people. Nice „activities“ instead of work and school in Prague, don’t you think so? :o) Whole camp was organized by Martin Zámečník from Ge-Baek Hosinsool school, around 30 taekwondoists and few parents took part in it.

We left Prague on Friday evening from bus station Florenc. Bus was really luxury, drivers said, that there are only two of these in Cz

ech Republic. Maybe that was the reason why our journey to Italian seaport Ancona took 4 or 5 hours less that it was planned, so we had enough time to explore this city. Despite of everyone was sore, we climbed local hill to nice church.
At 2 P.M. we were allowed to board the ship. We left Ancona with destination Greece two hours later. This „ship trip“ took more than 24 hours, so we had time to not only sleep (armchairs there were more comfortable than in bus, but few of us prefer sleeping on ground) and eat gyros, but also enjoy the power of sea, wind blowing disturbed only by strong ship motors. Photos with sunset are nice, but we can’t describe it neither by pictures, nor words, it was so nice, that it seem to be good idea to practice few patterns during it.



In Patra seaport (Greece) our delegate sent us to bus immediately, what was a pity, because few our spent in this 3rd largest Greek town would be probably interesting, not only because newly opened huge bridge. Our accommodation – hotels and bungalows Achaios – was only 20 km far. Two of us sleeps in every bungalow located in hillside up the sea, it was really fine and clean, we didn’t use TV to often, but air-conditioning was great (you were able to close balcony to not be killed by mosquitoes during night and then because air-conditioning not die because of sultry heat). As I described, it were only few steps to enter the sea, and who got to salty can enjoy fresh-water swimming pools. Great fact was, that we had all-inclusive, what means 3 dishes per day and drink and snacks whole day available for free.





Of course, the most important part of our stay was Taekwon-do, two 2-hours trainings per day. We were divided to two groups – up to 3.kup (first group) and red and black belts were together. There were Martin Zámečník and Miroslav Sýkora (from Taekwon-do Frýdek Místek – www.tkdfm.taekwondo.cz) as instructors and thank to this fact, all trainings were very colorful and everyone find his favorite part of taekwon-do in it. We can speak about trainings of second group (red and black belts). Someone likes basic techniques and patterns, others enjoyed sparring drills (we did lot of back kicks, turning, dodging…), kicking to pad or hosinsool. Everything was clearly explained. I was happy from morning running as a part of first training’s warm up, because I can’t force myself to go jogging myself ;-) I can’t forget stretching on seashore – everyone got nice salty. Training in sea was also interesting, kicking high is easier there. After one of our trips to monuments there was no time for training, so we spent more than hour listening to Martin speaking about Taekwon-do history, general Choi and taekwon-do pioneers.



No one got bored in our free time, maybe only that crazy ones who took their study materials and tried to behave as intellectuals.Someone really went jogging in the morning, when rest of us still has midnight. Mediterranean sea showed its face in few angles, from perfectly calm water as on pond to high waves during evening storms, no tsunami fortunately. We enjoyed special water jumps with small Pavel, as you can see on photos. We also played table tennis, tennis or noheyball. Not to active ones of us played card or shot at each other in interesting game Bang! Evenings were interesting, spent chatting with fine people or walking on seashore under stars listening to sea. Sunday evening welcomed us well, traditional Greek dances connected with special creations of small Pavel, who managed to convince nearly all of female gender from receptionist to grannies :))) Telescope was great for watching stars and lighthouse during the night, or Greek seashore, huge bridge in Patra and army ships during day. And because we´ re not loafers we also visited hotel’s fitness for few times.





We also visited two historical places during our stay in Greece. Half of us spent Thursday afternoon in ancient Olympia, where first Olympic Games took place in 776 B.C. Since then these games were held every 4 years till 4th century A.D. This tradition was reestablished hundreds years later – in 1896 with huge help of Mr. Coubertin. Whole place was constructed in atmosphere of Greek mythology, so every building was gave over to on of gods from Greek pantheon and old stories were shown on roofs and walls as sculptures. Olympic race in running for one stadium was tried by few of our team and as you can see in photo gallery, our Svíťa won. It was said : Only the winner takes all, runner up is considered in the same way as last of competitors, so absolutely other meaning than present idea : „ It is not important to win, but to take part!“ :o) On Friday most of us visited Delphs, place dedicated and known for foretelling. Our delegate tells us everything about Pythias and their method of foretelling. Same as in Olympia we went through museum first and then had opportunity to explore mysteries of archeological places it selves. We went to Delphs through early mentioned huge bridge in Patra, which connects Peloponese peninsula with continental Greece (in other place than naturally, of course :o). Few left bus in Kato Achaia, town only 5 km far from our hotel. We did typical stuff here – buying presents and sending postcards :o) Our walk to bungalows was nicer because of coming storm and big waves on sea.



Our return back to Czech Republic began in early afternoon, when bus took us to small military airport Araxos, where I was near to death by shot during taking photos :) Flight itself was smooth and took about 2 hours – we landed before 5 P.M. No taekwon-do injuries during camp appeared, only sea urchins attacked us few times. The worst injury was luxation of the shoulder, when Thomas jumped to pool. I wish him to be ok early not only to have chance to show his skills on upcoming Dan tests.



Pavel Píďa Zavadil:


Greece was great, perfect people. We went dancing first night, where I danced some traditional Greek Halali or what. I nearly ball some chicks – receptionist and hotel owner’s mother. Weather was perfect and hundreds of small insects in bungalow, which we breakfast every morning with Svíťa were also good. I also had some problems with spider, which I had to kill because of my panic fear :))))) ….



Martin Svíťa Svitek:



I agree, Greece was really great, we still had something to do and I didn’t manage to do everything I planned. Bore was absolutely unknown and all day hanging around of pool was hobby only of non-taekwondoists. Trainings of Mirek Sýkora were exactly what I like – lot of action with accurate theory and explanations. Martin Zámečník did really good hosinsool (it is probably reason why his school has this name) , taekwon-do history lesson and……..you wouldn’t believe how fast is it possible to so huge person can move :o) I don’t know what more to say, Pavel is so talkative :o) Our delegate Janis was an interesting person, 65 years old man with sincere smile on his face, here in Czech republic he is spinning instructor , he wake up an hour earlier every morning to get stretching and some fitness. One time I met him in fitness (I got lost, only trying to find toilet, trust me) and had opportunity to speak with him for a while - really special „old“ man :o) I wish all of us to practice taekwon-do or anything else so long as Janis do.



PS: Píďa is really dancer no. 1

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