Feel, find, flash and do!

Just back from an extremely good and interesting seminar with Takahama Mitsunobu sensei, 7.dan, in Bolzano organized by  Aikido Club Bolzano.

Many first times for me: first time going to Bolzano, that I discovered to be an extremely beautiful mountain city, with a gorgeous old part, extremely well kept , surrounded by the Dolomite; first time practicing with Takahama sensei; first time meeting some more active Italian aikidokas following Yasuno sensei style of Aikido; first time practicing in Italy with a good Italian friend I met in in Japan, Ennio, back in Italy after about 10 years in Japan, and ready to start his Italian Aikido adventure with his new dojo/project Ura Kasumi in Lodi, Pavia and Milan.

Back in Italy.. Back on the mats

After my return to Europe, Italy, I have been practicing Aikido already a couple of times per week, except for the job interview, at the Biella Aikikai Dojo.

This coming weekend I will be in Bolzano for Takahama sensei seminar, organized by Aikido Club Bolzano, a teacher from the same line of Yasuno sensei:

..and therefore also a great chance for me to keep some of Irie sensei Aikido as well in my mind:

Next week the trip will be to Aikido Dojo Kashin Roma and practice with Endo sensei, first time for me in Italy with him!!!

Italian Mid-Autumn festival!

One of the best festivity from my point of view: today it is the Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋节, zhōngqiū jié), my favorite because of the traditional cakes eaten during this period, the  moon cakes. That’s in fact how I usually call the festival: Moon Cake festival 🙂

Just got this nice video from a Chinese Aikido friend:

…and I add the memories from my second year in China, when I could I really enjoy the moon (in 2010 it had been quite cloudy and rainy!):

From the top: mooncake, the moon, 中 (中秋=mid-autumn)

中秋节快乐！！
Zhōngqiū jié kuàilè! !

Swedish to Sport combat games 2013!

I’m happy to add also the video of the Swedish Aikido representative to Sport Accord event in St. Petersburg this year, a couple I had the pleasure to meet several times on the mats at various seminars especially in Vanadis dojo in Stockholm:

They will make a great show there with also my Norwegian friends..

Inspired Bycicles

Subtitle: Balance is not an abstract concept!!

Yeah, this kind of balance would help in Aikido as well!!

Sport Accord World combat games 2013

I have just learnt that a couple of dear friends will represent Norway at the Sport Accord event in St. Petersburg this year.

Thy Thy, fellow instructor and trainer in Oslo Aikido club during my short time there, has posted this nice action video:

The other ambassador from Norway is Kim André from Bergen Aikido club.

I am sure I will have soon another video to post 😉

After all these nice videos, and the amazing participation of Christian Tissier sensei in the first edition of the games in Beijing in 2010 it will be more difficult to explain that Aikido is not a sport!! 😉

Milano Linate 9/11

On my way to the Netherlands for tomorrow job interview.. And again a night on an airport bench, this time Milano Linate… If the airport won’t close if course!!

Tonight, another 9/11, it is definitively the wrong night to forget a bag in the departure floor at Milan airport of Linate!!!

Somebody saw the bag with some stuff inside, just left there close to a check in area. The air personnel informed called the police…. That after a good 20 minutes has not arrived yet!!

Maybe to decrease the casualties in case of explosion…. Maybe (more probable) to finish the sandwich watching the favorite TV show!!

Once got here they just took it and threw it away I’m the common garbage bin… Not even recycling!

At the end also Linate airport was open during the night but it has been one of the worst experiences so far: only metal seats with fixed metal armrest. Impossible to sleep: