Seminar with Yoshigasaki Sensei
This year, the Ticino Ki Aikido Association Balerna invited participants for the second time to a summer seminar with Yoshigasaki Sensei in Bosco Gurin.
The concept was the same as last year:
In the morning misogi and aikido, and in the afternoons free time for mountain hikes, sunbathing, excursions, other courses, or free training.
The announced Shodo course could not take place because the teacher from Japan was unavailable at short notice.
The 10 nationalities of the aikidoka on the mats were Swiss, Italian, German, English, French, Dutch, Belgian, Czech, Polish, and, of course, Japanese.
They came from 7 countries: Switzerland, Italy, Germany, England, France, Belgium, and the Czech Republic.
Almost all were teachers or Dan holders.
From the Balerna Dojo, kyu grades Gabriele and Luca were able to participate as "uchideshi."
Marie-Rose, the wife of Yoshigasaki Sensei, also came to Bosco Gurin, but did not participate in the training.
In contrast to the previous year, Yoshigasaki Sensei taught only a few tsuzukiwaza, but these were all the more detailed.
The topics were Bokken 1, Jonage, Tantodori, and Bokkendori.
He gave theoretical explanations
On Wednesday, after misogi and breakfast, most of the participants gathered at the parking lot at the entrance to Bosco Gurin and drove down the serpentines to Cevio with as few cars as possible.
The journey then continued slightly uphill into Val Bavona until its end.
There, in San Carlo, is the valley station of the cable car to Robièi, a plateau with a large water reservoir at almost 2000 m above sea level.
The cable car climbs 900 meters in altitude. It was built in 1972 for the construction of the reservoir and is still used for maintenance work today. But it also transports tourists.
In sunny weather, we were able to admire the interesting alpine landscape below us from the large, well-filled cabin on the way up.
At the high plateau, a well-maintained road leads from the first reservoir, Lago di Robièi, to the slightly smaller Lago del Zött, which lies at the foot of the Basodino Glacier. Both lakes are connected by an underground pipeline, based on the principle of communicating tubes.
While most of the group remained in the high valley of the reservoirs, Yoshigasaki Sensei took the opportunity to continue climbing the slopes with a small group.
So everyone enjoyed the bright sunshine, the fresh mountain air, and the beautiful view of the magnificent landscape and the remnants of the Basodino Glacier on the ridge.
We were booked for lunch at the Capanna Basodino. The hut is located at an altitude of 1,856 m, 15 minutes below the mountain station of the cable car.
The stone house was built on a terrace at the edge of Alp Robiei and inaugurated in 1927. There are sleeping post for 58 people in six rooms.
After the more or less extensive hike and in the fresh mountain air, the food tasted excellent. Our thirst was also quenched with cool beer, wine, or water.
Michal, Govert, and Bernhard decided to hike the 850 meters to the valley station.
Everyone else took the cable car again. This allowed them to take this photo of the hikers.
The path down to the valley was easy and took a while. As we passed a small lake, Michal couldn't resist and took a full dip in the cold water.
By the side of the path, we saw cows ruminating on grassy ledges at the edge of the precipice.
The path then continued over an alpine pasture and then into the forest.
In San Carlo, we got back in the car to begin the return journey.
For coffee and wine, most of the group stopped at the La Froda restaurant, which we had already visited the previous year with Yoshigasaki Sensei.
Some also went to the base of the waterfall, climbed around on the large boulders, occasionally slipping, or simply dipped their feet in the fresh water.
In any case, this excursion to the Bavona Valley and the foot of the Basodino Glacier was a very relaxed and sociable experience.
Back in Bosco, everyone went to dinner at the Alpstüble restaurant, as the day trip was intended to give the kitchen team at Casa Pometta a day off.
With lunch on Saturday, a very enjoyable seminar with our Doshu came to an end.
The mats were loaded into the van, all other equipment was packed into the cars, and we headed back down the valley to Balerna.
Yvette had created a drawing for this year's seminar and had all the participants and the Doshu sign it.
We hope to see each other again soon. Probably at the seminar with Yoshigasaki Sensei in October 2010 in Balerna.
And we're already looking forward to next year's seminar in Bosco Gurin.
Goodbye!
