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Ishin Ryu Ju-Jitsu Opens In Valencia, Spain
A Special Report By Soke Kevin Pell
May 2004
On Thursday 13th May 2004, Teresa and I flew from Coventry airport to Valencia to spend the week with Sensei Paul, Sempai Andy and Mark Davis to help prepare Sensei Paul's new Dojo for his official opening night of 17th May. But first a word on Coventry airport. It is no big secret within our organisation that I hate flying with a passion and would rather bang six inch nails into my hand with a hammer. As many of my senior grades will testify, I will eventually get onto the aircraft once the airport bar has kick me out, so imagine my surprise or should I say horror when we arrived at Coventry airport to discover that there was no bar, alcohol or anything resembling anti-fear juice, so for the first time since the early 80's I boarded the airplane stone cold sober, with all my faculties intact. Having got airborne I then played a little game of "let's see how quick I can drink the plane dry", with the help of my trusty old friend Mr. Jack Daniels.
Ishin Ryu Ju-Jitsu's latest
Dojo
in Valencia
Spain
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A dramatic view of the side of
Sensei Paul's new
Dojo | |
We arrived in Spain to be met by Sensei Paul, who rapidly introduced me to a specialty coffee from Valencia known locally as "coffee bonbon", which has now become a firm favourite of mine. Following a quick Taxi ride back to Sensei Paul's it was time to explore his new penthouse suite in the city, and very nice it is too, with a huge beautiful sun terrace on the roof top overlooking the main city streets.After a quick coffee bonbon, it was a quick walk around the corner to see Sensei Paul's stunning new Dojo. Later that evening we were joined by Sempai Andy Tierney and Mark Davis, who arrived on a later flight, and then we all went to a bar for something to eat and drink.
The next few days were spent helping Sensei Paul put the finishing touches to his Dojo, while Sempai Andy and I cut the Tatami (mats) to shape for the Dojo floor. This was no easy task as you will see from the photographs, as the mats were traditional Japanese straw Tatami and took both of us two full days to complete.
Sempai Andy, Soke, Teresa,
Mark Davies
and Sensei Paul enjoying a meal
on Sensei Paul's sun
terrace
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Sempai Andy and Soke
cutting the
straw tatami to fit the new
Dojo
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On the Sunday we all took a day out at the beach followed by an evening meal of paella and far to much to drink, which lead to Sensei Paul detonating fireworks in the streets on the way home, which by the way is not as bad as it sounds as fireworks are continually let off throughout Valencia day and night, it just came as a shock when "Sensei Sensible" (Paul) began his pyrotechnic frenzy.
Monday evening saw the official opening of the Dojo, which went better than could have been expected, with new students walking through the door for each new class. Having got back to Sensei Paul's penthouse it was champagne all round, followed by some late night TV, enough said on that subject.
The first intermediate
students
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The first adult
students
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Tuesday, we did a bit of shopping and sight seeing and checking out the local opposition, no problem on that score. Ishin Ryu is Ishin Ryu and that's it!
Wednesday, saw us make our return flight to the UK and sadly saying a very emotional goodbye to Sensei Paul (I can't help it; I'm just a big softy, especially when it comes to my senior students). I returned to Honbu full of pride at what my first and most senior student has achieved, well done Paul, I'm proud of you, you have come a long way since making that now famous statement on your first training night on the 9th January 1990 "I really enjoyed the evening, but is it really necessary to say things like "take him out" and "bash him"".
You can also read another report on this trip written by Sempai Andy Tierney.
An evening view of the
outside of
the Ishin Ryu Ju-Jitsu Valencia
Dojo
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The first junior
students
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Photo Gallery
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