GALLERY — RIGA, LATVIA, JANUARY 2009
From January 16 to January 20, 2009, I visited Riga, Latvia in Riga to teach at a Winter Gasshuku hosted by my desi Artis Pabriks. Here are a few highlights:
Basic Iri Kumi (Inside Fighting)
Dai ichi Kihon Gata — First Basic Form
2009 Winter Gasshuku — Portrait
Basic Iri Kumi (Inside Fighting)
We spent several sessions working on Basic drills dealing Iri Kumi (Inside Fighting). First, we worked on different Kamae (On guard position), as well hand combinations to create the openings for Iri Kumi. We also practiced some basic drills using Enpi (Elbow Strikes).
Dai ichi Kihon Gata — First Basic Form
We also practiced several Katas (Forms), including Dai Ichi Kihon Gata, which is hthe First Basis Form of our Shorin Ryu Lineage. Dai Ichi Kihon Gata was created by the founder of our Shorin Ryu lineage, Chibana Chōshin. Many Shorin Ryu Schools study his Form. However, in the Shinjinbukan School there is a special care for using the correct body alignment and body mechanics.
2009 Winter Gasshuku — Portrait
On the last afternoon of training, we took a portrait photo of our 2009 Winter Gasshuku in Riga.
From Right to Left: Andris Unbedahts, Jānis Derkusovs, Jimmy Mora, Artis Pabriks, Dzintars Neverovskis & Melanie Petrak.
Other active Shinjinbukan members in Latvia, who were not present for the picture were: Vladislav Kriket, Dmitry Viktorov, Elizabete Zariņa, Ainis Kalmanis, Irēna Zariņa, Edgars Skuja, Hauke Namejs Pabriks and Alwine Darta Pabriks.
During my visit to Latvia, I was accompanied and assisted by Melanie Petrak. She is from Germany and is currently studying at the Shinjinbukan Honbu Dōjō in Okinawa, Japan.
Tour of Riga
Afterwards, we walk around Riga. We took some pictures of the Riga Tram System, which services a popultaion of approximately 800,000 people and has eight basic service routes.
We also enjoyed Riga's historical center, known as Old Riga, which was declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site for the preservation of its architecture known as, Jugendstil (Art Nouveau), which is considered to be unparalleled to anywhere in the world. For more information, see: UNESCO ARCHIVES
We also stopped at a Restaurant to enjoy a drink of Riga Black Balsam (Latvian: Rīgas Melnais balzams), with some other wonderful Latvian desserts. It was located in a historical building from the 18th century, decorated with antique furniture and fixtures. Even the attendants wore historical gowns.
Since the mid-18th century, Black Balsam was sold in Riga as an exotic liqueur made from many different natural herbs and mixed with pure vodka. According to legend, it was given to Empress Catherine the Great of Russia to cure her after fallen ill during a visit to Latvia. Riga Black Balsam has a disctinctive bitter and sweet taste, and could be drink straight, on the rocks, or mixed with coffee, ice-cream, vodka, or any kind of juice, either warm or cold. It is also used in traditional medicine as a cold remedy or for other digestive problems. For more information, see: JSC Latvijas Balzams
