Memories from the 2018 Leptokaria camp

We remember our stay in Greece with smiles on our faces. Sun, sea, beach, great company, and, on top of it all, daily taekwon-do training. Could one dream of a better holiday break?

18 participants went to Leptokaria. They stayed under the supervision of Andrzej Walocha, who served as both counsellor and coach during the trip, and Mikołaj Kotowicz – the head of the entire undertaking and a coach. Although the camp was elite in nature due to the number of participants, there was no shortage of energy and fun. We spent 8 wonderful days there, full of unforgettable experiences.

Leptokaria lies on the Aegean Sea, whose water temperature in summer is around 25°C – to remind you, the water temperature in the Baltic Sea at the same time is around 18 °C. In addition, we are guaranteed sunny weather every day. Simply, what more could one ask for! That is why we made use of the favourable weather conditions every day and relaxed on the beach. The beach was supervised, so we could also indulge in water fun without fear.

 

Since this was a taekwon-do camp, training could not be missing. It took place twice a day. In the morning, before breakfast, we practised patterns, and functional training took place before dinner. Additionally, for those willing, Andrzej led boxing training sessions. Since meals have been mentioned, it is worth noting that they were delicious and varied – we could eat Greek and Polish dishes. They provided energy for entire days of fun. Apart from taekwondo and beach time, we played boules, shot bows, and when we began to run out of energy, we exercised our minds by playing board games.

 

Of course, as is customary at every camp, there also had to be an initiation here. Our participants had to, among other things, eat tomato-and-watermelon soup, roll around in the sand after first being thrown into the sea, or eat Nutella – which in this case only seemingly appears easy.

 

One does not visit Greece every day, so apart from lounging on the beach, 3 excursions were organised. Our first destination was Meteora, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is a rock massif on whose summits stands a complex of 24 Eastern Orthodox monasteries. Its Greek name, metéoros, loosely translated means “suspended in the air” or “the middle of the sky”. They were undoubtedly some of the most picturesque views we had ever seen.

 

The Northern Sporades were the next place to check off our list. We visited the island of Skiathos, belonging to that archipelago. It is a beautiful island where several scenes for the films Mamma Mia and Mamma Mia: Here we go again were shot. Due to its lack of notable historical attractions, Skiathos became the true essence of slow life, a life determined by the rhythm of nature. Another attraction that day was a boat cruise, during which the Greeks taught us to dance the zorba, we took part in a water-balloon battle with a neighbouring boat, and the lucky ones standing on the right side of the vessel saw dolphins! The Northern Sporades trip was optional, so not everyone took part. Those who stayed in Leptokaria enjoyed the beach, went on a banana boat rather than a ship, and, of course, trained hard.

 

Paleos Panteleimonas was the destination of our last excursion. It is a village situated more than 500 m above sea level, on the slopes of the Olympus massif, where time has stood still. The village was founded at the beginning of the 15th century by highlanders who grazed goats and sheep on the slopes of Olympus. There we saw stone houses in which the few remaining permanent residents of the village still live their lives.

 

To sum up, our stay in Greece was exceptionally successful, both because of the climate and the abundance of attractions we managed to enjoy. I do not think there is anyone among us who would not like to return there. It is only a pity that so few people could enjoy it with us this time.