Thanks to Master Billy Davidson, this years Hong Kong trip was fantastic. This was my third year going and I can honestly say that the training with Master Billy Davidson was absolutely brilliant and the private seminars with Grandmaster Ip Ching were completely outstanding.
This year my instructor Sifu Dave McQuillan (“Sifu”) was able to attend, which was a wonderful experience for me to have my Sifu, Si Gung Master Billy Davidson (“Si Gung”) and Si Jo Grandmaster Ip Ching all in one place at the same time. Not to mention it was an absolute pleasure to train with John, Anthony, Murium and Chris on a daily basis.
Our group training consisted of daily training with Si Gung in Kowloon Park, which is referred to as Kung Fu Corner, because there you will see all sorts of locals training their martial arts. Two group seminars were held with Grandmaster Ip Ching with his senior student Sifu Edmond Fong, who also acted as a translator. We also attended Grandmaster Ip Ching’s and Sifu Albert’s classes, where we had the opportunity to train with some of their students.
While in Hong Kong, I visited Lan Tao Island where the Big Buddha is and from the train station I took the local bus up to the Big Buddha. After seeing the spectacular views and some shopping where I bought some gifts, I took the crystal cable car back down to the train station. The crystal cable car ride was amazing because the floor was glass so you could see directly below, as well as the beautiful views of the countryside.
We also got the opportunity as a group to visit Great Grandmaster Ip Man’s grave. What a pleasure it was to stand as a group with my Si Gung and Sifu next to Great Grandmaster Ip Man’s grave and reflect on my Wing Chun training. It was to say the least a very stirring and emotional moment.
We even had time to visit Victoria Peak, where you can see the city of Hong Kong down below and this year we had the opportunity to view the laser light show, all of which was beautiful.
Of course, while in Hong Kong you cannot forget the wonderful food and great beer. We went to some local favorites, which was an Irish Pub called Delaney’s. There you can meet all sorts of people from all over the world and the food is outstanding, not to mention the drinks.
We visited Temple Street Market several times, where you will find all sorts of tiny restaurants along the street with outdoor seating, as well as great market stalls for shopping. I even spent the afternoon down at the Ladies Market in Mongkok, where I bought additional gifts for my family and students back in Wales.
The Ching Mo Association arranges this trip annually and I would not hesitate to recommend anyone to go. What a fantastic opportunity to train with Grandmaster Ip Ching and his students. To sum it up, all the training that we received while in Hong Kong was first rate and well worth the money. |