Sifu Gary Lam seminar in the UK Sept 9 & 10th/ 06.

[Nick Forrer]

who's that punching Ernie in the head in pic #12

Cheers,

Paul is correct that would be yours truly. In the 2nd group photo far right is mario (from WSL UK), then Gert, then the head in the background is Andrew (from WSL UK), then Adam from WSL UK and I am next to him with my arm around his neck.
Uli Steiner (who organised the last seminar in Dachau) is in front of me in yellow.

In the first picture my Sifu Clive (with the Grey hair and his eyes closed) is next to his Sihing Gary Lam

[sihing]

I'm happy to hear that the seminar went well. Some good Ving Tsun was taught and shared by everyone it seems, while at the same time friendships were made. What more could one ask for.

This is a great example of the way it should be all the time, no bickering or conflicts over this pose or that shape, but sharing and exploration everywhere with good spirits abound. Good example guys!!!!

James

[PaulH]

Ha! Ha! Next to you giant fellas, I look like a little grunt! Thank you, Kev. Always good to see picture of WSL people together.

[Matrix]

Paul is correct that would be yours truly. In the 2nd group photo far right .....

Nick,
Oddly enough I recognized you in the group photo ( you've posted a couple of videos in the past), but not in the action shot with Ernie. Must have been the fact that you had a hat on, sun glasses and the pic was taken from the side and to your back.

Looks like a fun group. I'm please to hear all went well.

Cheers,

[Dan_chi_sau]

better late than never.....only just got my account activated.
After reading some of the posts post-seminar, i could only reitterate what everyone else has said so far.
The whole weekend was excellent from start to finish, with good weather, excellent company and some awesome wing chun. The skill some of you guys have is an inspiration to some of us who are not so far down the road experience wise, and Ive literally been a walking form around my kitchen at work (im a cook) since i got back. Our first class back(tuesday night) was great as i was looking forwards to trying to put into place the ideas from the weekend, which worked out great. Not too dissimilar from our lineage, but everything was made a little simpler from this weekend.
Special thanks have to go to sifu gary (its been said before here, but.....awesome), ernie ( dude, you got the best attitude, it was a pleasure sharing your company and hopefully will see you again for a whiskey) choi (great venue and hospitality, and the best veggie chicken chow mein i had in a long time) and all you guys from clives school and alans guys in southapton. If i missed anyone, rest assured Ill not forget any of you.
For the future, me and the guys are definately planning trips to come and train in st albans with clive, so Ill see you then.

cheers for a great weekend, Dan

[Ernie]

My brothers
I'm still half dead so i will write more when i can give you guys the focus you deserve

for let me just say ,,,,THANK YOU !!

[Ernie]

Some pics from Clives site
http://www.wongvingtsun.co.uk/garylam/garylam.htm

[chisauking]

What I can say? For me, it was a fantastic event, and a gathering that will bring a smile to my face every time I reminisce about it.

In the face of potential terrorist attacks and unknown danger, the three stooges (only joking Ernie) were determined that nothing could deter them from coming over, not even death. Gary, Ernie, and Andy arrived at London Heathrow airport in the early hours of September the 8th, and because I was very, very busy that day, Adam Cope was kind enough to bring the guys up to Malvern. Even though Malvern is only a tiny town, they still couldn't find my place, so I ended up having
to pick them up from the town centre. So much for SatNav LOL

My first impression of the guys was quite bizarre to say the least. Sitting in the front seat of Adam's car was this big, Chinese guy and for all of us in the UK who are old enough to remember , resembled the 'Honey Monster' from the Sugar Puffs advert. Of course it wasn't the honey monster, but good old cuddly Sifu Gary Lam. He was very browned -- obviously due to the good Caliornian weather -- but besides that, he was exactly the same person as I remember from his DVDs.
In the back seats was this Mexican looking guy who would not look out of place as a member of the Harlem Globetrotters, sporting the compulsory track suite attire. Of course he is a globetrotter, but not from Harlem that's all. Forum king Ernie, for some reason, looked diminutive compared to the photos and video footages I'd seen of him on the net (maybe Ernie was in prime condition for the trip, ready to take on any potential UK nut). Next to Ernie was Andy (he's the man behind Cranes Productions). I don't think many on this forum would have seen Andy before, but on this day he was dressed like a Chinese pop star: shades, slinky shirt, and supporting a stylish haircut. Get the picture?

I won't get into too much details into the actual seminar itself, because Nick has already covered it well. Suffice to say that regardless of your level, I think
everyone came away a wiser person. The weather was fantastic over the two days, even though it had been raining and blowing high winds all the previous months, so I think someone up there must like Gary. In fact, Gary has said that where ever he goes, the sun shine follows him. Obviously, the man is on a roll! (It's actually cold and wet, as I write this on the Saturday after the seminar).

Like all good things, it must come to an end sometime, and so it was with Gary wrapping up on Sunday evening. But the show still went on. We had the pleasure
of David Peterson (one of Wong Shun Leung's students, and probably one of wing chun's best communicators) visiting us at the end. David had just got off the plane after a 28 hours' journey, and yet he still made the effort to come and meet Gary and his wing chun family. That speaks volumes about the man. Any way, there was much catching up to do with David and many of the guests in attendance. After every one was fed, people started to say their goodbyes and the group started thinning out. However, some of the more hardcore wing chun nuts just didn't want to go. It was at this point that Gary started all over again. He started chisauing with some of the people still in attendence, and it was a rare moment to see Gary expressing his art to even a higher level for a few of the privaged people to see. David had to make his way back to Manchester after an exhaustive day, so the day finally came to an end....so we thought. We want back into the pub for more drinks and chit chatted way passed midnight, and it was at this stage that even Gary could not take it anymore. Gary retired back to the hotel with Andy, so there was only 3 certifiable nuts left. You guessed it, it was I (Choi), Ernie, and Gert.

All in all, the gathering was well attended, but to be truthful, I was a little bit disapointed that not more people from outside the WSL lineage came to see Gary. You see, putting it in context, without any doubts wing chun is THE most popular Chinese martial art in the UK. Nearly every big town and city has a wing chun club, yet with so many people practising wing chun in the UK, only a small handful of none WSL lineage people bothered to make the effort to learn from this incredeble wing chun man. People have so much to say on net forurms, but when the chance is there for them to 'find themselvs' and to gauge their true level of skill, they are nowhere to be seen. I suppose it's far easier to 'talk' about wing chun than to practice it. I guess some will strive for perfection and try to reach their personal best, and some will be content with fooling themselves and their students, and blabber on the net. Oh well, c'est la vie. (But it's not too late to change)


For me personally, I always get the same mixed feelings whenever a high calibre Sifu graces my household. On the one hand, I'm very excited, but on the other
hand, once I've experienced their skills, I'm completely demoralised because it reminds me of how little I know. On this occassion, my heart was emtpy when this special wing chun man had to return home to LA. Life is funny, isn't it?

Finally, I'd like to express my personal gratitude to all those that attended this gathering (especially those from abroad), and a special thank you to Gary, Ernie and Andy for being so generous and giving with their knowledge. Lastly, in all events, there is always a background person that makes it all possible. In this case, it's my nutty girlfriend Choi-Yee. She was working tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure every thing was running smoothly, so a very big 'thank you' to her. The gathering couldn't have happened with out her, but I don't want to tell her that because she sure gets BIG headed, then I'm blackmailed into taking her out for a meal.

If Gary wants me to, I will organise a much biggger and better gatthering next year -- maybe David Peterson might consider a joint seminar? Who knows, where there's a will, there's a way.

For now, I will retire to the background and leave the net forurms as much as I can. I will be too busy practising the 'key' Gary was kind enough to teach me. Since I'm not as generous as Gary or Ernie, you have to make a concerted effort to meet Gary or Ernie to learn for yourselves what they had imparted to me. But let me assure you of this: I've been a wing chun aficionado for a long time now, and I've been around to search for the highest level of wing chun. My personal conclusion is this: arguably, Sifu Gary Lam is one of the most skilful wing chun men in the world, but it is incontrovertible that he's the most generous with his knowledge. For me, he's taken wing chun to the next level. If you don't believe me, LA is only a short journey away.

Sorry for the late write up, but as most will know, I'm a very, very busy man

chisaubegger

[Mr Punch]

Sounds like it was great!

All in all, the gathering was well attended, but to be truthful, I was a little bit disapointed that not more people from outside the WSL lineage came to see Gary. ...

Yeah, I've always thought that's a bit strange. It was a bit far for me to go (!) but now I'm happily out of all this lineage crap, I'll be jumping at the chance to go to any seminars from any good sifu when I get back to the UK! (Unless anyone can be persuaded to come and give one over here in sunny Tokyo!)

If Gary wants me to, I will organise a much biggger and better gatthering next year -- maybe David Peterson might consider a joint seminar? Who knows, where there's a will, there's a way.

Sweet. Maybe I'd be able to persuade my gf that that's the time we should be visiting the UK next year...! As long as I don't tell her exactly where I'm going! I'm a Brummie so Malvern isn't too far for a 'romantic weekend'...!

[PaulH]

I mourned somewhat for you, the last Chisau King. Circumstances have tragically change you to a Chisau beggar. And yet I dare to believe that a fuller life has always been for the adventurous soul who dares to beg what life can offer more rather than the status quo.

Best wishes,

Paul

[chisauking]

Paul: Ask Gary about the Chinese legend of so-haat-yee. The king of the beggers was more powerful than the emperor himself.

Look forward to seeing more friends next year. Today Endland; tomorrow Europe.

[Dan_chi_sau]

god bless the man who quotes 'Im happy...im happy....punch' rest in peace ivor cutler....

[Ernie]

Choi
thanks for the write up as usual written in your unique , entertaining and slightly insane way of communicating ha-ha [keep me posted on the article ]
Gary would like to thank you as well for hooking things up and all the great food and fun [ except for the climb to the top of the Malvern hills , I think he is still sore from that one ha-ha ]
Gary would also like to thank Adam Cope for stepping up to the plate and picking us up from the airport , your a great guy , just a class act man
I would like to thank Jon for being there just in case we needed a ride , you were the '' fly on the wall'' all weekend ,,,, we WILL hang out again my brother .
Kev ,,,, dude ,,,, the next generation bro ,,, you know what I'm talking about !
Nick F ,,, had a total blast hanging out with you ,,, man your the '' man of a million questions '' and that's what makes you great , thanks for keeping me on my toes .
Chris , Ged , the Dan squad all of you guys make this trip SOOO much fun for me , it didn't even feel like a seminar , it was like a family get together !

Gert ,,,, you were a blessing to meet and such a giving dude could have spent the whole time just bouncing idea's of each other . it's pleasure to call you a friend =)

and to David P. I can't put into words what it felt like to hang out with you again after all these years ,,, you have been friend , mentor and just a regular guy with life's ups and downs ,,, but you have always been there no matter what ,,,, we have unfinished business my brother ,,, perhaps my passport needs a OZ stamp =)

Now onto the most important part
I drank with the English and never went down ! ha-ha
see ya guys soon , can't wait to hear all the great stuff from the David P seminars ,,,,,, who knows we might meet in Bulgaria !!!

[mad101dan]

I have been given some more photos from Dan ( dan chi sau) and have added them to the other collection of pictures.

http://www.braunstonemotorproject.co.uk/gary/

If anyone would like any of these photos, I have included them all at full resoloution, as well as a zip containing them all, here :-

http://www.braunstonemotorproject.co.uk/photos

Its been great to hear everyone comments on the day, cant remember having more fun.

PS best photo must go to Ernie lifting up dan chi sau, great snap.

have fun

Dan

ps Im just uploading the pics now, and sometimes it takes a few mins to switch over.

[Dan_chi_sau]

........i need to eat more....