Events of the last days in Alpe-Adria 2019: (Report by Sieglinde)


Of course, we have not only travelled “just for fun” in Croatia, but we must always do something special. So every morning at 09:00, Sebastian allowed us to start the day with “wake up” yoga. For almost 20 minutes, almost all the muscles of the body are consciously (or unconsciously moved for those who were not really awake)!
Thank you Sebastian, it was a wonderful experience for us. (10 to 15 participants)


Then we had a break of 30 minutes before hearing Bärbel’s tender voice and participating in the show perfectly composed of Qigong. Everything seems light and airy, not only do my sore muscles say a lot! Thanks to Bärbel, she actually managed to get many of us to practice more Qigong in the future! Thank you Bärbel, it was great! (12 to 18 participants)


Now, in fact, an extended break has been announced until 3 pm allowing us to swim and sunbath! The time had come for Eckhard to introduce us to the secrets of creative dance. For almost an hour, we were once again able to determine where the muscles are in our body. Apart from that, and with his charming, almost timid nature, Eckhard brought back things that we had forgotten a long time ago. We have consciously experienced ourselves, are frolics like young children and have learned to confide in strangers while having fun endlessly. Thank you Eckhard it was unique. (18 to 24 participants)

And our day of activities was far from being over! At 17:00, Sebastian spoiled us with a healthy yoga! It was really a good end of the day. He really made it easy by letting us spend 45 minutes with singing bowls and other instruments so that everything was refreshed, relaxed and in a good mood for dinner.
Thank you Sebastian, it was a masterpiece! (22 to 34 participants)

With all the positive and imaginable energies, we will start tomorrow our sports activities: off-road racing, pedal boat, tug of war, ping-pong, mountain bike, volleyball and beach volleyball, chess and petanque! Until Saturday night, we can do it!

 

Alpe Adria 2019 – Impressions by Tanja (FENHU)

It’s good to be here. The banner in front of the venue said it all. INF-FNI is giving us the treat again. FKK Solaris camping and apartments welcomed us excellent as always – the sea, the views, the staff, the food, the shade, the pool, the people, and the games! All of us came from different countries: Italy, Switzerland, Slovenia, Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Hungary, Serbia and India to participate in the meeting held in this wonderful place in Solaris, Croatia. This time our host has done everything to make our presence more interesting – it brought few very interesting people to stay with us for some time and share with us their special skills in order to give us some interesting moments and reinforce our inner peace before the games.

Let’s start with our morning routine. Waking up with Sebastian and nude morning Hatha Yoga was the most successful waking up, but afternoon’s Sound Yoga was even better. He said: “Bring everything you need to be comfortable (matt, blanket, cushion…)” Gentle Yoga practice naked outside joined us on our daily journey waking up our bodies and spirits. All we had to do is to accept that even beginners could do Yoga with some basic knowledge. This helped us and gave us “inner focus on what really matters”.

In his camper he is enjoying life of a naturist. He is a certified Yoga teacher, as well as a Music Producer, studied “Sound Healing” with “Santa Ratna Shakya” in Nepal – and “Sound Massage” with Peter Hess in Germany. He is the world traveler. Sometimes this young-looking Berliner just drops by into his hometown, in which (he admitted himself) never climbed up one of the main city’s landmarks – TV tower at “Alexanderplatz” he lives nearby…

Time to relax! In the evening we let Sebastian invite us to a new journey with Nepalese Singing Bowls Meditation (and other instruments): “There is nothing to do – nowhere to go – just Be.” We were just laying on our blankets on the grass, letting these heavenly sounds lead us to another world – we were inside nature, deep down under it, “trapped” with long straws of grass as it was surrounding us. Our eyes were closed and we almost felt like we are flying on Aladin’s magic carpet.

Still outdoors, naked, feeling the breeze under the trees of Sport Center, Qi Gong workshops gave us moments of peace, moments of feeling our own energy flowing inside us, moments of mindfulness, leading us in connecting with ourselves and our physical body, teaching us “Simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures. Simple in actions and thoughts, you return to the source of being” (www.taichisfera.com). Bärbel gave us that precious present.

After workshops have been finished the instructor gave us paper pamphlet of the method she is performing “Lift Chi Up – Pour Chi Down” of Zhineng Qi Gong (Zhi = wisdom, Neng = potential, Qi = life essence, life energy, life force, Gong = work, exercise, which is quick-to-learn, easy-to-move shape with visualization and affirmations. On the cover of it I saw one familiar German family name and asked her if she knew a man called Berend with the same last name? She replied: “Oh, Yes. I do. It’s my Hubby”. I smiled: “I would like to meet him. Do you know if he would like to meet me?”. “Oh, yes, I think he does“, she replied and smiled. It took two minutes only to happen. I turned around and saw a man with big smile and even bigger smiling eyes standing in front of me: “Berend, I am so happy to meet you, at last”. The feeling was mutual, and it felt like we both have just found long lost distant cousin we have never met before, yet so close, for we were members of the same family called INF-FNI Members.

Still naked an early afternoon workshop invited us to feel free as birds – flying, swirling, rolling, gliding and dancing like we never danced before. We had an opportunity to feel the freedom in it’s full. This was Creative Dancing workshop orchestrated by Eckhart, where his light choreographies made us feel trust and closeness for each other, made us feel joy of moving through the rhythm. “Eckhart is an enthusiastic dancer and naturist and will bring both passions together. Dance experience – Let’s dance with the wind in the trees and with the waves on the beach. Let’s dance to words, pictures, imaginations, music, clapping and drumming. Have the heart to do it and have an exciting adventure.” At the end we waltz together there, out in the nature with divine “Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain” song.

Games started – lot of fun, lots of smiles, plenty of laughs, some sweat (not in chess, of course), some cheering helped, and some could not. Even if you lose – you will win! I participated in chess competition and lost all of the games I competed in. It was the last place N° 6 for me. Rosita comforted me with words: “N° 6 is very good position!”, and winked. We all laughed out loud. I said that I got the place of my favorite number, so this way I received my reward. Thank you Universe for we shall treasure this moment forever! Maybe one day I will talk about how I won 6th place at Alpe Adria competition in chess, but I will never tell anyone how many competitors were there. And I have lots of nice photos from the competition to prove my words! 🙂

As my other participation in the games I was in women team in Pedal, we didn’t get the medal for one good reason. First turn we performed fine, but after that Francine and I had so much fun, screaming from laughter passing each other the steering rod, that on the second turn we almost forgot to pedal. For us it was the best race ever, the medal was on our second place of importance (sorry INF-FNI). We returned to the starting position holding hands, as we became good friends. At the end can you tell me, did we win or did we lose?

One day I saw an interesting sight near the Sports Center – you could see in a distance Jean and Sylvie riding a big scooter motorbike. The next day he came to the games on his small one man electrical trottinette. That man is amazing! Is there some motorized vehicle that this man cannot fly, drive or ride? I am imagining that someday he could get out of one of those small James Bond submarines and when asked if he could dive it, he would reply on one of many languages that he is speaking in his own humble way: “Oh, well, it’s nothing…”

I’ve met Nevio, the Italian gentlemen, so dignified and kind that these impressions are spreading around him like waves.

As for Rosita, the person with gentle but sparkling personality like hers I would like to meet again, and again, and again… It’s a blessing every time.

And there was Nevia, beautiful young woman the member of the animation team, resembles a butterfly but she is very responsible manager who’s politeness goes beyond working duties, and with whom I shared few minutes of friendly chat both times I’ve visited Solaris.

In pool restaurant “Sidro”, Bernard and Igor’s hospitality brought me freshness with “Radler” many times when I needed it the most… Tasty grilled calamari… Excellent ice cream and pancakes with blueberries…

The princess of the event was young Darina who played chess like a pro, and at a duels matches of Table Tennis she played alongside her father like a grown up.

I met Franca again, for I remember that we all danced joyful all of us holding hands in a circle at our last evening in 2018. This time her husband was there also. Lele was there, whom I met more than once. It was nice seeing them all again.

Slovenians had the largest number of participants, the largest number of couples, the largest number of doubled names, largest number of medals, two very special dogs (Edo’s Ron, the guardian angel of RV’s, tents and his own special people, and Minja’s dog Tara, rescued in Bosnia, planned to be kept for brief but felt in love with and kept forever), one special mother with one equally special daughter, and for all those figures deserved to receive the largest trophy at the end. Once at their camp site Mimi and Maya offered me a sandwich to refresh and continue the day. That was so nice.

Medals presentation ceremony was arranged in Sport Center, of course, in the shadows of big trees, outdoors, on the place where majority of sport games was taking place. Sieglinde said several welcoming words and then gave the word to other people that helped managing the games. Janos named medal winners one by one, and Gianfranco had one special announcement. He did it passionately in his own style that people behind the scene should be mentioned, and one of them is certainly Peters Jean who’s work and dedication is not visible but should be acknowledged. We all agreed to that.

As they finished, there were some special people that were to be awarded and Sieglinde proudly presented three instructors that were giving workshops for the first three days, whose expert guidance and teachings made our presence special.

As she was holding six special medals in her hands, there must have been more special people around. One of them was a participant that came all the way from far away India and deserved special honorable medal for crossing the largest number of kilometers to reach Alpe Adria, about 20.000 Km both ways. Other special participants were Sasha and Julien, which are representing the example of real benefits of implementing naturism in working with disabled people, and how this is making people in need feel better in their own everyday living and working.

Janos was awarded with a statue by Sieglinde for bringing medals to Solaris and especially for managing many sport classes professionally for many years.

At the end of Alpe Adria it was the same as it was at the beginning – this was all about People, so ordinary, yet so exceptional. We salute to them!

 

Meeting with the Sport responsible A-A 2019 held on 17th June at 10 o’clock. (By Jean)

Present: Sieglinde, Jean (INF-FNI), Lele (FENAIT), Maja (ZDNS), Janos et Kristian, (FENHU) Rosita & Gianfranco (LNV), Anita & Ksenija (Valamar).

Sieglinde opens the meeting at 10:10 hrs.

She informs the audience that this meeting will again last 7 days (from 7th to 14th June 2020). including Qigong, Yoga etc.. during several days. This allows us to split the games over several days, Yoga etc.. in the morning and one or two games in the afternoon. The Sport Centre will then be the place for our opening ceremony, the games, and our closure with price giving so that everyone is aware of the right location.

To enable people from the campsite to join us, we will print out all posters and distribute them all over the campsite. She thanks SOLARIS for their kind assistance and asks if there are questions.

Janos presents the upcoming young president of FENHU and mentioned some problems about time keeping of pedalos.

Jean replies that normally the EuNat Sport officer Angela Russell is handling this, but she could not come for personal reasons. In this case, she should provide a substitute.

Sieglinde asks Janos if he is willing to provide the cups and medals again for the next meeting. He agrees.

Kristian: I have no proposal, I’m new here…

Rosita: Thanks to Solaris for their assistance.

Sieglinde asks Gianfranco if he is willing to organize the Petanque next year. He agrees and promises to bring more competitors from Italy.

Maja: Complains about waiting time at Petanque and proposes to postpone the start at 17:00 in case of high temperatures. She also suggests in that case that someone should bring drinks to the field and eventually moisten the playgrounds.

Sieglinde says that bringing drinks is up to the team leader, but moistening the playgrounds is not acceptable for playing. (Wet for the ones, dry for the others?)

Maja complains about time keeping held by Jean for the pedalo.

Jean: I heard someone complaining rather loud and not in a polite way, but the reason was unknown to me and there was no further comment.

Maja: The actuals times should not be kept secret but should displayed in real time on a scoreboard.

Jean: No, should be kept secret until price giving. Concerning your special complain about a recorded time: The time keeping was correct and was even checked by Sunil sitting aside me. I don’t understand this complain, because our Sport Officer proceeded in the same way last year and there was no complain from you.

Sieglinde says that we don’t have the time and a person who could do this. If you are willing to do it next year, just go ahead. (Some more discussions about this procedure)

Sieglinde interrupts this discussion and says: If you want to do this, you may do it.

Concerning a scoreboard: Solaris can provide such a scoreboard, but they need the names of the participants well in advance to complete it. This concerns only Pedalo and Pétanque).

Jean: And that’s the problem: E.g.: I got the list from ZDNS only some hours prior to the competition!

Sieglinde: As I said before: Concerning the posters, we will print them out and place them some days before over the campsite.

Rosita to Maja: Please consider that the AA games are just for fun, and no Olympics.

Maja complains that the beach and volley ball fields were in bad shape or not prepared.

Jean: The beach volley ball was schedules at 5 pm and the animation team was not informed about the time change. At 10 am, the Solaris team was there to fix the BVB field.

Maja: The Tug-of-War rope was also missing on the first day and this game had to be cancelled therefore.

Sieglinde to Maja. Last year, this rope was at the Sport Center and was provided by the Solaris animation team. But this year, there was no animation team at Solaris until 1st July for unknown reasons to us. The team found the rope next day, but then it was too late.

Maja also proposes to hold the opening ceremony again at the restaurant with some music and drinks.

Sieglinde says that this was our decision; it’s our meeting and we will not do this again for financial reasons. As I said before, everything is held at the Sport Center.

Maja complains about the medals, wants a change and is interrupted by Gianfranco (3 people speaking together, unreadable)

Jean answers Gianfranco about this proposed change and is waiting for a proposal from Maja

Maja proposes to replace the medals by diplomas and / or some local gifts from Istra.

Sieglinde: Who will issue these documents and buy the gifts? And it’s a question of budget!

Maja proposes to change the promotion of this event to attract more people. (Newspapers, assistance from Solaris etc..)

Jean: It was published in our EuNat download section and in the EuNat / INF-FNI event calendar available to more than 150’000 INF-FNI members, on Facebook by Rosita etc. So what more could we do?

Valamar: We are very proud that you are here on our campsite and that you had a nice time. About the marketing and the promotion of Alpe-Adria, this has to be done at a higher level, not at Solaris. We are not enabled to take a decision about promotion in the VALAMAR Company. Every proposal for promotion has to come from the upper board.

After some more discussions not relevant to this meeting, Sieglinde closes the meeting at 10:50. She wishes to see you all next year at this place or on other EuNat meeting.

** END **

28/06/2019

(Jean)