A kick above the rest

As a councillor I receive lots of invitations to events. Most of them I can't go because my diary is so full, to but its nice to be asked. Even if I am "free" on a Saturday evening however, I rarely go to things on a because that's family time and I don't get nearly enough of that.

Then every so often invitation comes along for a Saturday that intrigues me as happened tonight. I was asked to attend the Scottish show and championships for Kok Sool Won "martial art and for reasons that I can't explain, I agreed to attend.

I knew nothing about it but learned today that it is Korean in origin and was founded by one In Hyuk Su. He is the grandmaster... and he was there. In his 80s but seriously fit.

It was a brilliant event. A combination of ancient, almost liturgical ritual, dedicated training, discipline, agility that would have graced a gymnastics stage, energy and passion from the young people and more than a little humour.

I was glad I was not out there when they were swishing swords or breaking bits of wood with various parts of their anatomy but it I was very impressed.

It also made a change to go into a hall full of people in meadowbank stadium and get applauded... but that's another story altogether!