-- Announcement -- Treeleaf Sangha Winter Retreat 2011

[Myoku]

Re: -- Announcement -- Treeleaf Sangha Winter Retreat 2011

This weekend I booked my trains; leaving early morning 27th I will arrive at the monastery around 4 pm. The train home leaves at 4:30 pm the 30th, so if the schedule is still valid I should be able to attend the full retreat. So I'm not staying at a hotel at all.

[Dokan]

Re: -- Announcement -- Treeleaf Sangha Winter Retreat 2011

Hi,
Has anyone decided yet where they are going to stay the night the retreat ends? Be nice to stay in the same place.
Gassho

Hi Soen!

I have not booked anything yet. Kind of waiting to see what Jinyu says about it. But yes, let's try to stay at the same place, or at least nearby. I was thinking in city centre just for convenience sake.

g

s

[Taigu]

Re: -- Announcement -- Treeleaf Sangha Winter Retreat 2011

Same here Shawn.
we are waiting for Jinyu's suggestions,


gassho


Taigu

[Hans]

Re: -- Announcement -- Treeleaf Sangha Winter Retreat 2011

Hello everyone,

in case we don't hear from Jinyu in the next couple of days, may I be so bold as to self appoint myself as the "Hotel Recommender"? My wife knows quite a few people from the Brussels area and could make some enquiries over the weekend.

If you don't mind Taigu I will also give the abbey a call next week (since I speak Dutch) to see whether all is still well booking wise. I completely trust Jinyu to have confirmed the booking by the way, but with the way the "non-communication" is/isn't working right now, I'd like to cover all bases with your permission.

Btw. I can carry three little round cushion wedge things with me, in case there are no zafu....these thingies are not as good as real zafu, but will do the trick unless one needs really "high" zafu.


Gassho,

Hans Chudo Mongen

[Taigu]

Re: -- Announcement -- Treeleaf Sangha Winter Retreat 2011

Thank you so much, Mongen, yes let s wait a few days and go ahead. We are all waiting for Jinyu s imput but for now, no news. I hope he is safe and sound. Rimon, what about the kitchen?

Gassho

Taigu

[Jinyu]

Re: -- Announcement -- Treeleaf Sangha Winter Retreat 2011

Hi everyone,

Again I'm terribly sorry for non giving news. I've no excuse, no other than everyone has: work, family, money problems deceases...

This experience of organizing a retreat is a terrible Revelation of my problems in organizing such an event with partners being so far. Again this is all my bad, but I assume everything and I'll give all the time I can from now to assure that this retreat will be a success. I asked to my boss a new schedule mainly centered in Brussels with less hours by train, but still a full schedule. That way I hope I won't be so exhausted by long trains and buses trips and that I'll be more "online".

Anyway, Let be clear that the abbey is rented and that there will be no problem with that, a part of the renting price is already payed and the rest will be paid when the retreat begins.

For now, we desperately need zafus and zabutons. I'm also trying to get as much carpets I can to put on the floor who will be quite cold in the winter. These are my main concerns for now.

Concerning Hotels. I suggest indeed to sleep downtown in Brussels the day before.
I've seen two categories of Hotels.

One is around 50 to 80 Euros a night breakfast included, and are in big hotels for one single room with shower. These are near the center and the train stations needed to go to Kortenberg.
There are also rooms in small hotels or youth hostels around 37 to 50 Euros for a room with single bed and breakfast. An Hotel - Youth hostel is particularly interesting because it is in the city center and it too expensive, it is also next to the 'North station'.
If some want to eventually take a double room it is particularly interesting in these Hostels (Sleep Well and Van Gogh both in the main center and cheap and clean!)

http://www.chab.be/ModsUK.html
http://www.sleepwell.be/en/prices-youth-hostel-brussels

For normal Hotels it is as I said around 50 and 80 (up to 150 Euros).

There are available almost everywhere...
http://www.ibishotel.com/fr/hotel-1454- ... ndex.shtml
http://www.hotelducongres.be/ang/rooms.php
http://www.hotel-saint-michel.be/fr/nos-chambres/

Here is a very beautifull small hotel not (too) expensive, a very nice experience: http://www.hoteldelamadeleine.com/
Here is a nice "design hotel" with rooms around 60 to 80 euros for that period.

One thing that could be nice to make a reservation is to see if there is one or more hotels that suits you and to make group reservations (sometimes it is possible to have a special price doing so), or maybe some people will think about getting a double room... brief, here are some possibilities.

I'll be around this post and the Forum almost everyday from now on to the retreat beggining, so I hope to have your reactions soon!

Have a very nice day everyone!
gassho,
Jinyu
ps: Thank you Mongen, Soen, Rimon, Taigu, Fugen, ... I mean everyone!

[Myoku]

Re: -- Announcement -- Treeleaf Sangha Winter Retreat 2011

For now, we desperately need zafus and zabutons. I'm also trying to get as much carpets I can to put on the floor who will be quite cold in the winter. These are my main concerns for now.

Thank you Jinyu,
I've planned to bring my own bench and zabuton; maybe others intended to bring their own too and there is no or only a small problem ?
_()_
Peter

[Myozan Kodo]

Re: -- Announcement -- Treeleaf Sangha Winter Retreat 2011

Hi all,
I will also bring my own zafu and zabuton, so I will not need one. I guess the most important practical issues are:

Will the place be warm enough in winter? What degrees Celcius do you think the zendo is? We don't want anyone getting really sick!

If we all bring our own sleeping bag is there a bed or something to sleep on?

Are there facilities for washing? Hot or cold water?

Will there be meals?

Once the basics are ok then the rest will follow.

Gassho

Ps: Shawn, I guess you will need adapters and the like for European sockets?

[Jinyu]

Re: -- Announcement -- Treeleaf Sangha Winter Retreat 2011

Hi!

To answer to some questions:
The place is heathen (radiators) but the rooms are quite big and the building is old. By what I understood we are free to manage the radiators as we want (I'll send an email to be sure).

For the moment, despite the flyers we sent in all the Zen/Chan/Son Sanghas I know in the country and abroad, no one asked me to come with us.
So, for the moment, everyone could have a bed!
The sleeping bags and mats are crucial for people who will sleep on the floor (not needed for the moment because there are not a lot of persons who subscribe to come). On the other hand, even for people sleeping in beds, there are no (not a lot) of blankets and everything, so it would be easier if everyone has his own. Now, I can bring it for some people if there are just "some" folks who can't bring these "cumbersome things".

There is hot water in the building and the toilets and showers are at the same floor as the rooms we'll sleep in.

For the meals, a tasty menu has been made in collaboration with Rimon and I'll buy the things needed a few days before the retreat, I will not buy things too soon because we don't know how many people will be eating.

I hope i answered these questions, if you folks have other questions or need to know anything, just ask!

Thank you again to everyone!
Have a very nice day!

gassho,
Jinyu

[Myoku]

Re: -- Announcement -- Treeleaf Sangha Winter Retreat 2011

Thank you Jinyu,
I doubt radiators will make it "nice and warm", so better bring some extra pullover
_()_
Peter

[Dokan]

Re: -- Announcement -- Treeleaf Sangha Winter Retreat 2011

Thank you Jinyu for follow up!

I will be self-sufficient (except for food). I will bring my own zafu, sleeping bag and warm clothes..maybe even my zabuton if it'll fit.

Thanks for the tips on the hotels. I will look into the ones you suggested. Are any of those four you listed closer to the centre than others? The Hotel de la Madeleine is quite nice and seems central.

Lastly, could your sitting group use zafu/zabuton donation? Maybe at the end of the retreat I could donate mine so that I can load up on chocolate and beer.

Thanks again Jinyu!

Gassho,

s

[Myozan Kodo]

Re: -- Announcement -- Treeleaf Sangha Winter Retreat 2011

Thanks Jinyu.
Looking forward to meeting you all. I'll bring warm cloths too. I remember how very cold Belgium can be in December. Especially when sitting still for hours!

Shawn, let me know what hotel you go for.

Gassho

[Jinyu]

Re: -- Announcement -- Treeleaf Sangha Winter Retreat 2011

Hi everyone!

Are any of those four you listed closer to the centre than others?

Well, not really, all of them are in the city center! The farther you can be from a train station is 10 minutes (walking).
But the hotel you pointed too is particularly close to the beautiful "Grand-place".
i can suggest a few things to see in Brussels for before or after the retreat is people have some hourse to spend in the city center.
I'll hope that we'll be able, for the ones coming one or two days before, to have a local dinner and visit a bit the city and his beers!

Lastly, could your sitting group use zafu/zabuton donation?

Of course yes, for the moment "my" sitting group is gathering in a house with carpets and everyone bring his own zafu or blanket, but it could be useful of course!
I'm planning to rent a small place next year to serve as a permanent little zendo... but prices are CRAZY in Brussels's city center!

But it is true that the winter can be very cold... we use to say that Belgium isn't Siberia... you don't freeze or anything, but when you feel you are cold... it is too late because the feelings keeps all day! So, big pullovers for everyone!

Have a nice day everyone!
big gassho,
Jinyu

[Hans]

Re: -- Announcement -- Treeleaf Sangha Winter Retreat 2011

Hello,

I thought it might be useful to know how to check for train times once you are in Brussels.

If I understood correctly, you can go to the following site ( i already indicated "English" in the link):

http://www.b-rail.be/main/E/


and enter Brussel Centraal (that is the main station in Brussels) as your FROM point of origin


and I assume you just enter Kortenberg as the TO point meaning your destination

You can also enter the date and time of your departure etc.

Now, I have never been to this abbey, but I think Kortenberg should be the right stop anyhow.


Hope this helps a bit.


Gassho and regards,


Hans Chudo Mongen

[Jinyu]

Re: -- Announcement -- Treeleaf Sangha Winter Retreat 2011

Now, I have never been to this abbey, but I think Kortenberg should be the right stop anyhow.

Yes Hans! Schedules are also in every train stations of course, and it is also possible to ask to "train staff" wearing grey or red clothes with a big "B" on their chest! :wink:
anyway, Thank you!

gassho,
Jinyu