OSMTH Spring Meetings. Thursday, April 28 to Sunday, May 1, Mechelen, Belgium (very close to Brussels)

Transcription

1 OSMTH Spring Meetings Thursday, April 28 to Sunday, May 1, 2011 Mechelen, Belgium (very close to Brussels) Best Western Hotel Restaurant Gulden Anker (****) Brusselsesteenweg 2, 2800 Mechelen Good to know: 1. Easter is on Sunday, April Distance from Brussels Airport to the hotel is only 19 km (12 miles), a 17-minute drive via highway. 3. Belgian Knights and Dames will pick up on Thursday at and bring back on Sunday to the airport and the railway station. 4. The hotel has 34 rooms, which are all reserved for OSMTH, which means we are the only guests of the hotel. 5. English pages of the website of the hotel: 6. All 34 rooms feature 4-star comfort, including: bath/shower, WC, color-tv with in-house movie, telephone, mini-bar, air conditioning, coffee/tea, hairdryer. Every room has analogue and wireless internet access connection. 7. If we need more rooms, they are available at the next hotel (500 meters), a 5-minute walk. A pickup by our members and guests and will be arranged if there is rain. 8. The Priory of Belgium asks for a very moderate fee of 50 Euro. 9. For eventual attending partners: a. No fee has to be paid. b. The centre of the city Mechelen is on a 10-minute walk. c. The centre of Brussels or Antwerp can be reached by train in 15 minutes. Rates (which are fixed for April): all taxes, services and VAT are included. Rooms Single room: 78 Euro Double or twin room: 94 Euro These special rates are per room, per night, buffet breakfast for 1 or 2 persons included. Thursday, April 28: 1. For early arrivals: lunch of varied cold dish with among others smoked salmon, tomato filled with shrimp, non-alcoholic drinks included: 18 Euro. 2. Three- course dinner (fish as first course, meat as main course, dessert, water, a half bottle of wine, coffee with sweets (biscuits, pralines, etc.) included: 40 Euro. Friday, April 29: 1. Day seminar with sandwich buffet: 25 Euro. 2. Templars at other hotels will pay the desk on the day of participation. 3. Meeting mints and water (still or sparkling) will be on the table.

2 4. The lunch consists of buffet with sandwiches, charcuterie (ham, cheese, sausage and pâté), salads (crayfish salad, minced-meat and chicken-curry salad) and cold vegetables, fresh fruit salad and non-alcoholic drinks included. 5. Coffee break in the afternoon (buffet). 6. Three-course dinner (meat as first, fish as main course, dessert, water, a half bottle of wine, coffee with sweets (biscuits, pralines...) included: 45 Euro. Saturday, April 30: Day seminar with sandwich buffet: 25 Euro. 1. Templars at other hotels will pay the desk on the day of participation. 2. Meeting mints and water (still or sparkling) will be on the table. 3. Coffee-break in the forenoon (buffet). 4. The lunch consists of buffet with sandwiches, charcuterie (ham, cheese, sausage and pâté), salads (crayfish salad, minced-meat and chicken-curry salad) and cold vegetables, fresh fruit salad and non-alcoholic drinks included. 5. Coffee break in the afternoon (buffet). Reception and Banquet: 60 Euro. 1. Reception: a glass of Blanquette de Limoux sparkling wine (or fruit juice for guests who prefer an alcohol-free beverage) and cocktail snacks. 2. Banquet: four-course market menu with meat as the main course, half-bottle of wine, water, coffee with sweets (biscuits, pralines, etc.) included. Sunday, May 1: Departure after breakfast. Belgian Knights and Dames will bring you to the airport or the railway station.

3 Convent and Hotel Registration OSMTH Spring Meeting Mechelen, Belgium, April, 28 May 1, 2011 Last Name: Country: First Name: Grand Priory: Military Rank or Title: Templar Rank: Address: Templar Position: address: Home Phone: Cell Phone: Spouse or Guest: Special Needs: Hotel (do not contact the hotel directly): the Grand Priory of Belgium will make your reservation and provide you the confirmation number. Date of arrival: 04/ /2011 Date of departure: 05/ /2011 Number of nights: Luxury Room (single) at 78 Euro/night, breakfast included: nights Luxury Room (double) at 94 Euro/night / room, breakfast for two persons included: nights Meals and Conferences 195 Euro (all prices include VAT and services) Thursday, April 28: Dinner (40 Euro) Friday, April 29: Day seminar with sandwich buffet (25 Euro) and Dinner (45 Euro) Saturday, April 30: Day seminar with sandwich buffet (25 Euro) and Reception and Banquet (60 Euro) REGISTRATION FEE at 50 Euro (to be paid ASAP): through bank transfer to the account of Priorij van België VZW IBAN: BE BIC: KEYTBEBB through PayPal to thys.leo@telenet.be I (we) will arrive by plane and wish to be picked up at Brussels airport at : (a.m. / p.m.) by train and wish to be picked up at the railway station of Mechelen at : (a.m. / p.m.) by own car PLEASE COMPLETED FORM TO: thys.leo@telenet.be OR MAIL COMPLETED FORM TO: Chev. Leo Thys, GOTJ Vlinderweg 19 BE 2360 Oud-Turnhout Belgium

4 The Exciting Flemish Prior s Tour Enjoy the highlights of Belgium in four days with The Exciting Flemish Prior s Tour, together with all your fellow Templar friends in a sphere of brotherhood. Visit Mechelen, Waterloo, Brussels, Ypres, Dixmude, Bruges and Ghent for a very reasonable price. The Prior s Tour will start on Sunday, May 1 at the end of the OSMTH Spring Meeting, at Mechelen, Belgium. Day One - Sunday, May 1, 2011: Mechelen and Waterloo 09:30 Guided visit of Mechelen, the religious capital of Belgium, where the Archbishop of Belgium resides. We start with a boat trip of 45 minutes on the river Dijle. Afterwards we make a city walk of two hours during we taste two exciting local Belgium beers. 12:30 Free lunch at the beautiful Flemish Market Square in Mechelen, followed by a tour of Mechelen Waterloo and St. Rumbold s Cathedral Hill with the Lion. 15:00 Guided visit of Waterloo: Hill with the Lion, 2 films, Waxworks and Panorama 19:00 Diner in an exciting old restaurant, close to the Cathedral in Mechelen 22:00 Extra night in our Meeting Hotel Het Gulden Anker (you pay the special rate of 78 Euro for a single room or 94 Euro for a double room, including breakfast). Day Two - Monday, May 2: Brussels and Ypres 08:30 Departure from Mechelen 09:15 Arrival in Brussels and brief shopping 10:00 Guided visit of the centre of Brussels, Capital of the Flanders, Belgium and Europe 12:00 Free lunch on the world-famous Market Square of Brussels, followed by shopping 14:00 Departure for Ypres and the Market Square, Town Hall, Cloth Hall and In Flanders Field Museum 15:30 Exciting time to drink the best beer of the world (Trappist of Westvleteren) on a pavement of a Flemish pub on the Market Square of Ypres. 16:00 Guided visit of the unique In Flanders Field Museum at Ypres (World War I) 18:00 Dinner in the cozy Old Tom restaurant in the centre of Ypres 20:00 We attend the unique Last Post (daily execution since the end of World War I) 20:25 Departure to Lampernisse, where we arrive at 9 p.m. for a two-day stay at the medieval Farm Hotel Bladelijn, home of Chev. Guido Steenkiste, KCTJ, one of our two Belgian Commanders. It is a very unique and exciting experience. Day Three - Tuesday, May 3, 2011: Dixmude and Bruges 08:15 Departure from Lampernisse 08:30 Guided visit of the IJzertower and the Paxgetaway at Dixmude 09:00 Short walk from the centre of Dixmude to the Beguinage of Dixmude 09:30 Guided tour of the wonderful beautiful and peaceful German cemetery at Vladslo (World War I) 10: 00 Departure for Bruges 11:00 Shopping time and lunch (included with tour) 14:00 Guided tour of the centre of exciting and splendid Bruges. 16:15 Round trip boat excursion on the picturesque city canals of Bruges. This is the same tour that Grand Master Emeritus James J. Carey led nine years ago on April 30, 2002, when we held the OSMTH Spring Meeting in Dixmude Stuivekenskerke 17:00 Shopping time in Bruges 18:00 Departure for the Farm Hotel Bladelijn at Lampernisse 19:00 Dinner in the hotel

5 Day Four - Wednesday, May 4: Ghent and Brussels Airport 08:15 Departure at Lampernisse 09:30 Guided visit of the centre of Ghent, perhaps the most beautiful city in Belgium. It is a last unique and exciting experience of our tour. 11:30 Time for shopping and lunch (included with tour) 14:00 Departure for the Brussels Airport 15:00 Arrival at Brussels Airport 16:00 Arrival at Mechelen for those of you who want to stay longer in Belgium (at their normal hotel rates, which are 30 % higher than what you will pay during the Spring Meeting) What is the price of this tour and what is included? 1. An extra night at your hotel in Mechelen at the special rate of 78 (single room) or 94 (double room). 2. A deposit of 75 is due in January, 2011 when we have confirmed to you that there is enough room on the tour. 3. Your final payment is due by the end of March (277 if you pay with bank transfer; 295 if you pay through PayPal or a late payment of 300 if you pay cash on April 28, the first day of the Spring Meeting). Checks are not accepted. What is included in the total price of 352, or 370 or 375? The hotel cost during the 2 nd and 3 rd nights of the trip All breakfasts All transfers by coach Three dinners All admission fees Two boat trips Eight guided guides All taxes All services How and When to book? Booking needs to be completed as soon as possible, as space is very limited. You will receive a definitive confirmation in January. Booking is very easy, as you need only to send an to Chev. Leo Thys, Prior of the Priory of Belgium at thys.leo@telenet.be and let him know that you plan to join this Exciting Flemish Prior s Tour with person(s).