David is stuck in the traffic jam while I am writing this Daily. He is traveling from Gent to Den Bosch and after three and a half hours has still not passed Antwerp. Usually that distance takes less than an hour. The original plan was to collect me and go to the South of Holland to meet Gerald a friend of David. I have the suspicion that we may have to change our plans and stay another night in the monastery where I am staying at the moment thanks to the hospitality of a sangha member Ines, from Zen Centrum Den Bosch. I am having a very pleasant stay. I have had some nice conversations with Inés about her life, her work as a shiatsu therapist and counsellor, and about one of my favourite subjects, love and relationships.
The monastery is in fact an 'ex-monastery'. The building is now used by a community of 12 women. Sometimes there is a man living in the monastery but he has always 'less' right to live here than the female inhabitants. Once a year the women vote if the male inhabitant is allowed to stay. Inés told me that they have recently had a discussion about giving the man equal rights, but the man involved seems to be very content with his position and prefers to keep the rights as they are, because it is so unique to live in a women's community. Why am I not surprised... ;-)
Around 8pm David arrived and we decided to go on to Valkenburg as planned.
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