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may 30 marked 2 years in germany. to commemorate the occasion i spent some time looking back at pictures from when we first arrived, and honestly, was completely freaked out. i actually still have a physical reaction when i think about those first few days – terrified is the best word to describe it. i was TERRIFIED. we were running on no sleep, no friends, no idea where to eat, no clue about the language or rules of the road or anything. i still remember so clearly my first reaction when we landed at the nuremberg airport … i have ruined our lives. 

thank god the story has a different ending. that deep-rooted fear only lasted for a moment in time, and while it’s still as fresh in my mind and heart as if it were yesterday, i gratefully have a much different perspective. i can’t yet laugh about that first terrifying week (i still get queasy when i think about it), but i can smile at those memories, and can send a reassuring whisper back to my scared self, “don’t worry. it all works out. and it’s AMAZING.” 

it really is amazing here. i still sometimes pause in wonder and awe at the life we’ve built, all the way across the world. it’s still hard, and scary, and can be overwhelming beyond measure. but it’s also beautiful. there is beauty in the friends we’ve met, the journeys we’ve made, the things we’ve seen. there’s beauty in knowing wen and i are living a life of no regrets … of saying, “yes!” and “let’s go!” and running away from fear and towards adventure.

i know germany is just one chapter of our story. one day we’ll pack up this apartment and all of our things and stories and memories and head … somewhere. we have no idea what’s next, or where, or when, but for now, we’re going to life this jourmany fully, beautifully, entirely.

xo from nuremberg.

there’s this concept in germany (which extends to austria and switzerland as well) of the “wellness hotel.” part spa, part retreat, part camp. europeans truly do have the whole balance thing nailed so much better than us americans. not only recognizing the need for a little pampering, but giving in to that need in its fullest expression. an afternoon at the spa isn’t quite enough (just like one week of vacation isn’t enough … you’re only going for ONE WEEK? why bother, then!?). but of course there are times when 2 full weeks (or 3!) isn’t possible, so at these moments the natives head off for a little wellness.

i’ve been dying to go and try one out, so our impromptu road trip to salzburg seemed the perfect excuse to book a night and see what all the fuss is about. THE FUSS IS ABOUT PURE AMAZING. we randomly picked one off the internet (hotel gut ising) that looked pretty, simple, clean. the pictures LIED – it was beyond wellness, more like awesomeness or fabness.  lush green grass, trails to walk around the grounds, a heated outdoor poor that started indoors (automatic sliding glass doors between the inside & outside portions – yes, please). a beautiful little chapel. a park, horses, a plate with fresh pears and gummy bears waiting for us in our room (pears and gummy bears?! genius).  and just a few kilometers from the chiemsee, a beautiful lake near munich.

it was the quickest wellness experience ever had in germany (you’re only here for ONE NIGHT!?).  well let me tell you, for this american, 24 hours of wellness was enough to leave its mark. pure happyness.

auf weidersehen, hotel gut ising. ciao until the next.