October Break- Germany and France

The rest of our October break was everything we could have hoped for. Having a week off this time of year, taking a 3 hour flight, and not experiencing any jet lag is one of the perks of our new lifestyle. While we work hard, the benefits of nearby travel make it all worth it. 

After replenishing ourselves in the Black Forest and the thermal baths two days in a row, we ventured to see friends and family. Our first stop was visiting Alina, her partner Anna, and her daughter, Frieda in Großkrotzenburg, which is outside of Frankfurt. Alina was our exchange student in 2009, crazy to think how long ago that was. While visiting, we were also able to take in a Frankfurt professional soccer game (a definite highlight for Mike). 

After two days with Alina, we traveled just outside of Koln to visit Mike’s relatives Christine, Herbert and their two sons Marcus and Phillip. Unfortunately, Herbert was in assisted living, recovering after a fall and broken hip. We stayed with Phillip and Dagmar in a small German village and they showered us with German hospitality including a lavish home cooked meal. They live next to a church where the church bell rings on the hour and the traditional morning wake-up bell still chimes at 7am. I felt like we slipped back in time by a century: no street lights, old homes, and a castle within walking distance about 100 meters from their home. Such a simple life and slower pace, which we both appreciated. 

From there we woke up early and drove 5 hours to Paris. Ending our trip with a walk down the Seine, an interesting dinner with duck (that’s the only thing they served), and a quick stop to buy perfume from a place I found during our last trip to Paris. 

Hard to believe how much we fit into a week, without our time feeling harried or rushed. Grateful for it all.