October Break-Strasbourg, Bavarian Forest

10/22/24

Mike and I were lucky enough to have a week off in October. In the States, this is often the time when educators are completely exhausted and depleted following late-night conferences and working straight without breaks since August. 

We took advantage of the time and flew to Paris, rented a car, and made our way to Strasbourg, with a short stop in Reim, the home of champagne. The only hiccup on our first day was the delayed start due to a 2.5-hour wait for our rental car. It’s always the unexpected when traveling that forces you to breathe, be patient, and be reminded of what is within your control. 

Driving through the wine countryside was stunning- taking in the changing colors, green hillsides, and glorious sunset. Strasbourg threw us for a bit of a loop as we were literally in loops trying to navigate one-way streets and find our hotel. We stayed at Hotel Leonor, a place I highly recommend for those considering a trip to Strasbourg, as it’s in the heart of the city and an easy walk to the main attractions.

The city was a surprise, around every corner was a new and unique view with a mix of architectural styles due to historical interchanging French and German occupation over the years. In the center of the city is the Notre Dame Cathedral dating back to 1439. For a period of time it was considered the tallest building in the world, now it ranks sixth. It’s at the epicenter of the city, which I believe has some influence on the sense of peace and calm exuding outward, which is retracted back inward as the entire city is encircled by a river. Looking upward when walking through the winding streets, your eye also catches the birds encircling the area- trust in the birds that make way to peaceful regions. 

While in Strasbourg, our central nervous systems were reset- transitioning from Morocco where speed bumps and potholes define your driving experience, here they were replaced with smooth surfaces, abiding traffic laws, and signage that signaled order and predictability. Both Mike and I were able to relax and unwind.

It was also interesting to experience the easygoing nature of the French, Sunday is a day of leisure as all the stores were closed and limited restaurants were open. We appreciated the peace and maximized our one full day in Strasbourg by walking the inner river loop, meandering off the path up the cobblestone side streets, and taking in the unique architecture blended with nature. We also visited the Alsatian Museum to learn more about the culture and history of the region. In the afternoon we took a riverboat tour and closed the day with an authentic Alsatian meal of sauerkraut, which included a few different meats and potatoes- a bit much for my digestion. 

From Strasbourg, we passed over the border to Germany and made our way to Baden-Baden, a town known for its thermal bathhouses. Mike and I returned to one of the thermal baths we’d visited about thirty years ago, Friedrichsbad, which is 145 years old and is influenced by the Roman baths. Clothing isn’t allowed and you soak in different thermal baths of varied temperatures, including thermal steams. Somehow you get accustomed to seeing naked bodies of different proportions shuffling from one pool to the next. While the body scrub massage was a highlight, the station that was unique and most memorable (and the one I almost skipped) was the napping room. It was a dome-shaped room with different beds, all with cozy weighted blankets on them. Upon entering, one of the staff had you lie down on the bed, with a sheet and burrito rolled up in the blanket so only your head was exposed. Yes, for real, the same burrito rolls we wrapped our girls up when they were babies. I have never felt so whole and comforted- imagine if we took thirty minutes a day for ourselves, we would be new humans. Why is this not a practice after every massage to seal it in honestly, it was heavenly. 

Needless to say, Mike and I walked out of the spa-like limp noodles. Having not eaten all day I was famished. Instead of taking in the sights of Baden Baden, we drove to our guest house- Koenig Von Preussen- which is in the middle of the Bavarian Forest. Yes, in the middle of nowhere. Fortunately, there’s a chef who has a set menu each day all with local ingredients- the food was simply divine and made for a perfect closing to our day. 

Today we’ve awoken to rain. The guest house we’re staying at was built in 1400. Our windows open up to the green forest as well as an old abandoned monastery. There’s been a steady flow of rain in the backdrop. While we had plans of hiking the different trails in the area, we decided to crack the windows, drink tea, and wait for the rain to let up. It’s good for us to have a do-nothing day as we’re both programmed to get up, get moving, and take in as much as we can in a short amount of time. Given the arid nature of Morocco, this moisture, smell of the earth and fallen leaves, as well as the warmth of the stone-walled room is exactly what we need. 

I hope this note finds you well. Love and miss our friends and family-

Xoxo