Berlin in Frankfurt

Besides my recent Airbnb post, it’s somehow been six months since I truly posted on here. It’s the fate of so many blogs but luckily this blog is purely for my own enjoyment! I thought it would be fun to take a look back over the last six months to catch up. The other reason is to give myself an attitude check…

I’ve canceled 4 trips that I was really looking forward to. There’s nothing wrong with being disappointed and acknowledging losses of all kinds during these difficult and strange times. But…I’m trying to keep a long-term perspective and reflect over the last six months and some very happy adventures. I hope you can find some joy in these photos as well and know that we will travel again.

October 

I spent five days in Portugal with my dear friend Amy – half in Porto, half in Lisbon. The food was delicious and my time with Amy was wonderful but really, Portugal is about those TILES. Most blue, all beautiful. Just look at these. 

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November 

We celebrated my 30th and Jeff’s 37th with a weekend trip to Amsterdam – just a four hour drive from Frankfurt. We walked and explored the canals all weekend long. I loved the monochrome row houses, each unique but all complementary. 

Mom Visit – Frankfurt – Paris – Copenhagen

We enjoyed having my mom here for her second annual Thanksgiving trip. This time around, we spent a little time around Frankfurt but both weekends we traveled – Copenhagen and Paris respectively. We visited Christmas markets in both and loved the different flavors (literal and figurative) both of these cities bring to the table.

Copenhagen has Scandinavian lines, colors, and efficiency with a touch of hippy. Paris is so deeply historical and vast, a colorful blend of people, languages, art, and cuisine. For example, we had martinis and appetizers at a typical Parisian bar then dined at Ave Maria, which has an eccentric menu featuring dishes from 5 continents. 

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December 

Nine days after my mom left, we picked J’s parents up at the airport to start our Christmas Market blitz of 2019! We went to markets in Frankfurt, Rudesheim, Strasbourg, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Munich, Heidelberg, and Bad Homburg. We also toured Neuschwanstein Castle and Oberammergau in Bavaria. During our couple days at home, we made gingerbread houses, did some cooking and some relaxing. We loved celebrating Christmas Day here in our Frankfurt home with them. 

January 

January feels like the doldrums in Frankfurt – grey, cold, rainy, and no more Christmas markets. Last year we went to a sunny destination but this year we opted to explore Dresden, Germany and actually had pretty good weather. We scored an amazing Airbnb that literally opened to the Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady). Dresden is a pretty interesting city and we also took a day trip out to hike around the Bastei Bridge – quite breathtaking. 

February 

February brought a visit to Oxford to see a childhood friend whose husband is currently studying at Oxford. We enjoyed long walks exploring the city with her fearless three and almost five year old girls. A highlight was our day trip out to Blenheim Palace where we walked in a pasture with the sheep and had a picnic while the girls pretended to be fairy princesses. I had a bit of an Elizabeth Bennet moment myself. 

I was supposed to have from Friday night until Sunday morning to explore London but unfortunately, my flight got canceled due to a huge storm system. I was sitting having afternoon tea at Kensington Palace when I got text that my flight was canceled and I had to rebook. I sat there and decided to just drink my tea and eat my cakes before dealing with it. I ended up flying back a couple of hours later but really enjoyed my 24 hours in London and saw the highlights. I can’t wait to return and see more.

Several days later, we left for a long weekend in Tenerife, Canary Islands. Unfortunately, I got sick and was down for the count for part of the trip but we still enjoyed our time and loved walking along the beaches and spending a lot of time on our terrace, mentioned here in more detail. The sun was just what we needed. 

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March & April 

I’m combining these months because….we’re still in them. What a time. You all know. At a minimum plans are canceled and there is a complete overhaul of routines and schedules. Each group and life stage of people have their own struggles with this new “normal”. Maybe the married folks enjoy each other’s company but long for their normal and separate routines. Those who are single may feel more isolated and unsure how to receive the support they need while physically distanced. Those with children long for the perceived “ease” of single life as they log another day trying to keep kids fed and in some sort of routine. And some friends have extra hardships beyond the usual. 

While we miss our families, we are feeling really thankful to be in Germany and in particular, to be able to get fresh air and walk, hike, and bike while keeping our distance. It’s a luxury that many are not able to partake in right now. 

As I wrap up this post, I think I accomplished what I set out to do – I feel more grateful and less wistful looking back over adventures had. More adventures are yet to come. Happy Easter/Frohe Ostern! +

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