THE SPOT

Category: Travel

  • 365 Day later: When Birthdays Don’t Feel Magical Anymore

    365 Day later: When Birthdays Don’t Feel Magical Anymore


    I first wrote about this a year ago, in When Birthdays Don’t Feel Magical Anymore. It was about how birthdays lose their spark once adulthood muddies the water: the childhood wonder, the yearning for adventure, all of it replaced by bills, responsibilities, and the feeling of being behind in the race that is life. If you want to read it, here’s the link.

    Well, another 365 days later, we’re back.

    Not much has changed.

    My solar return was filled with uncertainty, laughter, small joys, and a fair share of heartbreak and disappointment. Let me take you through it.

    I’m still fat

    Yes, I say that consciously because that’s what I am.

    I haven’t worked out much, I haven’t eaten healthier, and I haven’t done more for my health. I know I’m creeping closer to insulin resistance, and I carry a high hereditary risk for cardiovascular disease. None of that has kept me away from air-fried fries or a slice of light, creamy cheesecake.

    I didn’t travel much

    For personal reasons, travel wasn’t really an option this year.

    My summer happened mostly at home, occasionally in my jacuzzi. No French Riviera, no Turkish coast, none of it. The one trip I did make was to Cologne for Olivia Dean’s concert. That was a blast.

    I still feel behind

    I haven’t been able to shake the feeling of being behind while former classmates post photos from Bali, Croatia, and the Netherlands.

    I had my eighteenth breakdown in June and sudden crying spells in July. Life in the age of Instagram is one long comparison game and inferiority complex.

    A lot of those feelings are tied to the complicated relationship I have with my body. I wrote more about that experience as a Black woman in this post.

    I spent the summer at home

    Because of my partner’s surgery, I didn’t get to dance on a Cape Verdean beach or hike in the Swiss Alps.

    Instead, most days were spent at home: caring for him, trying to keep the house clean, and working.

    I got the job

    Part of my inferiority complex came from not being a corporate boss-b*tch.

    I watched Joan Clayton on Girlfriends, Miranda on Sex and the City, and random people on LinkedIn living the life I wanted: a good job, decent colleagues, and money.

    My current job pays my bills. It just doesn’t fill my life or my heart.

    In October, I start a new one. It’s a limited contract, but a real upgrade in both work and pay. A reputable company, meaningful benefits, and opportunities I don’t have now. I’d love for it to become permanent.

    Still, this isn’t how I pictured the end of my twenties.

    After three years, I finally got the job I was waiting for… yet I feel extremely nervous.

    I spent so long believing a better position would solve my dissatisfaction that now I’m wondering whether the problem was never the workplace at all.

    Maybe I shouldn’t have changed jobs back in 2024. Maybe I’ve spent years chasing the next opportunity, convinced it would finally make me feel successful.

    At least with the other job, I was living in my dream city. I had familiar bars, dance classes, and, honestly… more money.

    This job was supposed to be an in-between step. But now, with another limited contract, I wonder: should I have just sucked it up? Should I have stayed where I was and been grateful for what I had?

    Well… there is one thing that has changed.

    This year, I wasn’t lying on the bathroom floor while giving myself a wax.

    LOL.

  • Skincare Essentials for Black Women (sold in Germany)

    Finding the right skincare essentials for Black women in Germany is not always easy. Products formulated for deeper skin tones are harder to find and the ones that do work are not always affordable. Since we are big on self care here at The Spot, I am sharing the exact products that have transformed my skin and where to get them in Germany, many at a discount at Shop Apotheke.1

    Double-Cleansing is a Must

    If you wear sunscreen in Germany, which you absolutely should, please double cleanse at the end of the day. It will remove the dirt of the day and break down the chemicals of your sunscreen more effectively.

    How to double cleanse? Double cleansing simply means cleansing your skin before going in with a foaming cleanser. You can either use Dermalogica’s PreCleanse or, if you have combination skin like me, Micellar water. This is where I introduce you to Isana’s Micellar Water. Isana is the beauty brand of German drugstore Rossmann and while I usually go to DM for my skincare, Isana has really changed the game with this 2 euro find. Affordable skincare in Germany does not get better than this.

    Cleansers

    Skincare for oily to combination skin tends to be drying and unfortunately this is the case for the cleanser I want to highlight. La Roche Posay’s Purifying Foaming Cleanser is widely available in German pharmacies and drugstores. And purify it will. I have been using this for 2 years and while it is indeed drying, it will help with your acne. Be careful though, the longer you leave the foam on your face, the more your skin will itch

    Moisturizers with Sunscreen

    Let me clear up some misinformation. Yes, Black people need sunscreen too. No, we may not need SPF 50, but we should and do need to protect our skin. Why? Because Black people are more likely to die from skin cancer than their white counterparts, as they are often diagnosed later and Western medicine does not put enough focus on Black and Brown skin concerns. This is especially important in Germany where dermatologists are not always familiar with Black skin.

    I am a sucker for combinations in skincare. I do not want 80 products when some of them could easily have been combined into one tiny serum bottle. This is why I love CeraVe’s Moisturising Facial Lotion with SPF 50, available at most German drugstores and pharmacies. Not only is it non-comedogenic, it also gives your skin a healthy glow making you look refreshed and ready for the day. It is additionally formulated with Niacinamide and Hyaluronic Acid, which will keep your skin moisturized during both the harsh German winter and summer.

    Honorable Mentions for Your Skincare Routine in Germany

    Skincare does not have to be a long list of a million different products, if you do want to counteract the dry results from the products above or if you want to get rid off some pimples, here are some honorable mentions.

    The Ordinary AHA & BHA Peeling Solution

    This peeling solution is the bomb. You should not use it if you have overly sensitive skin, but if you want to clear your pores and get rid of pimples without paying steep prices at the aesthetician, this product will give you exactly what you need for less than 10 euros. Available online at Shop Apotheke and iHerb Germany.

    BHA, also known as Salicylic Acid, goes deep into the pore to get all the gunk out. Consider it a facial at home.

    Cosrx’ Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence

    This one will save your skin after long German winter days when your skin is cracking and screaming for moisture. I love this especially during the colder months and whenever my hormones decide to switch things up and leave me with dry skin. Available at Shop Apotheke and iHerb Germany.

    Adapalene Gel

    Last but definitely the best will be Adapalene Gel in any variety. Last but definitely the best. Adapalene Gel in any variety. In Germany this cannot be bought over the counter and will need to be prescribed by your dermatologist. Adapalene is a retinoic acid, which is a more potent form of retinol. What can it do? Better question is what can it not do. Fine lines, wrinkles, acne, hyperpigmentation, all of it.

    A few things to keep in mind. Never use Adapalene in the morning. Always wear sunscreen while using it. Try the sandwich method to prevent your skin from drying out too quickly. And do not, I repeat do not, use Vitamin C and any retinol containing product at the same time.

    1. This post is not sponsored and I have no business agreement with any of the brands or companies mentioned. All products listed are ones I personally use and genuinely love. This post is purely informative and reflects my own experience.
      I am not a dermatologist or medical aesthetician.
      Skincare is very individual and what works for my skin may not work for yours. Please always consult a medical professional or dermatologist for your personal skincare needs. ↩︎
  • 5 Budget Travel Tips that won’t Break Your Bank (From a Fellow Brokie)

    5 Budget Travel Tips that won’t Break Your Bank (From a Fellow Brokie)

    The featured image was created by AI.

    As a fellow brokie, one who unfortunately does not have wealthy family members or a job that pays above the average, I have real experience stretching a dime into a dollar. Here are five budget travel tips for travelers in Europe and beyond that actually work. 

    1. Flying Is Overrated. Take the Bus or Train 

    I know. Flying saves time and depending on where you are going, it might actually be less expensive than the train or bus. However, when I found myself yearning for somewhere far away in 2019, I downloaded the Flixbus App and started searching. I found a good deal from where I was living to Barcelona. It would take me a full day to get there and back, and my flight anxiety was another big reason to avoid flying altogether. I compared the Flixbus ticket at €80 round-trip to a flight for the same dates and, with carry-on, the flight would have cost me €120 more. 

    Back then as a student, €120 was nearly half my rent. Flixbus it was. If you do not have Flixbus in your country, long-distance buses are still a great option. If you are based in Germany, here is a little hack: do not search for Deutsche Bahn tickets on the German DB website. Check the Austrian ÖBB website instead, because some long-distance tickets are significantly cheaper there. The DB also launched a Last-Minute ticket program with discounted fares. Only took them two decades, but I digress. 

    2. Book a Room, Not an Entire Accommodation 

    Back when I was pinching pennies (still do), the only reasonably priced option was a shared room or an Airbnb where I stayed with others. While I tend to be a very anxious person, I still booked a room for just over €100 for a full week in Barcelona. I was not located directly in the city and shared the apartment with the host, but it saved me a lot of money. I can only recommend it. 

    The key is to look carefully at your potential host’s profile. Do they have reviews? If yes, what are the negatives and what are the positives? Focus on the negatives especially: is it something you can compromise on? If yes, go ahead and book. If not, move on. Budget tight, standards reasonable. 

    3. Bring Your Own Food 

    When I went to Zurich (check out the series, part 1, part 2 and part 3) I knew Switzerland would be unreasonably expensive. Check out the full story here. The second time around I was not going to be fooled. My budget was not going to break over a tiny wrap. I packed pasta, soy cream, and a bottle of wine and enjoyed a glass from the luxury of my hotel bed. Zero regrets. 

    Packing even a few meals, especially for arrivals and first nights, can save you €30 to €50 easily. That is a bus ticket somewhere else. 

    4. Look for Discounts or Book Through a Platform That Offers Them 

    This is one of the more obvious tips but look for discount codes online before booking anything. Some German employers participate in Corporate Benefits, where you can find discounted hotel and accommodation rates. I personally book through Booking.com as a registered Genius member and the discounts add up more than you would expect. I still think fondly about my trip to the Walchensee in Bavaria and happily applying for the €20 cashback through the Genius program. Small habits, real savings. 

    5. Visit Friends and Acquaintances 

    This might sound opportunistic but hear me out. Accommodation is almost always the biggest expense on any trip. If you can get around that by visiting a friend, you will not only have a personal tour guide but also someone to split food costs with and hopefully a place to stay at a lesser rate or completely for free. Visiting my sisters in high-priced cities like Munich and Basel has genuinely kept my travel budget intact more times than I can count. 

    Budget travel in Europe is absolutely possible. It just requires a little creativity and zero shame about being smart with money. From Flixbus rides to friends’ couches, every euro saved is another euro toward the next adventure. 

    Have a budget travel tip that saved you? Drop it in the comments. 

    For more Travel, Lifestyle and Thoughtful Essays, check out other posts at The Spot.

  • Nierstein: Discover the Beauty of the Rhine River

    Nierstein: Discover the Beauty of the Rhine River

    Why Visit Nierstein?

    Nestled between Worms and Frankfurt, Nierstein is one of the most peaceful towns along the Rhine River in Rhineland-Palatinate. Known for its scenic river views, relaxed atmosphere, and nearby vineyards, Nierstein is the perfect destination for a slow Sunday getaway in Germany.

    For German speakers, do not confuse Nierstein with “Nierenstein,” which means kidney stones.

    I first discovered Nierstein while trapped on a train ride to another work event. As the train passed the Rhine, the sunlight reflected across the water and completely caught my attention. The calm river, the boats drifting by, and the quiet atmosphere made me want to come back immediately.

    A few weeks later, I finally made the 30-minute drive to Nierstein on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

    One of the best things about visiting Nierstein is how easy and relaxed everything feels. During the weekend, you can usually find free parking spots directly beside the Rhine promenade, making it ideal for a spontaneous day trip from Worms, Mainz, or Frankfurt.

    The riverside promenade is simple but beautifully designed. Along the riverbank, you will find several seating areas where you can sit in the sun and watch the boats move slowly across the water. The peaceful rhythm of the Rhine, combined with the warm sunlight and open views, makes Nierstein feel like a hidden gem in Germany.

    Whether you are looking for a quiet walk, a relaxing afternoon by the water, or a scenic stop along the Rhine Valley, Nierstein is one of the best places to spend a Sunday in Rhineland-Palatinate.

    Riverbank Nierstein
    Rhine
  • Eibsee Part II: My First Solo Trip to the German Caribbean — Lakes, Lasagna & a Creepy Waiter

    Eibsee Part II: My First Solo Trip to the German Caribbean — Lakes, Lasagna & a Creepy Waiter

    A Quick Recap

    I kind of left you all hanging. Instead of heavenly posts about Lake Eibsee, you were bombarded with posts about financial insecurity and depression. I promise — none of those have vanished. Would be too easy, right? But let’s move on and actually look at a Journey of Joy moment.

    In Part I we covered how I got there. In Part II we’re doing a quick and dirty rundown of how things went on my way from Heidelberg to Grainau.

    Day Two

    I woke up in the early morning on Saturday. I slept okay — unfortunately, since the B&B was quite old (though charming), I heard every minor step my fellow tourists made in the middle of the night or early morning. Still, I had a smile on my lips. I had waited so long for friends to join me on trips, and this was one I finally just went on by myself.

    I went into the bathroom and took a long hot shower with the door open. Paranoid, yes — I wanted to make sure that if someone happened to open my hotel room door, I’d be ready.

    After the shower I put on my comfiest clothes and went downstairs for breakfast. I had something — honestly don’t remember what. I noticed that beside me there was just a small group of adventure tourists who looked very sporty, probably heading up into the mountains. Since it was April, it was way too cold for them to be cyclists.

    I went back upstairs and, honestly, laid back down. Since I didn’t have a TV at home at the time, I took full advantage of finally being able to curl up in bed and just enjoy. I came across Shopping Queen — a show I hadn’t seen in ages — and dove in a little too well. For those of you living in Germany, you already know that on Saturdays you get the entire week’s episodes together in one neat package. So I indulged, enjoyed, and almost didn’t visit the lake at all

    The Lake

    I mentally gave myself a kick in the butt and put my clothes on. When I checked in, I had generously been given a bus ticket for the area, so I took the next bus to the lake. It almost seemed like every handful of tourists in Grainau had gotten on the same bus. Seats weren’t filled. The weather was unforgivingly dreadful — dark, gray, moody. I thought about my pictures and how they wouldn’t look as great without any sunshine. We made our way through empty streets straight to the lake, dark thick woods surrounding us on all sides.

    We arrived after a twenty-minute ride. I got off the bus and started walking. Straight ahead.

    There it was — the beautiful Lake Eibsee. I walked around and captured these gems.

    Eibsee I
    Eibsee II

    Almost Starved to Death

    After about an hour I took the bus back to Grainau, happy with my trip and — most importantly — my pictures. It never really happened if you didn’t post it, right?

    Another twenty minutes later I was back at the hotel and getting hungry. Since I hadn’t booked any lunch or dinner options at the B&B, I looked online and found a small store nearby. I figured I’d grab some apples or bread to tide me over. I was too late. It was already closed — and mind you, it was about 3 PM in the middle of the day. I cursed myself for getting my hopes up. Growing up in a village in the Black Forest, I should have known there was no way that store would be open that “late.”

    I turned around and spotted a restaurant on my way back, making a mental note to go at 5 PM. I went back to the B&B, watched more TV, and at 5 PM sharp — stomach growling — I headed out. I thought I might try the restaurant right across from the B&B, but of course they didn’t open for another thirty minutes. So back to the first restaurant I went.

    I was welcomed by an older man — maybe forty — who was the only waiter and host. It was a typical old restaurant with Italian cuisine. He was nice. Too nice. He asked what I was doing in Grainau and I, foolishly, told him I was a tourist traveling alone. Then the compliments started. With a lit candle on the table, a beautiful girl like me shouldn’t be sitting alone. He should be joining me.

    I smiled awkwardly and cringed. Ordered my Radler and a very tasty lasagna, which I inhaled in twenty minutes because this guy was giving me the heebie-jeebies. I left as fast as I could.

    At least the lasagna was good.

    After that brief adventure I spent the rest of the evening in my room. I called the taxi company to arrange my pickup for the next day and just reminisced.

    It was a fun trip. My first solo one during the pandemic.

  • Eibsee: Why This Bavarian Lake is Called the German Caribbean (Repost and Solo Travel Diary Part I)

    Eibsee: Why This Bavarian Lake is Called the German Caribbean (Repost and Solo Travel Diary Part I)

    Background

    I have talked about the German Caribbean before. It was long before I had decided what this blog was going to be about. Back then I was still trying to find my voice — trying to figure it out. Eventually, I decided that this blog would be about authenticity: the Good, the Bad, the Ugly. About my personal journey to joy.

    So I find it most fitting to repost this story. Not like the typical 1–10 list primarily consisting of recommendations about food or sleeping accommodations. More about the why, the how, and the feeling. I find that most fulfilling.

    So, here is the repost.

    In 2021, I was kind of tired of waiting. I was constantly waiting around for something to happen — waiting for people to join me in travels, for nights out in the city. Just waiting for life.

    So, after my dear friend told me about Eibsee, I was speechless. The pictures were amazing, and since my sister had already visited and loved it, I decided to go as well.

    The Journey

    I had booked the Garni Hotel zum Franziskaner. If you want to know more. It is a cozy B&B in Grainau, which is pretty close to the lake.

    To get to Grainau from where I lived, I took a high-speed train from Heidelberg main station directly toward Munich, getting off a couple of stations before the main station. Like always, I missed my intended connecting train, so I stayed on the platform waiting for the next one — at least 30–45 minutes. As mentioned, it was unfortunately quite cold. I was trying to keep myself warm, and while I was in the middle of losing weight at that point, I still gave myself the comfort of Burger King. I walked over to the nearest one and got a meal — don’t remember what exactly, just that it was worth it.

    Fortunately, the train eventually arrived. We rode past the Starnberger See. Bavaria has a lot of beautiful lakes, by the way — definitely worth checking out.

    I was in awe: the mountains, the lake, the idyllic ambiance. I was floating on a cloud, full of excitement for what was to come.

    We finally made it! I reached Garmisch-Partenkirchen — a quaint little city that actually felt more like a village. I walked over to the cab stand and talked to the first driver. He asked me in his very Bavarian dialect where I wanted to go. I seemed to have lost all ability to speak German, because I kept nodding along even though he was asking whether my hotel was in Garmisch — apparently the name the locals use for the city.

    I corrected him eventually, and he said in a no-nonsense way that I should have spoken up immediately.

    Well, too bad, so sad. We still made it. He gave me his card, and then I checked in.

    First things first… radiator up, Burger King devoured. Happy to be there! More to come in Part II.

  • Beauty of Life: An Original Poem About Finding Joy in Everyday

    Beauty of Life: An Original Poem About Finding Joy in Everyday

    Disclaimer: The featured image has been created with AI.

    This is a poem that I wrote in 2017, full of hope for my future. Still a student living with my parents, working and hoping to finally become independent. I was reminded of this poem when I started listening to Olivia Dean’s “Easy to Love”. I just love her style, music essence. It makes me nostalgic, makes me think about the time I laid in bed, reading Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”, the time I had a mozzarella sticks phase and ate them every weekend in 2019 and how I think about all of my solo trips whether Bavaria, Spain or Greece. Anyway, here it goes:

    Seeing children smile, 

    Just relax for a little while.

    Gazing at the stars in the middle of the night, 

    Curtains letting in the morning light. 

    Sunday lazy morning teas, 

    Walking through colorful autumn leaves.

    Reading books on rainy days, 

    loving yourself in many ways. 

    The Beauty of Life is here, is now, is you, is me, tomorrow, is forever.
    Written by THESPOTEDITOR


  • Strasbourg Travel Diary Part III: Romanticizing Life in France’s Fairytale City

    Strasbourg Travel Diary Part III: Romanticizing Life in France’s Fairytale City

    Idyllic city

    Welcome back! If you aren’t privy to what this story is about, check out both Part 1 and 2.

    Anyway, new day… new opportunities. I got up and took a looong hot shower. Since, I didn’t add breakfast to my reservation, I needed to go into the city to find something to eat. I got dressed and here we go.

    Strasbourg city

    I hopped on the tram and arrived in the city centre about ten to fifteen minutes later. The inner city was idyllic — and unfortunately, the weather was considerably less so.

    I walked around anyway. It was nice. People moving through the streets, tourists photographing every sight they could find. Me included, naturally. As I said in Part 2 — if you didn’t post it, it never happened.

    I passed the Strasbourg Cathedral — built in sandstone, it reminded me immediately of Heidelberg’s Castle. Newer probably, but the resemblance was striking. Something about seeing familiar architectural echoes in an unfamiliar city felt like the city was speaking my language.

    I wandered through the streets, took it all in. Found a sweet little café with a view onto the street, sat down, ordered a croissant and a latte macchiato, and just listened to the hustle and bustle of a Saturday morning in Strasbourg. Paid. Walked around some more. Had some ice cream.

    Living a little.

    A lil relaxation

    With my last evening approaching rapidly I headed back to the hotel. I went to the gym and had grand plans for a massage — until I discovered, courtesy of the fine print I had not read, that massages needed to be booked in advance and there was no masseuse on staff that evening anyway.

    Wonderful.

    I went back to the swimming pool instead. Spent the rest of the evening exactly as I had the night before — chilling in my hotel room, watching shows, being entirely unbothered.

    Check-out?

    My mind started racing. My heart skipped approximately five different beats. The receptionist looked at me, confused.

    And here is where I need to be honest about something.

    For me — as a Black woman — there is a particular kind of awareness that arrives in moments like this. When my card gets declined. When I’m fumbling in my bag for money I know is there. A heightened self-consciousness that goes beyond embarrassment.

    I become aware of being Black in the room. I start wondering what people are thinking — about me, and by extension about other Black people. Whether we are being judged. Whether a single declined card becomes a statement about all of us.

    With slightly shaking hands I reached out to retrieve my card. *”No problem,”* I said — because what else do you say — and handed over my regular EC card instead.

    I knew I had enough money on there to cover another two days. I knew it. And yet I was still afraid when I slid the card in.

    It was accepted. Of course it was.

    But I always wonder, in moments like those, how much space that particular kind of fear takes up. And how long we’ll have to keep carrying it.

    I said farewell to the receptionist. Said farewell to the hotel. And went about my merry way — relaxed despite the hiccups, and ready for the next chapter. Because from Strasbourg I was heading directly into my Master’s student journey.

    Thanks for bearing with me through this one.

    Strasbourg was a genuinely lovely getaway and I would recommend it to anyone living close to the French border — card machine anxiety and all.

    Check out Part 1 and Part 2 if you haven’t already.

    See you in the next one.

    To think or not to think
    Ice cream and rain

  • Strasbourg Travel Diary Part II: What It Feels Like to Slow Down in Alsace

    Strasbourg Travel Diary Part II: What It Feels Like to Slow Down in Alsace

    You see me rolling

    If you haven’t read the first post about Strasbourg, you can find the story here.

    So. The day finally came. September 2021.

    If you read the first story, you already know — I am not a vacation friend. And while I tend to be indecisive about most things in life, travel brings out a version of me that knows exactly where she wants to go and what she wants to do when she gets there. No committee required.

    I also didn’t want my neighbour at the time to find out I was leaving. I just wanted to go. Quietly. Without opinions, without unsolicited advice, without anyone casting the evil eye in my direction.

    So I took my suitcase and slipped away down the back path of my student residence like the independent woman I was. Unbothered. Unbothered and slightly sneaky.

    I made my way to the bus stop, caught the bus a few minutes later, and after a ten minute ride arrived at Heidelberg Hauptbahnhof. From there, the route was straightforward enough — Heidelberg to Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe to Offenburg, Offenburg to Strasbourg.

    DB, however, had other plans.

    I still don’t fully understand how they managed to make a three-stop journey feel like a logistical operation, but here we are. We arrived in Karlsruhe without incident. The connection was smooth. Offenburg, though — Offenburg required a sprint.

    I ran from the regional train to the SWE train with everything I had. Thank God for my stamina back then. Lord knows it has since disappeared.

    Thankfully, some faster and more merciful passengers ahead of me held the doors open. I arrived breathless, panting, slightly humiliated — but on the train. Another thirty minutes standing, but I made it.

    Strasbourg, I was coming for you.

    We pulled into the station and I made my way to the tram, heading toward the hotel. The Athena Spa Hotel. Four stars.

    I had never stayed anywhere with more than two stars before. Walking into that foyer, I felt it immediately — something that could only be described as arriving.

    The check-in, however, was less graceful.

    Having never navigated a four-star hotel before, my brain quietly short-circuited the moment I reached the reception desk. I attempted to pay for my room immediately upon arrival. Right there. On the spot. The very kind receptionist — bless her — gently informed me that payment typically happens at the end of a stay.

    Oops.

    I collected what remained of my dignity, took my room key, and made my way up.

    The room was at the back of the hotel. The view, let’s say, offered a certain intimacy with the windows of neighbouring rooms — though everyone had curtains and I was truly not interested in anyone else’s evening. What it lacked in panoramic vistas it made up for in quiet, and quiet was exactly what I needed.

    I was hungry. So for the first time in my life, I ordered room service. A burger and fries. When the bill arrived I remember thinking it was an obscene amount of money for a burger — which, I later learned, is simply the universal experience of room service everywhere in the world.

    I changed into the hotel bathrobe — thankfully provided — and I just… stopped. Chilled. Existed without agenda. I think when people talk about mindfulness, what they mean is exactly that feeling. The particular peace of being somewhere new, alone, with nowhere to be and nobody waiting.


    Relexation

    After some thoroughly unbothered phone scrolling, I packed my swimming costume and headed downstairs to the pool.

    The hotel had one large pool that alternated between regular swimming pool and whirlpool. When I arrived, a mother and her small son were already there — the boy delighting in the water, the mother doing her best to be both present and slightly invisible simultaneously. She shot me a look. I shot her one back. We understood each other perfectly.

    She was from Switzerland — Geneva or Zurich, I can’t quite remember now, though I’ve since visited Zurich and Geneva remains on the list.

    And then I swam. I jumped. I smiled. I paused. I enjoyed.

    Strasbourg — so far, I like you quite a lot.

    I took a photo of the pool on my way out, naturally. As we all know: if you didn’t post it, it never happened.

    Site icon
    Strasbourg Travel Diary Part II: What It Feels Like to Slow Down in Alsace

  • Strasbourg Travel Diary Part I: Why Every Solo Traveller Needs Some Wellness in Alsace

    Where to go?

    After a whirlwind of a summer — tears shed, nights barely slept, and a bachelor thesis somehow written — I wanted out. Away from the known. Away from the mundane.

    So I didn’t just get a prepaid credit card (which, sorry, but never again). I also booked a hotel room. And I knew one thing for sure: I didn’t want to stay within the same culture, the same language. I wanted an adventure. I wanted elsewhere.

    History

    The closest country? France.

    So I booked a train ticket to Strasbourg. Located in eastern France, just a few kilometers from the German border, Strasbourg sits right at the fault line of European history.

    Like many cities in the Alsace region, it was a pawn in the endless tug-of-war between France and Germany. I can’t even count how many times I had to learn in history class that it was German, then French, then German again, then French — and yes, German again. But after the last annexation attempt, France held on, and Strasbourg has remained firmly French ever since.

    If that was already too much history for you, feel free to look up Leidingen — the once-divided village. You’re welcome.

    Another trip, another fail?

    The trip hadn’t even started yet and it was already close to failing. Love to see it.

    I had booked — or rather tried to book — the Athena Spa Hotel (four stars). It was the cheapest option I could afford with my very limited funds. One weekend. Just me, myself, and I.

    Hotel booked, right?

    Wrong.

    The authorization failed. Why? Because I used a prepaid credit card, and the bank hadn’t loaded my €200 onto it yet. After a painful amount of back-and-forth, the hotel finally confirmed that the card was approved. Only then could I relax.

    Finally, leaving

    A friend had wanted to go on vacation with me. But she wasn’t really a vacation friend. You know what I mean. Some people are great for nights out. Others for deep 3 a.m. conversations. And some are perfect travel companions.

    I, however, am not a vacation friend.

    I like deciding for myself: where to go, when to go, what to do. Want to stay in bed two more hours? Done. Jump into the ocean? Done. Eat at the restaurant across the street because I don’t feel like walking? Also done.

    That’s why I love solo travel. It’s just you — choosing for yourself.

    For now, I’ve said enough.

    So I’ll leave it here and let you enJOY Part II soon!