I Love Paris in the Springtime - Adventure Year Week 39

Retuning into Paris after a long weekend in the sprawling countrysides of Germany heightened my awareness of how tightly knit the neighborhoods were.  How close people were to each other at cafes.  How easily a cough or sneeze could travel across the room.  The news coming out of Italy concerning  COVID19 cases was grave.  German hotels and tourism were already significantly down.  Yet, returning into Paris, there was not yet an overall feeling of needing drastic social distance measures in the residents of Paris - life still seemed weirdly normal.  I decided to embrace as much of the spring elements and flowers as I could, while freedom of movement was still possible.

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Anyone know what flowers these are? They are blooming in parks all over Paris and have a sweet light fragrance. If you’re looking for me, I’m just gonna stay here and inhale this floral aromatherapy all day, OK?

A post shared by Anne’s Adventure Journal (@anneruthmann) on Mar 8, 2020 at 6:28am PDT

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How about a stroll through Buttes-Chaumont? The views from the top of the park extend all the way to Montmartre.

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For me, I felt safe among the gardens, among the flowers.  If I could only breathe that fragrant floral air devoid of worry and nothing else.

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How mindful are we of our own thoughts? Of what we focus on? Of how we think when we look at the world around us? When I focus on these early flowers of spring, I am not wondering about whether or not they washed their hands. I am not worrying about whether their surfaces are clean or if they are too close to me. I am not afraid to take a deep breath in their presence. Yet, I find my thoughts creeping into those spaces in crowded cafes and trains. Even if I do not feel afraid- I can see where my mind wants to go, how it wants to judge, how to wants to shape my perception, and change my behavior. Yet, in the presence of flowers, I am at peace, I feel relaxed, I am at ease, I take deep breaths. If we find ourselves stirring inside with worry or fear, we must also be vigilant about creating ways in which we can unwind and return to peace in order to remain calm within. What happens in our day may be the same either way, but how our thoughts contribute to our health is something that we can manage with just a little mindfulness.

A post shared by Anne’s Adventure Journal (@anneruthmann) on Mar 10, 2020 at 3:24am PDT

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I wish you could smell how amazing this little flower shop and cafe is! The name is definitely appropriate for the experience. From the outside it truly only looks like a flower shop, until you peek further in and see the cafe tables and coffee + tea menu. I just want to spend forever in here indulging in the warm fuzzy vibes of plants and floral scents.

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My dear friend Sofia and her daughter Allie already had a flight booked from NYC to Paris, and because they had been looking forward to their trip for so long and flights hadn't yet been restricted, they came.  They had planned to stay for a week, but in the one day they were in Paris, more and more public events and spaces in Paris were being shut down and cancelled.  The news and public response was finally starting to take the virus seriously.  After only 24 hours of being in and among the Paris streets, the threat of EU flights being cancelled was also being mentioned on the news, and they decided that they should change their flight immediately to get back before they would feel stuck inside.  They knew NYC was next, but with the choice of being under quarantine anywhere, they would rather it be at home.

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What can you do in 24hrs in Paris? Well, my dear friends from NYC got to find out without any of us intending for it to be only 24hrs. They arrived yesterday around 11am and left today around 12pm due to last night’s public address of the US seeking to cancel entry from the EU over CoVID-19 concerns. This whirlwind trip will definitely be one of those crazy memorable stories that hopefully only happens once in a lifetime. It seems every age has a pandemic story, so here’s how we tried to make the most of some good health and good weather so that @balletalliecat and @sofianegron could explore Paris together 🌺Walked up the gardens to Montmartre 🍳 Had savory ham & cheese and sweet Nutella crepes 🎨Checked out the artist square ⛪️ Went inside Sacré-Cœur and its catacombs 🎼 Heard accordion players and a pianist 🍷 Drank some mulled wine 🎬 Saw a movie being filmed on Rue Androuet 🎪Visited Moulin Rouge 🗼Saw the Eiffel Tower from Galleries Lafayette 🏗 Saw Notre Dame & the Seine River 📚 Saw Shakespeare & Co 🥮 Had amazing cardamom & cinnamon buns from circus 🏘 Walked the quaint streets of the Latin Quarter 🐌Tried some escargot 🥩 Entrecôte 🍮Creme Brûlée 😴Slept a little despite US News alerts ☕️ Had a petite dejuner in a quaint cafe 🏞 Had a lovely morning stroll through Buttes-Chaumont All things considered- including losing concert tickets due to French Govt CoVID-19 policy cancellation, and forfeiting Louvre advance purchase tickets to get to the airport flight out on time, I’d say we still made the most of the 24hrs we had to get out and explore Paris together. Wherever you are in the world, I hope you are focusing on ways to stay in good health and to still get plenty of fresh air, clean water, healthy foods, and soap for washing. We can be cautious without being fearful, and we can be safe without being worried. Each morning and evening, we can affirm our good immunity by our ability to take a full deep breath without discomfort, and to be grateful that our body knows how to help keep us healthy.

A post shared by Anne’s Adventure Journal (@anneruthmann) on Mar 12, 2020 at 5:49am PDT

At this point, Parisians were being discouraged from large social gatherings and traveling out of the country for leisure, but things were still not completely on lock down yet.  However, we could feel it coming because life in the streets seemed all too normal for a pandemic unfolding in the EU.

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Return to the simple pleasures of life. Read aloud to kids in person or over video chats with family. Play an instrument or listen to music. Read a book or listen to an audio book. Write in a journal. Try a new recipe. Choose what makes you feel cozy and comfortable to stay inside on a rainy day or a snow day. Return to the simple pleasures of life.

A post shared by Anne’s Adventure Journal (@anneruthmann) on Mar 13, 2020 at 12:24am PDT

In one last hurrah, while restaurants were still open, Alex managed to get a reservation for a birthday lunch at the historic and famed Tour d'Argent.  Little did either of us know at the time of our visit, that it would be our last meal out together in Paris until who knows when.

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When “social distancing” and “avoid unnecessary travel” become a reason to indulge in Paris’ oldest continuously running restaurant. If anyone knows how to survive worldwide events of crisis- it’s a restaurant that’s lived through 400+ years of them!

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Castles & Spas Around Cologne, Germany - Adventure Year Week 38

With the announcement of a Ruthmann distant cousin celebrating a 95th Birthday in Hattingen, Germany, we decided to visit and make a fun trip of it by finding Schlosses and Spas to explore along the way.  Luckily, Germany has plenty of both, so after taking the high speed train from Paris to Cologne (Köln), we went out by car to see what we could find along the way.

Our first stop took us to the Grand Hotel Schloss Bensberg which Alex had visited a couple years prior with his father and brother for dinner.  As a bonus, this Castle ALSO has a spa with pools, saunas, and steam rooms inside that can be accessed with a day pass or as a hotel guest- so it's a 2 for 1 Castle + Spa spot.

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This castle outside of Cologne, Germany has only been open as a hotel, spa, and series of restaurants for the last 20 years of its 300 year history- and we are lucky to be alive in a time when we can explore it! Take a little tour with me in photos and check out my magic trick at the end. ;)

A post shared by Anne’s Adventure Journal (@anneruthmann) on Mar 2, 2020 at 1:35am PST

Our next stop was Schlosshotel Hugenpoet, which may be one of the first castles I've seen with a full moat! They have a bar and restaurant as well so you can at least get a bite to eat even if you don't plan to stay the night.  It's also a two for one castle stop since it's directly across the street from Schloss Landberg which seems to only be accessible to the public as a park, as its privately owned, but still keeps open gates and a parking lot for the public during the day.

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Schlossing around Germany (visiting castles) can be hit or miss depending on whether a building is public or private- but Schlosshotels usually guarantee at least the option to stop in and inquire about availability of spaces, if not stay for a drink or coffee to admire the interior. When we arrived here, it seemed odd that the parking lot was completely full of cars since we were out in the countryside- but it all made sense once we noticed a conference room and podium set up in a ballroom and a group of people moving together down the massive black marble stairway in the lobby. I was surprised to see that they decided to keep the moat full, only because I’ve seen so many castles with dry moats, which I can only assume is easier to maintain. So it’s lovely to see one that is still being used, especially for a property over 370 years old. What I find particularly adorable about this property is that the name Hugenpoet means Toad Pond, and if you look at the last image, you’ll see some hints of toads marked in the glass above the doors. 🐸

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On the other side of Cologne is one of the grand palaces of the 16th Century, Augustusburg and Falkenlust in Brühl are on the level of Versailles outside of Paris due to the extensive landscaped gardens and heavy French influence.  However, it still holds interesting and unique elements that aren't found many other places, especially considering how much time and handcraft went into making them.  If you decide to visit - definitely get the audio guide in your language at both locations- it's free and adds a lot of detail and information to the tour.

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Schlossing along- we found two more German castles as historic museums near Cologne, in Brühl. It was SO HARD not to take photos inside, because the Baroque details and Rococo designs were incredible, but I respected the rules. Their website has some of the rooms and details- but yeah- definitely a stop to put on your list if you have extra time. The town of Brühl is adorable with historic shops and restaurants an easy walk away as well- so it’s a good day trip. It’s on the same level as Versailles, and has similar influences - however, the rococo plasterwork and how they interplay with the frescos here surpass a lot of the other private estates. It’s also not as common to see embossed leather and lacquered walls- and there are a few rooms in that technique here. It’s easy to make comparisons to other palaces because the styles are similar- however, it’s also important to notice what is unique- and a lot of that is in the plasterwork and personalization. Even though the guided tour is in German, having the audio guide in English for both Augustusburg and Falkenlust really helped, and I learned a few new things along the way. I also enjoyed strolling along the gardens- even in the winter- the attention to detail in landscaping and design have been beautifully maintained.

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Our final night in the Cologne area was spent relaxing at Neptunebad, which was one of the best spa experiences I've had in Germany....

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One of the best sauna, scrub, and pool experiences I’ve had in Germany- but you have to do it naked- are you in? A robe, towel, and flip flops still get used frequently when moving around between various pools and saunas- especially in the outdoor areas in the winter, or in the restaurant area where people sit to eat, but because you can rent them here, you don’t need to bring anything with you. One of the unique things about this spa experience are the scheduled aromatherapy infusion rituals in the saunas and the sugar or salt scrubs that are offered on rotation in the steam rooms. It helps move people around the space, regularly exploring and trying new aspects of the varied spa areas as well. Despite the scheduled rotations, the overall tone here is stillness. The waters are still- the saunas are still- the relaxation areas are still. It’s a place to leave the outside world behind and to simply be still for a while. For me, it’s heavenly.

A post shared by Anne’s Adventure Journal (@anneruthmann) on Mar 6, 2020 at 12:26am PST

While not technically a castle, we also experienced the Castle-like views from the top of the Hotel in Wasserturm in Cologne.

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You can see all of Cologne, Germany from up here! Whoever thought of turning an old town water tower into a modern hotel and event space really had an eye for a great view.

A post shared by Anne’s Adventure Journal (@anneruthmann) on Mar 4, 2020 at 11:46pm PST