In reflecting upon our most recent trip to Munich, Germany & Innsbruck, Austria, I am struck by the wide range of emotions we felt on this trip, as a result of the experiences we chose to have whilst on holiday. I began thinking about couples researcher John Gottman, who has found that successful relationships have a 5:1 ratio of positive to negative interactions between the couple. Perhaps the 5:1 ratio is optimal in other situations and scenarios as well, not just relationships. It could be that the one negative, whether it be a negative experience, or a powerful experience that results in distressing emotions, creates greater depth from which to appreciate the positive five. Would a sports team truly appreciate the exhilaration of a great win, having never experienced the devastation of a close, nail-biting loss? Would we appreciate the exceptional qualities of our best friends, having never experienced the frustration of a mediocre, one-sided friendship? As philosophical poet Khalil Gibran, writes, "And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears. And how else can it be? The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain." 5:1 - joy to sorrow - an interesting idea, and a powerful equation indeed.
Our Five Blissful Joys
1. All that German cuisine has to offer, and our never-ending quest to sample it all in moderation, whether seated in the world-famous Hofbrauhaus, standing at tables in the holiday market at Marienplatz, or roaming the stalls and shops at Viktualienmarkt: brats, pretzels, Black Forest cake, apple strudel, Bavarian beer, potato dumplings, roasted nuts, spiced wine, and lebkuchen cookies. Most memorable, of course, are the German food offerings of gargantuan proportion, reminiscent of Gulliver in the giant land of Brobdingnag.
2. Our Munich wanderings, and all the sights along the way. From the aerial views atop St. Peter, to the Isar River views along Maximillian Bridge, to the gloriously-lit Christmas markets, we took in the city sights as we do on most trips - by foot, with Bryan stopping periodically to read excerpts from our Berlitz pocket guide.
3. The charming Austrian town of Innsbruck, nestled in a valley surrounded by the Alps, full of stunning views, cobblestone streets, holiday spirit, and snow fall, making for a perfectly peaceful White Christmas. Easily reached on a 2-hour train from Munich, crossing through snow-covered mountains and plains, Innsbruck was everything you want from a mountain town - restaurants, pubs, and quick bus rides to neighbouring ski resorts, home to the 1964 & 1976 Winter Olympics.
(view from our hotel balcony)
4. The Austrian Slopes of Igls Mountain, which for Bryan meant two days of snowboarding, and for Brandina, meant two days of reading, walks in the snow, and complete peace.
5. The way one is forced to slow down, when traveling on Christmas weekend. With shops and restaurants closed at various times throughout our weekend in Innsbruck, we found ourselves able to relax without guilt, able to enjoy the simple pleasures, like pizza in our pajamas at our hotel restaurant for Christmas dinner, and watching Happy Feet in Austrian with no English-subtitles. A perfectly simple holiday weekend indeed.
Our One Profound Sorrow
1. Visiting Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site, a 20-minute train ride north of Munich. Established in 1933 by Hitler as the first Concentration Camp, and thus used as a model to build the others, Dachau is everything you would imagine a concentration camp to be - dark, lonely, and eerily still. Led by a professional tour-guide on a 4-hour tour of the site, we found ourselves both emotionally exhausted and vulnerable at the same time, wrapped up in the stories, consumed by the sorrow, and inspired by the hope of those who survived. It was a sorrow that most definitely carved into our being - difficult to describe, absolutely impossible to forget.
So there it is - 5:1, joy to sorrow on our most recent adventure. We wouldn't have wanted it to be any other way, and we couldn't have asked for any more, or any less. We mustn't discount the power of the sorrowful one, and its ability to add richness, depth, and increased appreciation to the joyful five. Perhaps, when all is said and done, the powerful pairing of joy and sorrow is as complicated as the emotional debate needs to be. It was a holiday that we will forever remember, one that inspired gratefulness on so many levels.
"It may not be the best thing you do on a holiday in Europe, but it's one of the most important." - Erik, our Dachau tour guide, on visiting the Memorial Site
