What is the Soul Kitchen?
The Soul Kitchen has been open for 9 months now, and it seems to fit very well to Saxon culture. I am excited to share my experience and talk about it. As an American living in Germany who speaks very little German, (although I am learning) I tend to watch a lot and talk a little. We…
I BOUGHT A CASTLE IN GERMANY!! Yep, that’s right…
June 2018 Deb Hey I BOUGHT A CASTLE IN GERMANY!! Yep, that’s right… Dreamer? Romantic? Crazy? That’s what most people say when they hear this. Dreamer – Did I dream about being a Princess in a Fairy Tale? No, I prefer motorcycle boots to glass slippers and motorcycles over horse drawn carriages… and I…
Castles for sale!
There are so many reasons to love Germany. The food, the people, thermal spas, ice cream addiction, festivals aplenty and of course beer. But as an American living and working in Germany, aside from the endless and killer motorcycle roads in the region, I find colossal attraction to the castles. America doesn’t have castles, so naturally the history and majesty charms the pants right…
Life in the Fast Lane
Blogging for MotoSoul has taken a back burner to the long list of to-do’s needed to bring this project to life. I realized today that I miss this part of the project. Sharing the lessons and talking about the project feeds my passion, so I will make a bigger effort to write little stories and…
Spring Cleaning a Castle
Many might think turning a 17th century castle into a top notch motorcycle destination is on the fringe of lunacy. Especially one that’s been sitting vacant for 10 years with overgrown vegetation, crumbling terraces, cracked walls, cob webs, peeling paint, broken and boarded windows, and buckled floors. The only occupants are nesting birds and few…
MotoSoul has a home!!
The day has come – the art of motorbike riding has a home! It seems appropriate to talk about this on a leap year day. If we leap forward 4 years and take a picture in this same place, what a different picture it will be. Twenty months ago I found Schloss Mutzschen … or…
The Climb!
Miley Cyrus has this great song called The Climb. It starts out saying “I can almost see it, that dream I’m dreaming…” From the moment I saw Schloss Mutzschen, I could see it. Every time I walk through the Village I see the future. I talk to potential partners and I know they will participate. …
And We’re Off!
It would be hard to talk about Gaila Gutierrez and not mention her “journey.” In 2012, Gaila left her job, rented her house and took off with her partner Tad on two wheels headed for places most people only dream about. From Seattle, Washington she criss-crossed the USA, half of Canada, traversed through Mexico and hit…
Why?
Whenever I am trying to figure something out that alludes me, I keep asking myself WHY over and over again. With each answer comes another why, until the questions can finally stop because I understand (or the answer doesn’t matter anymore!). So WHY MotoSoul? Here are some of the many answers that have come about…
No I in Team
It is time to start building the team for MotoSoul. I know many people that could be part of this project and have been talking to them for the last year+. Smart, talented, highly capable individuals that could do what it takes to make this project successful. I know many motorbike riders that could bring…
To Push or to Wait?
Patience. The Wikipedia definition of Patience (or forbearing) is the state of endurance under difficult circumstances, which can mean persevering in the face of delay or provocation without acting on negative annoyance/anger; or exhibiting forbearance when under strain, especially when faced with longer-term difficulties. Patience is the level of endurance one can take before negativity….
Mother Nature and the Ways of the World
MotoSoul is a BIG PROJECT!! It takes 20 minutes to walk the perimeter of the property. There are 9 buildings on the land. There are 4 terraces of retaining walls surrounding the entire Schloss (Castle). There are trees, landscapes, groundscapes, and everywhere you look there is another project. Many would look at this project and…
Wonderful Surprises
Even the most mundane task can become joyful when it is done with the right attitude! I headed out last week to buy a VW van for MotoSoul, which sounds like a boring, thankless task right? So, how do I put joy into that?? Let’s start by the way I get to the appointment –…
The Hamster Wheel
One of the first things that people tend to ask you these days is something like “what do you do,” or “what do you do for a living?” It used to be an easy question for me to answer. I could talk about being an entrepreneur, or about being a business consultant, or perhaps even…
Ring That Bell
With the Letter of Intent signed and the team coming together, it was time to explore the unseen nooks and crannies. I was handed a wad of keys, some 20 or so, and with my trusty IPhone flashlight, I head out to explore the depths of Schloss Mutzschen. Several of the garages and storage areas…
Obstacles or Opportunities?
This wall is the current version of the terraces that led to the Orangerie at Schloss Mutzschen. It is one of the many special areas on the property that I can envision people gathering. In the foreground are 3 of the women that are helping me to bring Schloss Mutzschen back to life. There is…
The Power of Many
So, now it is time to get to work. Bringing the MotoSoul concept to life will take plenty of that! It will also mean putting together the right team, making good decisions, and doing all of this while having fun doing it – The MotoSoul Way!! MotoSoul is a grassroots, organically created idea that is…
Lucky or Smart??
My Father had many wise sayings. One of my favorites is “I would rather be lucky than smart.” I have spent the last 30 years in business learning lessons, making something from nothing, and helping people achieve what they are capable of. What has proven out time and time again is that when things go…
Ghost Stories
If you Google Mutzschen Germany, almost all of the hits are tied to Schloss Mutzschen. The town is on the map because of the Schloss. The history is interesting for sure, but perhaps even more interesting are the Ghost Stories. I had read about some of this on the internet and been told there were…
Signs, Signs, Everywhere Signs!
When you find “your thing” in life, you know it. My son Alden has been obsessed with sword fighting and knights since he was 3 years old. King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table has been read so many times and in so many variations in our house we know much of it…
Where is Home?
After several more days spent enjoying Germany with our friends both old and new, we head back to Seattle. Four movies and a short nap later, we arrive. There is a noticeable deflation that happens when I return from any trip, kind of like a Super Bowl pre-game football! Part of the ritual of beating…
Happy New Year!!
There is this saying in the USA called Southern Hospitality. It is a reference to the southern part of the USA and basically means that you are welcomed with open arms into someone’s home, like family. The boys and I were invited to a New Year’s Eve dinner in Kössern, a small village near Grimma,…
Play Time!
As the holidays draw nearer, I get more and more excited about bringing my children to Mutzschen for the first time. They have heard about it and seen many pictures. They know about the MotoSoul project, and they have been listening and watching as it progresses. We have a week in Germany and a couple…
Liberty and Immigration
I arrive back in the States and I begin to ponder what it really means to immigrate to a foreign country. My children have been studying this at school and we have planned at trip to Washington DC and New York over the Thanksgiving holiday both to be with family, but also to enhance…
Reluctant Departures
Each time I travel, I have to face the end and a sad farewell. Farewell to the people I shared the journey with. Farewell to the places I have come to love. Farewell to the magic of the time spent. Leaving Mutzschen feels like leaving home. I have made friends, connected to places, and shared…
Pizza and Pasta
Someone told me there is a pizza place in Mutzschen across the street from the Mayor’s office, so I set out to give it a try. From the street it looks pretty non-descript, this could go either way based on my restaurant critiquing experience! I walk in to the warmth of a wood burning oven…
The Moto Tour
It’s time to explore the other opportunities for the guests of MotoSoul! Markus graciously invites me for a tour of the motorbike venues in the region. He also invites along his friend Patricia to translate for us. We meet at Schloss Mutzschen and we are off – by car of course! I quickly discover that…
The Morning Dance
When morning comes, I am compelled to get outside and MOVE!! Earbuds on, iTunes cranked up loud, and the groove begins. I never know where it will take me, but I always know it will be good! Dancing outdoors, especially in a beautiful place, is one of life’s simplest and least expensive pleasures for me….
Painted Doors
The Denkmal fair inspires me to think about what could be done with the village. Mutzschen has a small village market which has a view of the church, a few interesting buildings, and mostly flat store-front type buildings, some of which have been converted to private residences all the way to the ground…
Ideas and Craftsman
Unbeknownst to me when I booked this trip, it turns out the Denkmal Fair, a once a year event for historical property owners, Government officials, and tradesman is happening this weekend. I had already attended the opening ceremonies, but now I am headed to the fair at Leipzig Messe (convention hall.) I walk…
Sharing the Dream
After walking the entire grounds, covering every inch of the property excluding the garages that are rented and occupied by people from the village, we head to Carsten’s office for the MotoSoul presentation. At this point I have spent months thinking about this property and how to bring my concept to life there. …
Prisoners and Technology
Morning comes and a haze covers the villages and towns in the Muldental. The view from Schloss Döben includes the beautiful town of Grimma, the Mulde River, and on a clear day you can see so many church spires and castles in the distance you can’t count them. It’s time to go explore…
Test Drive
I hop on my next Luftansa flight, this time starting in Berlin, laptop and projector ready for the first official presentation of the MotoSoul concept. I meet with a woman who has bought an old manor house in the middle of no-where and converted it to a hotel and high end restaurant. We…
What Price Do You Put On A Dream?
Once again I hop on a Luftansa flight returning to Seattle, to my children and to my real life. I find myself imagining what life will be like once we are living in Germany. I am constantly comparing life quality and opportunities for my children. The feeling that this is right, it is…
Field of Dreams
I finish talking with Markus and depart the Schloss, following the back roads through wheat fields to reach the waypoint. HMMM, there is a little dirt road leading off the street. Just in case, I decide to leave the bike at the street and walk in, since if I drop Olivier (this big…
Trip
So, August 2014 arrives and I hop on a plane from Seattle back to Germany. It’s time for a sneak peak inside the castle. I bring my friend Thomas to the property for his first look the day before we meet the Burgermeister (Mayor). The entire drive, Thomas is trying to convince me…
Welcome to the MotoSoul blog!
Welcome to the MotoSoul blog! here you will get all the latest news about the resort.