Travel is Good for the Soul

Isabell Ries | Location: Heidelberg, Germany | Instagram: @issys_happiness

Meet Isabell, a creative soul, who loves animals and spends nearly all of her money traveling around the world exploring. When she’s not on the road, she’s cooking and bringing that vacation feeling to her home.

Some of your fav places in Marrakech?

The Riad Jardin Secret is a wonderful and peaceful place. Its pink rooftop offers a great view and serves vegan and vegetarian meals with the finest organic ingredients from local farmers. Another special place is the Medina, the old town of Marrakech. You just have to put down the map and get wonderfully lost in 1001 nights. You should definitely get up early one day and have a walk through the streets to see how the city wakes up.

Any advice for travelers to Morocco?

When you leave your hotel, you should keep your short clothing in your bag and put on some loose, light clothing that will cover your shoulders and knees. This will not only respect the local culture but also prepare you for the Moroccan heat. So think about exploring the city in the morning or late afternoon and enjoy one of the many lovely cafes or riads at noon.

Your favorite place for inspiration?

I get the most inspiration by traveling through different countries and cultures. One of the most inspiring places I found during traveling was Bali. It was food heaven for all vegan and plant-based food lovers, so I got a lot of recipes and ideas from there. Its unique culture, spirit and wild nature have also taken my heart.

Your life intentions?

I want to show all wonderful souls out there how to make the best of your everyday life and inspire others to live every day to the fullest. I’m no blogger, I don’t have thousands of followers and I’m not sponsored. BUT I love traveling and visiting wonderful places and sharing my experiences. It doesn’t take a big budget to live a healthy life full of wonderful moments. I have a weakness for good food and new cuisines. It’s a matter of living in the moment and making the best of everything.

What is some of the best advice you have ever received?

The best advice was to live every day like it’s your last. It might sound a little bit cheesy, I know, but it’s true. Make every moment count. It’s up to you to see the beauty of everyday things. When you’re happy with what you have, you have everything you need.

Any secrets for capturing great images?

I love early mornings when it feels like the rest of the world is still asleep. In my opinion, everyone has to find their own style and you don’t have to try to emulate someone. Be authentic in the pictures you take—show what you love and not what others want to see.

Any wellness secrets or hacks that you swear by?

For me, it’s important to drink enough. I love water infused with some fresh fruits, herbs or ginger. It’s absolutely refreshing. Another factor to feel good is sports, especially outdoor sports, no matter the temperature outside. The last “secret” would be nutrition. I attach importance to regional and organic products. In addition to this, I use many herbs and spices (like turmeric) and only a little salt in my dishes, which is good for my body.

Any natural beauty ingredients or hacks you love?

My skin is really sensitive, and therefore I can only use a handful of natural products without any perfumes. So I swear by mother nature. Usually I take some aloe vera or cucumber to refresh my stressed skin.