Moin Eutin, Hej Ribe!
Whilst we've been in Ostholstein, we've become accustomed to the local greeting, “Moin!” or, more likely, “Moin, Moin!” Today, we heard it for the last time as we packed the car and said ‘bye as we set off on our way northwards.
To begin with, we drove along what we think of as “ordinary” roads. We'd set our satnav to avoid motorways, preferring to see a little of the countryside and take some time to get to the next place. Today, that was to be over the border, into Denmark, to an old, medieval town called Ribe.
Along the way, we drove through the city of Kiel and of course, over the canal. It wasn't easy to see due to the high barriers on each side of the bridge.
We were soon approaching the coastal town of Eckernförde and across the water, we could see the rows and rows of Strandkörbe over there on the beach. It was a pretty nice morning and I imagine there were a few people out there enjoying the sunshine.
It wasn't far from there to Schleswig, somewhere we'd planned to stop for a while and take a break. It'd be our last stop in Germany for a while and there were a couple of things I'd hoped to get from a supermarket along the way. I'd been watching out for one on the right side of the road, with plenty of parking and easy access, where I could simply dive in and get what I wanted in minimum time. As we passed the cathedral there on the other side of the water, my Hero and I were chatting about something, I was looking out for a supermarket and we were zipping along in busy traffic looking out for the turning into the city at the same time.
Suddenly, there was an alarm and my phone began to flash. There appeared to be an emergency and the pair of us wondered what on earth was happening. Was it the car? Was it outside?
What was going on?!
Needless to say, we missed the turning! I clicked my phone and the flashing red message stopped flashing and translated into English (but my Hero's phone was still going crazy!) It was a test emergency alert, very similar to the one we'd had in the UK just a week or so ago. There was no panic, nothing to do and we shouldn't worry. We could breathe again and go about our normal life…except, we'd missed our turning and were approaching a roundabout.
Fortunately, on that roundabout was a large supermarket. I suggested we drive in and take a breather whilst I go in search of a few things on my list.
Ten minutes later I was WhatsApp-ing Birgit in München to check that this was the right ingredient for a cake recipe she'd sent me recently then trying to find our favourite Rahmsauce and Kaiserschmarrn. Mission accomplished, I found my Hero in a slightly less frazzled state, ready to go again!
We'd headed for the cathedral in Schleswig, but on the way, had passed a sign that looked interesting. Sure enough, in the information office opposite the cathedral we found out more about the Teddy Bear house, which was part of the StadtMuseum. Guess where we headed next?
The Teddy Bear House was prettty easy to find though was tucked away in a small community down a cul de sac. There were few people there, so we could head straight for the parts which interested us…
Perhaps on another day, we may have taken time to view the photography exhibit, or see the local history display.
Today, we were simply interested in the characters in the house over the way. Almost all German in heritage, many with the Steiff button in their ears, there was a large collection of bears of all sizes and ages.
We found a few favourites and enjoyed looking around them all. I've always loved bears and perhaps, being an only child, the phrase on the wall offered an explanation?
Or a gang of them, perhaps?
From Schleswig, we set off once again towards Flensburg, from where we found ourselves driving along Grenzstrasse (“Border Road”) for 32km westwards, almost completely in a straight line.
From time to time we wondered if the border would be just along here…
and of course, eventually it was. But didn't we expect something a little more impressive? (It was only later, when looking at my quickly snapped picture that we spotted the “1km” distance beneath the sign!)
Oh, well, at least Schleswig Holstein bade us farewell and auf wiedersehen.
But then there was more…oh my. OK, we got it…we're here! Of course, in these Schengen no-passport days, we don't need to stop and do anything to cross into Denmark, but it's good to note that we have now made it.
Yes another sign soon followed. OK! We get it!
Though the landscape looked pretty much the same, the house was flying the distinctive red and white ribbon style pennant.
The road signs were different from the yellow and black German style too, noted as we turned left towards the Marsk Tower here. Last evening in Eutin, we'd chatted to a couple of German cyclists from Hamburg, who were sitting at the next table to us. On learning we were headed for Ribe, one recommended we stop at the Marsk Tower, which was quite fun, he thought.
Sure enough, there in the middle of nowhere and visible from some distance given the flat landscape that surrounds it, was the tower, constructed in the shape of a double helix. One begins to climb at the bottom and simply keeps going in the same direction to go up and then come down again (if you see what I mean). This afternoon, it was pretty busy with quite a few youngsters running up those steps like greased lightning!
We older, more considered folks stood and watched the weather coming in from the west, eyeing their short sleeve T shirts and thinking “hmmm…will they make it down in time before the rain starts?”
Well, some surely did, but many certainly didn't, for as we drove away the heavens opened and it poured for quite some time. Thankfully, it had stopped by the time we arrived in Ribe, just a few miles away.
We were thankful for that, for not only is Ribe an old town, we are staying two nights in the oldest hotel in Denmark, which has no parking and the steepest of stairs to our room - and no lift. Our room has everything but a 90 degree angle and I'm hoping that we will remember the 10” step into the bathroom during the night when such things are most important 😉
All of which makes for another interesting day!!
