Thursday Sept. 27 Ry, Denmark to Emmen, Netherlands via Ribe and Flensborg”
"She is a witch!"
Today is a long drive from Ry, Denmark to Emmen, Netherlands. We decide to stop in two old towns along the way and I am so glad we do. Both places are unforgettable experiences. Ribe is Scandinavia’s oldest town and is also one of the best preserved containing many fine old buildings including a medieval cathedral and a 16th century schoolhouse. We find no construction going on in the town and no detours or roadblocks. We park our car in a lot and walk across a bridge into the old town. I am “in heaven” walking the cobblestone streets lined with crooked half-timbered houses admiring the picturesque scenes which are everywhere. Suddenly Al’s voice jolts me. “Maren!” he calls me urgently. Look over here. Look up at the sign on this store…it has your name on it!” Turning and looking up I see that Al is absolutely right.
There in bold lettering the sign reads, “Maren Splid”. What! Who is Maren Splid? I have to find out. Maybe she is the owner of the store. I will find out. Inside I find a gift shop but I am not interested in gifts. I just want to meet Maren. A salesman greets me in Danish. I get right to the point. “Who is Maren Splid? Is she the owner of the store?” “No,” he replies. “She is a witch.” I am shocked. “A witch?!” “Yes! She lived in this town in the 1600s. Her house is around the corner. She married the tailor in town and she was thrown into the fire. You can read about it on the computer.” I write her name down in my notes right away. Maren Splid. I will definitely do some research on her when I get home. I do find out that Maren Splid was an "independent woman with a sharp tongue". She was accused of sorcery in 1637. Her accuser claimed that one night he was awoken by three witches. Two of them were unknown to him, but the third was Maren. They held him down and Maren blew into his mouth. This made him sick and he vomited up an object he thought was moving. The object was observed by priests and the bishop who declared it was unnatural. Maren was acquitted of the charges but a few years later her case was reopened. She was brought to Copenhagen and under torture she confessed that she had used sorcery, misusing the holy sacrament of communion. Maren Splid was found guilty. She was tied to a ladder and was thrown into the fire. The date was Nov. 1641.
Of all the old houses and buildings in Ribe, the one I remember the most is the Weis Stue Restaurant/Inn. I walked inside and stood in the small main dining room surrounded by antiquity. I was awestruck. The house is half-timbered and dates to the year 1600. The interior is still the original from 1704 with decorated ceilings, dutch tin-glazed earthenware, panel walls decorated with biblical subjects, a 400 year old clock and a baptismal dish more than 700 years old. The Weis Stue is busy and cozy open all day for lunch and dinner.
As early as the 14th century Ribe had a history of the night watchman. This was a man that walked the streets of the town during the dark night, protecting the to people from harm, fire and flood. He walked carrying a spiked weapon as he sang the watchman’s song: “Master, maid and boy, would you the hour know? It is the time that you to rest should go. Trust in the Lord with faith and careful be of fire and light, for ten o’clock has struck.” This was sung at 10:00 p.m. The time of the night watchman is long gone but in recent years the practice has been revived as a tourist attraction. May to Oct townspeople and tourists meet at the Weis Stue Inn to begin the rounds with the night watchman who holds a lantern in one hand and the spiked mace in the other.
Reluctantly Al and I leave this old town and drive on to Flensburg, Germany. We make a point to stop in this old city. In his autobiography my father tells about his grandmother Marie Gylsen and what happened to her in the old town square in 1864! Listen to my father tell the story. “The Germans under Bismarck attacked and annexed Schleswig-Holstein - the parts of Denmark nearest Germany. What’s interesting to me is that my lovely grandma Marie Gylsen was a girl living in Holstein at the time - 1864! Grandma told me the story that must have been one of the most exciting days in her life how she and her girl friends stood in the village square singing Danish songs while the Danish soldiers retreated and a few minutes later sang German songs when the German army appeared.”
This story has always intrigued me. Today I stand in this old square surrounded by the cathedral and old tall buildings. I picture my great grandmother standing there and singing first in Danish and then in German…and wondering what that felt like to her. I must have been a life changing event in her life.
Al and I have lunch in a very nice Italian restaurant in Flensburg. I order the vegetable soup and Mediterranean salad and admire the Italian décor of the restaurant.
We continue on our road trip and arrive in Emmens in the early evening. We are ready for our last meal (really just a cheese platter snack) which we eat in the bar area.
This is the last day of our trip. We fly home from Amsterdam tomorrow (Friday Sept. 28th) landing back in Boston. After picking up our car, we drive home - so thankful to be safely home. We will never forget this remarkable experience. Never.
I leave you all with some very good advice I received on a road stop on the way to Emmen. Inside a building was a small gift shop and on the wall hung a framed poster with words I absolutely agree with. What do you think?
This is your life. Do what you love and do it often.
If you don’t like something, change it.
If you don’t like your job, quit.
If you don’t have enough time, stop watching TV.
If you are looking for the love of your life, STOP. They will be waiting for you when you START DOING THINGS THAT YOU LOVE.
Stop over analyzing.
All emotions are beautiful.
When you eat, appreciate every last bite.
Open your mind, arms and heart to new things and people.
We are united in our differences.
Ask the next person you see what their passion is and share your inspiring dream with them.
TRAVEL OFTEN. Getting lost will help you find yourself.
Some opportunities only come once. Seize them.
Life is about the people you meet and the things you can create with them. So go out and start creating.
Life is short. Live your dream and share your passion.
You're done!