Sunday, July 10, 2011

Ribe - Slowest Town. Storks, Webs, and A Glass of Water

Ribe, Denmark.  It is historic. Some say the first evidence of Vikings establishing a peaceable mutuality in seafaring occurred at Ribe in 725 when Norwegian Vikings landed here, see http://sciencenordic.com/viking-age-began-denmark.

Ribe also boasts other events of moment:  In theology, this was close to the rest of Europe, and so was invaded by lower Europe's culture and doctrine, commerce abounding, Viking Museum. 

This is a town to skip, however, if you want a nice lunch enjoyed in about 45 minutes.  We tried, sat at a very old spidery place in the shadow of the Cathedral, and waited and waited. 

1. It was not full. Look over and down a ways.  Nice stork's nest.


Consider the stork.  Both Horace 65-8 BCE, and Ovid, 43 BCE-8 or so CE record items about the stork. Wikipedia so claims, and cites a dictionary. The best part, however, is following the notations to the explanation of the bar code on books these days: the International Standard Book number.  It (the stork) is carnivorous, has broad black tip areas on the wings.

Ribe is on the migratory flight path of storks, and cherishes them. Just waiting to be fed here.

2.  Look up from your nice table outside.  Nice post and beam construction, and ooh the cobwebs just overhead.  Now, those have been here since the area was first settled (archeological finds) about 710 CE. Whoops! That one nearly landed on Dan's head. Duck, Dan!

Ribe, Denmark, window web view

A waiting diner may well be tempted to scramble up on the chair with a feather duster, if only a duster could be found. Just waiting. Lots to see here, http://www.visitribe.dk/international/en-gb/menu/turist/historie/ribes-historie/ribesstorhedstid/ribesstorhedstid.htm

3.  And this looks like the only place to be for lunch. Everything is saggy with centuries of half-timber weight, and holding strong,  and little panes in some windows that look as though they are really really original.

Dan Widing waiting for lunch, Ribe DK,

4.  That Viking Museum is going to be great.

5.  Amble inside.  Treasure! A six-plate stove, or "close stove" -- German, say early 1700's,only the well-to-do could afford them (find another at Kronborg Castle at Helsingor).  The panels could be used separately as firebacks, to shield the back of the fireplace.  Bricks or stone and mortar could crack eventually from the heating and cooling. See some at http://www.stovax.com/fireplaces/classicfireplaces/classic_fireplace_tiles/cast_iron_panels.aspx




Glance outside.  Nope.  Keep on waiting. Nothing going on.  Take a closer look here.


Is that a castle, two towers, arch? People there. How about those things on pedestals. Looks secular rather than religious in theme.

6.  Oh -  a stack of plates to the side. Are those for us?

Dan Widing waiting for lunch at Ribe, Denmark. Soon we will need a zimmer

Now, about those storks.  Look! The eggs hatched, the fledglings fledged right before our eyes, and the whole family took off!  Not really. See European white storks at http://www.ribe1300.dk/About%20Ribe/The%20history%20of%20Ribe/Storken.aspx   Finally, got the food. Nice enough but not for that wait. Over an hour. At least. What do proprietors think we are doing in their town? Counting old spiders? And we were tired, and didn't want to be rude and get up and leave, and after all, we had these two glasses of water.

7.  Dash off! Find the museum!  But, this being September, the Viking Museum had just closed.

  • Riba riba.  Unreasonable delay is an increase in the cost of the loan of the seat, and is forbidden as interest, without an increase in services. Other cultures forbid it. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riba

Fair use from Wikipedia as to Qur'an 2:275
وَأَحَلَّ اللّهُ الْبَيْعَ وَحَرَّمَ الرِّبَا
Trade, yes.  Interest,  no.

And there was this fast food truck just over there. Happy people came and went, French hot dogs, pork sandwiches.. to die for.

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