Denmark Trip - Day 7 - Tved, DK

Summer House, Tved -- Woke at about 6 AM and drove Marie’s car to Lotte’s where we had coffee, toasted bread, and cheese (Tilsit).

Carol and I drove with Lotte to the Tved Kirke (church) which is near where her family used to live. We walked around the cemetery and saw where Lotte’s parents, grandparents and aunt are buried.

Lotte talked with the caretakers who were preparing to move two children’s graves to a sunnier location at the request of the family. The inside of the church was beautiful with amazing wood carvings on the priest pulpit.

Lotte explained that the church used to be Catholic but switched to Protestant after the reformation. When it was Catholic, the inside walls and ceiling were much more colorful but were painted white when it became Protestant. Lately, people have been working to uncover the paintings.

Which explained why the front walls and ceiling of the church were colorfully painted with religious symbols and figures. 

We drove with Lotte to the local market (Dagli Brugsen) where we got some groceries and I found some licorice for my sister, Susan.

Lotte showed us the automated machine she uses to recycle bottles. The machine would scan and read the bar code on bottles and then produce a credit voucher that could be used as money in the store. We returned to Lotte’s house and started preparing for the Waterfahl concert tonight.

Lotte and I hung a huge tarp over a strap to block the view of the cars, trailers, riding mower, etc. that were being stored in the barn (cars included a BMW hearse and vintage MG the owners were planning to restore). We were trying to figure out how to move the riding mower. Lotte had never actually driven it but with a little encouragement, she was able to drive it to the other side of the barn. 

We then swept the floor and moved four picnic tables, benches, and chairs into the barn for people to sit on. Next, we setup a small stage where Waterfahl would be performing. The stage consisted of wood pallets with 4x8 ft. plywood on top covered by a blanket. We hung some colored lights around the stage and organized the snack area where people would help themselves to snacks including onion dip, and skittles. Later, Andres setup the sound system and lighting which gave the stage a very professional look.

Carol and I then went to the summer house where we cleaned up and then returned to Lotte’s to help prepare dinner. Lotte had agreed to provide dinner for Waterfahl members (Finn and Hanne) before the concert. So, around 6 PM, Lotte, Finn, Hanne, Carol, and I ate dinner in Lotte’s dining room. Finn and Hanne were incredibly nice, and we talked about their music and concerts they’ve done and would be doing in the future. After dinner, we took snacks (chips, onion dip, skittles, drinks) and dishes out to the barn. 

Finn and Hanne did sound checks and finished getting setup. The concert began around 8:20 PM. Lotte introduced Waterfahl and told people to be sure to help themselves to snacks in the back. Onion dip and Skittles are somewhat of a novelty in Denmark

and throughout the concert, Hanne would amusingly remind people to help themselves. That must have motivated people because most of the onion dip and Skittles were gone by the end of the concert. 

Waterfahl began the concert with Otis Redding’s Dock of the Bay, then Neil Young’s Harvest Moon. I love Neil Young and was quite touched when Hanne said they chose the song to honor Carol and me visiting from the U.S. I recorded the entire concert with my iPhone 12 and later asked Finn and Hanne if it would be OK if I posted any of it on social media. Both said that would be perfectly fine. 

• Waterfahl Concert 
• Lotte's Introduction
• Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay
• Harvest Moon
• My Heart Will Never Fly
• The Flowery Banks of Cree
• Blame It On The Rain
• Takes One To Know One??
• Urban Caveman
• All Of Me 
• Angel from Montgomery
• Loch Lomond
• Help Me
• No Man Is An Island
• Moondance
• Goodnight Moon
• Falling Through The Floor
• Stand By Me
• Crazy Little Thing Called Love
• Hvis Din Far Gir Dig Lov (If Your Father Gives You Permission)
• Sweet Caroline
• Romance

Me & Carol with Erling & Lene

The concert was a big hit and around 50 people showed up. It was really nice to meet more of Lotte’s family, friends and neighbors, including a German work study student who was staying with Andres and Ann-Dorthe,and two of Lottes sisters and their husbands.

Finn & Sine

After the concert, we talked with Finn and Hanne and asked if we could buy one of their T-Shirts and CDs. They said they would give us a T-Shirt and their first CD for free! We also ended up buying one of their older CDs.

Lotte's neighbor Andres

Later, Lotte’s neighbor Andrii asked if we could give him a ride in the morning. We agreed and said we would meet him at Lotte’s house at 9 AM. We cleaned up the barn a little and returned to the summer house around 12 midnight.

Things I Learned On This Day (#TILOTD) –

• Tved has an incredibly beautiful church 
• Danish graveyards re-use gravesites every 20 years for caskets and every 10 years for urns unless the family reserves it for another period
• Denmark has its own version of Find-A-Grave called DK-Gravsten
• Danes appear to be fond of onion dip and Skittles