Denmark Trip - Day 17 - Tonder, DK to Flensbrurg, DK

Tonder, Denmark –

Woke at 7 AM. Walked with Lotte and Carol to the Vor Bager Café/Bakery where we had sweet rolls, bread, cheese, and coffee.

On the way back to the B&B, we stopped at Glaskunsten gift shop where I found a few gifts including a glass gnome, glass kitties, glass yoga Santa and a glass puffin.

While talking with the shop owner, I found out he gets some of the glass he uses from Bullseye Glass Co. in Portland, Oregon.

Lotte, Carol, and I left for Germany. Crossing the Denmark/German border was hardly noticeable. The only thing unusual at the border was a Danish police car with two police officers standing by the road. Lotte took us to the Nolde Museum Seebull and Gardens. According to Wikipedia, Emil Nolde was a German-Danish painter and printmaker who was known for his use of color. 

I really liked his landscape paintings and use of colors. However, I wasn’t as impressed with his portrait paintings. We watched a movie in German with English subtitles.

I was a little surprised when it talked about how he was a racist, antisemite and supporter of Nazi Germany. It mentioned how he tried to get Hitler’s approval but apparently Hitler didn’t care for his art and actually forbid him from selling his art for a period of time.

After watching the movie, we went outside and walked through the amazing gardens surrounding the museum. The garden was in full flower and quite beautiful. We could also see the house where Emil and his wife, Ada Vilstrup lived up on the hill and the grave where they are both buried in the garden.  

After walking through the garden, we went for coffee in the museum café. I decided to be brave and order coffees for everyone without Lotte’s help. I had Euros packed away where I couldn't easily reach them and stupidly tried to pay with Danish Krone.

So, when I handed the money to the cashier, she loudly blurted “Vut is dat!?” Thankfully, I had my credit card handy and was able to pay with no more fuss. We then drove to Flensburg, Germany where we walked along the harbor towards downtown.

Downtown Flensburg had lots of restaurants along the main street offering just about every type of food conceivable. Lotte suggested we try a real German bratwurst. 

So, we found a restaurant where we could sit outside, and we each ordered a bratwurst. I decided to go big and got the curry bratwurst which was a long bratwurst on a bun covered with curry, mayonnaise, ketchup, peppers, and toasted onions sprinkled on top. 

It was good but I was a little surprised at how mild the bratwurst was and the amount of mayonnaise. I was also surprised it did not have mustard. We left Flensburg and drove to the German border where there was a huge shopping center named ScandiPark.

Lotte said it was common for Danish to cross the border into Germany where they could buy things cheaper. It reminded me of how Washington state people (me) cross into Oregon to shop where there’s no state sales tax. The store had an amazing selection of candy and beer.

Lotte and Carol got some things Marie and Erik had requested, and I felt obligated to get a sample selection of German beers.

Lotte thought we might get questioned crossing back into Denmark. So, she said she would drive us across the border. We actually did get stopped and questioned so it was a good thing Lotte was driving.

Things I Learned On This Day (#TILOTD) –

• Don’t try to pay for coffee in Germany using Danish Kroner.
• German bratwursts are surprisingly mild and, IMHO,  have too much mayonnaise.