Friday, July 22, 2011

A Few Visits to Holbæk

The Apotek in Holbæk opened its doors on the 7th of March 1705

Chapter One:
Alice and I went to Holbæk to pick cousin Nina up from the train station. She is having some minor surgery next week.  We parked the car in the city center and went looking for an electricity converter because I could not find mine when I was packing. This building is so pretty and I saw the sign outside that said it was over 300 years old. Apotek means pharmacy in Danish and most towns have at least one.  Holbæk has about 27,000 people and they have 3.

Chapter Two:
Cousin Pernille said her father Erik had asked after me and we decided to go the next day and visit him. I enjoy visiting with him.  Pernille and I had been talking about her father's "sweet tooth" and how I shared a fondness for Danish Pastry with him. We stopped at the bakery and bought what is called a "Water Pastry". It is in the shape of a kringle (the ancient Danish sign for bakery). The pastry is like puff pastry and it is filled with whipped cream and topped with chocolate icing. There were four of us and and Erik and I had seconds!  No leftovers - not with Erik and I.

Photo on the left is the symbol of a kringle which is displayed outside all Danish bakers. The kringle symbol is one of the few ancient guild signs still being used.


I wish I had taken a photo before we cut it because it was truly beautiful.  And it was not whipped cream from a canister. I was real whipped cream!

Chapter Three:
The following week, I was showing Mette and Pernille some of the photos I had taken. Pernille saw the photo of the Apotek and said "That is where my father had his medical clinic - on the top floor of the Apotek! It was so fun.  I had no idea I was taking a picture of decades of Pernille's family history.


I am standing on Erik's porch. Lovely isn't it?   




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