We left Copenhagen and headed to Thisted, where Geoff's grandmother grew up. The drive was beautiful and peaceful, full of farmland, white churches, bridges, islands and water. It was a five-hour drive. We stopped in Odense for lunch.
At the restaurant there were some prams outside the restaurant windows with babies sleeping while family members were inside eating. As we ate, out popped two toddlers! The fathers went to get their sleepy children. They ran through the restaurant to their mothers, but one child ran right for Ceci and nestled into her side and stayed there for a good two, full minutes. We were all surprised at his draw to Ceci. Even with some surprised laughter, he didn't pull away. After a little snuggle he joined his family. It was so endearing!
We arrived in Thisted in the late afternoon. It is in the Northwest part of Denmark (Jutland) situated on a fjord. A beautiful, little town.
It was fun imagining Geoff's grandmother walking on these streets throughout her childhood. She lived a mile out of town and walked to school, walked home for lunch, walked back to school, and then walked home at the end of the day. Her dad, who ran the town bank, did the same.
We found the bank:
And the church they attended. It was also the church where Geoff's grandparents were married, and his mother was christened.
We set out to find Villa Ly, Geoff's grandmother's childhood home. Things have changed a lot since she visited last. Back then, her home was located on a small, farm road just outside of the town limit. Of course, not only has the town limit changed, but the town has grown beyond it. We had a few details about it, but looked in vain. We called his grandmother in North Carolina and asked for any more details. She mentioned there was a church and graveyard nearby. We went back to town and started the drive along the road out of town and I spied a church at the top of a gradual, populated street, not at all obvious or easy to see. And then on the next street off to the right, we saw it. Villa Ly (pronounced Lew, but with an accent). Address is: Vestre Kirkegardvej 1.
We decided to knock on the door to see if we could have a peek inside. The couple that lives there was delighted to show us around and hear our connection to the home. The man was a banker himself, and he had heard a banker used to live in the house. They had even gone to the town archives to learn more about this history of the home and learned that the "banker" that lived there used to look back and lift his hat to his wife as he left (walking) for the office every day.
The home was very nice back then, and it is still a very beautiful home now, although updated in several ways. I sent the pictures to Geoff's grandmother who explained how things were then.
The kitchen was closed off back then. They had a live-in servant that cooked and cleaned for the family.
The upstairs was unfinished back then, and the stairs were as if going up to an attic. Upstairs the servant had a small room, and Geoff's grandmother had a room.
The upstairs is now finished. There are two bedrooms, and a sitting area with a wall of windows going out to a small deck overlooking the fjord. There was only a window then, and it was the servant's room. Here we are out on the small deck:
There weren't homes between Villa Ly and the fjord then. The kids would just walk the short distance to swim and play in the water.
We were communicating with Geoff's family, asking for old pictures to show this lovely couple. Here is one of his great grandparents, Anders Jacob Andersen and Gerda Haurslev-Christensen.
Here we are on the same spot. You can see how the patio and exterior of the home have changed. (Sorry if you are not interested in these details! We just want to remember all of the history we can.)
Our new friends, Morten and Annette:
A peek into the garage, which hasn't changed a bit.
Morton and Annette wanted us to stay for tea, and if we did, maybe they even would have offered their home for the night, that is how welcoming they were. As we waved goodbye they hollered, "Say hello to Mormom for us!"
We arrived at our adorable little bed and breakfast, around 9:45 and were up and going early the next day. As Geoff's Danish relatives in Copenhagen said, "You are traveling American-style." (Rush rush rush.)
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