3. Stavanger, Norway

Believe it or not, yesterday's sea day was much appreciated. Not that we were idle, because there was plenty to do onboard. We elected to attend the three enrichment sessions, which would provide information about what to expect during this voyage. Since I had not selected a shore excursion for Stavanger, I am quite confident that we can get around the town and see the main attraction under our own steam now that we are armed with lots of information about the town. We are leaving here at 3:30 PM, so time is short. I must digress here and say that we had decided not to take the four-hour hike to Preikestolen or Pulpit Rock, nor are we taking a cruise along these fjords. We have decided to experience Norway's fjords later in the trip.

The day is perfect as we walk along the horseshoe-shaped bay from the ship, past Gamle Stavanger, the cluster of 173 white historic homes built in the 19th and 20th centuries. These timber cottages were saved from demolition after World War II and are now preserved and protected. We continue along the waterfront to the Fish Market where the Sjøfartsmonumentet or Shrimp maritime monument is located. The Stainless Steel sculpture by Arnold Haukeland was unveiled in 1968. We notice many bronze statues and monuments scattered throughout the town during our walk this morning. Further along the other side of the 'horseshoe', we encounter old buildings that have been restored. Many are restaurants and bars, which will open later in the day.

Who would have thought that an oil museum would be of interest? The Norwegian Petroleum Museum is absolutely fascinating, and I surprise myself when I say that we could have stayed a lot longer except that we have a plan, a schedule to stick to. However, the hour we spend inside the museum is compelling, especially in realising that Norway does not use its oil revenue to splurge on today, but invests heavily on the next generation, meaning that the oil spoils that make Norway rich are well-invested, making the country well able to take care of their elderly and their children well into the future. I particularly enjoy the interactive display showing the LNG production and how water, oil, and gas are separated into different pipelines.

I could talk about oil forever, but I must move on. Close to the museum is Ovre Holmegate or The Street of Colours. We wind ourselves around the narrow cobbled streets where timber the structures of the old town are painted in different and very bright colours. These apparently are not haphazardly done, but are painted in bright shades that compliment those of their neighbours. No clashing colours here!

We are told that we would probably have to take a second mortgage to afford a cup of coffee in Norway. That may not be exactly true, and whilst the prices are higher than Australia, the equivalent to $8.00 per cup is not that bad. It might be worse as we head north, but for today, we enjoy a coffee and a croissant, which may or may not have been expensive, before continuing our self-guided walk around Stavanger.

It might be prudent to mention that apparently there is a hop-on-hop-off bus that operates in the area, but it was nowhere to be seen today and the folk at the Tourist Information Office could not raise them by phone.

We walk along the cobbled windy streets popping in and out of lovely local shops, which might be worth investigating if we had more time. We arrive at the Cathedral. The sign on the door says it is open until 1:00 PM today. It is two minutes past closing time and when I pull at the door, it opens. The people here are quite flexible and decide to extend the opening hours whilst we are in port. The Norwegian people are not only really friendly, but they are most polite and helpful as well. I really appreciate their hospitality. The Cathedral is Norway's oldest church and is said to have been finished in 1125. It was badly damaged in a fire in 1272 and was rebuilt between 1276 and 1303. The large stone pillars along both sides of the central nave appear to draw one's eye to the stained glass window at the rear. The heavily carved pulpit, completed in 1658, is the work of Scottish craftsman Andrew Smith. The carved wall plaques inside the cathedral are also his work.

Footsore and somewhat weary, we drag ourselves along the waterfront toward our ship not too long before it is due to pull anchor. We stop at a souvenir store, which is filled to the brim with wet-weather gear, jumpers, woollens, and the usual variety of fridge magents and odds and ends. I am surprised, possibly amused to see a pure wool cardigan in blue and white fair aisle pattern, stainless steel toggles down the front. My mother bought that exact same garment when she and dad were in Norway in 1973. I guess good quality knitwear never dates.

Our day has been incredibly busy and we are grateful that our ship is able to dock right inside the city, making access to the town's attractions very easy indeed.