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The Stavanger region on the west coast of Norway features steep mountains and deep fjords created by the Ice Age. It is Norway's third largest city and was settled 10,000 years ago. We would have 2 days to explore the area.
Our first day in Stavanger was spent wandering both the old and new town areas. We started with the new town consisting of modern shops mixed with brightly painted wooden buildings of Ovre Holmegate - the most colourful street in Norway. We walked down to the waterside and were delighted to find two huge cruise ships in town one of which was the Cunard liner Queen Mary 2, the other was from the Holland American Line, The Koningsdam. Looking at the two ships we thought the Koningsdam was the larger until Greg asked his friend Google about the ships - Queen Mary 2 was longer, heavier, and carried more passengers and crew, I guess first impressions can be deceiving! We walked passed both ships and Kerrie decided that a trip on the Queen Mary 2 would be a great golden wedding anniversary treat for us in a few years time!
The old town consists of over 170 wooden houses generally small and painted in white. The houses are brightly decorated with gorgeous gardens and flowers - the roses are stunning. The streets are cobblestones and artist's sell their ceramics and glass in the many galleries in the area. We stopped for morning tea in The Worker's Cottage which was built in 1836. The cottage is furnished as it would have been originally. The cafe is the original kitchen and the coffee came in beautifully decorated china cups.
We then boarded our Rodne Fjord Cruise boat for a 3 hour trip up the Lysefjorden. The fjord is 42 km long with mountain walls of up to 1,000 m on both sides going vertically into the fjord. The views were spectacular no matter where you looked. One of the highlights of the cruise was a view of Preikestolen or Pulpit Rock - a flat rock formation towering 604 metres above the fjord. People hike to Pulpit Rock and sit on the edge with their feet dangling over the sheer drop - they must be crazy! We visited Vagabonds Cave, the goats who live on the rocky slopes and the magnificent Hengjane waterfall where the crew collected water in a bucket for the passengers to try. The return trip to town took and hour.
Dinner was down by the harbour and fish markets while we watched the Koningsdam cruise ship leave town. The Queen Mary 2 had already slipped out of town without us even noticing.
The next day after a good sleep in, we headed back in to town for a bit more exploring. Our plan today was to visit some museums and city sights. First stop was the Domkirken or St. Swithun's Cathedral. This building is undergoing major restoration so a ticket to get in was 50NOK, about $8. Kerrie went in but Chris and Greg elected to give it a miss. The cathedral has been in continuous use for 900 years. The most noticeable features of the inside of the cathedral are the Pulpit and five epitaphs - large ornate memorials. The stained glass windows are being restored so paper paintings completed by local students cover the window areas.
Next stop was the Maritime Museum. Stavanger has an offer that if you buy entrance tickets to one museum you get free, or reduced entry to all the others - a pretty good deal we thought. The Maritime Museum is housed in merchants' houses from the 1800's. The exhibits show shipping, trade, shipbuilding and military history. There was also an area set up for children to explore and dress up.
The Valbergtarnet was next on our itinerary. This tower was built between 1850 and 1853 and is a former watch tower for the city's firemen and guards. Its green spire can be seen from many parts of town.
The Norwegian Petroleum Museum was down near the docks. Greg and Chris paid their reduced entry fee and went off to check it out. This time Kerrie elected to stay outside. Greg wandered back about 30 minutes later and we decided to head back to the hotel early.
On the way, Kerrie found a cafe to sample Fish Soup that she had seen advertised in several place - a very good idea as it was delicious.
After a load of washing and an early night our stay in Stavanger has come to an end. This pretty town lived up to its reputation as being a region of contrasts but natural and man made - well worth a visit.
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