Made it to the pier to board the Flagrutten, and found the last pair of window seats. Are now cruising the rather flat west coastline past rocky formations and scrubby trees, accented sometimes by a bright brick red house. Cloudy, getting brighter on the way to Stavanger.
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Paul napped, I explored the windy deck, and then both of us went up for the sunniest part. Rocky coasts are now covered with bright green grassy fields.
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12:00 noon- moment of silence for the Oslo victims. The boat turned off its engine and we sat rocking in the water for a full minute.
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12:10- arriving in Stavanger with its oil rigs, drills and countless white houses. We walked the tight cobblestone streets (pedestrians only) to the tourist information office, where we got directions to our hostel and information on our hike tomorrow. We found cheap Thai food near the harbor and ate pepper beef and chicken fried rice outside while watching people. Paul also calls feeding time for me "killing the monster." The leftover food mixed with extra rice was enough for dinner for only 180 Nkr. We started toward Mosvangen Vandrerhjem hostel, which is on a lake that resembles Calhoun. The students who attend a nearby Bible college cook and run the place in the summers. It was a long walk even if we did get a little turned around. We played Nuts while waiting for our 4:00 check-in and settled in our small room and headed back into town. We found ourselves in a large crowd of 75,000 in the city center for the memorial Parade of Flowers.
People were carrying their offerings: a potted orchid, a dozen roses, a single Gerbera daisy, hand-picked garden flowers, gladiolas. We waited a half hour or so for a Norwegian ceremony in which the tragedy was honored-- First Aid responders and some of the students/parents on the island led a processional around the city. We didn't join the parade, but sat near the harbor for our dinner and walked through Gamle (Old) Stavanger. Cobblestone walkways pass between rows of late 18th-century white-washed wooden houses with beautiful window boxes and flowering gardens.
Searching for beer in a liquor or grocery store was fruitless: everywhere had closed early and all of Stavanger was sitting in restaurants or in the square with a snack and enjoying each other's company. We bit the bullet (it had to be done at some point) and chose a pleasant cafe. Our beer cost 14 dollars. Each. Besides a drunk guy almost falling on our table, it was a very pleasant evening. We walked back and continued the Nuts war. Preikestolen tomorrow!
---
Paul napped, I explored the windy deck, and then both of us went up for the sunniest part. Rocky coasts are now covered with bright green grassy fields.
---
12:00 noon- moment of silence for the Oslo victims. The boat turned off its engine and we sat rocking in the water for a full minute.
---
12:10- arriving in Stavanger with its oil rigs, drills and countless white houses. We walked the tight cobblestone streets (pedestrians only) to the tourist information office, where we got directions to our hostel and information on our hike tomorrow. We found cheap Thai food near the harbor and ate pepper beef and chicken fried rice outside while watching people. Paul also calls feeding time for me "killing the monster." The leftover food mixed with extra rice was enough for dinner for only 180 Nkr. We started toward Mosvangen Vandrerhjem hostel, which is on a lake that resembles Calhoun. The students who attend a nearby Bible college cook and run the place in the summers. It was a long walk even if we did get a little turned around. We played Nuts while waiting for our 4:00 check-in and settled in our small room and headed back into town. We found ourselves in a large crowd of 75,000 in the city center for the memorial Parade of Flowers.
Searching for beer in a liquor or grocery store was fruitless: everywhere had closed early and all of Stavanger was sitting in restaurants or in the square with a snack and enjoying each other's company. We bit the bullet (it had to be done at some point) and chose a pleasant cafe. Our beer cost 14 dollars. Each. Besides a drunk guy almost falling on our table, it was a very pleasant evening. We walked back and continued the Nuts war. Preikestolen tomorrow!
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