11/19/24

Norway Adventures: Port of Call - Stavanger

Our first Port of Call was Stavanger.

Our day in Stavanger was overcast but the rain held off most of the day with was great.  Our plans included the hop on hop off bus and walking around town.

 

My first stop was Starbucks.  I was missing a good cup of coffee and mostly, I was missing cream/half-and-half.  Europe doesn’t put half-and-half in their coffee, instead skim milk.  I was desperate for coffee, which the Stavanger Starbucks didn’t have cream other than what they use for whip cream.  Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do!  Since my luggage was already packed to the brim, my only souvenirs were a Starbucks mug and a cute set of earrings I found in town.

 




Our bus took us to the Swords in the Rock. Per Wikipedia, Sverd i fjell (English: Swords in Rock) is a commemorative monument. The three bronze swords stand 10 metres (33 ft) tall and are planted into the rock of a small hill next to the fjord. They commemorate the historic Battle of Hafsjord which took place there in the year 872, when King Harald Fairhair gathered all of Norway under one crown. The largest sword represents the victorious Harald, and the two smaller swords represent the defeated petty kings. The monument also represents peace, since the swords are planted into solid rock, so they may never be removed.

 



Our next top was a visit to the Petroleum Museum where we wondered around for several hours.

 






From the museum we walked back to town among the adorable cobblestone streets in search of a brewery which appeared to no longer be in business. 

 






We debated grabbing a bite to eat or a beer at a local pub but with the expensive prices and the start of rain, we decided to return to the ship instead. What a small quaint town for my first visit to Norway. 






You can read about our adventures in Southampton and aboard P&O Britannia here <=


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