Stavanger Norway

Stavanger (founded in 1125), Norwergian Petrolium Capital, was our destination in June 2007. I had to attend a Conference, and for Erik, it was just a holiday trip :). Even when Stavanger is a fairly small city (with app. 200 000 inhabitants), it's a very beautiful city with lots of nice houses, ports and sights. It was wonderful to ramble around enjoying the narrow streets with small wooden houses (Old Stavanger), nice restaurants in the centre of Stavanger, discounts in shopping malls, horns of huge cruise ships leaving Stavanger Port, beach volleyball GP (with Estonian players) in Skagenkaien of Stavanger, fresh strawberries from the market etc...

This is Old Stavanger - with 173 white small wooden buildings from the turn of 18th century - the Northern Europe's largest and best preserved wooden house settlement. This is Stavanger Cathedral - from 1125. The church was built in Anglo-Roman style by English craftsmen. Stavanger Cathedral is the only Norwegian cathedral from the Middle Ages that has retained its original appearance and been in constant use. We looked inside, too, it was very nice and peaceful...

Skagenkaien port. There, the beach volleyball took place as well.

The beach volleyball GP - Estonians playing against Japanese. Estonians won - 2:0. I and Erik were the only Estonian encouraging crowd... :)
Stavanger has a street with houses each of its own, joyful colour... Skagen Brygge (the white houses) and Valberg Tower - the old watchtower and watchmens' museum at the top of the hill behind the colourful waterfront sea houses. In 1853 the tower was the the highest point in the town and used to warn of fires. Skagen is the area, looking to the harbour, with loads of small outside pubs and restaurants, where people come to take a glass of beer (which is VERY expensive in Norway!).