Tuesday 31 May 2016

YES or NO?

















The result from yesterdays voting about whether people in Stavanger and the two neighbouring councils, Sola and Sandnes should be combined into one big council or not, ended as most people thought..... the Stavanger people voted YES, the other two NO.

Only every fourth person in Stavanger voted, not very impressive.
But it was a democratic process, and now everything is back to normal, working as good neighbours.

Monday 30 May 2016

VERDILØSE MENN.




















Here they are, the guys I met out on a little trip yesterday afternoon.
They were men from the same motorcycle club, visiting friends from the Stavanger area.
Next Saturday they will be as far north as Smøla, via Hardangervidda, Lærdal and lots of other interesting places.
Nice to meet you!
Hope you will have a great and safe week out on the roads!
They had BIG motorcycles. One was 350 kilo.

VERDILØSE MENN is the name of the club.
Directly translated that means "worthless men"!
That name made me SMILE.
HAVE FUN!

Sunday 29 May 2016

Coffeee and ice cream?




















A corner window with the announcement " We have iced coffee and homemade ice cream."

This is just outside the Culture-house and a bakery/cafe on Arnageren.

Saturday 28 May 2016

QUEEN VICTORIA arrives in Stavanger













QUEEN VICTORIA arrived in Stavanger yesterday..... well...the cruise ship..
Nearly 2000 passengers and more than 900 crew members looked like they were happy to see our city.

It felt a bit crowded from time to time in the narrow little streets in the centre of the city.

I spoke with a couple from Devon/England, who needed help to read the map and find Old Stavanger.
They had had a fantastic trip, seen the FJORDS, several days  of sun, and "even got a bit of a nice tan" as the wife put it.

(I did not say a word about the rain, the wind and the temperatures we sometimes call summer....)

The day was to be enjoyed!

Late afternoon, Queen Victoria headed out the fjord again to go back to Southampton.

Friday 27 May 2016

Landscape















Landscape -, seen through sunglasses.


Thursday 26 May 2016

The LADIES from TJELTA.

















The LADIES from TJELTA,
is a group of women who meet up once a week, for a nice walk together. (Tjelta turgruppe.)

TJELTA is an area in Sola, about 20 minutes south of Stavanger city centre.

The group had driven a bit further south for this weeks walk.

Here they enjoyed their lunches at the bridge, MIDGARDSORM, also seen in the last two postings.

In the winter, when it is cold and perhaps with snow and rain, they have the possibility to use a nice sports/club house where they have lunch.

Sporty Ladies!

(Hope you will explore lots of nice places, and don't forget the Botanical Garden at Ullandhaug :)

Wednesday 25 May 2016

Sunny morning.














Sunny morning.
Same bridge, MIDGARDSORMEN, seen also in yesterdays posting.

Tuesday 24 May 2016

The bridge MIDGARDSORMEN.
















I went for a walk this beautiful SUNNY morning, over the bridge Midgardsormen.
In Norse mythology the "Midgardsorm" is famous.

It is situated about 30 minutes by car south of Stavanger,
and then it is a short walk from the parking place.

There are picnic areas on both sides of the bridge.
The grand opening of the bridge took place earlier this month.

It is built, thanks to companies and individuals who have paid "shares" to have the bridge built.
Names are put up on one side of the bridge.

(STAVANGER DAILY PHOTO is also on FACEBOOK.)

Monday 23 May 2016

LOVE & PEACE















Summer is on it's way...

(Seen outside Brustadbua.)

Sunday 22 May 2016

VARDENESET CHURCH.














This is VARDENESET CHURCH.

Built in the year 2000. 
Architect: Steinar Skartveit.
Else Marie Jakobsen has made the woven decorations inside. (One extra reason to take a look. She has made some fantastic work in many churches, and I will show you some later.)

It is situated in the northern part of Stavanger, the area TASTA has plenty of houses (some with a fantastic view over the fjords and mountains), and some big companies have their offices here.


..............................................................................

Stats about "life in the Norwegian Church"


PS.

Finally, some will say. The church now has a second liturgy, so it should no longer be a problem to let two people of the same sex getting married in the church. Some priests have said a loud NO to this, and have decided to stop working as a priest because they think it is so wrong. 
Some church goers have left the church in protest.

We have had female priests from 1961 and got our first female bishop back in 1993.
So, in some ways Norway has been ahead of other countries. Changes sometimes take time.



Saturday 21 May 2016

Sorry...
















Sorry to show you this place, so empty and with not much to offer.

It used to be a colourful busy market place, with HAND MADE items and also fruit, flowers and vegetables from local farmers for sale.

From time to time there have been some salespeople selling mass-produced items from far far away.
A few concerts, some demonstrations, and also openings of the annual food festival.

Over the years there have been competitions, school classes and even (architect) students from abroad who came up with good ideas. I met some from Istanbul one summer who told me about this.

A daughter of some friends won, together with others pupils, a trip to Barcelona.... after a competition with suggestions on what could be done. She is now a young woman, and their winning solutions are probably stuck in a drawer and long forgotten.

This is Stavanger on a cold rainy day......

The good news is that it will be warmer and a bit of sunshine next week.


Friday 20 May 2016

SIGVE

















SIGVE was going to fix something under the platform where I was standing.
He works in a building nearby, and the work had nothing to do with the railway.

Next month "bus for trains" starts. Let us hope they will finish the work this summer.

Thursday 19 May 2016

The New Gamlingen.

















There are busy times at Mosvangen Camping, where THE NEW GAMLINGEN is being built.
A public outdoor swimming pool.
For half a century GAMLINGEN has been on the other side of the motorway, and it has been a very popular place for many people.


Wednesday 18 May 2016

A wooden door.





















A wooden door.

I rang the council, and a knowledgeable man told me that the door is from 1914.
He even knew the right address. That impressed me!

Tuesday 17 May 2016

It is our National Day today.



















It is Norway's National Day today!
Celebrations are going on all over the country.

Take a look here too: http://www.aftenbladet.no/nyheter/lokalt/Del-dine-17-mai-bilder-med-Aftenbladet-3927178.html

Click on "last inn flere" for more photos.

If you go in to any Norwegian newspaper, you will find many similar images today.

Monday 16 May 2016

It might win an international prize.....



















My first thought was:
Isn't this quite futuristic?

Followed by:
Why have I never seen it before?

A couple of weeks later, it was mentioned in the newspaper with a link...... Take a look at the article and photos here dailymail.
Helen & Hard is a well known architect company, which have existed 20 years in Stavanger.

I met a big group of Dutch architects, perhaps a year ago, who praised the company and told me about the sightseeing tour they had been on, to see different buildings that the company had designed. Just by listening to all the positive comments, made me proud of being from this part of the world that they all had enjoyed so much.

I think it is a fantastic achievement to just be on the list.

So well done to all the people at HELEN & HARD in Stavanger.

Sunday 15 May 2016

HAPPY SUNDAY!





















After reading other blogs and seeing their beautiful images of fields and parks filled with Tulips,
I have been looking around for similar areas here, and the best so far is this place, just outside the old hospital here in Stavanger.

Happy Sunday & Enjoy the DAY!

Saturday 14 May 2016

WIND + SAND















Yesterday evening was cold, sunny and quite windy.

I drove on the road between the beach and the airport, and as so many times before the road was covered with sand.
One of the airport busses struggled ( I just hope the passengers and their luggage made it to the airport on time.)
I noticed the tow truck was there on my way back. (when I drove back.)

It is actually even worse when it is dark, then people who can't manage to walk on the pavement, walk out on the road.

Friday 13 May 2016

Working life.





















She works as an archaeologist for the county council.
Before new building sites can be built on, she and other people are checking out the ground for really OLD stuff.

WORK can be so different!

Thursday 12 May 2016

BEACH LIFE.
















BEACH LIFE....

(The days will be colder again ( back to normal) so take advantage of the nice "Summerfeel" today.)

Wednesday 11 May 2016

Tuesday 10 May 2016

What a great SUNNY day we have today.


















What a great SUNNY day we have today.
This is an image taken this afternoon at one of the beaches, south of Stavanger.

Monday 9 May 2016

THE STRiKE IS ON.

















For weeks we have had a strike on, by people working at hotels and restaurants.
Saturday even more people went on strike.
It is the time of year, and I can not remember a year without a conflict / strike in May.
It involves most parts of the country.

But the union is strong, and they have a fortune, so it can last for a very long time.
This time as the sign says. They want a salary they can live on....

So as if you are planning on staying in a hotel,  you might struggle these days, or perhaps have to pay twice as much and stay where it is "business as usual".

Sunday 8 May 2016

Garden centre

















Yesterday the Stavanger area had the highest temperature in Norway!

+23C

It was fantastic, and today it is going to be a sunny SUNday.

Gardening time.

This is an image taken at Hove Plantesalg, a populare garden centre, south of Stavanger, and a bit outside Sandnes.

They have a popular park with animals and birds, that is worth visiting. Most kids LOVE the place.

Saturday 7 May 2016

LAST CHANCE TO WIN....





















This is "Garny SoFina". She is knitted from top to toe. And she is tall. You will find her outside LAFTHUSET, the place were they sell all you need for knitting.

TAKE A LOOK AT LAST SATURDAYS POSTING.
Read it slowly, and add a (YES) at the end of your comment if you want to take part in the draw tonight.

YOU CAN WIN THE SWEATER, seen on last Saturdays posting.

The winner will be added here tonight.
ELSA BALDRATI - ROBINET from France, is the winner. CONGRATULATIONS!

Friday 6 May 2016

A special meeting.

















I sometimes meet people I will never forget.

JINE is one of them.

She very often pops in to the Cathedral on her way to or from school.
I am a muslim she told me, but I can find God here too.

Yes, why not!

Jine has been living most of her life in Norway and spoke of course the language fluently.
I hope life will treat her well, and I hope she will continue to be a strong and independent woman.


Thursday 5 May 2016

Great work!




















Teenagers, pupils from the school Bergeland (art, design and architecture.)
have made this fantastic artwork!
The Cathedral's old window is in Trondheim for restoration. I have to say that all the light and the  nice colours made the church room feel much more pleasant and more open.
It might be there for the next 2-3 years... so do take a look if you are in town.

You are welcome to follow "Stavanger Daily Photo" on Facebook:)


Wednesday 4 May 2016

Mika and Emilia.





















MIKA is a fantastic Borzoi dog! (Russian wolfhound)
EMILIA is a profesional caretaker for dogs (and cats.)
Plenty of walks.
She is out and about sometimes with more dogs at the same time.
They looked like happy friends!!
Nice meeting you both.



Tuesday 3 May 2016

The Yorkshire couple.
















Yesterday the wind was strong and it was pouring down with rain nearly non stop.
This couple, from Sheffield, Yorkshire in England, seemed to managed reasonable well, and they were heading towards Starbucks....
She is my Lady he said, Diana is her name....
(I did not dear ask if his name was Charles:)
But this loving couple looked like they were meant to spend LIFE together!
Before heading back towards the huge big cruise ship, they were going to take a look inside the Cathedral.

Monday 2 May 2016

Take a good look.

















Take a good look.
What do you see?
The "red"one is made by Ella & Pitr.
Seen at the beach at Sola.

Sunday 1 May 2016

Helicopter traffic.

















Living here on the coast of Norway I see and hear helicopters nearly every single day.

Not since 1978 have we had a disaster like the one that happened on Friday, when 13 people lost their lives! 

Newspapers, radio and TV have been covering the tragedy where a Super Puma EC225 crashed just outside Bergen, on it's way from the "Gullfaks B" platform.

The loss for family, friends and colleagues is devastating! 

For Statoil and other oil companies, safety has been, and will be, number one.
All helicopters of the same type are grounded until they have found answers to why this happened.
In 2015 there were more than 600.000 passengers travelling to and from platforms here in Norway.