I had lunch at Kvadrat today, and I was not alone.....

There were queues everywhere. Kvadrat is a shopping mall with 160 shops and of course several restaurants and cafes. On a rainy day they must do very well as it is enclosed!! It is actually situated just outside the border of Stavanger, but people from all the neighboring councils very often go to this area where a lot of big stores, like Ikea, Plantasjen (a huge gardening center) etc are located. A number of companies also have offices in this area which is expanding rapidly.

Enough about that.

What I want to show you is this sand sculpture which is inside the shopping mall. Amazing and artistic!

I have got some info. from Kvadrat: The sculpture was made by Daneel Foyer, and it took 5 days to make it.

It was made in week 27, and will probably be there until the schools start again in week 34.

It is nice to hear music in town! ;-)

This Dutch guy was one of several street musicians making a nice atmosphere just outside the Culture house today.

This is a piece of art that I don´t know anything about.

I have been passing the building so many times without actually seeing it before.

But since I now look at my city,- thinking about showing you what I see, I am aiming to finding out more. I might be wrong, but it does not look “typical Norwegian” does it?

In the meantime, you can guess what nationality the art has.

Late afternoon in Stavanger.

Early morning in Stavanger.

This is Elaine Davidson, who I met at the “Tattoo Convention”.

(See yesterdays link to her webpage.) She is the World Record Holder for Body Piercing, and those who met her will probably not forget her. She was very sociable, and probably the most photographed person at the convention.

Some of my friends have piercings, but none of them come anything like close to this Brazilian born woman, who is living in the UK.. She has more than 6000 piercings on her face and body.

Take a look at this colorful woman, who even sleeps without taking off the metal.

I really wonder what happens when she goes through the security gates at the airport??

For quite some time now I have been passing posters saying that the big “tattoo convention” will be taking place in Stavanger.
Well, it started this Friday and although tattoos are definitely not something that I would ever have done myself, today I decided to take a glimpse into this “new world”.

I have to admit that many of the tattoos I saw were very artistic. It obviously requires a talented and steady hand to create these masterpieces

Some people said that this event, was something they had been looking forward to for a long time, and to have some of the best international tattooists there tattooing people was brilliant!

In case anyone is wondering, no, I did not end up getting swept up in the event and getting a tattoo or piercing.

Trond Kjørkleiv, from "Leading Light Tattoo & Piercing Senter" in Sandnes is the tattooist.

Amazing work!

Check out their website. http://www.tattooconvention.no/

GLADMAT 2009

As requested by Leif, here is some more from the food festival, “Gladmat”. As you can see, I decided to take a little stroll around it again this afternoon.
I felt it was very different from yesterday. Mainly because of the weather and that people were out enjoying the sunshine.
I thought that just one photo would not give the right impression, so I have made a “postcard”. I hope that this helps you to get a better feel for the atmosphere.

CLICK ON THE PHOTO, to enlarge it.

If anyone is interested, the burger served by the girl in red, is actually an elg ( Elk/Moose ) burger.

GLADMAT 2009

It is 11 years since the first food festival, “Gladmat”, opened in Stavanger.
Today it is the biggest one in all of the nordic countries.

This year more than 100 white tents have been put up with people who produce food and those who have restaurants etc, sell and give informations about their products.

I had a stroll around yesterday when it started. The weather is not the best, but lots of people enjoy the atmosphere and the chance to meet up with friends and colleagues.

The festival lasts until Sunday, and it is expected that there will be something in the region of 250.000 visitors.
As you can see, it was quite busy along the harbor.

More water.
This time it is the North Sea seen from the beach at Sola, that is very close to the International Airport in Stavanger. And this beach is only 20 min. drive from yesterdays photo.
As you might see, one minute it was sunny, the next it was pouring down with rain!
The blowing wind was good for the sporty people out parachute surfing.

This is an area; Kiellandshagen, around the little lake "Breiavatnet". The art at the front of the photograph was made by Marit Aanestad in 1998. It changes due to the weather and the light. I love the reflections in the water!;-)
This is a very central place, close to the market, the Cathedral, bus and railway station, and some hotels. There are swans and birds, as well as this nice fountain.
In the winter there can be snow on top of ice on parts of the lake, and sometimes thick ice, safe enough for people to cross over the lake.

Early morning.

If you turn to the left you will be going straight in to the most colorful street in Stavanger,
ØVRE HOLMEGATE
The houses are painted in bright colors and there are several unique shops and cafes.

If you instead go straight ahead, which is KIRKEGATEN (Church road), you will pass (or visit) lots of shops and end up at the marketplace and the Cathedral.

This is a crazy photo of a “crazy” situation.
The guy with such a colorful outfit will get married on August 8th.
Saturday afternoon, he was, as the sign says; “Collecting money for his honeymoon, and (followed by ) “I can play music and make waffles ......”
It was a group of his friends who had chosen this huge car park at the shopping mall "Kvadrat." It was pouring down with rain outside, and the car parks were full.
Hopefully he had a good time, and increased his honeymoon budget!
If HE can not remember what happened, I am sure most of his friends have documented it, because quiet a few of them had brought their cameras.
Anyway: Best of luck to him and his future wife.

This is the biggest Jellyfish I have seen so far this summer.
It is taken down at the harbor in Stavanger

Today I have done something new. I have been a tourist in my own city, and I have spent two hours with a qualified guide and the German family Meyer from Wolfsburg.

(They had rented a flat at Tou, and were planning on a trip up to "the Pulpit Rock" tomorrow.)

Well, we had a good time strolling  around in Stavanger, visiting some places, and later the guided tour continued by bus to several other interesting places.

If you want to discover the Stavanger region with "GuideCompaniet" for exciting excursions,

you can find more information at 

http://www.guidecompaniet.no

or you can send an e-mail:booking@guidecompaniet.no

Today has been a day with rain and thunderstorms, followed by sun, followed by rain and so on. So unfortunately the weather girl was right yesterday!

This photo I took when leaving the car park underneath the building where I am a member at the fitness centre. I am not very sporty, but since I pay for this I drag myself to go there.

When I have had a coffee and read RA (local newspaper) I am normally okay for a session.

I bought and planted some new roses today.

It is pouring down with rain outside..... And I am thinking about people who are camping!!

At least the roses had a good welcome in their new home!:-)

Look what I saw at the market place today!

This photo was taken from a market stall selling clothing for colder days. The building you see in the background is the cathedral.

The weather has been nice for the most part, and hopefully it will continue that way!

I hope the “weather-girl” on TV tonight was wrong about the forecast for tomorrow....

I just had to stop the car and take THIS photo!

I was driving past beautiful renovated houses and gardens with big old trees and colorful flowers.

Storhaug/Paradis are nice areas to live, but to me it is both sad and irritating to see that some people have so little respect for other peoples property. And yes, seriously, there is an area of town called Paradis ! 

I do like colorful street ART, but I am really annoyed about those who can`t see a clean wall, without putting their "signature" on it.

Imagine all the time and money it takes to get rid of the mess!

We have places where there are free walls specially for people to create colorful and creative graffiti much of which is very nice and artistic.

Sunday morning this couple from the Netherlands, left Mosvangen camping, and were heading south for Kristiansand. While they were in Stavanger, they had been up to the famous "Pulpit Rock" which is quite a long walk up into the mountains. Sporty people!

I had a quick chat with them while they were finding out where to go and also find one of the main roads, the RV44.

The weather was colder this morning, quite grey and a bit of fog, as we sometimes have in the mornings here.

This is a building with 144 flats, built in 1972.

It is a place where you have to have a membership in what we call "Borettslag", a cooperative building and housing association. Without the membership, you can not buy a flat. Many larger municipalities in Norway have these kinds of buildings. From here it is only 10 minutes by car or bus in to the centre of Stavanger.

"Trees for Dummies"

I took this photograph when I walked together with a friend around "Mosvannet".

Anyway, I think it is special for kids to leave their dummies here, and I think it is quite cute to see the tree! ;-)

Some families leave small notes/cards to say goodbye to something that their child has been using for perhaps years. I have not seen anything like it anywhere else in Norway. What about you, have you seen something similar in your city???

This photo I took less than an hour ago. It was such a beautiful evening sky that I just had to share it with you. The photo was taken out over the harbor in Stavanger.

Yesterday I showed you a photo of a brick house, today I will show you something different.

These houses are out on an island called Vassøy, just 15 minutes from the centre by ferry. 

I would recommend anyone visiting our city to take the ferry over, and go for a stroll and take a look for themselves. It is a very beautiful place and feels like being in the countryside.

Most houses in Stavanger are wooden houses, but there are a few exceptions.

Here is a photograph of one brick house that is fairly close to the center of town.

Like many cities, Stavanger has a growing problem with begging.

I have very mixed feelings when passing.

(Many of them are from Romania, and some are just kids!)

This is a place in Stavanger, more precisely Hillevaag, where many people keep their boats.

I like walking here, it is peaceful and even the fact that I don`t know much about boats, I enjoy seeing the huge variety of shapes and sizes of the boats. Sometimes I meet someone working or cleaning their boat, but very often I am so surprised that many owners do not use the opportunity to take a trip when the weather is nice and the evenings are light....

This is a photo I took yesterday, in the street "Øvre Holmegate", the most colorful and creative street in the hole of Stavanger!!

They had a Carneval going on, and as you can see some people had really put effort into the way they dressed and looked!

This is "A MUST" place to go when and if you are coming to Stavanger.

There are several good places for coffees and drinks, and the shops are unique and well worth visiting.( It is also a place to buy my favorite chocolates ...... More about that later.)

Today is the Norwegian Queens (Sonja`s) birthday!

I took this photo of the Queen together with the Mayor of Stavanger, Mr. Leif Johan Sevland,- exactly two years ago in the centre of the city, when the Queen celebrated her 70th. birthday together with her family and Royalty from several European countries.

The International Media also got a taste of Stavanger as the "European City of Culture" which started half a year later.

Happy Birthday to the Queen!

A Dutch player in a quiet moment at the World Beach Ball Championship.

Photographers everywhere, including me, who really enjoyed being at the big arena, center court, and taking lots of action shots today.

Mary Miller, has a name and a face that most people in Stavanger will recognize.

Today the Scottish Director of "Stavanger 2008",-the organization who had the challenge and responsibility for all Events happening the year Stavanger was one of two European Cities of Culture... launched a very nice book (especially the design!!). Anyway the sponsors and people working for the organization received a sample of the book this afternoon, that both Mary Miller and her team can be proud of!

I have been in the centre of Stavanger again, and I took quite a lot of photos.

There were several photos that I wanted to put up today, but at the end I decided that I want to introduce you to TWO of many hundreds of tourists in my city. 

This is Helena and her husband Albert from Grossdietwil in Switzerland. This is their third visit to Norway, but their first time in Stavanger. They are staying at Mosvangen Camping for two days, and will then continue to Lysefjord and on to Setesdalen. 

They had even unexpectedly met someone they knew from Switzerland, who was participating in the World Championship -Beach Vollyball!  Sometimes the world can be so small.

I hope that the rest of their stay will be just as nice, and all the best to them in their travels.