This is one of the many popular statues ( or perhaps I should have used the word sculpture ? )

in Stavanger. I will have to come back to you on who the artist is, and when it was made.

Today, just the way it was.....

Our little friend, Anna (3 years in the summer) was showing us what she had picked from the garden this afternoon.... Spring is here!:-)

It is Easter soon, and many families have gone on holiday for the whole of next week.

Most people decorate their homes with some yellow flowers.

This is a shot from inside my favorite florist shop.

Earth Hour 2010 ??

Normally there are lights all over at the Police Station, so I think they perhaps decided to take part at the Earth Hour, but I might be wrong.....

Next to where the Nokas filming is taking place is the Cathedral, and I had a quick look inside yesterday.

This is art made by the late Roland Lengauer, who was a well known artist in our city.

More music.

Sometimes happy and sometimes sad.

NOKAS is the name of the famous robbery that took place in Stavanger in 2004. A policeman was killed during the robbery, and of course his family as well as people who worked for Nokas might have negative thoughts about the making of this film. Personally I feel that this is Norways biggest robbery and a part of our history....

Anyway, today I had the opportunity to be there at the shoot and experience something totally new to me. They have to be so organized, down to every minute detail. There were Danish, Swedish as well as English speaking people working on the film. Lots of waiting around, rain and passers by who were in and out of shops, shootings and action. I already look forward to see the final result at the cinema, hopefully in August. One thing is for sure; making a film is not an easy job!

Another example of "new and old" architecture in Stavanger.

An old house (now used as offices) surrounded by tall buildings.

It is near to the Rogaland Theater, the bus station, and the railway station.

I like this little place near to a central parking area.

In a few weeks time it should be even more pretty, when the plants and trees will start to add some color to the place.

Outside our door we have some blue Muscari plants that have started to develop into something nice... Spring seems to be well on its way now!!

It is Sunday and I have not been to church, nor has the sky been bright blue.

I just wanted to show you the St. Petri church in the centre of the city.

A photo taken some weeks back.

Sankt Petri was built in 1864-1866. The last time it was redecorated was in 2004-2008

I have been to some nice concerts there. One day I hope the door will be open so I can show you some beautiful details from inside.

I have been out for a walk around "Store Stokkavann" today, a lake near the centre.

On my way around the lake I saw this "smiling tree!:-)

HAVE A NICE WEEKEND!

What sort of sculptures do we have in and around Stavanger?

Well, I have discovered several that I don't know much about.

Today I read about this "Roundabout bird" made by John Josefsen, so I went to my archive and found this shot taken at Klepp, south of Stavanger....

I like this 5 meter tall bird that has been standing there as a well known landmark for nearly a year.

We have many roundabouts, some will soon get lots of colorful flowers.

Spring will soon be here...

This is a shot taken near the park, when the sky was blue and there was still a bit of snow and ice left in the narrow roads. Some wooden buildings. One is a Turkish restaurant, that I have not been to yet...

Today many people have been talking about "a happening" that took place yesterday. A woman wanted to free THE TREE from all "Tutter" as we call dummies (pacifiers) in Norwegian.

She wanted the tree to breath.....

Many kids have had this tree as their "landmark" where they placed their dummies when the time was right, and so many families have visited the place on their walks around the park.

The newspaper was invited to her removal session, and here are some of the articles in the newspapers.

Rogalands avis and Aftenbladet

Even on facebook there are already more than 2500 supporters of the dummies on the tree!

Many kids have probably heard the story, and asked just like many adults. WHY ??

This is my tribute photograph.

( Click on labels under, for more info. and a shot taken last year.)

Stavanger today; rain and filming of the story of the Nokas robbery.

Yesterday I went to Stavanger Kunstforening to see some contemporary art.

Please take a look here

My photo shows Martyn Reed the artist for several of the pieces being displayed including this: "Lost at sea - Melancholy 1 " Series of "found" paintings.

Some had to go to work today......

Once upon a time there were a group of old men/friends, who used to meet up at what used to be a famous "Danish Bakery" in Stavanger. They sat around the same round table every time, drank their morning coffee, sometimes ate breakfast, and talked about this and that....

On the right of the table is a sign saying "The morning friends", and each of them also had their name on a small brass plaque on the table at "their place"......

I had coffee and cake with a friend there today, and just wanted to share this story with you.

I thought these three young men were tourists, but i was wrong.

HENRY, TEDDY and FRANKLIN are from the Phillipenes. They work for different oil companies in the Stavanger area. And they have been living here for a few years, and met through work.

This afternoon they were out photographing, and are hoping to have a photo exhibition soon.

I will be invited they said, and I look forward to that! :-)

Firstly this is not a common way to get rid of the snow. Most snow is just left to melt by itself...

But this company has been hired in to do the job around the Cathedral, because a film crew has been waiting to start making a film based on the most famous robbery that happened in Stavanger and Norway! (Next to where I took this shot... ) It is important that the area around the Cathedral looks close to how it was at the time of the robbery.

Take a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/index.html?curid=6799621

So there will be filming going on for several weeks to come.

I was invited to Rogaland Theater tonight.

(I can remember promising myself to go there more often, but I rarely follow it up.)

Tonight we saw " The little shop of HORROR' s". It was colorful, fun, nice music, excellent performance and I was really impressed about the many effects and surprises.

(Thanks for the many amusing comments under yesterdays photo.)

Here they come...

One more shot from yesterday`s celebrating of "Woman`s Day" in the center of Stavanger

Did you celebrate?

(My biggest surprise was in Russia, a few years back, where a complete stranger came up and gave us women a rose each..... (on International Woman`s Day)

Neither of us had seen anything like it in Norway! We were in Russia to visit schools and not even aware of WHAT day it was. )

"The International Woman`s Day" was the reason why around 400 people turned up at the park to celebrate the day and the 100 years since it first happened in Copenhagen.

There were politicians and union people who talked,- and later the group of people walked around in the streets with banners with very clear messages!

I am living in a country where we have had a female prime minister and have female bishops.

There are things that could have been better, but seriously we have come a long way.

I just hope that things we take for granted will soon be possible for women all over the world.

It has been RAINING today, so I guess these cars as well as other cars that have been waiting for the spring, might be out on the road again soon.

The KRISTIANSLYST school. (For teenagers. 13-16 years old.)

It was built back in 1970, and is typical for that period of time.

Some people are working late, like the two guys who were busy clearing the thick ice around the drains out on the roads....

So when (and if ) the snow starts melting, it will find it`s right way.

The photo was taken about 30 minutes ago.

Stavanger is international, -

and that includes not only nationalities but also different religious groups.

We have 7 mosques, according to the local newspaper RA.

I have never been inside any of them, but perhaps I will one day? I promise to take my camera with me. Anyway, sooner or later I might see some more. This is the Pakistani community center and the Main Mosque, as it says on the wall.

Woolen coats and make up.....

More snow around 5 o'clock this afternoon.

"Passageway" is the theme for March...

And this is a photo taken south of Stavanger.

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