I passed this empty notice board in town a couple of days ago.

It seemed very symbolic to me, as the clearing away of the old in preparation for the new!

As this is the last day of 2011, I would like to wish you all the very best for 2012.

I look forward to all of your postings and comments in the coming year.

Keep up the good work, and have a happy New Years Eve tonight!

Many tourists, even those who travel 1st. class on cruise ships, have been shopping their hand

knittet Norwegian sweaters from FRETEX, a second hand shop run by the Salvation Army.

A good idea!

They are made of wool, and are perfect for the winter season.

Also nice to think that there are people in Germany, Italy, USA, UK, France etc. who actually are wearing these woolen "kofter" that have been knitted by local people here in the area.

If you enlarge the photo, you will see the nice buttons, and even the little FRETEX label inside, with the Biblical words:"Seek and you will find."

The STORM ended without any major problems here in Stavanger. Local ferries stopped for a while, and the big ferry to/from Denmark was also stopped. We have had a beautiful sunny and cold winter day today.

Storm on it`s way today?

Well, it was very windy, as you can see here from the area near the fish market.

Rogaland Art Centre at "Nytorget" in Stavanger.

I have only been there a couple of times, but I will find out more and give you a look inside later.

An evening shot at the harbor.

I liked the lines and the bright color.

For news about the STORM, further north in Norway, see Sundays posting and the link.

After all the heavy Christmas food, I am looking forward to buying some fresh seafood from one of the boats down at the harbor.

"All I want for Christmas......"

Advertisement at the airport for duty free items.

Well, the place looked very quiet yesterday afternoon.

But tomorrow it will be a very busy day again.

Thanks for presents, e-mail and snail-mail, fb - greetings, even SMS's and some real surprises!

All very nice and much appreciated.

So what was the best (not the most expensive) present you received?

LATER, -an update on the STORM, FURTHER NORTH of Stavanger.

Our city has not been hit by the storm.

Click on the link to see pictures that people have sent in to the newspaper..... pictures and text (English) via Google translate

I hope all of you have a nice Christmas Holiday!

GOD JUL / MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Susanne and her brother Simon looked happy, cute and ready for Christmas!:)

I could not resist asking if it was possible to take a photo.

Hope your mum likes the photo!

Merry Christmas!

Inside STING,-the cafe.

Fog and rain today.....

More SNOW this afternoon.

Today was a reminder that WINTER is here.

This is one of several embroderies I saw at "Cafe Sting" today, and believe me, I was only one of many people who took a second look!:)

JUL is Christmas in Norwegian. JALLA is a word that some use, take a look at this link:

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=jalla

I asked who had made this, but did not get a name, but later I found out more about the project about words that perhaps most of us would never have put up on the wall!

Take a look at this http://www.geriljabroderi.com/ for more information.

(Google translated version in English)

(LISE FLØRLI has made this artistic work.)

Obrestad Lighthouse has been "artified".

It was done by the British artist Lucy McLauchlan as a part of Nuart

The walls should have been repainted white, but that was postponed for a year to allow it to be used in cooperation with the artist via Nuart.

My husband doesn't like it, and he is looking forward to the day it is repainted white.

What do you think? Like it, or don't like it?

The International Food Market has been visiting us again, and we have had smells and tastes of products from Southern Europe.

They have really had quite a few struggles inside the big tent, not only heavy rain and storms, but also a fussy Norwegian businessman, who thought they were not paying vat and taxes, since the food was so much cheaper than in ordinary food shops. Customs officers inspected many of the vendors after the complaints and found all of the paperwork to be in perfect order. It just goes to show that food can be cheaper here than a lot of businesses would like.

Quite a good view from here.....

Stavanger Universitetssykehus.

Our hospital.

Stavanger Symphony Orchestra together with Silje Nergaard, at the church St.Petri, tonight.

It is HUGE!

( KL SANDEFJORD is the name.)

Please compare it with the little house to the left.

The weather has been very different from day to day.

Today I want to show you another sunny photo from Ullandhaug.

In Norway most shops are closed on Sundays.

But in December we can go Sunday shopping in the big shopping malls from 14:00 to 19:00, and the rest of the week up to 22:00.
Here is one shop, that looks just the same as it did many many years ago when I was living in Denmark. This is a Danish chain that is also found here in Stavanger.

How would you describe the style?

Wherever you are, shopping or not, I hope you will have a good Sunday!

24 bottles of beer (not on the wall), was what a friend got for his advent calendar after he complained about all the small presents their kids got BEFORE Christmas.

Passing these crates reminded me about it.

I have just learned that this is called a RAM in English.

Not many farms left in and around Stavanger, but walking around the tower at Ullandhaug, I sometimes see quite a range of animals. These two were ok with having their picture taken!:)

Here is INGER, -the sporty Lady!

Or as she said herself, the "bottle woman."

Well, my friend and I have seen her so many times, she has passed us at a tempo that we can just envy!

But life has not always been like that, after an accident she had to start at zero, and just walking slowly 100 meters was a struggle!! But slowly she has built herself up to someone, who walks FAST, every day, and carrying her water bottles as weights, cheap sports equipment!

She is an inspiration to all of us!

A perfect day today for a walk around Ullandhaug.

Cold and sunny!:)

(This is only 10 minutes by car from the city centre.)

Most shops are decorated both inside and outside now.

This is at Breitorget, outside "Lene Interiør".

A VERY WINDY afternoon with quite a bit of rain (Saturday)

Yesterday was COLD, and today we got SNOW!:)

Stavanger Yacht Club's members were out sailing near the harbor today.

Many had Father Christmas outfits on, and some of the kids had excited parents who joined the supporter team around the harbor.

A cold day, with a bit of snow in the air.

"Moona Lisa", work by Nick Walker from the UK.

Situated near the harbor here in Stavanger.

The Student Society,- FOLKEN, has so many activities for students and every one else who likes concerts, films and social evenings. Take a look at: http://www.folken.no/index.php?Meny=00000000020

Cold and sunny this afternoon!

Still no snow, but it feels like it might be on it`s way soon.

Have a nice weekend!

An interesting wall I saw today.

"WELL DONE" is the directly translated name of this shop. ("GODT GJORT")

It opened not so long ago, and is the first shop in Norway that is run by teachers and teenage pupils from the school Bergeland.

They make things to sell, and the pupils get training in what it is to actually work, and also give service to the customers.

I popped in today with a friend, and yes, there were plenty of nice handmade things, so we both bought a few presents.

The woman you see in the picture is one of the teachers, who also told me that they have a blog at: http://www.godtgjort.blogspot.com

The shop is situated in the city centre, at Breigaten 15.

Arne, aged 6, has been making this drawing, that has such happy faces that I just had to stop and take a closer look.

He was one of many children who sent in fantastic drawings, that are now part of an exhibition inside the main office building of our newspaper, "Stavanger Aftenblad".

Well done, Arne!!

More rain.................

Yesterday, I visited the Christmas Market at the Rudolf Steiner school.

Nice to see and buy things, and also nice to see the pupils work.

Look at this classroom. The architecture is so unique and aesthetically nice!

We have had extremely bad weather and I really felt the STORM today!

This is one of many, very nice gingerbread buildings that have arrived at the annual exhibition at our biggest newspaper here in Stavanger.

(Take a look at last years creative houses in my archive, from December 2010.)

I had a trip in to the city centre this afternoon.

Still very windy and lots of rain.

Yesterday the people and the helicopter trying to put up the Christmas tree on top of the city bridge, had to give up the work because of the strong wind.

We are ok here in Stavanger.

Only wind and rain.

The storm is further north.

If you google Storm and Berit, you will find both pictures and film.

Statoil (oil company) have evacuated people working on some of the oil rigs out in the North Sea.

Wherever you are; HAVE A NICE WEEKEND!

Some funny Christmas decorations, - and colorful flowers, inside my favorite flower shop!:)

Becca and her horse Homo, where out today.

I saw them setting off on their way up the hill, and just wish I had a bigger camera with me.

Perhaps we will see them again next Wednesday?

One of the many new office buildings, out at the Forus area.

Do you like the style?

This painting reminded me that it is soon time to visit the dentist!!

We only have one Catholic church in Stavanger, http://stavanger.katolsk.no/

Lots of building activities going on there now.

It is a popular church, and they needed more space.

Today I will show you an archive photo, from what used to be the entrance area.

Perhaps I will be able to take some more photos, when the building work is finished.

You will find this place, just opposite the bookshop in "Prostebakken."

Recommended YUMMY!:)

Jacket potato.

It looks like it is the lion who is breaking the glass on this door, one of the doors into "Hall Toll", a restaurant and bar near the harbor in Stavanger.

But I guess it might have been someone who had a little too much to drink.

A strange coincidence?

It looks like it is quite common to advertise on just about anything and everything these days.

Is it the same where you live?

A music student told me that this little house is a guest house for conductors or muscians who come and work for the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra.

I have not had this confirmed by their press office, but I think it looks nice to have a private little house, next to the concert hall. I think that it is also a much better, and a more personal experience for people than they would get from staying in a hotel.

This is a posting I hope JM from Oeiras/Portugal (also) will see.

It was him who told me about the street artist from Portugal, who has been working here in Stavanger. I have had a look and did some research before I took this photo.

More info about the artist and his work, can be found here: http://www.streetartnews.net/2011/10/vhils-new-murals-in-stavanger-norway.html

Sometimes it really stinks.... but today was not too bad!

We call it "Hillevågs-luktå".

I wish I could hear you say that in Norwegian, it means "The smell from Hillevåg"

Follow the "Google translate" link below if you want to have info. in another language other than Norwegian.

http://www.aftenbladet.no/lokalt/Skretting-slipper-mulkt-for-stank-1816292.html.

A direct link to the Google translated version

is here.

He was out cruising this morning....

(My thoughts went straight to the CDP blogger from South Pasadena)

A logo on the window of the main door to a menswear shop.