John Edward Cooper’s Notes
Wednesday 2 May 2012
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[2012] [Tuesday 1 May 2012]
 09:06:46 Stavanger  09:06:54  09:07:30  09:13:33  09:18:17 Approaching Stavanger domkirke  09:20:50 Stavanger domkirke  09:21:20  09:21:27  09:23:05  09:25:28  09:27:36  09:27:46  09:30:14  09:30:26  09:30:40  09:32:42  09:33:54  09:41:46  09:44:16  09:44:50  09:45:38 Breiavatnet in Stavangerpark  09:47:38 Stavanger domkirke  09:48:30 Grey wagtail  09:56:16 St. Petri church, Stavanger Janet wrote: “After [being in Stavanger Cathedral] we walked around, exploring, then went for Diet Coke Lights in a steam bakery.” So I took the sign over the window “Dampbakeri” to mean. “It was lovely and toasty and comfy in there. After that, we explored again and then found the Valberg Tower and went in there.”  10:42:28 Buy your seborrhea, comedones, papules, pustules and nodules here!  10:44:02 And what does this shop sell?  10:44:38  10:45:38  10:50:20 Valberg Tower and Guards Museum Janet wrote: “We… found the Varlberg Tower and went in there.” We were just heading upstairs, when the man behind a desk, whom we had just passed, told us we would have to pay. Can’t remember how much it was; it seemed a bit steep for two storeys affording a view and not much else, but we were on holiday so I didn’t quibble. “It was a nineteenth century watchtower for fires. It had excellent views over all the city.”  10:55:16 The blurb said that the staff with the spiked ball “commanded respect”.  10:59:40 Valberg Tower and Guards Museum  10:59:58 MV Ocean Countess moored in Vågen, Stavanger  11:02:52 More views of Stavanger and environs from Valberg Tower  11:03:32 More views of Stavanger and environs from Valberg Tower  11:03:50 More views of Stavanger and environs from Valberg Tower  11:05:08 More views of Stavanger and environs from Valberg Tower  11:08:08  11:09:14  11:09:34  11:13:52  11:18:06 Sculpture, overlooking Stavanger Harbour, created by Arnold Haukeland in 1968, dedicated to all sailors lost at sea. Known locally as “the shrimp”.  11:19:54 Stavanger Harbour (Vågen)  11:22:40 Stavanger Harbour (Vågen)  11:24:26 Stavanger Harbour (Vågen)  11:26:08 Returning to the ship  11:27:54 Returning to the ship Janet wrote: “Then we returned to the boat and went to the Boat House, after dumping our gear in the cabin. (It was 11.30am.) We had a coffee to warm us up then sat there until lunch time to secure a table to eat. I had some ‘cold bits’ (salad) including some poached salmon, then we headed to the Tower Piano Bar. [John] had two wheat beer and I had two Diet Coke Light.”  14:54:29 “At 3pm,” Janet continued, “the boat sailed from Stavanger. We went ‘right up top’ (I was well wrapped up with my coat, scarf, hat and gloves on) but it was SO windy it alarmed me. (I thought I might be blown away!) I went down to a lower deck and observed in a sheltered sunny area behind glass. We were hoping to see Pulpit Rock.” The wind later eased off, but got up again as we approached Lysefjorden. I thought perhaps that was because the fjord was acting like a wind tunnel. I kept snapping photos, particularly in Lysefjorden, because I feared that we’d pass Pulpit Rock unannounced and I’d miss it.  14:59:13 Leaving Stavanger  14:59:34 Leaving Stavanger  14:59:49 Leaving Stavanger  15:07:00 Leaving Stavanger  15:09:30 Strong wind  15:11:15  15:12:07 Farvell, Stavanger!  15:14:40  15:14:56  15:16:04  15:18:02  15:18:44  15:36:04 Views in Høgsfjorden  15:36:32 Views in Høgsfjorden “By 3.45pm,” Janet wrote, “I wondered what was happening and had a heck of a time finding [John].” (I had been wandering outdoors from deck to deck.) “We still hadn’t seen the Pulpit Rock! I hung about for around ten minutes then decided I’d had enough and returned to our cabin. Took off my coat, etc., stopped at the ‘Cruise Desk’ and collected cruise brochures and went to the Boat House for a cup of coffee. I sat and looked at the brochures then returned to our cabin at 4.30pm. No sign of [John]. I sat on the bed to update this, then at 4.45pm there was an announcement that we were approaching the Pulpit Rock. So I dashed upstairs and on deck and saw it — would have spat if I’d missed it! Not my definition of a spectacular wonder, though! Tvinde waterfall, yes, definitely! However, it was interesting and I’ve seen it. I returned to our cabin only to find I could see it from our windows! It’s now 5pm and there’s still no sign of [John]! At last, [John] appeared at 5.15pm!” For once, I was more impressed with something than Janet was. There were one or two people who kept appearing on the top of Preikestolen, tiny and barely visible.  15:56:12 Views in Høgsfjorden  15:57:38 Views in Høgsfjorden  15:58:14  16:02:28 Views in Høgsfjorden  16:11:04  16:13:02 Views in Høgsfjorden  16:13:26 Views in Høgsfjorden  16:14:58  16:17:18 Looking to the left, Lysefjorden  16:18:44  16:23:56 Entering Lysefjorden  16:26:10  16:26:32  16:26:54 Views in Lysefjorden  16:29:30 Views in Lysefjorden  16:30:02 Views in Lysefjorden  16:31:44 Views in Lysefjorden  16:34:54 Views in Lysefjorden  16:35:38 Views in Lysefjorden  16:36:18 Views in Lysefjorden  16:39:34 We were told there was a post box here, but I couldn’t see it.  16:44:16 More views in Lysefjorden  16:44:52  16:46:24 More views in Lysefjorden  16:47:30 Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock)  16:47:40 Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock)  16:50:08 Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock)  16:50:40 Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock)  16:53:10 Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock)  16:56:12 Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock)  16:58:46 Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock) I offloaded today’s photos onto the computer. “We looked at today’s photos then went for dinner,” Janet wrote. “I had a beef tournedos, medium-rare, over an inch thick and VERY nice!”
Serghei played all the standards on an electric guitar, accompanied by a pre-recorded music track, kind of “instrumental karaoke”. I suppose the Leda equivalent was “Fritz”, only he had an electric accordion (→Mini-Cruise to Norway). “After that [i.e., dinner],” Janet wrote, “we went to Hamptons and listened to Serghei. [John] had another wheat beer and I had a Coke. At 8.15pm we listened to ‘Serghei and his Tart’ until 8.45pm then headed for the Tower Piano Bar.”
“At 9.15pm,” Janet continued, “we were entertained by Kateryna and Lilia on piano and violin. They played classical music — we didn’t recognise all the pieces. ([John] had another wheat beer and I had another Coke.) It was
SUPERB. Delightful. They played for 45 minutes. We then left and on our way back to the cabin we saw Kateryna and Lilia and I told them how much I enjoyed their performance and how good they were, and that it was the highlight of my day, which it was. Back in our cabin I… updated this. It is now 10.05pm (11.05pm Norway time) and I’m going to put the light out. We’re in the North Sea and it’s choppy — hopefully tomorrow won’t be as bad as Saturday.” I recall, as we passed the last of Norway’s inlets and islands, the sea appeared a little choppy, but there was barely any sensation of motion, either then or for the rest of the crossing home. I had a session of editing 44 of today’s photos (mainly just applying “Auto-level”) (21:36–22:13; i.e., 22:36–23:13, local time). |
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