2014 - OCEAN PRINCESS - STAVANGAR

AT LAST WE DIP BELOW THE ARCTIC CIRCLE.

THE SUN HAS BEEN OUT CONSTANTLY FOR ABOUT A WEEK.

WHAT A STRANGE EXPERIENCE IT IS, TO NEVER HAVE DARKNESS FOR A WEEK.

EVEN MORE SO FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE & HAVE LIGHT FOR TWO MONTHS & NO SUN FOR TWO MONTHS IN THE WINTER.

GETTING OFF, HERE IS THE SHIP TIED UP RIGHT DOWN TOWN.

FOR ONLY THE 2ND OR THIRD TIME ASHORE, I AM NOT TAKING A PRINCESS EXCURSION. I AM GOING TO TAKE A WALK THROUGH TOWN, GET A LOCAL BUS TO A DISTANT FJORD & BUS BACK. AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THAT.

PASSING SOME NORWEGIAN CITY BIRDS .......

THIS IS THE HEAD OF THE FJORD I WAS AIMING FOR BUT THERE IS NO TOWN HERE. I HAD EXPECTED SOMEWHERE TO GET A DRINK AT LEAST BUT IT IS JUST A FERRY STOP.

STILL IT WAS A NICE RIDE & I HEAD BACK TO TOWN ....

I BUMP INTO SOME PASSENGERS WHO REMIND ME ABOUT THE OLD PART OF STAVANGAR JUST A SHORT WAY FROM THE SHIP SO I HEAD OVER THERE.

I AM GLAD I DID ....

A PICTURE PERFECT SLICE OF NORWAY .....

A CAT BURGLAR? TRYING TO GET IN FOR SURE.

A BEACH VOLLEY BALL TOURNAMENT ... YOU CAN SEE OUR SHIP BEHIND ..... THE BOYS IN THE CREW NOTICED THE GAME.. CANNOT IMAGINE WHY.

OK - I GOT A BIT CARRIED AWAY THERE.....

AFTER THE GAME I HEADED TO A CAKE SHOP THAT HAPPENED TO SELL BEER. SITTING OUTSIDE I THOUGHT I WAS HAVING HOT FLASHES BUT IT WAS A HEATER ABOVE MY HEAD.

I STOPPED INTO A BAR TO GET RID OF MY LAST NORWEGIAN MONEY. I GAVE THE SCOTTISH BAR GIRL EVERYTHING I HAD AND ASKED TO GIVE ME WHATEVER IT WOULD BUY. NOT A LOT AS IT TURNED OUT.

YOU MIGHT NOTICE THE LOCK-BOXES ABOVE THE BAR. SHE EXPLAINED THAT CUSTOMERS PUT BOTTLES OF SPIRITS IN THEM FOR WHEN THEY WANT TO HAVE A TOT. SAVES THEM A LOT OF CASH APPARENTLY.

SHE ALSO TOLD ME WHY SOME OF THE ADVERT ABOVE THE BAR HAD BEEN BLANKED OUT, BUT I FORGET THE REASON.

A LAST LOOK AT NORWAY AS THE FIRST SIXTEEN DAY SEGMENT OF THE CRUISE COMES TO AN END.

A LOVELY PACED CRUISE, WITH MOSTLY A DAY AT SEA IN BETWEEN SHORE TIME.