Stavanger, Norway

We arrived in Stavanger at 7:30 p.m. The camping park where we hoped to stay was full, but the host graciously directed us to a hotel down the street where we could park. This arrangement worked out fine. We were ready to make ourselves dinner and get to bed. Tomorrow was going to be a big day. 

We had booked a day cruise that departed from the harbor in the old town of Stavanger. Not sure of the distance to the waterfront, we chose to use our handy bicycles. We arrived about an hour early, which gave us time to explore. 

Such a compact harbor that we could easily get around on our bicycles. 

Examples of different types of housing on the harbor: modern apartments above and older homes below. 

The jellyfish in the harbor's water below are called egg yolk or fried egg jellyfish. 

Who knew? Stavanger, Norway and Houston, Texas, USA are sister cities. This official connection was established in 1980 and is based on the cities' strong business relationships.

The green-roofed tower in the photo below, called Valbergtårnet, was built from 1850 to 1853. Originally used as lookout tower, it now houses the watchmen's museum. At 26.66 meters (87.5 feet) tall, it also provides a terrific view of Stavanger's old town and harbor.

We've enjoyed the bonus of extra time to explore. With the lure of fjord behind Brian, it's time to park our bicycles and get ready to board the day cruise vessel.

Below is a view of Stavanger from the boat. See the next post for our unforgettable Lysefjord cruise!