Europe Blog # 14: Stavenger, Norway

                               Europe Blog # 14: Stavenger, Norway

                    Getting ready to explore a small town

Historical homes: Brown was the original color. When homeowners could afford the cost, the homes were painted white.

                    The town has a cute, historical harbor

Like years ago, cargo ships are docked in front of today's homes and businesses.

Small cobblestone streets with steep pathways going up and down was worth the trek.

Cute mailboxes

                        Pretty flowers contrast the gloomy day

                    Look carefully on the right: Interesting things to see

                                    Contrasting architecture

            These girls happened to be walking by - willing to pose

                        This was a special town to explore

More manholes

Home owners go out of their way to make a pretty garden. There is an underlying reason. Norway has a lot of rain and almost total darkness for three months out of the year. Flowers and gardens help cheer people up.

Stepping into history

                                       Cute home decoration

Our guide commented she had visitors opening up the doors of people's homes thinking this area was actually a museum!

  Plenty of cobblestones to navigate. Slippery when walking downhill

 Outdoor seating comes with heavy-duty blankets--even during summertime.

            Metal plates help the blind navigate through the city

        The city was built in 900 AD; the church around 1120 AD

Plenty of local color

This was an unexpected treat. Halfway through the tour we were met with needed umbrellas and local made (the best) pure apple juice.

As a tourist attraction, the town has a wonderful museum dedicated to the petroleum industry. 

Oil is typically found in porous rock. The large equipment is an old-tech device used to repair underground cables, pipes and other items.

These displays indicate what is found by depth and temperature as well as the different thicknesses of oil products.

These "live" minute by minute readings indicate price of oil/barrel

                        Some of the many types of drill bits

Every conceivable type of oil-related ships and offshore platforms are displayed

These cement platforms are towed in the ocean to a designated location.

Many accidents and lost lives have occurred. There are environmental issues. But, the industry provides jobs and the money generated per capita is enormous. Also, even though hydrogen fuel, solar and wind industries continue to move forward as fast as possible, drilling is also moving at a fast clip!

Scuba divers used to  go to deep depths to repair something. Now, robots are doing the job.

By the way: Jerry has worked with all of the companies supporting the petroleum industry: surveying, drilling, pipelines, processing, controls, onshore as well as offshore.

   Colorful seaport area

Nobel peace prize recipients can put their feet into cement -- much like actors at the Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood.

                                        Trolls are everywhere

1825 replica of a ship bringing the first Norwegians to the United States.