Stavanger - the European Capital of Culture 2008

In 2008, the Stavanger region, together with Liverpool in England, will be the European Capital of Culture. This is a wonderful possibility to be known for tourists and people abroad, but it also means that the city invests for their own inhabitants. Culture and the scenery in the region will get the focus. In 2004 readers of National Geographic ranked the Norwegian Fjords as the world’s best tourist destination. The Lysefjord with Prekestolen is maybe the most known of them. This is a long, narrow arm of the sea bordered by steep cliffs.

I have been walking to the top of Prekestolen, but also been paddling in canoe through the Lysefjord. When i finished that three day long trip with the canoe, i cried. It was an emotional happening. The scenery is awesome.

Well, back to the city of Stavanger.

I am working in the city, and can already see that it improves. Everyone wait for 2008. How will it be? The park close to Breiavannet, a water in centrum, has been renewed with everything. The marketplace has through the years been known for all its fresh vegetables and fruits. Now they have put knew granite on the ground, and it seems to be very nice. They also have made it more temptating for the people to go around the harbour with the new blue promenade. And so i could continue...

Have a look at the official web-site for Stavanger 2008: http://www.stavanger2008.no/Artikkel.asp?AId=1&back=1&MId1=71

Yesterday, my wife and i celebrated our 11 year of marriage with a walk in Stavanger. This week there was this Gladmat-festival. The restaurants move out of their buildings and make their food for a cheap price for their guests. And then people walk through the streets with the possibility of eating a lot of different kind of food. A lot of things happens and it is actually THE SUMMER HAPPENING in Stavanger. Thousands of people just walk around, eating, talking and relax.

The weather was perfect and we shared a lovely time together, Vigdis and I!

11 years and still in love!

From virtual to the real world

A special evening for some bloggers! Well my best friends met in the virtual world, and this evening was their first real meeting. It is funny, but blogging can connect people together. This was a nice evening! 

At the family-camp in Stavern. I am having a tough time here, my friend Henrik is attacking me... good temperature in the sea! 

The royal castle in Norway. My boy thought there were few soldiers. How could the king be safe? 

More sculptures 

Sculptures in the Vigeland-park, Oslo. 

Fresh colours in the Vigeland-park. 

Summer - and how to be loved!

Elias, Åshild, Vigdis and i have had one week of our holiday. We had a really good time with Per in Oslo (nice apartment you`ve got there, Per!!). We used our time at the castle and in the Vigeland-park (it is a big park with a lot of sculptures). Really nice! Sitting on a bench in the bothanic garden, close to the zoologic and geologic museum, wasn`t a bad experience either. As you can imagine - a lot of opportunities to take photos.

After the weekend we spend some days at a family-camp, arranged by Youth with a mission. A lot of children, mothers and fathers. Meetings, discussions and time to just be together as a family.

Use time together! I say yes to that. I feel being loved when my wife use time with me. I don`t need a lot of things (services, sex, presents or whatever) to happen. To use time and just be together is maybe the most important thing for me. Conversations while sitting on a bench with nice scenery - that`s it! And - i am lucky! My wife need the same thing... Wondering if we do anything else than sitting on our bottoms? Well, yes. Of course. Training and working... I just think that we use too much time of those things which feels meaningless (in the end). Agree?

Back at Ålgård. It`s still summer. I have been painting and working on my house. Have been at work some days, - and will work one more week before i`ll have three more weeks with holiday.

Yesterday, after the children had fall asleep, i went to the water for having a bath. And what a bath! The temperature was perfect! I had a good laugh while swimming around there. Joy and delight!

I will come back with some pictures!

Drinking coffee?

My sister get a hug of her mother in law. I took the picture in my sisters wedding. She married her man who comes from Colombia.
Late in the wedding we heard a man playing a melancholic song on the piano. I was thinking that this song was special, and at the same time started to think about what kind of life this woman lived when she was young.
After the man finished, i asked him about the song. He told me that it was about working with coffee (on the plantation). I was thinking of what kind of hard work it maybe was (is?), producing coffee?
These old hands did that kind of work... many years ago, Gerardo told me.

What about the coffee we drink. For what kind of price is it made?