Stavanger

Stavanger is the hub of Norway's oil wealth which means it is a different experience. Much more cosmopolitan and fast-paced than other Norwegian cities. They have a tremendous oil museum. We watched a bit of the European finals for beach volleyball as a warmup for the Olympics. The best teams were in a stadium, but there were plenty of games we could watch for free. The weather was great and we ate all of our meals al fresco.

Tunnels, Bridges, Fjords, and Waterfalls

Driving to Bergen from Oslo and then on to Stavanger, we were thrilled by the many waterfalls. Traveling in this part of Norway requires driving through long tunnels some of which are more than ten miles long. And of course there are the bridges. The engineering it took to build this transportation network is breathtaking. Some of the pictures are from a short cruise we took while staying in Stavanger.

We drove across this bridge. It really does exist solely between two tunnels. You exit one tunnel, drive across the bridge, and immediately enter another tunnel on the other side. We were told they build the bridge before finishing the tunnels.

These goats are dropped off her in the spring and picked up again in the fall after they have fattened  up on the little bit of grass available here. As nimble as they are there is no way for them to escape. Tour boats stop by and throw them food to bring them close for passengers to get pictures.

Linda's Ancestral home in Norway

We spent two days exploring the areas near Bergen where Linda's originated. While we weren't able to find any actual graves or homes we could identify specifically with her family, we did get a good idea of why they were willing to emigrate from Norway. While the scenery is spectacular, the land is so hilly and rocky that it would be very difficult scraping a living from it. Perhaps the wedding party we met are long lost relatives.

Bergen

Bergen used to be the major port on Norway's west coast. Part of the Hanseatic League, it was the hub for the trade of dried cod from northern Norway to the rest or Europe. Today Bryggen, the warehouse district, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.