It is wonderful to be able to see a city that after so many years you think you know well, through the eyes of those who are passionate about it, our mentors, as well with the self study and reading I have done to support the course. All this have ignited something inside of me that makes me even more fond to have landed in this place.
Today I got to experience one of the most beautiful days in my 10 years in Stavanger, after some negotiations, my six year old son finally agreed to sit down in peace through the Stavnanger Cathedral (Stavanger Domkirke) mass, which I personally love to attend, as it feeds the spiritual side of me while I usually enjoy the choirs and music of the service, in fact they never fail to give me something extra for the time spent there.
After the mass was over, I surprised my son with a visit to a place just in town, a place called Bøker og Børst, a cafe that serves also alcohol, and kids are not usually what you'll find among their crowd, but I find it quiet and wonderful on a early
Sunday morning after church, before all the coffee drinkers are up and about in town. We sat down with our respective warm drinks and played two rounds of chess and one of ludo. Service there is always outstanding, friendly, it's one of those great Stavanger places to visit, with a special and unique atmosphere.
Sunday morning after church, before all the coffee drinkers are up and about in town. We sat down with our respective warm drinks and played two rounds of chess and one of ludo. Service there is always outstanding, friendly, it's one of those great Stavanger places to visit, with a special and unique atmosphere.
Before the usual customers would storm into the cafe, we left to continue our journey to the library of Stavanger, the child section is very nice and complete, a great place to enjoy some quality time with the kids. A visit to town in my son's eyes must include always a suggestion to visit Naree Thai restaurant, a nice and popular restaurant with the locals; inexpensive, delicious and friendly might be the reasons why people love this place and why is always crowded.
To finish our round my son suggested a walk in Gamle Stavanger, (The old Stavanger) that surprised my a bit, as he has never suggested interest in this, he wanted to hear some stories, and was fascinated with the story of Lars Lende, who's statue with his ponies lies at the entrance of Gamle Stavanger, an important and famous character of the city who fought for the integration of the unemployed youth by helping them develop skills in order for them to find jobs and get a better life. He is also known as the man who offer free rides to children in his ponies all around town. http://erlingjensen.net/Historie/lende.htm
To end our simple day in Stavanger, we walked through the narrow and beautiful streets of Old Stavanger, while we walked my son told me that I should stop buying unnecessary things and start saving more money so we can one day buy ourselves a house in Old Stavanger, I turned around and saw his serious face looking at me, I could not but smile tenderly at him, my wonderful little viking boy. Towards the end of the street appeared the new Stavanger Concert-hall (Stavanger Konserthus), still under construction but already looking beautiful and grand, a place we both for a simple personal reason are looking forward to experience and that will mark our presence together in this life and this place.
I will never be able to get close to feel as a local in this city, but I have a big appreciation for the city , the locals who kindly have opened me their hearts and the foreigners I have met, that like me struggle at times to find the connection to the foreign land but that strive each day to find a higher meaning while they never stop to continue building this place with their work. I do however have a son who is a local, who speaks like a local, and who I am very proud to show him his birthplace with the same admiration and pride any local could feel about their birthplace. I consider myself an orphan in Norway, being my son the only family I have here, but the more I live here the more I know that despite being a single foreign mother, I am not by any means in this country a woman of no land or random destiny.
From Stavanger - A complete woman, full of wonderful simple treasures.
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