Iceland and the Baltic 2019

Perfect sunny day enjoying the fiords of Norway. Pinch me...we are here! Cruising in to the Eidfjord fiord at sunrise was breathtaking. Smooth as glass, crystal clear, peaceful, surreal. We were taken by bus to a Norweigan national park and nature preserve. The bus followed the river, rocky fast flowing and full of fish ladders all the way. An interesting presentation about the natural elements and origination of this land. The mountains are right upon you..straight up. The Noweigan trekking cloths are sold everywhere and far superior to anything we see at home. Following the tour Paul and I walked 6km up some trails following the river then back through the town. A very enjoyable afternoon.
Another perfect sunny day in Stavanger..pop 130 000. the oil capital, fourth largest and most international city in Norway. Immigration to support the oil and fishing industries has made this a very multicultural city.
It is very cool and windy but warms up nicely for our walking tour of the city center and oil museum.
1969 gas was found off coast Norway..in the north sea..by comparison it was mid 80s before it was found off Newfoundland. The geology ..of the oil ..is 3 layers..of sea bed..to a reservoir layer that contains oil. The highly sought after light crude is 2500 to 4000m below the surface and easiest oil to refine. Norway owns more of the sea..re oil than land. There are approx 200 installations in Norwegian sea..operating about 80 at a time. The oil museum is fascinating and one of the best most developed museums anywhere. It has been paid for from the oil trust fund that provides for the high quality of life in Norway. The fund is worth billions and spends approx 4pc annually on health care, education, infrastructure and culture.
A walk through the old town preserved from 17 and 18th centuries is delightful. Cobblestone streets, over 250 wooden buildings, the highest concentration of historic buildings on the continent, all restored from the trust fund. The fish market and historical stops at the old cannery where herring was processed and shipped worldwide are fascinating. The town is very much filled with locals and lots of bakeries and cafe's. Norwegians rank second in the world for amount of coffee consumption. We stopped to try a delicious pastry and coffee then continued on our own exploring for a couple of hours.
We have met many interesting guests on the ship. The enhancement lectures by three retired university profs provide excellent background info on our next stops and many other topics.
The food is exceptional..Paul and Jean were right into the seafood buffet last evening and many other choices abound.Читать далее