Mike's solo Norway adventure!

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Some industrial shots. Stavanger is said to be the oil capital of Norway.

 

 

 

 

 

And there's the ship. 

 

 

My day doesn't end here. I also planned on strolling through Gamle Stavanger (Old Stavanger), and then I explored the city center a bit. Stay tuned for that, and as always, thanks everyone!

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Gamle Stavanger is right across from where we were docked. Cruise ships may dock on two different sides of the port.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Litlegata. My biggest guess is this means  "little street." Which all the streets here are.

 

 

 

I think some Norwegian houses, like this one on the left, resemble Cape Cods a bit. 

 

 

 

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Mellomstraen. What could straen mean in this part of Norway?

 

 

Clausegaten. This had to have been named after somebody named Claus, or Klaus.

 

 

Enough of the signs, let's keep strolling!

 

 

 

Very open backyards here, I must say.

 

 

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This one's my favorite. Cute little bike, flowers, and I'm just now seeing a window open. 

 

 

 

 

I like this backyard too. 

 

 

 

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The ship had to have been one of the biggest structures in town.

 

 

 

 

I wind up where the buildings start to look different. 

 

 

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Let's take a look around other parts of Stavanger. The Seven Seas Navigator was also in port today.

 

 

Skagenkaien.

 

 

 

 

Not at the level of Bryggen, but still pretty. 

 

 

I also came across this cathedral. 

 

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This would be a side of it.

 

 

City Park.

 

 

 

 

 

 

From there, I went along the cobblestone streets and got a little lost trying to find other sights. The rain here was too much for me, and I eventually decided it was time to get back onboard.

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4pm departure. And that's it for Norway. 

 

 

 

 

 

Dinnertime! The couple next to me were among those that actually climbed Pulpit Rock today. Tonight's recommendation was a halibut dish, with a fondant potato and vegetables.

 

 

For dessert I got a lava cake. Yet again, the ice cream tasted like cake batter.

 

 

What I can say about Norway overall, I'll save for the very end of this review. As for Stavanger, would I go there again? The rain really hindered sightseeing here. On a clear day, I would give the Lysefjord cruise another go, and try finding some other sights that I missed. Let me know what I did miss, and I'll be sure to write it down for next time. Unlike a lot of other Norwegian destinations, I think Stavanger is more meant for cruise passengers than those land vacationing. Otherwise, it's very much a day well spent.  

 

Tomorrow is our second and final sea day. Thanks everyone for following along, and I'll see you tomorrow!

[Grenouille21]

Really enjoying these photos and your review!  Thanks so much for sharing.  This vacation is definitely on the bucket list!

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Day 8 - Sea day

 

Second of two sea days. Our eighth and final day onboard. Not only did I pack up tonight, but throughout the day I went around the ship again to gather YouTube footage, went back to the pools and slides for one final time, and here are some pictures from the farewell show.

 

This one's a jazz performance of On A Clear Day You Can See Forever.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After cruise director Joff gathered all the cast and crew onstage, the Washy Washy singer treated us to one more little song. ☺️

 

 

The clock goes back again overnight, I'm off the ship before 7am, and my flight's not until later in the afternoon, so I have about 8 hours to spend in Heathrow before flying back to America.

 

But as I said, this doesn't end here.

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Final words

 

What can I say? Right from the beginning, to go on this adventure was one of the best decisions I have made in my entire life. Appropriately enough, I cruised independently on the Independence of the Seas, which little did I know since day one would be Amplified. 

 

Why I did it solo in the first place, I really don't know. Norway is so incredible that next time, I ought to go there with my parents and show it to them. I will 100% return there, not only to get a chance to revisit places like Bergen and Geiranger, but to explore other areas that I've yet to be in, such as hidden gems that may be off the beaten track.

 

Everybody that I met was excellent, especially those in the Facebook group I was in.

 

For those who have a Norwegian fjords cruise planned in the future, whether solo or with the family, you are absolutely going to love it, and I am so glad to have convinced quite a few of you to take it. Haven't booked it yet? Please do!

 

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You'll remember it for the rest of your life.

 

That wraps it up for my report on such a fantastic cruise. Thank you so much for following along, and I hope to see you again in the near future!