Weekend in Stavanger

Before I get into the weekend I just spent in Stavanger (yeah, the plans changed even once more after the update I posted last week), I have one complaint about product unavailability - iced tea!!! Since I was about 7 years old, and particularly when I was living away from home, iced tea, usually mixed from powder, has been important. I'm no addict, but especially after running around, playing a sport or something (when beer's not the right answer for any number of reasons), iced tea is great. In Canada, I've never failed to find it in a supermarket. Here, when Kes and I finally found something close (labelled as "Lemon Citrus Tea Drink - Enjoy Hot or Cold!"), the container holds pellets. They look like mouse crap. We bought it, anyway, and the end product is not too bad, but you have to stir for 15 minutes in order to dissolve them!

I shouldn't complain - other than occasional price shock, the transition has been remarkably smooth in terms of finding products. Really, there have even been some products where the price is better, including things that are thought of as staples here, but wouldn't be at home, such as cheese.

But anyway, yes, I spent the weekend in Stavanger, there for an international rugby match, Norway vs. Bulgaria. There was some significant confusion in the run-up to the event (which is why I was going, then not going, and finally going again), but the event itself went off really well. The weather co-operated perfectly, with 22 degrees and sun (I got a sunburn, of course), and the game was good, particularly because the home side won, 44-21. For anyone who's not really into rugby, scores are pretty comparable to American or Canadian football, meaning that that was a high-scoring game, fun to watch, but not really that close at the end of the day.

The confusion meant that I ended up being the No. 4 official (1 is the ref, 2 & 3 are the touch (line) judges), responsible for record keeping, substitutions, etc. Definitely a bureaucratic role. If it had been clear that that's all I was going to do, I don't think the rugby federation would have paid to fly me to Stavanger, but clearly there were some communication gaps. Oh well, I think it's true in any small-ish community organization, made particularly tough by the size and (non-)density of the country.

Stavanger is really beautiful. Of course, it had the benefit of good weather to show it off, but there is an old cobblestoned downtown area that is really neat. In addition, right in the middle of town, between the train station and the big church, is a pond with trees along the banks, ducks swimming, and teenagers making out on the more secluded benches. ...not that the teenagers particularly added to the beauty, but it is clearly a well-used, beautiful public space. I have some pictures (again, not of the teenagers), but I can't figure out how to download them from my phone. Kes is much better at such things. 6 years of engineering and I still have limited gadgetry instincts.

Also, Stavanger has been named a "Capital of European Culture" for 2008 (they pick two each year throughout Europe), meaning that there were live music events and art installations around. I didn't really explore as much as I would have liked, but I always find that having music around in a city (not counting the drive-by speakers of the local show-off) makes it really easy to like. So, yeah, if you have a chance to go to Stavanger, particularly this year, I really recommend it.

Today was a holiday, here, pinsedag (Pentecost, or whitmonday). Unfortunately it's the last public holiday until Christmas. Of course, everyone gets signifiant vacation time from their work, but there's no structured long-weekend type holiday until December. Yuck. There would have been, because May 17th is Norway's national day (Constitution Day), but it falls on a Saturday this year. In Canada that would have meant that we get the Monday - not so here. Get out, celebrate, wave the flag, but be back to work first thing on Monday. Again, yuck.

Sunsets are getting really late now, and the sky is getting lighter and lighter, even in the middle of the night. Sunset tonight was 10:20pm, and sunrise will be at 4:45am, meaning the sky never really gets 100% dark (and it's not nearly so impressive to say that you stayed out 'til dawn - wait for December on that one).

Cheers,

Ashley