Rogaland - Stavanger - Lysefjord

Westward Ho!

     some sights and highlights along the way.

• Stavanger - known as Norway's petroleum capital.

• Lysefjord - [Light Fjord] measures 42 kilometres (26 mi) with rocky walls falling nearly vertically over 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) into the water. Not only is the fjord long and narrow, it is in places as deep as the mountains are high. Starting at a depth of only 13 metres (43 ft) deep where it meets the sea near Forsand village, the Lysefjord then heads inland and drops to a depth of over 400 metres (1,300 ft) below Preikestolen.
• Preikestolen (Preachers Pulpitor Pulpit Rock) - mountain plateau on the northern side of Lysefjorden in Forsand municipality in Rogaland.   Preikestolen is a famous tourist destination in the Ryfylkeregion in Rogaland .  In the fall of 2017, scenes for use in the film Mission: Impossible - Fallout were recorded at the Preikestolen (not India as depicted in the movie).
• Kjerag is a mountain in Forsand municipality in Rogaland county, Norway. The 1,110-metre (3,640 ft) tall mountain sits on the southern shore of the Lysefjorden, just southwest of the village of Lysebotn. Its northern side is a massive cliff, plunging 984 metres (3,228 ft) almost straight down into the Lysefjorden, a sight which attracts many visitors each year. Another tourist attraction, the Kjeragbolten, a 5-cubic-metre (180 cu ft) stone wedged between two rocks is located on the mountain. The Kjeragfossen waterfall plunges off the mountain down to the fjord. It is one of the tallest waterfalls in the world.
• Sverd i fjell - By Hafrsfjord, the monument Sverd i fjell (Swords in rock). This was where Harald Fairhair gathered Norway into one kingdom in 872. The monument consists of three swords that are fixed into the ground. They symbolise peace, unity and freedom. The hilts of the Viking swords are taken from swords found in different parts of the country. 

Mom, Sister Jensen, Sister Berquist at the Kristiansand Chapel ready to start another adventure

small deer just outside the church house we saw as we were about to begin our journey

sights on our drive from Kristiansand to Stavanger

Houses built on rocks covered in grass and moss.

It was a beautiful drive to Stavanger.

Interesting manhole cover designs for each city this one is in Stavanger

Stavanger boat harbor

Stavanger torv

The birds on this gazebo were all lined up...  almost like "king of the hill".

Stavanger harbor

Mom with Elder & Sister Bergquist

Fun painted wall in the parking lot.

Hang on!  This was painted by a ring on wall of a building - pretty clever

Street of Stavanger  - love the old white houses.

Stavanger Stavkirke- Old church.

Amazing carved preacher's pulpit.

Stained Glass windows in Domkirke

art on pulpit depicting the Garden of Eden

Another interesting door - This one the front door to the Stavanger Domkirke

baptismal font

more of the streets of Stavanger

We tried to have dinner here our first night, and even though we saw plenty of open tables they said it would be a two hour wait.  We were too hungry to wait so we went to a bar up the side street and ate pizza there.

A gull with chocolate brown head.  We have not seen one like this prior

Cruise ship for our Lysefjord journey

The Fjord Cruise ship.

View of Stavanger from the top deck

lots of interesting art work on the sides of buildings in Norway

Leaving Stavanger - heading out to Lysefjord 

this is the only bridge that crosses the Lysefjord

sights of the surrounding islands and villages 

heading into the deeper parts of the fjord - the mountains rise straight up out of the fjord

Tuna farms on the fjord

Big heart in the side of the cliff.  The story is that a troll found his true love there.

This is Robbers Cave.

Robbers Cave 

These cute little goats look like they have been dipped in White and brown chocolate.  They wait for the cruise ship to come because the worker's save the food waste and feed them from the boat...who would pass up a free meal.

This looked like an old viking face in the cliff.

beautiful waterfall along our trip up the fjord past Preikistolen and just before Kerrag

loved the blue green water

This waterfall comes right into the fjord. 

They put a bucket on a pole out under the falls and get water for everyone to taste. 

water was cold and tasty!

...and clearly I can not take good selfies!

Elder and Sister Jensen 

They came to see us in Kristiansand and let us tag along on the rest of their trip.  Elder & Sister Jensen & Elder & Sister Bergquist

goats looking a little dejected as we were leaving.

sun and clouds kept alternating which wanted to be out that day, but we only had a light sprinkle the whole trip

back in Stavanger

little better selfie on this one...but we still don't have the hang of doing it.  Our arms are too short we think.

The Bjerge's home where we spent the night.  Members in Stavanger.  

The Ingerbritsen family.   Dad served with his mother  & father back in the day.

Sister"s Ogletree & Belus, Elder's McCourt, Dawes, Jensen and Andersen

Simen - our host while parents were away at Stake Conference meetings in Drammen

3 generations of missionary nametags - Simen, his father & grandfather.

Swords in the Stone

another poor attempt at a selfie

Ok  boys which one of you can pull one of these out - if you can then our full inheritance rightly belongs to you.

just prior to Dad pulling out the sword...but they made him put it back.

these selfies leave a lot to be desired but at last we have some proof we were there.   In front of the Stavanger LDS church.

Missionary couples with Ingebritsen and Son.  He also served in Norway.

love the old cobblestone streets

We need to get this for those being taught the Gospel

Domkirke organ - pipes are not quite as big as in the Salt Lake Tabernacle

Elder Jensen and Dad - Stone depicts the year 1698 - when the Domkirke was built

inside the domkirke

Old Stavanger is really quite quaint and beautiful

all the roads are narrow and cobblestone and everyone has flowers out.

Stavanger harbor with Sailboats all at dock

head of the trail if you want to hike to the top from the backside - We didn't have time on our trip but many make the journey.  A couple hours walk

Trail is steep and rocky

It was under clouds when we visited but this is what is looks like from the fjord on a clear day.

views near the top

fog and rain are quite common along the west coast

kjerag from the top

We think we may have found the "Lost Sheep", but we are not sure if our faith is strong enough to go fetch it.

views of Stavanger harbor

Sverd i Fjell at nighttime