Very soon after my arrival to Bergen I visited Stavanger, a city in the south, to meet with a colleague. I spent Easter at my colleague’s house and learned a tiny bit about Norwegian Easter traditions.
Coming from Helsinki, Finland I am used to traveling by boat to Stockholm and back. There is a similar route from Bergen via Stavanger to Denmark. The trip between Bergen and Stavanger takes five and a half hours and the scenery is amazing. If you can stand the cold wind on the deck you will get great pictures: snowy fjords in the background and houses built on the slopes. The atmosphere on the boat is rather relaxed, families with kids will probably provide the most noise. Unlike on those Helsinki-Stockholm “party boats”.
Stavanger is very lovely indeed. The old town with its wooden houses is charming, and close to the center there are good paths to take a long walk and admire the beautifully rugged nature. Late March the wind is quite cold – even cruel – but the sun caresses those who are well equipped with a good jacket, warm scarf and a hat. Being outdoors is a real pleasure here.
And the tradition – well, the locals enjoy crime novels and eat a chocolate treat called Kvikk Lunsj. Something sweet and something grim that is for Easter then.
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