KRISTIANSAND

The sidebar to the left provides a brief description of the history of Kristiansand but also gives an aerial view of this peninsula showing clearly the grid-like nature of the streets of the town illustrated on the map above. Our self-guided tour begins with a visit to Odderoya, the former naval base of the island and now a recreational area. From here we follow the red line past the fish markets and by Otterdelsparken Park to the Christianholm Fortress built to defend Kristiansand in 1672. The only time the fortress has been in battle was against an English fleet force in 1807 during the Napoleonic Wars, However, when the Germans invaded Norway in the Second World War, a number of Norwegians were killed in an air raid here in 1940. 

This walking tour skirts along the waterfront past Bystranda Beach to the old town of Posebyen. Still evident here is one of northern Europe's oldest collections of low rise, wall-to-wall wooden houses. Originally home to working class people and artisans, these cosy white painted wooden houses are synonymous with towns on the south coast of Norway and of course similar to the ones we saw in Stavanger. This walk then takes in the Art Museum and the cathedral befire completing the circuit.

 

 The population of Kristiansand is around 155,000 but Sunday in Kristiansand is very quiet. Nearly all the shops are closed apart from McDonalds and a few coffee shops. But this is a pretty town with petunia baskets lining the streets. There is not a cloud to be seen and it is warm in the sun but cool in the shade with a slight breeze. This is regarded as the last day of summer for the Norwegians. As we sit in the sunshine in the town square, the church bells peal loudly and most of the good folk of Kristiansand are behind the large oak doors. After a very busy time yesterday it is good to have a quiet wander around in the morning and return to the ship for lunch.

One of Michele's porcelain pots seems to have found its way into Kristiansand!

There are a large number of Australians on board this ship and tonight we have dinner with two of them who are largely Sydneysiders but have retired to an acreage up the coast from Sydney. His profession is watchmaker and for many years trained others in watchmaking at a Sydney Technical School before going on into broader administration of Tech schools. Pity I didn't meet him earlier as my watch did not like being subjected to sudden time changes and died. Fortunately I was able fo attend one of the $10 days the ship has where bits and pieces of clothes, jewellery and souvenirs are sold. So I have bought a very expensive $10 watch with the well known brand Cruise Club printed on it. Hopefully it will still be going in three weeks. I think my watchmaker friend is a bit disgusted with my new stainless steel shiny watch. His doesn't run on batteries. No, it runs on light and is accurate to a millisecond. You can see the workings inside and occasionally it stops to link in with a passing satellite to adjust any irregularity caused as a planet passes between the sun and earth. Oh, well!

There is an English comedian in the theatre tonight and on the way to that event Michele sits in with a group with a very talented pianist conducting a 'guess this tune' activity while I peer over the shoulders of the Blackjack players in the casino. The comedian is very entertaining and fires off the jokes in quick succession. I wish I could remember one of them as I sleep walk back to cabin 6169.