After a whirlwind of a busy end of year and start of year, I finally have some time to sit down and write about our Norwegian adventure. This was a spontaneous anniversary trip we decided to take after seeing some pictures online. We arrived in Sola a little over midnight. The taxi driver was a nice Indian chap who had been there for 13 years. He told us about Stavanger and ferried us to our accomodation, the Hotel Sverre in Sandnes. The room was small but cosy. We adored these Muuto dots which adorned the wall. It was very practical for bags and coats of any size.
The beautiful church right opposite the hotel. After having a lovely breakfast of milk, eggs, fish, sausages, ham, bread, cereal and fruit, we headed out to catch the bus for Stavanger town where the port was.
Down at the docks...
The Port of Stavanger
We took a walk around the port while waiting for the boat to arrive which would bring us to Flor & Fjære. Beautiful blue skies made for lovely photos.
Onto the boat. The pointy wooden slats that covered the houses were very unique and eye-catching.
We were chugging along slowly until we passed under this bridge and the boat sped up instantly. Upon arriving at the island, we could see the rugged terrain surrounding it. The island was pretty much located in the middle of the choppy seas and rough winds.
It has been cleverly constructed throughout the years by the family that owns and runs it- the third generation now. Far from its humble beginnings of rock slabs, it is now a tropical Eden (yes, tropical in the middle of the cold North sea) that blossoms with virtually any plant you can think of.
After being mesmerised by the beauty and tales told by the tour guide (the tour was given in English by the grand-daughter of the man with the vision while her dad gave the Norwegian tour), we were ushered into Chef Andre's kitchen for lunch. He cooks on the island for three months and takes the rest of the year off in Thailand. Not too shabby!
After a hearty and healthy lunch, we headed out to flood our senses with more colourful flowers.
The landscaping was done wonderfully, with slopes here and there and lovely paths leading off into an unexplored part of the island. Lemon and apple trees greeted us along with other magnificent trees.
There was an Asian-themed section with bamboo and lotus (my flower!).
There was another section where the stream flows down onto a waterfall and into a pool with a sandy beach. They designed their own irrigation system using waterfalls and streams. They had the most comfortable chair (I kid you not). May not look it but it sure is snooze-worthy. They also encouraged us to walk on the grass!
From this part of the island, you could feel the winds directly from the sea. The green path curved up onto a mount which offered a stunning view.
Pictures worth a thousand words....
Utmost surrealism
Gorgeous fuschias
R & R
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