Harald the Fair Hair

The reception at this port was special, with a jazz band playing on the quayside and a local who wasn’t linked to them providing an impromptu dance display. The shore concierge told TSH and Diva that another local had requested access to the Silver Cloud because he was designing a cruise-ship themed space rocket. On being told that access was not possible because of security, he replied that it was OK as he was Jesus Christ.

This turned out to be one of the best excursions. A slow drive through the town was followed by a visit to a church which was built on the site of a Viking centre. A nearby museum, very new, was built into the rock so that it did not interfere too much with the landscape. Its introductory film related the story of Harald the Fair Hair, who united Norway when Guida said she would not marry him until he was king of a large country. The guides to these attractions, who spoke excellent English, were dressed as Vikings. The guide for the whole excursion, a German woman, was looking forward to that evening’s World Cup final. The final visit was to the Norwegian National monument.

Fact about Norway: There are rules about flag flying outside private houses. The full national flag can only be shown on a day of national importance or when a resident has a birthday, christening or marriage. The smaller triangular pennant can be flown at all times but must be taken down by specified times, which differ with the seasons. Hagesund only has one set of traffic lights and a bus station which was intended to be a railway station for a line that never happened.

Seen on excursion: Llamas, sheep (with bells round their necks), cows, Shetland pony