There is a certain point in an illness, when it is particularly severe, where reality retreats and one feels almost as though one were under the influence of an hallucinogenic drug. Strange thoughts intrude and bizarre fancies become a part of the fabric of plans half-conceived for the day. For example, I thought that the Chinese had put into execution a new economic programme to make clothes with seams that would fall to pieces within hours. The logic for this was impeccable in my fevered state.
I experienced three days of this during the period when we were en route to Norway and indeed in Stavanger. One day, I neither was able to eat nor drink because of a sore throat that was excruciatingly painful. Every swallow was torture.
Yesterday, however, I returned to formal dining for the first time. In the afternoon, I had a most magical experience on the balcony of our stateroom.
It was the first sunny day we had experienced for a start. Winds had created whitecaps, extraordinarily beautiful. The sunlight shimmered on the water and the spume thrown up was caught by the light in such a way that small rainbows appeared in more than one place on the surface of the sea, almost as though part of a tapestry pattern.
At first I thought that the specks of brilliant white light that hovered, dived and flew up from the waters somehow were a trick or illusion created by the winds, much like the whitecaps. I then realised that they were living creatures, hundreds of tiny white birds who soared, dove and then flew up from the waves again and again. I never have seen anything like it. We were somewhere in the channel that divides Norway from Denmark but no land was in sight and yet hundreds of tiny birds were frolicing in the air and water.
I tried to capture even one in a photograph but was not successful. They were too tiny and moved far too rapidly. In my photographs, they became nothing more than brilliant specks of light.
Part of the magic of this encounter was the way that the white feathers actually reflected the sunlight, making them flash and shimmer with light. It was a veritable symphony of light, comprised of delicate rainbows and the flash of sunlight both on the waters and on the wings of the tiny birds.
That had to have been one of the most magical experiences I have had on the high seas. As far as the land and ports are concerned, with respect to this particular voyage, one of the highlights was the 'Three Swords in Mountain'
Outside Stavanger, there is a remarkable sculpture or monument in the form of three gigantic swords thrust into a rocky finger of land near a bay. It is a sort of public park now, I believe. Beautiful white swans float in the little bay to the right of the small hillock where the monument was created.
It is the scene of an ancient battle, although the actual battle took place in the water and not on the land at all. Most of the fallen sank below the waves from the weight of their armour and weapons. I will research it more when I have better access to the internet. Even the Cunard programme on Stavanger gave absolutely no facts about the monument, but at least alerted me to its existence. I think I never would have forgiven myself had I not made a pilgrimage to the 'Sverd i fjell'.
It is very frustrating to be without funds, mobility, good health or time and in Stavanger, I was painfully conscious of all these restrictions. There is a local 'hop on, hop off' coach in Stavanger for visitors and locals, but it does not make a stop at the Swords in the Mountain. One had to go via taxi. As the monument is not in the city, it was a fair drive and unfortunately, the taxi driver was Turkish and knew very little English and very little about the history of Norway.
My sole souvenir from Norway is a chip of flint stone from the hillock where the 'Sverd i fjell' are located. Had I sufficient funds, I would have purchased one of the gorgeous cardigans from 'Dale of Norway', something I always wanted but knew in my heart was out of my reach economically. I did visit the Dale of Norway shop in Stavanger and saw the cardigan of my dreams. Even have a photograph of it and did wear it for a brief moment. Sometimes, miracles are possible. I do have the email address of the shop.
