Aalborg 2018

Aalborg is one of those smaller ports that few ships visit.  It's in the northern part of Denmark, a few hours of sailing up a channel from the North Sea.

It's an industrial town with a old city center and it's the home of Utzon, the guy who designed the Sydney Opera House.

Denmark does have coal fired electric generation, but the stacks were cold and the wind turbines were turning.

The entire route to Aalborg was lined with wind turbines

Large Portland cement plant in near Aalborg

Utzon modular concrete bench.  About as comfortable as concrete can get.

Residential street in old part of town

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Church of our Lady.  Dates back to 12th Century.  Now a Lutheran Church.  Lutheran is the official state church, although you don't have to be Lutheran to be Danish citizen.

Model ship in church.  Typical in port cities.

Stone carving from older iteration of this church

Many old building in town.  Some not quite in perfect condition

Order of the Elephant, again

Pharmacy.  They either have swans or lions over the door.

Pseudo-Viking

Viking goods for sale

Aalborghus Castle is a bunch of cool half-timbered buildings

Jail.  Fun!

View across the channel from the town.

Back on board. Utzon design center in background

Heading down the channel, past the cement plant

...past the power plant

...past the last town before the North Sea

The town of Hals

Leaving the channel for the North Sea

Collecting the Harbor Pilot. It took many attempts.  The sea was not cooperating.

Finally on board

...and away

It was a gorgeous Fall day until.... Uh, oh.  Storm coming.

Sailing into the big part of the North Sea and into a low pressure system.  The Baltic and North Sea can be unfriendly in the Fall.

Sailing to Stavanger Norway was not easy going.  The wind picked and the ship rolled harder than the fin stabilizers could adjust for.  Lots of banging as waves crashed against the bow.  A full strength dramamine sort of night.  Not much sleep happening.

Things were better when we arrived in Stavanger.