Consumption Control Through Pricing

Stavanger – 6th June

Today we had a short drive planned from Sogndalstrand to Stavanger via Egersund. The pretty village of Egersund is, according to Wikipedia, one of the best natural harbours in Norway. The tidal range, difference in height between low tide and high tide is practically zero due to the presence of an amphidromic point, something for you tide watchers to look up. 

We went there for a lunch stop and to complete a few geocaches based on historic areas of the town. The biggest industry is marine based, specifically oil rig maintenance, you can even shop tax free. Not however at the café, they charged a small fortune in tax for the addition of sugar on top of a cinnamon scroll. 

Interesting café, the back of the shop was a fresh fish shop, the counter a bar, the seating area a restaurant and a drop-in centre for retired fisherman to come and have a cheap urn-brewed coffee.

Our next random stop, as my driver tends to do, was the port of Sirevag. The port services the shrimp fishing industry and has big buildings, a big breakwater, a big wharf, no people or cars, another Marie Celeste moment. There is a geocache but a bird decided to lay an egg on it. Not so big is the very very small lighthouse.

Another random pullover spot, my choosing, the ‘three swords’ monument for the great naval battle of Hafrsfjord, 6km south of Stavanger. Viking Chief Harald Fairhair unified the three districts of Norway around 872 by beating up two other petty-chiefs and their men. He claimed the kingdom of Norway and became King Harald I. The big sword represents his victory; the two smaller, his opponents. They are stuck in rock to symbolise peace. Obviously King Arthur didn’t exist back then.

We arrived in Stavanger at a reasonable hour, shopped with leisure, that is without parking restrictions and therefore had time to seek out some bargains, do some translations and ask the locals what poor animal died for our tea, they don’t add food colouring to the meat here to make it look red. Norway’s pricing system is highly amusing; essentials like milk and meat are reasonably priced if produced in Norway e.g. NZ$4.50 for minced pork, non essentials like chips are expensive e.g. NZ$5.70 and a bag of liquorice allsorts NZ$7.50 (non essential and sugar taxed), and imported goods are very expensive e.g. a can of chilli beans NZ$9.00. If you want a cheap meal its pork, potatoes in a jar and mushrooms, Roger won’t let me buy the potatoes. If you want biscuits in Scandinavia the choice is so limited, more consumption manipulation, its either plain, wheat grain, or vegan.       

Today’s ABBA tribute is for King Harald Fairhair ‘The Winner Takes It All’ (1980). Not all of Norway’s kings have been successful in battle, plenty have lost to Swedish and Danish Kings, to nobility and to the Germans. 

The winner takes it all
The loser’s standing small (just like King Harald’s opponents swords)
The winner takes it all
The loser has to fall