Breakfast at Skagen Bageri on a stormy morning

'What is this?'

'It's cinnamon bun.'

'Hmmm. It looks sweet.', I said with a smile of anticipation.

'Yes it is, and it's freshly made.'

I was sold to it and immediately decided to go for it, along with my beloved coffee, with a tiny bit of milk. Such mornings are rare and thankfully I was happy I was making the most of it...

My table by the window...

Ah! My breakfast :)

I was at Skagen Bageri, a cafe I had crossed several times in the past few years, but never got a chance to try out. So today as I was tired after walking for quite sometime in the Old Stavanger, I decided to stop by here. Quite surprisingly it was open (almost everything around was closed) and looked very inviting. For someone who is a sucker for doors and windows, this café is simply perfect!

The entrance to the cafe...

Another lovely seating near the window...

I took a seat by the window and enjoyed my coffee and bun. The coffee was great and the bun just about ok, but the ambience was just perfect to relax. I missed a book or a newspaper though, but sipping coffee and looking out of the window was nice. Of course it's Norway so there wasn't exactly anything (at all) happening outside, but you know it's still nice. I saw a couple of Koreans (my guess) taking selfies outside, but that's about it. I thought the selfie sticks were already outdated, but perhaps not yet.

Coming back to the cafe, Skagen Bageri was established in the year 1799 (yum!) and has been a coffee house ever since. I can't imagine how it must have been back then. It's so interesting how life moves on, but some places just stay as they were, maybe they evolve, but they stay.

This is what their website says:

'Skagen 18 is one of Stavanger's oldest and most beautiful buildings, with a building history dates back to the early 1700s. The property has been in the family Hansens family for over 300 years. Until 1986, it continually been driven trading activity in the building; merchant trade, shipping company, wine store and ship supply. The building stands out as a unique and exceptionally well-preserved example of the best of 1700s architecture in Stavanger.

The building's oldest sections were built sometime between 1701-1710 as a two-storey notched log house interior adorned with painted vines. Around 1780 the house was extended towards the north, and got its present appearance. The facade was covered with eleant, standing panel (landscape was common in town) and got decorative accessories characterized by rococo shape feeling. Slender Ionic pilasters and latticed, mykr framed windows, helping to fi facade a refined touch. Particularly stunning is the richly decorated entrance portal, which is seen on the facade, but that are not in use today. The building was painted with the new costly color white lead, but the decorative details were blue.'

The spacious seating area...

There is quite a bit of art on the walls...all to be admired :)

Btw I was supposed to be in Bergen today, but as luck would have it, I fell ill yesterday and had to cancel all plans. I not only missed out on a trip to one of the most beautiful cities of Norway, but also a road trip with friends along the fjords. But then you lose some, and gain some. I am sure Stavanger will delight me nevertheless.

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Oh by the way, this is a part of my mini-series, #StavangerDiaries - tiny stories of daily life from the Oil capital of Norway, Stavanger. And what am I doing here? Well, mostly working, but also collecting these snippets of life.