We arrived in Bergen by train completing our 3 legged transport by boat, bus, train, and the next morning awoke in our Airbnb, a recently remodeled garden apartment that was cozy. Love the heated bathroom floors, which is common in most dwellings.
We chose to start our exploration at the Bryggens Museum, a unique insight to early history (1050-1500) based upon archaeological digs of 1950’s. The group walking tour was informative and even fun though we talked about many fires in the town that created layers of sediment filled with charred artifacts and structural building pieces. See photos.
We are led by a charming, well studied guide through the museum and then to outside points of interest that made this tour one of the best we’ve had. We were taken to the original Assembly Rooms (Schotstuene) of the German Hanseatic merchants that stood for the glory days of the city. At the peak of the Hanseatic League in the 15 century this German merchant's union was the dominant force —economic, military, and political— in Northern Europe. (The larger Hanseatic museum is under renovation).
We concluded the tour and head to the Fish Market in the harbor for a fresh fish lunch. There are many vendors and restaurant seating. We sit under a tent next to the water. Janet's choice for lunch is steamed mussels, my choice is salmon with french fries, so Janet could have her fries too. Both, particularly good dishes. Beverages offered were our new favorites, carbonated fruit drinks, and ginger beer. Frank asked the young waiter if there was a local sporting good store close by to find Norge Fire World Cup jerseys? He pointed the way, but warned jerseys are sold-out!
Now full of lunch and ready for action we walked to the Funicular access station in downtown. Easily bought tickets and got in the Q to enter the next available modern trolly. Quick trip up the hill with nice views of the terrain. Upon exit, you see the top of hill plateaus offering a nice restaurant and patios for seating and other walking areas and trails to observe the entire harbor of Bergen and surrounding waterways.
The city is hazy, but still specular view of the city
This night at the Airbnb we watch the World Cup match, Argentina -vs- Switzerland. Like to watch Messi, but only to half time. We are no longer jet lagged with the 6-hour time difference from home, but these matches run to early in the morning and we need sleep for the next day activities. I’ve had Oura ring readiness markers as low as 44, or as high as 85. Readings do fluctuate with sleep and activities. Talk tomorrow and Happy Birthday to lovely Courtney, great MOM of two grandchildren.
We wake up looking forward to another day in Bergen. We have the lay of the land worked out and can easily launch from the Airbnb. We decide to go back to the waterfront to explore the 13th century Bergenhus Fortress Tower and surrounding ramparts to protect the strategic harbor. Bergen became the Kingdom of Norway’s first capital. This fortress complex built in 1240’s was a garrison, holding the king's residence called the Rosenkrantz Tower and a large banquet hall called Hakon’s Hall. The tower has a spiral staircase that leads you level to level through the troop garrison and cannon portals, to the separated King and Queen bed chambers and bath, the throne room, lookout rooms and exit to the observation roof, where we entered on to exterior walkways. It is easy to imagine the hustle and bustle of daily soldier life in the tower protecting the city waterway and the Royal family. We then moved outside to visit Hakon’s Hall, a magnificent medieval structure built in mid-1200s by King Hakon to set up a suitably impressive place to conduct coronations of future kings. Hakon had to leave Norway for his earlier coronation.
We then wandered over to St. Mary’s Church (Mariakirken) built by the Hanseatic merchants in the 12th century. It is Bergens oldest preserved building. (Remember those many fires.) It has a dour stone exterior, but a ornate altar.
We finish our day by busing to the Gondola Station, another mountain top observation post, but much higher than the Funicular we experienced yesterday. This modern machine quickly gets our group up the mountain top, marked by a large antenna. The public viewing area is smaller than at the Funicular, but the 360 view and vista is far more extensive, to fjords and harbor and both sides of mountain. There is a wonderful restaurant at the top too, where we had dinner—tasty food for sure—loved the meal, especially creamy fish soup with spiced olive oil. The day is at and end. We took a bus to city center and after an information stop at the Tourist Center, we walked back to our Bergen home. Good night.
On our last day in Bergen.
The downside of Airbnb; the cleaning and finding the garbage, yuck. Some travel logistics, with another all day outing, what to do with luggage? Not to worry, Bergen is great, the tourist information center also stores luggage, no party store basement this time.
Next, we traveled to the Edward Grieg Museum and a lunchtime concert of Grieg’s greatest piano hits. This was an outing planned and purchased long ago, and we were really looking forward to it; with our dear friends.
While in Oslo we struck up a conversation at breakfast with a lovely couple from Virginia. On our last day, we ask them if they might be interested in going to the concert with us. It was sold out and our tickets were non-refundable, they said yes. Fast forward to Bergen we meet up at the bus stop and had a wonderful time together on the tour and the concert was outstanding. We really missed Christina and Bill today, but so glad we could share this special outing with fellow travelers.
After the concert we went back to the city, visited the KODE art museum, which was included in the concert ticket. Had great local lunch and a last nice walk around other parts of the town. Bergen is a special place, we will miss it, but time to get to the boat. More on the boat trip in the next post.
