Bergen

Friday, July 25, 2025

Well, the day has arrived. We must disembark from this wonderful sea journey. So many great people; so much delicious food; such a comfortable and convenient cabin; interesting excursions and amazing scenery all along the Norwegian north and west coasts. If ever you are looking for a fantastic experience, take a look at Hurtigruten. They also offer a cruise to Antarctica.

It was a quiet day on board our ship. We were all packed, ready to disembark late in the afternoon. We enjoyed one last incredible breakfast and then moved to a table where I could continue to work on the blog and photo books, yet still be able to watch the scenery as we headed further south. After a while we returned to our cabin. I read my book while Jim researched the next leg of our journey. He is an amazing travel agent. Everything seems to fall into place. And we never got tired of watching the incredible mountains and sea passing by our windows.

We arrived Bergen about 3 pm, took taxi to the hotel, (first ride ever in a Tesla) and took our luggage to our room.  We took a quick look at some brochures to determine what we could do this late in the afternoon and then headed out onto the cobbled streets and sloped sidewalks. We were close to the tourist info office so we stopped in to get more information. We wandered through a lively and crowded fish market. What an array of edibles were on offer. Even sea urchins.

Next, what else? We took a cruise around the port and into three small fiords that frame this city. We were able to view all seven mountains the surround Bergen, rising high above the city. We enjoyed the variety of sites: old factories, lots of new housing cascading up the mountain slopes;

a funicular to one of the mountain tops; vast ships loading and unloading their cargo, maintaining gas lines, building a new bridge. Two unimaginable yachts were docked, awaiting taking sail to their next destination. 

We passed by a formal swimming area that is marked off in the ocean water. It was remarkably busy in spite of the cool air temperature. There was an adjacent pool filled with sea water but heated.

It was very crowded. Bergen has an array of museums, many of which are in old repurposed buildings along the harbour.

The Kong Harald, our Hertigruten ship, was still in port.

It felt odd to be on another boat looking at the ship from which we had just disembarked. There was also an enormous cruise ship that set sail within our sight and several other watercraft going about their business in the harbour and the fiords. One notable yacht was called "Dreamboat",

owned by Arthur Blank, the co-founder of Home Depot and owns the Atlantic Falcons. Apparently, he arrived from Gibraltar on July 25. Rumour has it that he is awaiting the arrival of an even larger and more audacious craft and that this one is for sale for a mere 179 million euros ($288 million Canadian). Any takers?

All ships in fiords must be hybrid to reduce water, plant and aquatic animal damage due to fuel residue. Bergen and all the rest of Norway is deeply committed to the use of electric power as a source of energy. Wind turbines have been installed all across the country, especially on high hills and mountains.

After a substantial walk and the harbour cruise, we returned to our room, enjoyed dinner at the hotel and settled in for the night.

Saturday, July 26, 2025

This is our day to explore Bergen. After an amazing buffet breakfast (dinner and breakfast are included in our room rate), we headed out to see more of Bergen. One of the ways we enjoy seeing a city is atop a Hop On Hop Off bus. We made our way up the narrow stairs and chose seats near the front of the bus. This route had fifteen stops in various parts of the city. We remained on the bus for the entire route, taking photos and listening to the commentary. Bergen is a beautiful city and filled with history. 

We had intended to get off at a particular stop but missed it going along. So we made the trip to Stop 12 again. Or was it Stop 11? We chatted with other passengers and looked at the maps. No wonder we were confused ... the stops had been renumbered and there were two different maps in use. No matter. We figured it out and got off at the correct stop this time. 

We waited in a long line to board the funicular to go to the top of the mountain. When we got off the bus, the sun was shining - it was a perfect day to overlook the city. As we awaited our turn (there were hundreds of people in line), clouds moved in and dimmed the day. We finally made it into the funicular and enjoyed the ride over 800 metres almost straight up the mountain side. Jim had the privilege of riding with the driver and had a first hand view of the steepness and length of the trip. It was a fast ride (less than 5 minutes) and we were almost a kilometre above where we started.

It was a beautiful view from the top, overlooking all three fiords, the Bergen Harbour and many parts of the city. We could see all seven mountains and the residential areas rising up on the slopes as the city grows. There is a carnival in town and we could see the tiny ferris wheel and other rides from far above. 

The mountaintop itself has been transformed into a 'destination' for all ages. There were two cafes, a full menu restaurant, lovely seating areas, a very creative playspace for children as well as fences around the area that safely provided wonderful views of the city in many directions. We stopped and had a cappuccino while enjoying the view. 

As we sat there, a mist slowly formed in the air and by the time we had finished our coffee, a light rain was falling. It was time to head back down the mountain. 

When we arrived at the bottom, the rain had disappeared. We watched our bus go by just as we reached the exit so we decided we would walk back to our hotel. It turned out not to be very far and we enjoyed viewing the shops, cafes and people and their dogs along the way.