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Day 29, 11 July 2014, Bergen, Norway - Floibanen funicular ride, Strolling Bryggen (looking at furs in 30+ degrees), Bergen Fortress/Castle.
The light... the light... It truly seems to never be dark this far north. At least not during my waking hours. Prepared for a heatwave when I left the hotel and I wasn't disappointed - 30 odd degrees and humid. Still a lovely stroll down to the market (reindeer skin anyone?). The lady selling warm socks and woolly hats was not getting much business, that's for certain. First stop - Bergen's fish market - Damn that hotel breakfast I had a mere 30 minutes ago - the food looked stunning. And massive. If a giant crayfish ever attacks Norway, I know just the tank he came out of. Masses of caviar and even whale meat for the adventurous. It was a bit of a morning of kill it, stuff it, tan it or eat it - Lots of fur and leather shops in Bergen (also not doing a cracking trade) - but saw some funny things. At the market for instance there was a fox fur - not the traditional, wear it over your shoulders/around the neck. More so just an empty fox. Like a fox sock. Not quite sure what you'd do with it. Funnier was in another pelt shop along historic Bryggen where they had long white minks - with a little handwritten sign on them saying "Please Don't Shake Me". Dude - you're dead. Not much more harm can occur. There was a "No Photos" sign in that shop too - so I went outside and took the photo from there - good, law-abiding citizen that I am. Another store specialised in Moose leather (real Norwegian speciality) - beautifully soft, supple and prices like phone numbers - but the mounted moose head on the wall had a furry scarf on. Again, mate, you're a head on a wall... not sure why you're feeling the cold. One of the first things I accomplished today was the payment of my Bergen tax - that is, I took the Floibanen funicular up one of the 7 mountains surrounding Bergen. There's a vicious rumour that it's possible to walk up in about 45 minutes - it's probably never killed anyone, but not many people were chancing it. Me and squillions of cruise boat tourists just patiently waiting for our zippy cabino and headed on up for a stunning view of Bergen. Bergen Tax - Tick! Back down the mountain and strolled historic Bryggen - the higgledy houses are indeed fun to stroll through, around and between. Bought some strawberries at a fruit stall and ended up at the end of the waterfront at Bergen's Castle/Fortress area. Found quite possibly the best museum in Bergen... The Fortress Museum - possibly the only free one, with free toilets and free tea and coffee - apparently they had exhibits on Bergen's Resistance Movement during WWII etc. And I'm sure they were very nice. Strolled into the castle complex next, round Rosenkrantz Tower and Hakon's Hall. These medieval landmarks in Bergen were almost blown to bits after an explosion in the harbour in 1944 - but have been stunningly restored. On a bit of a museum "fast" at the moment. Really wasn't in the mood - so strolled around the grounds, listened to an opera rehearsal on a stage behind the castle then wended back to the hotel for late afternoon respite from the heat. Funny old evening. Had planned to head out again, down to the fish market for dinner, but hibernated from the heat instead and sat up till midnight - just hard to get sleepy in broad daylight. As it turns out, the main event of the evening was when it was finally (almost) dark sometime after midnight. Never thought I'd see that happen. What will tomorrow bring? Probably sunshine at 3.30 am - but more exciting still, noon train back to Oslo and then off to Belgium and the land of Hercule Poirot on Sunday. I wonder if they have an Agatha Christie museum...
- comments
James Hardie Well sweetie you have definealy sucked all there out of this Scandanavian adventure, well done.