I have to break the report on Bergen into two post because no kidding, the scenery is so amazing and we took soo many phots, I’m afraid I’ll break wordpress if I post it all in one.
The journey from Oslo to Bergen took about seven and a half hours as we were slightly delayed by track issues and so on. The journey from Olso to the mountains is nice and very Nordic, and then suddenly, you get glaciers
This all started from Geilo. Our highest point was Finse, 1222m above sea level as the train messenging system helpfully informed us
Unfortunately mountains and snow equals avalanches, so the next hour or so on the train was seconds of incredible scenery, then long stretches inside tunnels and avalance shelters. Photography was pretty much a waste of time, as you can see
That shot was at Myrdal to which we would return the next day to catch the Flåm railway, and since it was getting dark, I took no more photos. The next morning, I took these of Bergen while we waited for the train. Today we had more time to explore the city itself, considered to be the prettiest in Norway, and with justification – it’s stunning. Our hotel is next to this famous row of wonky houses and shops, which is a UNESCO heritage site
That last thing is a sculpture celebrating lucky salted cods…yeah, I didn’t get it either 🙂
Like Stockholm’s old town, it’s full of tourists, tourist groups, and souvenir shops, so we didn’t spend long there. But there is plenty more of Bergen to see and be delighted by. An absolute must is the funicular railway, the Fløibanen, which costs $14 each and is damn worth it. This is why
The terminus up top, 320m above sea level, is on the edge of an enormous area of forest/parkland, and if we come back, which we hope to, it would be well worth exploring
Back at sea level, we had lunch and walked around a little more. This seems to be a war memorial
The wonky terrace from the other side of the quai
One of the hills above Bergen, showing the funicular
The Bergenhus fortress, right near the hotel
The quai from our side
A great view spoiled by a shitty old concrete garage
Now we’re back in our room, whacked from two solid days of travel, and for me, from another developing cold 🙁
London tomorrow!
I’m still catching up on your travel journaling and photos, but I recognized the view in your photo from the top of the railway – this is the city my brother visited while he was in Norway. Looks like you had much better weather, though! 🙂