Wednesday, September 20 Bergen, Norway

 Wednesday, September 20

Breakfast has a buffet similar to the one in Stockholm, perhaps a little smaller, but still quite a selection.  The smoked salmon is especially tasty, along with a local brown cheese.   Several little sayings regarding the rain "Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet" was my favorite.  

We have a tour by bus at 9AM, in the rain.  The guide, Crystal, was ok but had a pretty strong accent which I found difficult to understand at times.  She mentions that the town was founded in 1070.  There was a big fire in 1702 which destroyed 80% of the city.  Buildings  were very close together then. So most of the buildings are from the 1750's. We pass the University of Bergen which is the 2nd oldest in Norway and produced composer Edvard Grieg.  University is $70 per semester total.

 

The boats in the harbor today are mostly supply ships that service the oil industry offshore. Cruise ships also frequent the city as it is the gateway to fjord country. There is also another harbor nearby which is mainly industrial.

She was proud of the city's recycling program, Envac, which moves 50 tons of waster per week using airflow alone and doesn't require on-street presence of people. Overall, Norway recycles 97 percent of its plastic. They charge a small fee when purchased, which is refunded when you turn it in to be recycled. 

More graffiti here than in Sweden.  We smiled at this one:

Some murals too.

We leave the city to visit the Fantoft Stave Church, a reconstructed wooden stave church, the earliest churches.   It is a short walk through a forest of birch trees with lots of ferns and moss. 

The original church was built around 1150.  It was rebuilt in 1879, burned in 1992 by arson, and again rebuilt, using other stave churches as a guide.

 

 Outside is a stone cross dating from around 1150, moved here from Sola.  The stone crosses marked gathering places before churches were built.

We are dropped back in town and spend a few hours exploring.  We eat a tasty fish soup for lunch at the fish market. It continues to rain as we wander.  We stop at a 7-11 for postage stamps, check out a McDonald's and a Grocery Store.

Trolls are a big part of Norway's culture.  There are good ones and bad ones, beautiful ones that seduce, others that are helpful, some that are mischievous.   This is decoration in one shop.

Greg's throat has been bothering him a bit later in the day, with some coughing.  Hoping that a good night's rest and some corricidin will fend off whatever.....