Day trip to Bergen

Unfortunately I woke up about 4:30 for some reason and then couldn't get back to sleep. So I went down around 6:00 and almost got caught up. Our bus was leaving at 8:00 for a day trip to Bergen. So we had the breakfast buffet at 7:00 and were on the bus and ready to go. The weather was foggy and raining when we left Voss, so we weren't able to see much on the 1 and 1/2 hour ride to Bergen. I was dozing off anyway.

 
City of Bergen from the lookout. (© 2006, Mark D. Williams.)  

Bergen was founded by Olav Kyrre, king of Norway between 1066 and 1093, and was Norway's largest city for the next 600 years. Bergen became a vital link for the Hanseatic League because of its harbor and commercial importance (dried fish). The waterfront, called Bryggen in Norwegian, thrived up into the 1700s and is now a World Heritage Site.

 
Bryggen, Bergen. (© 2006, Junel Bacigalupo.)  

We drove first a little around the city with our guide pointing out things of historical interest. He spoke of how during WWII, a German ship carrying munitions blew up in the harbor and caused a huge fire destroying much of the town near the waterfront. Next we went to see Troldhaugen, the summer home of the famous Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg, which has been preserved and made into a museum. They also had a gift shop there where I was able to get a CD and a booklet. Unfortunately you couldn't take pictures inside, otherwise I would have photographed some of the original manuscripts they had exhibited.

 
Rear view of Troldhaugen, Bergen. (© 2006, Junel Bacigalupo.)  

Norway has lots of trolls. Junel got a picture of a tree troll on the way back to the bus. We then drove up to the top of one of the seven mountains surrounding Bergen for a picture of the beautiful view. (See first picture.)

 
Tree Troll. (© 2006, Junel Bacigalupo.) 

The driver took us back down, parked the bus, and we walked around the Hanseatic Wharf.

Mariakirken, Bergen. (© 2006, Junel Bacigalupo.)  

 

Junel got a picture of the Mariakirken (St. Mary's Church, c. 1140-70), as well as some of the old buildings and alleyways of that time.

 

 
Alleyway, Hanseatic Wharf, Bergen. (© 2006, Junel Bacigalupo.)  

 

We met up with Mom and Dad and Steve and Kathy and had lunch at Bryggeloftet & Stuene. Junel and I had whale steak. It actually tasted a lot like beef with a little bit of a fishy aftertaste. I had to have a Hansa Fatøl to go with it. Afterwards we still had about an hour and a half for shopping before we had to be back on the bus for the return trip to Voss. We checked out a few sweaters, but only ended up buying some postcards. At the fishmarket we saw the ugliest fish in the world. (WARNING: GRAPHIC PICTURE.)

 

 
World's ugliest fish, Fishmarket, Bergen. (© 2006, Junel Bacigalupo.)  

 

We walked down to the end of Bryggen and got pictures of the medieval Rosenkrantztårnet (16th c.) and Håkonshallen (13th c.). Håkonshallen was King Håkon's (1241-1261) Royal Ceremonial Hall. It was the largest and most imposing building of the royal residency at the time.

 
Håkonshallen, Bergen. (© 2006, Mark D. Williams.)  

 

The Rosenkrantz Tower was built in the 1560s by the governor of Bergen Castle (Bergenhus) Erik Rosenkrantz and served as a combined residence and fortified tower. Part of the structure also dates back to c. 1260.

 

 

Rosenkrantz Tower, Bergen. (© 2006, Mark D. Williams.)  

 

We got back to the bus right before 4:00 and headed back to Voss. The sun had actually come out and we had a chance to see some gorgeous views on the way back. We had dinner at the hotel and this time we were able to take a short jacuzzi and walk before bed. A great day.