June 29, 2018 – Bergen Norway - Our Last Full day on the ship

I awoke at 5:30AM – thinking it was 6:30 and our ship would be pulling into port in Bergen.  Anyway it did provide me with some wonderful view of the magnificent entrance into the port of Bergen Norway.  I watched until we backed into our berth which turned out to be a 10 minute walk from the very interesting pedestrian/tourist part of this beautiful city.  Despite the forecast of 70% rain – we had a beautiful sunny day which remained warm until well past 10 PM in the evening. I think sun down is past 11 PM.

After breakfast we made our way onto the pier and had a lovely 2 hour sightseeing tour around Bergen.  During that time we had a couple of chances to stop and view the magnificent Fjords  and scenery that surround the city.  Picturesque Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway, having been founded in 1070 it has deep Viking roots.  It was the country’s  the country’s capital and in the Hanseatic League, a merchant powerhouse with ports throughout the Baltic. 

Perhaps the most iconic landmark is the gathering of quaint, historic wooden buildings of the UNESCO-listed Bryggen wharf – in which we were stationed. This city is build almost exclusively of wood and therefore more than once in its history as been completely burned to the ground.  There was also a Nazi Warship during the WWII that had entered the harbour due to mechanical difficulties but with tons of dynamite exploded, destroying many of the surrounding city structures.  During our tour we also visited different districts in town including some very affluent areas where we could look out over the magnificent Fjords.  Several times we drove through tunnels which we learned were prevalent throughout Norway as the only way to economically get through and around the many fjords and mountains.

We also viewed – though did not take the funicular up one of the 9 mountains that surround the city.  The view from the top is deemed to be one of the best – maybe on our next stop here in Bergen in the future.

After lunch I ventured into the town to explore not only the  multitude of shops, but also the fish market – which proved to be a place where one could spend a fortune insuring a wonderful healthy menu for many days.  There was a festival going on so on several streets were bands of young people playing.

After returning to the ship we packed up our bags as they were to be picked up at 8 PM and will be transported to our hotel in Oslo – which we will stay in for the next 2 nights.  After packing we had a lovely dinner, had a chance to exchange email addresses and contact information with some friends we met from Ontario, and of course with Brian and Carver.  It has been a wonderful cruise and we had a chance to thank all those who made it special including our amazing room service  and dining room staff.  This cruise has been absolutely amazing – and anyone reading this blog should consider Viking as their next cruise company.