Bergen – our last port in Norway

We were a bit disappointed when we learned that there was only a half day scheduled for Bergen – our last destination on this cruise.  I must admit though, we had wondered why there was one sea day going home when we had two on the way to Norway, so it did make sense.

 

Alan and I had a nice relaxed day in Bergen, mainly retail therapy and taking pictures of beautiful old buildings. 

Clothes in a shop window

 

 

Sunday market

 

 

 

 

 

We also visited a fish market and saw what whale meat looks like.  Not appetizing looking at all, black and thick looking.  Our table mate had found a place offering tastes of whale, moose, reindeer and other things.  We never saw that place and I really couldn’t see Alan or myself tasting whale, at least, anyway!

The other big cultural difference I observed is the abundance of fur clothing!  Oh, and the availability of purchasing seal, reindeer, goat and other hides, or a whole fox to use as a stole around your neck.  They were beautiful, but in the UK, and probably USA, wearing fur is so frowned upon.  I know it gets much colder here, so there would be a market for these. 

Bergen is Norway’s second largest city and had 3 cruise ships in on the day we were there.  One was the Azura, which was our last cruise ship, and might have been the one to take us to Norway this year.  The main argument that won our interest was not having to fly to Southampton to board a cruise, but rather to drive north for about an hour and a half to get on this one!  There is no comparison in cruises though.  One is a small, intimate, more old fashioned ship. The other is huge, glitzy, busy and amazing.  (Uh oh, that makes it sound as if I prefer the Azura!  Not true, they are both as good and as different as each other.)

If we had a whole day in Bergen, I would have liked to take the funicular to see the view, apparently that is quite striking.  However, we had loads of Kroners to spend and had not shopped much at all.  Plus, I just wanted to wander a bit and see the city on the ground.  Glad I did too!

Right off the ship, there were tall ships docked, plus a beautiful castle we had to walk by. This castle is very similar to the keeps in Scotland, and about double the size of Dean Castle in Kilmarnock (my favourite Scottish castle).  The castle was much grander than a regular “keep” though and it would have been nice to go in.  Again, IF we had been there for a full day!

Walking along the harbour, there are rickety old houses, leaning this way and that.  Reminded us a bit of the Shambles in York.  There were alleyways in between some of them, and going in – they were really ancient looking wooden structures.  I thought they were absolutely beautiful, but too close and too dark to get a good photo.  But again, it was like the Shambles, only with a Viking touch!

But it became time to return to the ship.  And there was a send-off party at the pool!  And it was very sunny, maybe not really warm – but sunny.  The myth around Bergen is it always rains, or as my Swedish friend told me-

A couple was visiting Bergen and it was raining.  They stopped to ask a boy if it always rains in Bergen and he said “I don’t know, I am only 10!”     So we were extremely lucky to see this beautiful city in sunshine!