Bergen is stunning, a magical town that caught me by surprise. Not always a good surprise, but it kept me on my toes. Bergen is the second largest city in Norway.
Arriving via cruise ship, we opted not to do an official excursion from the ship, but rather to do things on our own. Visually, we were in love from the first moment we gazed upon the lovely seaport. It was easy to get ashore. For me, I struggle with Norway’s legal whaling practices, and Bergen was no exception so this beautiful coast is tainted a bit by the whaling ships that probably dock here.
Our research suggested we head uphill first before the organized tours from the ships can get there. However, but the time we purchased tickets from the visitors center and headed over the Funicular cable car, the queue was already quite long. Had we been smart, we would have purchased tickets online in advance.
After quite a long wait, we made it to the top for some stunning views of the city:
Then we headed to Bear, the old town and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We read somewhere this town is sinking, and its appearance would support that.
Finally, the fish market where we found some of the best shrimp I have tasted sitting next to a free sample of whale meat, reindeer sausage, and whale sausage. Nearby we found pelts of fox, reindeer, and seals.
Bergen was the second port of three in Fjords in our Norway cruise. First, we stopped in Flam, then Stavanger, before we left awe-inspiring fjords and headed to Norway’s capital city of Oslo.
Travel Tips for the UK and Ireland Visitors
Tony Payne
June 25, 2012 at 3:30 amToday eating whale meat and killing whales seems wrong, but the Norwegians have been doing it for hundreds of years, and it’s hard to stop traditions unfortunately.
Rhonda
June 25, 2012 at 9:58 amI know what you are saying is correct, but it is today.
Angela
June 23, 2012 at 3:26 amI think I couldn’t picture myself that I would taste any of those ‘delicious’ meals, although I know that they could be really tasty for the meat-lovers. I am also Greenpeace activist from the inside, but I understand that these whales have been fished legally and under the national fishing laws in norway. By the way, I really like your beautiful pics, Bergen must be a really wonderful city, I wish I could have the chance to get there.
Rhonda
June 23, 2012 at 3:46 amI know they are fished legally, but I don’t have to like it, or try it. I will admit, there was a small part of me that was curious as to what it tasted like, but not enough to actually try it.
Debbie
June 23, 2012 at 3:05 amThank you for not trying the whale meat & for setting a great example for Melissa & Sarah 🙂
Rhonda
June 23, 2012 at 3:24 amThanks Debbie. I do my best 🙂
janis
June 22, 2012 at 6:14 pmInteresting!!!!
Rhonda
June 22, 2012 at 6:32 pm🙂
Joyce
June 22, 2012 at 1:26 pmThe idea of the buildings falling is quite scary. Seems like they’d do something more than planting a few poles in the ground.
Rhonda
June 22, 2012 at 6:32 pmIt is more than the buildings falling, the town is sinking. It seemed to feel pretty safe for now as we walked around, but after reading your comment, it has made we wonder.
Lynne
June 22, 2012 at 11:39 amI have mixed feelings on this issue and won’t go into a long diatribe here. In a nutshell I guess I need to know more before I venture a firm opinion. As a Greenpeace supporter also I agree, but I’m not sure it is quite as cut and dried as that. I do find the smiling whale picture rather ironic though.
Rhonda
June 22, 2012 at 6:31 pmI totally agree on the smiling whale photo, and its ok to leave long comments. Debate is good. I suspected this post to be a bit controversial.