Sunday 28 August 2016
Our first port of call is Bergen and for me this is a return visit, after almost exactly 40 years as I came here in mid-1976 when travelling on an Interrail ticket. It is fair to say that I recognise very little of the City to be honest. I came out from Oslo and wandered around before taking a train back whence I came.
We initially take the hop-on hop off bus as we have not booked any trips and we know these give a good background to the ports at which we call. We stop about half way round so that we can take the Fløibanen funicular railway – which was there on my last visit but I do not remember using it. It rises 991 ft and carries over 1m passengers a year. The current cars date from 2002 and are fourth generation for the line.
We wander around the mountain top taking photos including our cruise ship which dominates the bay. Lots of goats as well.
We return to sea level and continue our bus trip and then visit the preserved part of the town – Bryggen – which more reminds me of how I remember far more of the entire town and sea front. Not quite as many different bright colours which are often used in photos promoting Bergen. The buildings are all wooden and close together; the aim being no doubt to conserve heat in the winter.
Having wandered around we then feel entitled to some coffee and local cake – the Skillingsbolle – a cinnamon bun. I eat little bits of Jackie’s but cannot find a photo of one in our collections. The cost of even this small consumption is of course high!
At the waterside there is a market with a lot of fresh fish; I hope the provisioning team on board our ship have been ashore as it all looks hugely fresh.
We wander around the City – we see trams, odd buses and so on – obviously there is now a huge number of tourists which visit here. There is a second photo album.