Bergen ~ Bryggen, Norway

 November 3 - 5, 2022

Established in the year 1070 by King Olav Kyrrene, Bergen is one of the largest cities in Norway.  Situated near the south end of the country, it is the final port of call for cruises, and the termination of flights.  If you come to Bergen with lots of time and interest, it is loaded with history.  If you just have a short stay, Bryggen, the medieval area of Bergen is packed with hotels, restaurants and shops, huddled around a picturesque harbor.  

Something I was not aware of is that the coast of Norway can get a lot of rain.  So while the town itself is like a postcard, it will often be dark and wet.

Bergen climate, from a Moon travel book on Norway

Still, the quaint buildings were brightly painted, and many colorful leaves still clung wetly to the trees during my time there. 

Bryggen is a souvenir mecca, but within a short walk you can also find normal shopping areas.  My first day there, I could see how useless my furry-hooded parka was, so I walked to a sporting goods store and purchased a long, lined rain coat.  I also considered buying one of the cute rain hats that I saw on display in many shops. 

Trolls are a big thing in Norway

Many shops have an upstairs as well

This shop had lots of furry items for sale at 30% off.  Some were made into hats and clothing, but they also sold many different whole animal furs.  I know that larger ones like reindeer and sheep can be used for rugs, or on a chair, but I'm not sure what you do with all the smaller ones. 

Most of the Bryggen district was burned in a disastrous fire, but the buildings were rebuilt in their original style in 1702.  The area is full of quirky architecture and interesting alleys.

Very old Clarion Hotel in Bergen

I was in Bergen for two days.  One day I had lunch in this cozy, but very busy bakery.  The sandwich I had on focaccia bread wasn't worth eating, or taking a picture of, but the glass of hot chocolate made up for its lack.

On my last day, I skipped lunch and splurged on an early, and expensive dinner at my hotel.  The appetizer was beautifully plated, and interesting. 

Clockwise from left - whipped herb butter on a stone, some kind of dressing, a biscuit or bread,
 whipped feta and lingonberry cream sauce, potato chips.

I believe that everyone is allowed to irrationally dislike a few things.  One of mine is caviar.  This pretty jeweled topping on my salmon, (my rather expensive salmon) was not noted on the menu.  If it had been, I would have ordered the burger.  But it was pretty.

One last note about Bryggen.  This area is well preserved and protected.  I daresay it's probably something of a national treasure, though I didn't read that in any guidebook.  It is very accessible to the many tourists that visit, especially in the summertime, so they are taking good care of it.  Two buildings were getting some work done.  I thought it interesting that instead of just throwing up a tarp over it, they had a custom made cover over the exterior.  

Note the custom cover on the far left building