Final Day, and Back to Bergen

 November 16, 2022

Soft pink clouds greeted the dawn on this final day of our journey at sea.  Dark waters were topped with a checkerboard pattern of waves.  The clouds dissipated, and by late morning we sailed beneath a bright blue bowl.

The coastline of Norway is simply peppered with islands and fjords.  Many of these are connected by undersea tunnels, but there are still so many bridges.  

We were scheduled to arrive in Bergen at 3:30, but our rooms had to be vacated right after lunch so that they could be cleaned.  The ship staff took our larger luggage, to be picked up later in the terminal, but we had to pack around our carry-ons.  The photo below, taken at 2:00 was the last for this trip, as it wasn't practical to walk around with a backpack. 

Finally off and bussed back to the city with our luggage, I was dropped off at my pre-cruise hotel, The Radisson Blu in Bryggen. 

Overpriced for a tiny room and a bit odd with its maze of hallways, I liked that it was right in the middle of everything.  Once I got my things settled into my room, I headed out for a walk and some supper.  Walking along the main street of Bryggen, I looked down the narrow alleys between the historic buildings, before walking around the harbor.  The night seemed magical with all the pretty lights.

I found my dinner at Egon, a large, and very bustling, restaurant that had many little rooms for seating.  The lobby and a display window were decorated cheerily for Christmas.

I got a cozy spot in a corner, which was nice, as of course I'd hauled along a book to read.  The specialty white pizza was delicious.

After I'd eaten way more pizza that was good for me, I let it settle as I shopped around a bit on the main street near the harbor.  Most shops were open, and so compelling with their well-lit displays.

By this point in the trip my bags were getting pretty full, so I managed to just window shop before heading back to my hotel for my last sleep in the beautiful country of Norway.