Fjords, fog and Glog.
It snowed whilst waiting for the plane to Bergen, Norway's second largest city. I watched the big fat flakes slowly swirl to the ground and up in the plane, the clouds were all rainbow hued, maybe that was the northern lights.
I caught the light rail into the centre to the Basic Hotel, which turns out to be the new breed of Poshpackers. It's a beautiful room in a lovely old building with a heated bathroom floor! Then on the way to the harbour, I found a cute, quirky cafe/gallery, Pygmalion Okocafe and stop for a hot chocolate with the works.
There are a lot of gremlins, gnomes and fairy folk on walls, in shops, hanging around everywhere. I think of Grimms fairytales and the slightly scared child in me remembers the tales.
The harbour is beautiful with it's brightly painted wooden buildings that were once warehouses and are now galleries and shops. I buy a Viking ship painting and wander up into the hills, passing the perfect gingerbread looking houses. When night arrives early as it does in the north, I go to the newly refurbished Old Bergen Stock Exchange, built in 1862. They serve at any time. Lots of lovely cafes and restaurants, beautifully renovated. Ended the night with Lava cake and gelato.
I awake to dense fog and a booked Fjord cruise. You have to weigh the fact that in winter there are far less tourists but also issues with sightseeing but even so, the wild wintry snowscapes and coloured houses nestling along the fjord make it worthwhile and returning the sky blues and I have a wonderful bowl of fish soup on the harbour.
Later that night, I dine at the American Rock and Roll Diner! I have a Glog, a traditional warmed alcoholic drink with red wine, bourbon, orange zest, cardamon, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, raisins and almonds! The girls there are chatty and from Lithuania. They also love Norway and want to stay forever.
Ps. Supposedly I'm sitting in the boot of an Elvis Presley Cadillac.
Spent the next day a wandering far, and wandering wide. Past churches and lots of knitting shops, up into the hills and passing by all the beautiful Xmas shops.
Tomorrow I'm off yet again. Copenhagen here I come!
Comments