Norway – Day 2

Friday, 7 February 2025

 Boarding commenced yesterday but concluded after midnight for our flight at 0025 this morning. The plane was actually fully loaded ahead of schedule and we pushed away from the airport terminal about six minutes early.

Our flight was uneventful. With both of us currently reading an EPIC fantasy series we read our books rather than watching movies or television on the in-flight entertainment. I had a quick browse quickly deciding that the choice was limited and I couldn’t see anything that interested me more than my book. I could have watched ‘Ghost’ again, but who wants to be crying amongst a plane full of strangers??!

It doesn’t seem to matter where we sit on a plane we ALWAYS seem to be last to be served when there is no longer any choice about what you eat. The first meal they offered us they pretended we had a choice but then realised that there wasn’t any of our choice left. Grr, I hate that. The second main meal we were offered we expected it would be breakfast since we would soon be arriving in Copenhagen around 7.00am in the morning. So I was psyched for rubbery eggs. When we were served we were only offered the meal that was still available – nasi lemak and rendang. What? I don’t want curry when I’m expecting breakfast. We have been very unimpressed with the meals on Singapore Airlines. It has also left us wondering about the merits of requesting a special meal?? At least then you get your meal before the masses and it ‘might’ be something better than choosing what you would prefer and then getting the other meal anyway!

We arrived in Copenhagen a few minutes after 7.00am which was 25 minutes ahead of schedule. That gave us some extra time to make our way through the airport to the departure gate for our flight to Bergen. It was grey and gloomy in Copenhagen and so cold that we could see our breath fogging as we walked through the aerobridge!

As Copenhagen was our entry point into the EU we had to clear immigration before we proceeded to the gate for our flight to Bergen. Never have we been welcomed into a country by such a cheerful and friendly immigration officer. Even when we told him we were on-bound for Norway rather than staying in Denmark his enthusiasm didn’t wane. Great to deal with someone who is happy doing what they’re doing. 

We boarded our Scandinavian Air Services (SAS) flight on time and once again departed slightly ahead of schedule with all passengers efficiently loaded. We were so glad that our seating row boarded from the air bridge. Those seated in the rear of the aircraft had to exit the terminal building to walk across the tarmac to board via the stairs at the back end. With the weather so cold and gloomy today AND only wearing T-shirts and fleece jackets we were very happy to avoid that!

After we took off from Copenhagen we quickly ascended into thick cloud and could not see a thing so I had my face glued to my Kindle again. Thank goodness I looked out the window as we neared Bergen to notice that I could now see snow-capped mountains and fjords as we commenced our descent. It’s only a one hour flight between the two cities but the weather could not have been more different.

Landing in Bergen it was still COLD but the sky was blue and the sun was shining exactly as the forecast said it would be. I certainly had my doubts that that would be the case when we were leaving Copenhagen. With immigration completed in Copenhagen we made our way through to the baggage carousel. It took a little while for that to start turning but it was only a short time before first my suitcase and then Bernie’s made their appearance. Always such a relief when your luggage arrives in the same place at the same time as you do.

Suitcases in hand we rolled them out through the ‘Nothing to Declare’ lane. We narrowly avoided a customs search with the man behind me being stopped for a random search. Phew! In the arrivals hall we were met by a Trip a Deal rep who escorted us out to a bus that would transfer us into the city.

As we walked through the terminal from the plane we were bemused by the Bergen? sign on the hillside opposite the airport terminal. We wondered if the city has an identity crisis? Our guide explained that it is because there are cities names Bergen in other countries and the question mark is to play with your mind … have you arrived in the right Bergen??

Our guide also told us that today was a very special day in Bergen and asked if we knew why it was special? Because the sun is shining. In a city that experiences between 240 and 270 days of rain per year, it is a special day when the sun is shining. How lucky are we?

We arrived at the Clarion Hotel along with 15 other Aussie Trip a Dealers and it was a lottery with checking in. A lucky few had been allocated to rooms that were ready to occupy. The rest of us not so lucky with no early check-in for us. Boo! Well, I had planned to shower and change into slightly warmer clothes and hiking boots but that wasn’t to be. No worries about being tempted to sleep off any jet lag, we had to head out sightseeing as we were.

The station for the Fløybanan Funicular was only a short walk from the hotel so we headed off to the top of Mount Fløyen while the sun was shining and the views back down over the city would be spectacular. We just missed the 11.00am car so had to wait 15 minutes for the next service up the mountain. Riding to the top took only half the time that we had spent waiting. And the view did not disappoint. Today was a truly spectacular day to take in the panoramic views of the city and Byfjorden.

Feeling hangry we tracked down some food at the café on the mountain. Kanalknutes for both of us (a knotted bun with cinnamon and sugar) and hot chocolate (for Tracey) and Coke Zero (for Bernie). After the unappealing offerings on the plane sticky sweet buns really hit the spot! Fortified with carbs we walked to Lake Skomakerdiket. As we walked through the forest the sun shining through the coniferous trees to their mossy bases was very atmospheric.

We caught the funicular back to the city below and scouted out the sausage vendor. For days Bernie has been saying that lunch on Friday was going to be a Norwegian reindeer hot dog served with traditional lingonberry sauce. We found the vendor but after eating kanalknutes on the mountain for a late morning tea it was a bit too soon for lunch.

We walked around to the Mathallen fish market. When we were last in Bergen in the summertime the fish market was outdoors. Today the fish market is still outdoors during the summer but since 2012 has operated in the Mathallen all year round. While on that side of the harbour we took photos of Bryggen, the row of traditional wooden houses across the water. While we were there we also photographed the boats (fishing trawlers?) in the harbour and Rosencrantz Tower.

After filling in a bit more time this way and exercising in the cold (we were in the shade on that side of the harbour!) we looped back around to the sausage vendor for lunch. So, the traditional way to have your reindeer sausage here is in a hotdog roll with lingonberry sauce (like raspberry jam!), mustard and fried spring onions. It was OK, but I could only manage two thirds of mine so Bernie polished off one and a third sausages. 

After lunch, which we managed to eat before it was too late to be considered lunchtime, we wandered around past Lille Lungegårdsvann (ornamental lake) to the Kobe Museum which houses one of Europe’s most significant collections of works by Edvard Munch along with pieces by other important Norwegian artists: Nikolai Astrup, J.C. Dahl and Harriet Backer. These artists are exhibited in the Rasmus Meyer building. Businessman Rasmus Meyer donated his collection of Munch paintings and these works formed the foundation for a museum that celebrates the golden age of Norwegian art history, from 1880 to 1905 and beyond to the 1920s.

Our ticket entitled us to enter a couple of other buildings that are part of the Kobe Museum but we struggled to find them. However a Google search seemed to suggest that (at least) one of them does not have a collection on display at the moment. We went instead to the Kunsthall which was also included in our ticket. Hmmn, the Bergen Kunsthall features contemporary art. The current exhibition is titled ‘Everything Is So Alive!’ and is supposed to offer a hopeful exploration of the possibilities for cohabiting the ruins of a world moving into collapse. What? We thought is was just … strange. We much preferred the expressionist works we had seen earlier.

We walked back to the ice-cream kiosk we had spied down by the harbour. We really did not NEED ice creams and with the temperature barely above freezing it was probably a bit mad but … we are on holiday and when we’re on holiday we eat ice cream! On the plus side we didn’t have to worry about our ice cream melting down the side of our cone today as we walked alongside the harbour in the winter sunshine. We took a selfie of us eating ice creams in front of the Bryggen buildings before venturing as far as Rosencratz Tower before turning around. On the way back we crossed the road to wander through the Bryggen flea market which we found to be very quiet on a weekday during winter. There were only a handful of vendors open today but perhaps it will be busier over the weekend? I’m sure it must be full of tourists over the summer months.

The appointed time for our room to be available was now past so we walked back to the Clarion Hotel. We were very happy to finally gain access to our room. Hallelujah we were able to shower at last and I cleaned my teeth. Very refreshing.

We managed to stay awake for a couple more hours before an early dinner at 6.00pm just along the street at Luddi where we shared a nice and basic Margherita pizza. After eating we headed back to the hotel before we could embarrass ourselves by falling asleep in public, especially me since I was sitting on a very comfortable banquette on my side of the table. Definitely starting to flag by this stage after a full day of travel and then another six hours or so of sightseeing.

Back in our room I pretty much cleaned my teeth and climbed into bed. Bernie managed to stay awake a little longer processing some photos before he too succumbed to sleep!

 

Steps: 17,318 (11.55km)