Last week I went to visit Tasha in Bergen. The first day I enjoyed my role as a tourist and we spent most of the day sight-seeing. First, we went to see the fish market and the famous wharf. Two of the first things I think of when I hear Bergen (after rain, of course..)
Proof that I was actually there: (me at the infamous Bergen Brygge)
Tasha entering the fish market:
Inside the market: (notice the dried fish at the left. It reminds me of dried duck in China)
After catching the scent of fried fish inside the fish market, we became hungry and decided it was time for lunch. What better than a “fish burger” by the seaside? We did, however, leave the market to find food. Norwegian tourist prices are a bit too high..
The view from where we ate our lunch:
Some more pictures of Bergen tourism:
Norwegian woollen sweaters for sale, probably the most bought souvenir/gift from Norway:
More souvenirs..?:
After walking around down town Bergen for a while, and among other things visiting an art museum, discovering interesting street names and eating muffins at a café named Eat My Muffin, we went to take Fløibanen, which is a third major must-see attraction in Bergen; a “funicular” (a word I’d never heard before..) that takes you up on one of the 7 mountains surrounding Bergen city. There’s an amazing view over Bergen up there.
Tasha by Lille Lungegårdsvannet in the centre of Bergen:
The interesting street sign mentioned above; Nedre Hamburgersmauet (yes, hamburger means the same in Norwegian..). Other funny place names in Bergen include: Florida, Paradis (Paradise). Both are names of districts…
Beautiful Tasha enjoying her muffin:
Pictures from Fløibanen:
And at the top:
We walked down to Tasha’s apartment, which is below Mount Fløyen. Pictures taken on the way down:
The next day we to a cable car up the mountain next to Fløyen; Mount Ulriken. After seeing a certain slogan in English on buses in the centre saying “You haven’t seen Bergen until you’ve been up Mound Ulriken”, we simply were unable to stay away. Tasha has been up there many times during her year in Bergen, but this was her first time to cheat and take the cable car.
Next time I’m in Bergen I’m definitely bringing hiking clothes so I can walk up/go hiking in the landscape up there! It really makes you forget that you’re 15 minutes from Norway’s second biggest city.
The weather wasn’t really too good for photos, but look it up! There were also sheep up there, adding to the charm:
That evening Pernille and Veronica came over for dinner. I had not seen them in a year, so it was great to catch up!
Puh, long post! Sorry.. It was such a good trip full of write-worthy moments! And it’s not over yet…
My excuse for going to Bergen was that Tasha and I had tickets to see Jamie Cullum at Sildajazz in Haugesund! But getting there from Bergen (or rather getting back) proved to be less that easy, as the last bus left at about 8 pm. So to make a long story short, we ended up renting a car and it became slightly more time-consuming and expensive then expected. (we even ended up getting a parking ticket, which really didn’t help..) 
But the concert was absolutely amazing and it was more than worth it! Want to say more to describe it, but words simply won’t do.. You should have been there!
Blissfully we drove back to Bergen, and we didn’t arrive Tasha’s apartment until 3:30 am. (That is, I fell asleep half-ways and poor Tasha had to drive with nothing but the sound of my iPod’s loudspeaker playing Jamie Cullum (of course) to keep her company).
The next day I met Johanne, another friend I haven’t seen in a long time, and in the afternoon I was on the train headed for Tønsberg after a great few days in Western Norway, filled with wonderful people, marvelous scenery and a fantabulous (it’s a real word, it’s on Wikipedia!) concert.
Finally, some scenery snap-shots from the train-ride:
Finse station; the train station between Bergen and Oslo with the highest altitude (at 1222 meters). Notice the glacier at the back!
