A Day in Bergen with A PLAN:

 A Day in Bergen with A PLAN:

 

Well, we think we have a plan. Breakfast here at 0800, then off to get a Bergen City Card, then some museums and the aquarium. Being winter most venues open at 1000 or 1100 and close at 1600, so we gotta move fast. 

 

I also plan to try a different hot dog today. Maybe the Lamb for an in-depth comparison to Iceland. 



 THE PLAN WORKED!!!

 We started at the Tourist Info Center where we procured a Bergen City Card. This gives us public transport and admission to several attractions or a discounted admission. 

We gathered maps and were off walking to our first destination the Bergen University Museum of Natural History. 

We found this be to be a wonderful experience. It is located on the University Campus. Here we found exhibits ranging from Geology, Ecology, Oceanography, and Biology. 

The specimens on display and the story line are well done as they inspire one to learn more.

  In some ways I felt one might run into an Indiana Jones style professor studying a specimen. I felt a certain amount of turn of the century vibe to some of the displays giving them great character. 

The whale skeletons were amazing. The museum also is where one can find the oldest elevator in Bergen.

 



Then a short walk to the Maritime Museum. Here we explored the history of the Norwegian Seafarers and the ships they sailed. This covered from the Viking Period to Sailing Times to the present day freighters. There was an excellent movie about the excavation of a Viking Burial Mound which revealed much about Viking culture. 

Interesting Factoid: The distance of the Norwegian Coast Line add together would circle the equator twice. That is a lot of coast line.

 

 

Next we were off walking to the Bergen Aquarium. While our maps were not of great detail we zigged and zagged about the narrow streets of Bergen. This included  several, and I mean several flights of stairs. We did enjoy the narrow streets with clapboard houses. 

 

 



We found the Bergen Aquarium and took in the many marine life enclosures and fish tanks. I was really surprised to see a colony of Gentoo Penguins. To be honest this is the first Gentoo colony I have ever seen in captivity. The penguins are identified by colored arm bands so it is easy to get information about an individual. 

The Sea Lions were rather active, as well as the otters. 

A fun experience and well worth the time and effort to walk there.

 

 

Being tired and a bit hungry we made our way back to the hot dog stand and received nourishment in the form of a Lamb Werst. We had it with a mango sauce and crispy onions. It was very good but we both thought the reindeer sausage was better. What will we try tomorrow? 

 Sorry we were so hungry we finished it before we even thought of taking a photo.



We then walked to the funicular so as to take in the obligatory Bergen View. It did not disappoint, as you can well see. 

 

 

 I SPY A HOT DOG STAND!!!!!

 



Next we found the Norwegian Rubber Tomahawk Shop (a store selling touristy stuff). We got items for a trip Christmas ornament and I got a cheap pair of slippers to wear about the ship. We also got couple postcards to send.

We got some local food items to have for dinner back in our room as we are tired. We cover 20,523 steps and I know we had 16-20 flights of stairs or more regardless of what our watch recorded. 

Tonight we will check in with the Hurtigruten representatives here at the hotel and get additional information about our tour and transfer to the ships terminal.