Bergen and beyond into the long forever

Our Scandanavian adventure begins in the charming port city of Bergen. The medieval Bryggen quarter is on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Site and the cobble stoned streets are narrow and mysterious. The population about the same as Geelong and also a seaport but here you can buy reindeer hot dogs from street vendors and see original Munch in the galleries. It rains 260 days of the year but the sun shines for us.

Winter officially begins 1 November and there is still  Autumn colour everywhere.

Now is the end of Day 2 of our 12 day round trip Bergen to Kirkenes when we will head as far north as is possible to go via public transport and then it is back to Berge. We are stopping at 32 ports along the way.

We are on board the Hurtigruten Line ship, MS Lofoten, commissioned in 1964,  so resplendent with  original features that it has historical listing.  Although able to accommodate up to 400 passengers, MS Lofoten  has cabins for only 150. This trip we are sailing with  110 passengers and are in the cheapest, cosiest cabin on the lower deck, falling asleep like two babies being rocked in our cradles. Full board includes three meals a day in the silver service dining room, and include herring, salmon prepared many different ways, halibut, caviar, seal, reindeer and possibly whale. And all kinds of pickles. This is indeed, Norway.

DAY 1 Embarkation in Bergen

Day 2 Ålesund and Geirangerfjord/Hjørund- fjord
Ports visited today: Florø, Måløy, Torvik, Ålesund and Molde

View from hotel window – on 5th floor attic

Nettie enjoying the sunshine

here’s one for the tired mothers

 

Munch’s Madonna Lithograph

Enter a caption

Edvard Munch 12 December 1863 – 23 January 1944) was a Norwegian painter and printmaker whose intensely evocative treatment of psychological themes built upon some of the main tenets of late 19th-century Symbolism and greatly influenced German Expressionism in the early 20th century.(wikipedia) He was an artist determined to express the depths of human emotion.

 

leaving Bergen Bridge in our wake.

Farewell Bergen see you in 12 days!

our first dawn aboard 8:30 am

MS Lofoten Stern

MS Lofoten bow

Alesund is 62 degrees north…our destination Kirkenes is 69.7…

Alesund burned down and was rebuilt art nouveau style early  1900’s

fellow traveler Lazlo – retired chemist engineer from Hungary – finally realising his life long dream to be aboard the MS Lofoten classic voyage

MS Lofoten waiting our return from a trip to shore

MS

Sod roof

Sea Urchin in crystal clear fjord waters maybe 6″ across

picture postcard perfect