Day 5 - Rest Day in Bergen

Day is still underway ... story and photos later ... off now to Erling's house in the hills ... we might never be heard from again ... or turn into a troll couple!!

A relaxing day. A stroll around the harbour at Bergen. Check out the fish-market within the harbour (more whale, lots of Norwegian salmon, lots of shrimp).

Then onto the fortress in Bergen which was destroyed in 1944 when an enormous amount of dynamite in the hold of an « innocent » ship moored in the harbour exploded. It created a tidal wave within the harbour that destroyed many building and threw heavy anchors up among the city streets. It was on Hitler’s birthday and there was an unusual number of Germans in the town that day, but it is still not clear whether it was a planned event or a weird coincidental tragedy.

We met Erling Berge at lunchtime and after a quick bite at a quirky haunt of his in Bergen, we headed to Hardanger where his ancestral home is. (Typical, forget about the real points of interest that Erling showed us - what about mentioning that fantastic wooden church, built by the Vikings, that was burned down by some Satanist lunatics in about 1996 and then rebuilt (including a fire extinguisher!!) And what about the home of famous composer Edvard Greig!!! Possum, really! …. Karen)

Erling’s family has lived in Hardanger since the early 1400’s (and perhaps earlier but they’re still working on his connection with Ingvar the Well-Travelled). All of the houses in the area are owned and lived in by cousins, brothers, sisters, uncles, etc. Definitely a Viking from way back - Erling the Hospitable.

Erling was born and grew up in a house (see the photos of the view from the window) that is in a location that makes it very difficult to digest. How can people be born and reared in a house that has a view and surroundings better than any holiday home. Incroyable!

Anyhow, we had a most wonderful evening. I’d like to say that we watched the sunset, but as the sun didn’t go down till close to 11:00pm, so we were all pushing out zzzzzzzzz’s by the sunset.

(and not to mention the lovely dinner that Erling prepared for us while we just mooched around soaking in the view (and believe me, it was something to look at!!  ... Karen)