For our Bergen Shore Excursion, we were on our own yet again. The sun was finding a way to shine through all the clouds, so we headed straight for the Floibanen funicular. When we reached the harbor, with a view of the historic wooden buildings at Bryggen, the light was already fading. By the time we reached the Floibanen funicular station, the weather was completely cloudy. So, we decided to head to the traditional white wooden houses nearby on Øvre Blekeveien St and Stolegaten St in the residential area known as Skansen.
I should have known from the twisting pathways on the map that the ascent to Skansen would be very steep. After we reached the lookout area near the old Skansen Firehall, it was all down hill through the pleasant homes. The only people we saw were a few residents who were heading out to work.
After enjoying Øvre Blekeveien St and Stolegaten St, plus a few nooks and crannies, we passed St Mary’s Church and arrived at the back side of Bryggen. The sun came out briefly here and lit up the red and orange wood buildings of Bryggen with an amazing display of color. Then we wandered through the various pathways up and down historic wooden pathways of Bryggen.
Bryggen was originally the warehouse area of Bergen, where salted cod and other goods were shipped througout Scandinavia. The wooden houses were susceptible to fires and any residents in Bryggen used to have to sleep without heat in the old days. Today this area has shops on the ground floors and businesses of various types operating from the upper floors. You will find museums here, lots of guided tours and many tourists on their own visiting this well known UNESCO Heritage Site.
Next, it was time to return to the Floibanen funicular and actually ride it this time. Although the posted departure times outside made it look like it would be a 45 minute wait, the funicular was running non-stop and it took less than 15 minutes for our ride. At the top, we got very lucky. The sun decided to break through the clouds for one last time that day.
I took way too many pictures of the views over Bergen and the sea from the summit viewpoint of the Floibanen Funicular, as the light produced moving patches of sunlight over the city. Knowing that Bergen is referred to as the “City of Rain” with more than 200 rainy days each year, I was very happy with our timing up the Floibanen Funicular.
From the funicular, we wandered the pedestrian streets nearby, including Lille Øvregaten and Hollendergaten. We also checked out the Bergen Cathedral and 3 Kroneren Hotdogs.
When we passed through the Fish Market, I took a moment to remember my Norwegian heritage. My great-grandfather had left all his relatives behind when he immigrated to Wisconsin from Bergen. Then, more than a generation later, my father had made the pilgrimage back Bergen for a reunion with the Erickson clan. The relatives all met him at the Fish Market and he had a wonderful time. I realized the Fish Market was a completely different experience now and I wondered what had transpired in the lives of generations of relatives since then. The connection was now lost in time.
From the harbor area we now walked to the pedestrian-only area around Torgallmenningen Square, where we saw the Sailors Monument and the Blue Stone. Then it was only a few minutes farther to Byparken.
Byparken is a large park beside Lille Lundgegardsvannet lake. Here we saw a number of sights, including the Edvard Grieg Statue, the Christian Michelsen Statue and the Ole Bull Fountain. The lake is lined on the southwest side by the museum district, with 5 museums located side by side in fabulous architecture.
In Byparken we took a coffee break at Godt Brot. Although this is a tourist area, the Godt Brot coffee shop was mainly frequented by local Norwegians. I really enjoy being with locals who are speaking Norwegian instead of visiting businesses established just for the tourist trade. Also, this wasn’t the first time in Scandinavia that I watched a cashier seamlessly switch from their native language to fluent English. Very impressive and yes, whenever I enjoy being with the locals, it’s still clear to everyone else that I’m a tourist.
After our coffee break, it was time to catch the #1 Light Rail from the Byparken Station for a visit to the Fantoft Stave Church. The task of buying a ticket pretty simple at the ticket machine. We rode the light rail to the Fantoft Station and then walked uphill to a forest, where the wooden church was nestled by itself in a fairy tale setting.
My really loved this traditional Norwegian wooden church. The original church was built around 1150 and was moved to Bergen in 1883, but the church was destroyed in an arson fire in 1992. Today a replica occupies the site and provides an excellent insight into what a Norwegian stave church was like. This visit was the perfect way to conclude our visit to Bergen and the completion of our Norwegian cruise.
