A Mixed Bag Of Bergen
Bergen – 11th June
We were back on the tram today to finish off our sightseeing in Bergen, striking it lucky with another fine day, although it was a little windy. The demographics had significantly changed, one cruise ship had gone and another arrived, but so had thousands of young people. The ferries from Denmark and other areas have brought the half-dressed, phone obsessed airheads to town for two days of Bergenfest. They go everywhere at great pace with their eyes focused on their devices and walk straight into you.
The bonus is that after transport, accommodation and music tickets, they can’t afford to eat anywhere other than McDonalds or Burger King. We decided to try the indoor fish market ‘Mathallen’ for lunch which is in a building on the wharf, has more expensive food and restaurant dining areas. There are lots of fresh fish stalls as well as cheese, bakery and cold meat outlets.
Two things not considered on my possible lunch list today were dried stock fish (hanging from the ceiling) and small oysters at NZ$10 each overdressed with piped cream cheese and parsley. Our lunch came from the ‘Roll on’ section of the market, it serves sushi either premade or personally made for you. NZ$35 buys 12 pieces, a large dollop of wasabi, ginger that isn’t pink and soy sauce. Interesting fact: the use of salmon in sushi was suggested to the Japanese by a Norwegian delegation in the 1980s. We got the takeaway sushi and sat in the sun outside the restaurants seating the richer dinners.
Next stop was the Domkirke, Bergen Cathedral, photo from the outside as I am still objecting to pay money for a short look in a church. The large murals are free to view.
Next stop was at the central lake, fountain, and gardens for a geocache. The cache is near what is supposedly the first ever Rhododendron in Norway, we will have to believe the cache owner that this is the one; an internet search does verify some information about rhododendrons in Bergen around 1787. Apparently they like bog soil in mild and moist conditions and therefore Bergen provides the perfect growing conditions.
Next stop the St John Church, it has the highest tower in Bergen, but just our luck it was all wrapped up for restoration. The church was open for a cash payment, so we did the other spelling of cache.
Next stop was the oldest row of houses in Bergen and a nearby cache. Not entirely sure these are them but they look old. They have their own chequered history; some of them were brothels servicing the maritime industry and for 80 years were controlled by the State. If you wait long enough here a ship will come and side back into a wharf to unload hundreds more people. Rough water, big boat and no tug – the captain did an impressive job.
Our reward for all that walking was a carrot cake and a traditional Skillingsbollen – Bergen’s National Pastry for over 500 years. The translation is Shilling Bun, named after the original cost; it costs a lot more now. The sugar, butter, cinnamon and flour concoction actually came from Germany in the 16th century, but Bergen made it their own.
