Bergen, Norway...

We got off the ship very early to meet Thierry our guide for a tour of Bergen sites outside of the city center. Our first stop was the Fantoft Stave Church. This church was originally built by the Vikings in the village of Fortun and was erected around 1150. It was moved here in pieces in 1883 to save it from demolition. Unfortunately, in 1992 the church was burned in an arson attack but was carefully rebuilt. The church is set in the woods, and we had a nice little jaunt to see this truly Norwegian gem. Unfortunately, we were too early to visit the inside but were told the exterior is the best part…Stave Churches are made entirely of wood and no iron is used in the construction. Leaving Fantoft, Thierry added a last-minute stop at the former summer home of Edvard Grieg, a famous Norway composer. This scenic hilltop villa is named Troldhauden (Troll Hill) and was completed in 1885. We did a trek down to the lakeshore and back up…Thierry put me through the paces with a very nice stop. From Troldhauden, we headed for Gamlehaugen, the King’s official residence in Bergen. The property is located outside the center of Bergen near Troldhaugen. The building combines the qualities of a fortress and a castle, modeled after the castles of France and the high-towered fortresses of Scotland. Gamlehaugen is set on a lake and framed by a beautiful, landscaped park, adorned with a lush, varied selection of shrubbery, flowers and trees. It is quite the climb from parking lot to residence and even a further climb from lakeshore up to the home. Thierry took me on a hike to the lake, so I am now familiar with climb back up to the residence. Continuing with our tour we crossed the city and drove up Ulriken Mountain to the cable car station. Taking the cable car, we reached the peak of the highest of the seven mountains surrounding Bergen, Ulriken, 643 meters (2109 feet) above sea level. Standing on the top of Ulriken, overlooking the sea, islands, mountains and fjords, it is easily understood why Bergen is known as “the capital of the fjords”. At the summit there are many vantage points and a rest spot for hikers…as there are a number of trails intersecting at this point. Thierry and I went on another exhilarating hike before descending the mountain. Once back in Bergen proper we drove by the area of the oldest houses in Bergen before being dropped in the Bryggen Wharf area. Bryggen is a UNESCO World Heritage site and former Hanseatic wharf…it is a glorious remnant from when Bergen was a key center for trade between Norway and Europe. We took some time to shop and snap photos of the Hanseatic commercial buildings, which look like scenery from a movie set and give you a sense of the local culture. Crossing the harbor, we walked along the quay and visited the fish market, a reminder of the city’s role in early fish trade. From here we made our way back to the ship via the main shopping street, the Sailors Monument and the National Theatre. We had a great guide, weather and day touring in and around Bergen.