Storyline: Scandinavia
It is Saturday and the sun is finally out here in Bergen. It is also summer solstice. We are on the top of Mount Fløyen. 320m above sea level. The views from above are spectacular. And it is full of people – tourists like us and locals.
The funicular has a wheelchair and stroller section in front and there are quite a few couples with their babies in strollers. Some wheelchairs too. Reaching 17C, today is the first fully dry, sunny and warm day.
Even when dry, not exceeding 14C, it has been cool enough in the ever-present breeze for us to wear a few layers.
We discussed if we should go to the higher mountain Ulriken (643), the highest of the seven mountains surrounding the city. 643m above sea level. However, the sun was calling us, and it was easier to reach Mount Fløyen.
The funicular starts right across for the harbour, just behind the Hanseatic Museum. For Mount Ulriken we have to take the light rail to the gondola and perhaps wouldn’t be able to hike down the mountain in a reasonable time.
Besides who knows how long the good weather would last. Based on our experience we cannot trust the weather forecasts here, be it the Norwegian or Weather Network. Rain, sometimes very heavy, can start and stop at any moment regardless the forecast.
And so, we took the funicular to the top and wandered around. There is a lot to do at the top.
Playgrounds for kids, Trolls all over the forest, cafés, gift shops (of course!), a restaurant and more. We decided that it was the right place and moment to splurge. (Did I mention, just a few times in every post, that Norway is ridiculously expensive for us?! Oh, wait this is the first post; so yeah, I’ll be saying this over and over again).
The Fløirestauranten restaurant opened at 1925 and is celebrating its centenary. A snippet from its website: “Bergen architect Einar Oscar Schou designed Fløirestauranten in the early 1920s. The interior, lamps, fittings and furniture were also entirely designed by Schou. The building’s profile was to be reminiscent of the fairytale ‘Soria Moria Castle’.
The restaurant opened in 1925 and is Schou’s most famous architectural achievement from his later years. Among his list of credits is the theatre Den Nationale Scene in Bergen. Common features of his buildings are the use of yellow ochre and simple geometric ornamentation. Schou’s design for Fløibanen [the funicular] lower terminus (1912-1918) is an early example of inspiration from older Bergen architecture.”
We order a glass of wine for me (the cheapest possible) and Alex wants to try a local beer. The young server recommends a mango flavoured one. We share steak tartar and French fries. Water, 4 slices of bread and butter are free. The dish comes with 4 slices of toast.
Fries are on the small size and in hindsight we didn’t need them. We both love the beer (even though I usually dislike fruit-flavoured beer – A).
A trio is playing light jazz outside, just in front of the window.
After refueling and refreshment it is time to head downhill. We still hope to see the end of the pride parade. There are quite a few trails down and for the first time in Norway there is a person at the Information booth.
This is for another post but most of the services here and unmanned. We ask which is the best for us to take to the city centre.
“Can you walk on gravel, or do you prefer the asphalt?” “Gravel is OK” “I recommend this one” she points down towards the targeted trail, “You will also see the funicular.” And off we go!
The sun is still shining and a stroll in the nature is just what we need. We enjoy the views, stop often to snap a photo or two.
We are accompanied by the drums, the cheers and the chanting of the pride parade below. We can see them and they are at its destination in the city centre. Obviously, we won’t be there before it finishes. Closer to the base, other trails are joining.
The trail goes very close to the funicular tracks. We stop for a few minutes to watch the cars and then move on.
We zig-zag with the gravel paths, avoiding stairs. But at our age after sometime we need bio-break. For this we’ll have to reach the city. Finally, we are on the cobble stones and after a few turns I notice an alley with few small tables and chairs or benches. It is a café! We initially sit at the bench by its entrance, Alex orders something sweet for him and a cappuccino for me. We use the facilities, enjoy our little treats, and continue down towards the centre.
We pass by the oldest school in the Nordic Countries, according to their sign, take a photo of the Fløibanen entrance and march towards our temporary Bergen home.
We drop our backpack, which is now carrying some of our layers. The warm weather and the sun are still holding. We decide to make the best of it and revisit a pub by a place called USF Cultural Centre. USF stands for United Sardine Factory.
The deck of the Kippers Bar & Kafe USF is over the water. Despite being busy (not surprising for a sunny Saturday), it is still early for dinner and party for many, so we manage to find a table at the edge by the water.
We enjoy a drink each and share mussels and fries for dinner. Alex orders the same beer and I ask for Aperol spritz. Should have stayed with the wine. Not that the wine is cheap, but there is not much of Aperol in this ice-dissolved expensive drink. And Alex’s mango beer, surprisingly, costs almost double of what we paid at the top of the mountain.
We stretch our enjoyment, sipping our drinks slowly, so much so that mine becomes melted ice, soaking in the sun as long as we can. People come and go. “Norwegians must be rich” Alex remarks, after seeing a few women, all alone (not at the same time) carrying bottles of Champagne wrapped in plastic ice bags to their tables. Eventually we call it a day. This is our “laissez faire” day. Or let our hair down. Not that there is much hair left (I represent that remark!! – A).
It starts raining again overnight. Bergen is the rain capital of Europe.
There will be another post about this lovely city and our time there in the chronological sequence of our itinerary.
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