Bergen

Early rise and quick granola breakfast (if that's possible) to get to Heathrow by 07:30 even though the flight's not until 09:55. That's because our lift to the airport had to be in work for 08:00, and also because airlines like you to be there two and a half hours early to allow for getting through security. Not too bad as airports are fairly reasonable places to hang about on the first day of your holiday. Often a different story on the way back or on connecting flights.  Security was relatively quick and easy for a change, although one bag did get sidelined for some extra checks with the bomb sniffing things ( yet again!).  A tour around the departure lounge shops reveal very little we can afford and, disappointingly for one at least, no bacon roll.  Surprisingly, or maybe not, the airport was very busy and it was a job to wheel the cabin bag around without bumping into someone. It appeared that when we were going one way nearly everyone else was coming in the opposite direction; this did not change even when we changed direction, we seemed to be constantly battling against the flow. The best antidote for this was to sit down.

Checking out the destination board.

Eric signs up for a sponsorship deal.

The flight was completely full, but despite this took off on time and was almost pleasant, given that it was only 1 hour 55 minutes. Plus, they supply M&S bacon rolls and vanilla/berry and granola/seed yoghurt for sustenance ( at a cost obviously- but then we are on holiday after all).

Snow on the mountains as Norway comes into view. Lots of islands too.

Passport control in Bergen was a breeze, although we did have a momentary hesitation as to whether we should be in the EU Citizen line or not, but then remembered that we hadn't actually left the EU ...yet. 

We had ordered some Bergen Cards on line to pick-up when we arrived - lets you catch public transport for nothing and free or discounted entry to museums and attractions.  Chatting to the information man we discover that they finished the light rail connection to the airport seven days ago, which means we can avoid even the discounted 100 Norwegian Krone charge for the Flybussen (private airport bus to town centre) and catch the tram for free using our newly minted Bergen Card. It takes a little longer but passes some very pleasant views and has big picture windows.

The scheduled opening date for the Skyss light rail connection from the airport was summer 2017, but they'd obviously heard that Eric was arriving and opened it early - although they hadn't quite managed to finish the terminal building in time.

Eric puzzles over the instructions.

Norwegian is mostly quite a difficult language to guess at what something means, and there are no English instructions on the tram.  A very helpful lady, plus some rather scary looking ticket inspectors who weren't so scary after all, come to our aid. Bergen is sunny and warm (it must have known I'd packed my thermals) and layers are divested.

First stop is the main train station to pick up our Norwegian Fjord Tour tickets.  We have two Norway in a Nutshell tours booked, one to Hardangerfjord, and one to Sonjerfjord.  Easy peasy lemony squeezy, and with that done we hop back on the tram going the other way to reach our attic accommodation - Olga will let us in at three.  

Apartment is as good as it looked online and views are great

Coffee in the cupboard but no tea or milk - supermarket visit is next on the list.  An amble up the hill from where we are staying finds a place suitable for such purchases (and more).  A cup of tea later and it was out for another foray to explore this new land.  Olga has told us that the funicular railway to the top of the mountain we can see from our window is an excellent trip. On the basis of a discussion with a lady on the tram, who had told us that Bergen can often be rainy and foggy so people make the most of it when the sun is out, we thought perhaps we should do the same.

Another trip on the light rail, plus an uphill walk, finds us at Floyben, where the funicular railway starts.  You can walk the 1000m to the top along a zig-zag path but this is not for us today - we have a 50% discount on the funicular to take advantage of! The railway is very old, it opened in 1918 and is 844m long, although we didn't find out why it was built in the first place. The idea was first proposed by a John Lund in 1895. 

...and when he was only halfway up...

It only takes six minutes to get to the top, and the views are spectacular. Our apartment is just behind the marina on the lhs.

 It's also very, very busy including what must be over a hundred people with numbers on their running gear dotted about the place. After sitting and gazing for while, we decide to have a wander. Apparently there is a lake up here somewhere that lends out kayaks and life jackets for you to have a paddle around, all for free.  There are signs asking you not to feed the wildlife. Could this be bears? Or wolves perhaps?

No, turns out it is Floyen goats.

Eric tells them he has no food.

Eventually find the lake, which is a pleasant place for a sojourn, although the kayak people have shut up shop for the day.  

Eric wonders what's happening on the other side of the lake.

Runners are everywhere and at 6o'clock the shouting begins and a relay race starts, with more exclamations of something along the lines of "hara, hara, hara" to encourage runners as they go past (not from us of course!) 

The top of the mountain looks like a good spot for a sunset, so we check the times out as the funicular runs until 11 at night.  Sunset is not until 9:45 tonight and we decide that hunger pangs are setting in. Reversing our journey 

And passing a statue of Holberg, a local philosopher 

Plus the Sailor's Memorial, where Eric reflects for a while

to arrive back in the attic, we enjoys the fruits of our earlier labour to the supermarket and sit down to plan tomorrow's outings.