There's a Little Fishy in a Little Dishy When the Boat Comes In

As might be surmised from the blog title, there is a maritime feel to today's adventures.  Another fairly leisurely start to the day, including the usual muesli and fruit filled breakfast.  Opening the blinds revealed there was not a cloud in the sky. Opening the velux windows revealed there was a bitterly cold wind to go with that sunshine.  I think two layers of jumper may be needed. Sandwiches packed, more fruit in the bag and Eric can't wait for the off.

We have to take the light rail to the centre and then catch a bus to Sandvikstorget to reach our first destination, The Norwegian Fisheries Museum (free with the Bergen Card). There are four exhibition areas to peruse. The young lady on reception  suggested the two films were good to watch if we had the time, and we were glad that we did as they were presented in quite an unusual manner. The first was a story of a fishing community and how things had changed over the years, but it was presented across three adjoining screens and through conversations between three generations of a family, all of whom were fishermen.  It was like you were in the room with them.  This was interspersed with other footage - very informative with a personal touch.  The other film related to fur seal hunting and fur products, discussing the whole business based around it and how the decision was made to close the operation down in Bergen following the Greenpeace protests. This was again told in quite a personal way interspersed with additional related footage. 

Eric leads the way to the displays.

First, some video exhibits combined with the odd artefact and sea creatures that Eric enjoyed interacting with.

Then it's time to 'put your face in the sea creature', Eric chose a few different ones but decided that he liked being a squid Eric the best.

On the next floor there were some pretty cool interactive exhibits 

This one was a set of rather cute animated films that told the story behind each of three economically important fish, and the whale.  To start the animation you placed one of the stuffed animals on a weighing scales and then turned a wheel to progress the historical timeline.

Doh! You've put the fish on the scale before the whale animated film has finished 

That's better.

Now for the cod wars

View out from museum

Eric avoided the final exhibition spaces as they were telling the story of the stock fish warehouses in Bergen, and had some extremely smelly dried fish on display.

After visiting the museum shop and deciding that we wouldn't be able to get the giant halibut shaped cushion home we picked some smaller purchases and looked for a sheltered place to have lunch.  Outside the museum and down the dockside we find a picnic table conveniently situated behind a shed that is out of the wind.  Although there are several other benches around, this is the only one where we are sitting in sunshine and very little wind.  We had had to wend our way through what looked like a school group on some kind of training day, with some children busy pumping the chest of a resuscitation doll, others with life jackets on. Luckily they did not seem to be having their lunch there. Other people came out after us and we're enviously eyeing up our spot. 

Eric enjoying his lunch.

As we were eating a man popped up from behind a boat not far in front of the table. He was in the middle of renovating the small boat he had bought last week. After we had finished our lunch he mentioned that it was a good place to sit out of the wind - he had moved the picnic bench there the day before so he could have his lunch! We were ready to move on anyway, and he seemed very pleasant. 

The view from the end of the docks.

View back towards the Fisheries Museum from our (or the boatman' s) picnic spot.

Back on the bus into town, next stop - The Maritime Museum (also free with the Bergen Card). After alighting from the bus we have to climb back up the steps in front of St John's Church where we came down the other day.  Find that the Maritime Museum is half-price today, so we are not having such a big benefit from the Bergen Card as we thought we were, but Hey Ho, such is life.

This museum is very boat based, as you might expect.  There are replicas, or should I say scale models, of many different boats, from Viking times to modern day. 

The Viking ship models are very beautiful.

There are also some real bits of ships that you can step inside.

One of the so-called Tall Ships, or what they are calling a training ship, including a radio room.

The saloon of a steamship where Eric wonders if he can call home.

Plus a mock up of a deck area, with some great views (even without the telescope).

Just as we are leaving Eric finds a rocking boat to play on. Come on Eric the museum is just about to close.

What's next on the agenda we wonder, perhaps enough of the sea today and time for some retail therapy at the jewellery shop and bakery on the Bryggen.

Purchases made we decide that even though it's cold, the sunshine warrants another ride on the funicular to the top of Floyen (spelt differently really but no O with a line through it is immediately available so thought we'd be improper).  The views really are very good from up here,

 as is the cake we purchased earlier, partly eaten already!

Funnily enough we seem to be somewhat protected from the wind on the viewing platform and sit for a while, ruminating.  There's still time left for a few purchases from the souvenir shop (no we didn't buy any trolls), plus a walk along a different route to the lake we visited last time we were here.  There are no numbered runners here today and arriving at the lake we seem to have it mostly to ourselves.  

They provide the barbecues for you up here.

Throw me a burger and a match will you? 

Time to head off now, back to the ranch and prepare for the morrow. It's our second fjord Tour day, with a very early start - the bus leaves the bus station at 7:30 in the morning.

Playtime

Last night was the first time we'd seen dew on the windows and we awoke to what appeared to be a major change in the weather. Looking out we were greeted with low cloud obscuring almost all of the mountain view across the harbour. 

We needn't have been concerned as by the time we had completed our leisurely breakfast it had all cleared and we again had wall to wall sunshine. 

Our plan for the day was to visit a view more musea (the plural of museum, or should that really be museums), this was to include the Science Museum, the Rosenkrantz Tower, and the Bryggen museum. 

After a 10 minute walk to the first one we are greeted with "you know this is designed for children but you're welcome to enjoy it" comment as we present ourselves at the reception desk of the Science Museum. It's basically the Norwegian equivalent of the UK TechniQuest. 

We ended up spending nearly 2 hours playing on the various exhibits. A number of children turned up but we didn't let them get in the way. 

Testing our heart rate, pulling ourselves up on different pulleys, doing puzzles,

 launching an hydrogen rocket, skipping on an automatic machine (video available at a price), trying but failing to walk along a tightrope. We even let Eric enjoy some items!  The 'how storms form in tornado alley' was rather too educational for his liking, but had an interesting spin on the illustrative graphics.

Eric's legs wouldn't reach the pedals to make the Skeleton move.

This one was particularly good fun.  It's called the Fred Crusade Ball Machine.

Next, hop back on the light rail for a trip to the Rosenkrantz Tower. 

Exiting the train at the Byparkken terminus our ears are assailed by the sound of motorcycles turning in to the park opposite. It was obviously a major meet as there must have been a few hundred bikes there. 

This lot are just turning up

Eventually we reach the tower, which was built in a number of phases over the years between 1270 and around 1740, 

when it was converted to a magazine for gunpowder storage,  which interested Eric.

It's a rather strenuous but enlightening trip up (and then down) the 5 storey tower using narrow curving stairs built into the outer walls. After visiting several rooms along the way that were mostly empty but contained some medieval artefacts for Eric to examine and exclaim over; 

Not quite my size.

This one is a little more my size

My favourite - a cannon to sit on

We couldn't resist  a few pictures of these casts of gargoyles that are on the exterior walls of the tower. 

Incidentally they are also on sale at the obligatory gift shop at the base of the tower. Since we only travel with hand luggage we decide to leave that purchase to others. 

A rather handsome copy of the aforementioned Mr Rosenkrantz and his lady wife's gravestone

eventually we emerge on the roof with views around the city. 

We mused as to wether the artillery would have been effective against this sort of invasion!!

On the descent we passed through rooms with lots of details on exhibitions, including the celebration of the cities support for the Dutch East India companies haul of treasure from the East in 1655, and the witch trials.

Next we step out into the sunshine to have our picnic lunch in the park beside the Rosenkrantz Tower.  

On to the Bryggen Museum, which provides a clear explanation of the early development of the town through the results of an archaeological dig, and showing its early trading days.  The museum also provides two temporary exhibitions, one of which explains the marching drum people from yesterday.  They are the Bergen Archery brigades, set up for children by children, we think because they like the marching, the discipline it involves and the sense of community it brings. There's a lot of explanation of what they were, how they were formed and various other details but it's a very Bergen thing and I'm not sure we really understood it, it's all a bit weird. These were self organised groups of children that "entertained" themselves with military style drills and practices. They are much less popular now but still exist in small numbers and the march through the town at various times accompanied by drummers and carrying both crossbows and wooden "rifles".  

The other exhibition was an all singing, all dancing anthropological research project about where people in Norway have come from (meaning they had used many different types of anthropology in their analysis), and was quite interesting. You could put on a lab coat and goggles if you really wanted too! 

The walk back to the station leads Eric to discover yet more statues we hadn't noticed on earlier walks on the same route. 

Ole Bull. A famous Norwegian violinist who built a home resembling the Alhambra Palace with magnificent gardens on an island outside Bergen it's one of the top tourist destinations in Bergen, but as you may have guessed by now - it's not open in May!

Edvard Grieg.

Henrik Ibsen.

After all this physical and intellectual mental exercise we decided to return to the apartment after buying a few provisions. That was was the plan but being strangers in a foreign land meant the best laid plans...!  All the supermarkets and convenience stores shut on Sundays here. We thought we had covered the issue when we spotted a 7-11, the definitive convenience store in the US and much the same as Spar etc in the U.K.  Norway has a different take on them though. It would have been great if we had wanted a meal of ice cream, Popcorn and a couple of chocolate bars. So it's eating out for us tonight. We make for the Cafe Opera which we had been advised had a reasonable vegetarian menu. It was a pleasant venue overlooking the park in front of the theatre (visible in the background of the Ole Bull Statue. A vegetarian choice of two meals, and the one chosen was quite tasty although a little on the spicy hot side, and a burger with salad. No starters, no desserts and just water to drink but it still cost £34 even with a 10% Bergen Card discount! At least we can say we've sampled a local restaurant.  Back to the ranch for a relaxing evening doing nothing before bed.

Museums, Architecture and Parks - our MAP to follow for the day

There was time for a bit of a lie-in this morning, for some at least, as the museums do not open until 11am. A leisurely breakfast and picnic making meant we didn't have to think about food for a while.  Eric was raring to go, the weather looked good again and it was time to explore the city a bit more.  

Even though we were taking our time, arrival at the KODE museum was still earlier than expected, but the park outside the museum was a pleasant place to wait. 

Bit early in the morning for a band I suppose

There are four buildings associated with the KODE and entry is free with the Bergen Card.  Each has it's own shop associated with it, and cafe or restaurant. Some browsing was done while waiting for ticket.  Aha, might have guessed it, two of the museum buildings are closed for renovation until the 23 May.  We make the most of the other two.  There's an Edvard Munch exhibition in one, plus local Norwegian artists.  In the other there are some Old Masters and Norwegian related artists, plus a Modernist and Avant Garde exhibition.  One of the Norwegian artists was famous for his rendition of cows as well as local rural life; another for woodcut prints on paper.  

This one would go nicely in our house 

Eric thinks that he could do better than these.

It's lunchtime when we exit the museum, and the park with the fountain once again provides the setting for our munching.  One of us has secretly brought some chocolate along, which was enjoyed by both.

As were finishing our repast the sound of drumming was heard, and getting louder. People marching, carrying a flag and playing the drums came into the square at the start of the park. 

Further investigation was required so we sauntered over to have a geek.

There were indeed people marching and playing the drums but we are still no wiser as to why.

We decide to have a wander in the area behind the museums,our hosts had left a map that indicated there were some interesting old houses in this area, as well as another two parks.

But first there was a statue of Edvard Greig for Eric to pose with.

And then some architecturally interesting houses

Being a sunny Saturday seems to have brought out all the university students and some families for...you guessed it, a barbecue with frankfurter sausages.  The park is like a beach on the Costa del Sol, strewn with bodies in various stages of undress.  

Some parts of the park are quiet

The people here are very responsible - the barbecues sit on the paths not on the grass, so they don't burn it. 

There's also a pond at the bottom of the park (the hordes of people are just off camera and more joining them all the time).

Eric found this rather scary mural when we took a wrong turn.

A quick (?)  retreat uphill and Eric finds another posing place.

Just outside the park as we leave is this rather splendid house

And following the road down to the next park, another set of old houses, in a terrace this time.

The space outside of what we understand is the Natural History Museum (and part of the University of Bergen) is small but perfectly formed.  It is very tranquil with some lovely flower beds in front of the colonnaded building.  

Plus a good view back to those terraced houses

There is a wedding going on, with bride and groom having their photos taken in these cloisters beneath the building.

As we have been walking for a while now, we take a well-deserved rest break and watch the world go by.  Eventually it becomes too hot on the seat we are on and we resume our stroll to look for some shade.  Through the remainder of the gardens we find that the bride, groom and photographer are following us to each place.  They must want Eric in their photos.

Now it is out of this park and past St John's Church

Down the water feature steps back to the town Sentrum. 

Where we make a note of a shop that might interest some of our readers.

As our 72h Bergen Card has expired and our new one not kicked in yet, we walk back to the accommodation, and onward to the Kiwi Mini Pris (supermarket) for some provisions to keep us going tomorrow.

Eric missed a potential new friend as he was back in the attic.

Have some dinner. Still light and sunny, plus our new Bergen Card is valid at 7pm so it's time to hop on the light rail to visit the Stave Church at Fantoft.  The instructions say 'leave the station, turn left at the supermarket and follow the Stave Kirke sign'. What they didn't mention was that it is uphill! Slowly and surely we reach the required path at the top. It was worth the effort even though the church is not open in the evenings. 

Eric shows us the way

There was a viewing platform for taking pics, and it was rather magical.  May have to come back in the day to look inside.

Goodnight folks