Bergen, Norway April 24, 2026

When I opened the curtains this morning, the plan to luxuriate fell by the wayside. Another lovely day was dawning in this fairytale-like piece of paradise.  While I passed on luxuriating, I still did not have a big day within me. I still had items on my list that I wanted to purchase so I went shopping!  With more travels in my future, I needed another journal.  I did purchase one, with painted tulips on the cover, at Keukenhof Gardens in South Holland but one is not enough.  This one spoke to me so I replied with an affirmative! 

Purchasing Norwegian yarn was on my to-do list. I wanted yarn to knit mittens.  I had a particular store in mind which was only a hop skip and a jump from my home away from home.  Being a novice knitter, I needed help with my selection.  I brought a mitten I knitted with me to show the lady, I wanted to knit them the same size with the same weight of yarn. This is what I came away with!  It’s “light petrol” in colour which is a teal-green shade.  

I was so excited and distracted with my yarn purchase that I forgot 

to tell the waiter, where I went for lunch, that I wanted a small beer!  Oh boy! 

Everything about this dining experience was exceptional! From the hostess who greeted me to the waiter who gave me the best seat in the house, to the other customers who even acknowledged me with a welcome. I felt like royalty! The fish and chips were the best I ever had! I like how the tartar sauce came in a muscle shell. It was here where I luxuriated savouring each morsel of food, every sip of the local IPA and just being grateful for every single second I get to be in Bergen!  

After that large beer, I needed to put some kilometres on my walking shoes and try to do so without a wobble.  I window shopped and walked, snapping shots of yet more places I just discovered. I dared not go into this gallery!

a cocktail bar

a Mexican restaurant and a cowboy saloon

I went into numerous stores that specialized in knitted goods.

I wouldn’t damage a sweater if I wobbled and knocked it over.

Norway is known for its hotdogs, especially reindeer hotdogs!  I don’t do well with hotdogs so passed on purchasing one but I wanted to see this famous little hotdog kiosk. What I do well with is chocolate and I bought and ate lots of that.

Bergen Harbour is busy with watercraft of all sizes. 

Today this cruise ship arrived, it holds just over 900 passengers, so on the small side compared to….. 

…..this one that arrived yesterday and holds 5000 passengers.

The grey navy ship left the harbour today, needing to maneuver between all the other ships.

This is a very small sampling of the small boats that arrived for the weekend.

This one is called the Stordi.

It’s a restored steamboat from 1913.

After a couple of hours of walking, I headed back to my home away from home.  I looked out my window to see some ships had left and more had arrived.  I am a people watcher but boy am I a boat watcher!  By now that beer had worn off and I was ready for more, more chocolate that is!

Bergen, Norway April 23, 2026

There’s no hope for me, I wanted to be back out on the water so went on another fjord cruise!  I picked the morning tour this time yet with the same company.  The boat was a little different, there was much more commentary and the Captain got closer to locations.  The weather was cold and windy but that did not stop me from staying out on the deck.  Off we go again, leaving  Bergen behind.

There were additional ships in the harbour that we passed on the way out.

These ships are gigantic, or even larger than gigantic!

I did not notice this church on the first trip. 

I could probably go on a third tour and still see new sights.

lots of salmon fishing

a picture perfect little location

deep into the fjord

This is called The Castle, it is a hike and it’s family friendly.  

The trail must go up the backside.

That thin brown line at the base just above the water is a road.

I got a better view of this home on this tour.

There were a few sheep out in front.

Pretty much everyone that lives along a fjord owns a boat.

 

a dock for the locals 

The Captain got very close to the walls of the fjord.

This would be a geologist dream to see this!  

These are more up close photos of the fjord walls. For whatever reason, only myself and four others were interested in seeing this up close from outside.  

After snapping the above shots, I then took this video.  When the music played, I got goosebumps!  It felt like if I reached out, I could touch the wall!  This was my most favourite part of the entire tour.  There were only the five of us, the boat was almost at a standstill, the water was calm, we were sheltered from the wind, no one spoke a word.  I can’t stop watching the video, when I watch it I am transported right back there feeling those goosebumps!  

After the fjord tour, I went back to my home away from home with a plan to just settle in.  There’s no hope for me, I bundled back up again to brace against the cold and wind then went for an eight kilometre walk around Bergen to see even more sights, they are never ending.  Eventually, I did settle in, until tomorrow!  

Bergen, Norway April 22, 2026

Mount Floyen is up there somewhere!  The plan for today was to hike up and down rather than take the funicular.  The trailhead is five minutes away from my home away from home. I could see the low cloud and fog from my window and I wondered whether I should wait.  I passed on waiting and said what the heck, just go! So I went! This was the view walking toward the trailhead.

part way up the fog began to lift

it was looking soooo pretty 

one of the many switchbacks

every time there was an opening, I snapped a shot

admiring the view from part way up

oh WOW

I zoomed in to see my room!

I made it!  

There is so much to see up here along with some hikes to take.  I just meandered around a bit. This is the restaurant.

a cafe

I picked a different cafe that had this view from the outside patio.

On the way down as I neared the end, along came the funicular.

I dropped my pack off at my home away from home and left a layer there too.  Then went back out onto the streets of Bergen to take in more sights and sounds.

I worked up an appetite for a local IPA.  

while waiting for my dinner to arrive 

Bergen, Norway April 21, 2026 afternoon

What we saw this morning far exceeded the beauty I expected to see!  I wondered what we would be in for on our hike this afternoon, I hoped it would be pretty.  Our guide Alexandra would be at the back of the pack, we could go at our own pace but make sure we go right when we come to the intersection.  This is the trailhead, we are aiming for Bondhusbrea. I wanted to hike alone so I took off. 

I got into a rhythm, breathing in the Norwegian fresh air!

so very lush, so very green

I could see the snow covered peaks off in the distance.

a White Wagtail

hiking through a boulder field

a Common Chaffinch

By now I was almost at the lake. 

At this point I waited for the guy behind me to catch up.

While I waited for him, a lady caught up to us. 

We three were the first to arrive at Bondhus Lake together. 

my destination shot

We strolled around part of the lake but the views did not get any better so we returned, sat awhile and snacked.  Eventually the rest of the group arrived.  The guide told me there were two huts behind the mountain and glacier. The helicopter was bringing up maintenance material.

After about a half hour at this beautiful glacier lake, we began the hike back.

passing through an open gate along the way

One last look back!  Sigh!

It was about a thirty minute drive to our next ferry ride.  When our driver saw the ferry nearing the dock, she put the pedal to the metal!  Whew!  We made it!  This was the view from an outside deck.  It was a short twenty minute ride.

view from the ferry

There was one more stop on our agenda, it was at a waterfall that you could walk behind.  It reminded me off a waterfall I saw in Iceland, I got soaked when I walked behind it.  This one was different, I stayed dry. This is a view of the waterfall from the parking lot.

the sun lighting up the waterfall 

behind the waterfall 

view from the side

11 second video

What an amazing day! I hesitated whether to book this tour as I don’t care for being stuck on a bus. Being a small group with numerous stops, it was enjoyable. I keep thinking it can’t get any prettier or more fairy tale-like here, then it does!  Every day this place steals a piece of my heart!  

our route