back to reality April 30, 2026

I'm still holding on tight to that "walking into a fairy-tale like feeling" even though I am now back to living the reality of life! With the crazy way our world is these days in pretty much all aspects, I feel so very fortunate for my trip to Haarlem, The Netherlands and Bergen, Norway to have transpired the way it did.  In all my travels over the decades, never have I had a trip go so perfectly smooth from the moment I walked out my front door on the 12th to the moment I walked back through it on the 26th. All four flights were enjoyable even the two long haul flights. All security checks and passport controls were the quickest and easiest I have ever experienced. My accommodations were perfect in every way. I met locals in both locations and travellers from many parts of the world, all were a pleasure to chat with.  From hotel employees, flight attendants, taxi drivers, store clerks, tour operators, bus drivers, restaurant employees, guides, I could not have asked for my interactions with them to play out any differently.  (Note: The previous thirteen posts prior to this one are of my visit to Haarlem and Bergen.)

During the wee hours of the mornings these past few days when jet-lag took over, I let my mind wander back to "walking into a fairy-tale like feeling"!  I created this watercolour painting using numerous photos from my two fjord cruises as my references.  I felt a line & wash style would give it that fairy tale look. When googling about Stave Churches, which this one is, I learned this is more medieval than fairy tale. Most of the Stave Churches that are left are found in Norway.  In hindsight, there should be a waterfall coming off the fjord wall on the left.      

After needing a few days to take care of business, this morning it was time to head "out & about".  I had been awake since an ungodly hour of the morning which I am blaming on jetlag. That worked well because I did not have to wait too long for the sun to come up to hit the road.  I read about the spring migrants who arrived at Carburn Park so that's where I went. Even though I was there bloody early, I still did not arrive ahead of the regular birders.   

This is just a few of the couple dozen White Pelicans that are making the Bow River home.  

I like the hair-doo on the Pelican in the middle with its back to me.  

Red-necked Grebes just after doing their courting dance!

a Song Sparrow with a wild hairdo

The Robin was collecting twigs and things for building a nest. 

By the time it finished, it had a lot more in its beak than in this photo.  

It is always extra special seeing a Common Loon!

My reality was sweet today!  Look closely under the orange star.  The Carburn Bald Eagles have two Eaglets and this is one of them.  I snapped this shot before I got to the best view point.  By the time I arrived to the best viewing spot, the Adult Eagle was brooding the babies.  I returned two more times a little later but no luck with seeing the Eaglets.  I will go back another day.

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