Bergen is Norway’s second largest city after Oslo, the greater Bergen area has about 400,000 people. Just on 300,000 of them live in or around the city, clinging to the shore land and a little way up the mountainside. The old town was founded around 1100, so it is not an old Viking town, post dating the viking era.

The town had its origins in 1070 when it was founded by King Olav. He was the son of the Viking leader who was defeated by the Anglo Saxons at Stamford Bridge in 1066. This was just a few months before the Normans (who are of old viking stock) invaded England and defeated the English at the Battle of Hastings. Enough English history!

St Mary’s is the oldest building in Bergen, formally a Catholic Church it is now Lutheran. The Anglicans are let in these days, probably pay a premium.

From the 1400s it became an important trade centre for dried cod.The trade being controlled by German merchants for several centuries.

We are here for three days before leaving on the cruise aboard Viking Vela up the Norway coast as far as Alta. We plan to take it easy.

One of the prominent features of Bergen is its wooden houses. The wooden houses and fire we were told is one of the prime architectural drivers of the city. There have been a lot of fires over the last thousand years. Many destroying large swathes of the city scape, by necessity buildings were replaced by more wooden ones. Not a lot of stone available for house building. Only the wealthy and important could do it in stone.

We had several strolls around the old port area. Lots of cobbled footpaths and roads. The residents though don’t seem to have garbage bins like us. The streets are narrow and large dumpster type bins are dropped here and there for people to throw their refuse in. It makes for a rather messy neighbourhood.

The Fish Market is a must stop off point to see the great array of fresh local product available to the residents. Some less than appetising items were on display, plenty of crabs of all shapes and sizes.

Bergen is also famous for its weather and is the rainiest city in Europe. Two in every three days have rain, we have been lucky as two of our three days have been sunny.

Allthego has been waiting for some clear skies to ride the Funicular up Mt Floyen, one of the seven mountains that lie behind Bergen.

Some great views from the top. Homealone did not join him, a rather steep ascent in glass windowed cars allowed great views as we ascended and descended the track.

We had a night in Bergen aboard the Viking Vela before leaving the port late in the day and headed up the coast. It was a bit chilly, but not as cold as it would be in Alta.

Back in Oslo we had spent some time in the Fram Museum. Allthego just recalled after having been advised by Homealone that ‘Fram’ means ‘forward’. So, we are now ‘Fram to Bergen from Flam’. Has a nice ring to it!

We spent the next day in Flam holed up somewhat in our room. Weather not great, scatty rain and chilly. In between we had a wander in the town shops, not that there are many! The train museum was closed, it is being ‘reimagined’ and restocked for the upcoming busy season. Nice little bakery provided lunch for us. We enjoyed dinner in the Flamsbrygga artisan brewery.

Little disappointed that we couldn’t get out and about the near parts of the Flam Valley for a closer look.

Next morning we had to be ready at 9.30am for the next stage of the journey. This being a ferry ride along the fjord to Gudvagen, which is up around a corner into another branch of the Sognefjord, the Naeroyfjord.

This was a wonderful two hour trip on an electric ferry (‘Future of the Fjords’) that holds 400 people, we probably had only 150 for this trip. Plenty of room and silent, except when side thrusters went on. Big racket! The map below shows the trip from Flam.

The vessel is fairly advanced and a full battery charge will take it 40km. Not far, just far enough for us! Might need to do some more work on the distance for a full charge!

After disembarking at Gudvagen we only had a few minutes to board the bus that would take us up the mountains to Voss. A rather steep drive in places and a couple of long tunnels.

On the road to Voss we followed the course of the Vosser River (got to check that name) that feeds a couple of large lakes. The river is quite unpredictable, in parts very narrow and filled with rapids in other areas it widens out and is quite peaceful. After passing through the lakes and Voss it flows down into a fjord.

At Voss we have an hour to fill in before the train to Bergen arrives. The Voss gondola leaves from the station and it was tempting to take a ride up….. Homealone reluctant (probably a good idea) so we sat and waited for the train. Along it came, no booked seats this time. We did get a good window seat though, the river continued to be the main attraction. The train got along at a fast pace, so photos didn’t work. Eventually, we pulled into Bergen Railway Station.

This is where the fun started. Allthego had the hotels name but no idea where it was, the one place we didn’t have directions for of course. And it was drizzling a bit too. After a bit of aimless wandering directions were sought. This happened several times and each time we seemed to get a little closer to the target, albeit going backwards and forwards a bit. At last a young lady suggested we get a tram for a couple of blocks and then catch a bus for another few blocks and lo we would be there! But alas no, the right brand of hotel but not our particular one, which we were told we had passed a block or so back but up the hill in another street. So it was!

We are now in Bergen for three nights before the cruise sets sail.