Bergen, Norway

Bergen has played a crucial role in Norwegian history and culture since Olav the Good founded the city in 1070. Perched between the sea and seven hills, Bergen has witnessed Vikings setting sail on voyages of exploration, trade and war. In the Middle Ages, its old port was a major trading hub for the Hanseatic League, the band of Germanic merchants whose trading empire encircled the Baltic and North Seas. In the 19th century, Bergen was home to such cultural luminaries as the virtuoso violinist Ole Bull and the composer Edvard Grieg.

The city retains much of its 18th- and 19th-century charm. Visitors to Bergen will encounter a city that offers a heady blend of natural beauty, history and culture.

Here we are doing a Princess tour. I considered just walking around because it is not very large and very walkable. But this excursion involved a trip on the water and a chance that we might see lighthouses so I couldn't resist booking it.

Tour Overview

Our adventurous half-day excursion on land and sea started when we met our guide at the port before setting off on a picturesque cruise along the city's waterways and fjords. Bergen was founded in 1070, and quickly grew to encompass a series of islands and skerries (small rocky islands), that today are connected by natural and man-made waterways, lending to it's charming ambience.

After settling onto our fun sightseeing launch, we enjoyed just under two hours on the water, as we toured the Lysefjord on the way to Buena. At Buena pier we changed to bus for the 45 min scenic drive back through surroundings of Bergen. Back in the city center, we then enjoyed a relaxed and informative walking tour through "Bryggen Wharf", once the domain of the Hanseatic German merchants, now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Our guide showed us around the old medieval port which boasts wooden wharves, warehouses and half-timbered homes, once the domain of the Hanseatic League ( the guild of German and Baltic

Bergen Norway,

Our day began with an early breakfast in the dining room. It was a fun group with folks from Ottawa and Virginia and London. It was a mixed group and we had fun visits.

The ship was to dock at eleven and we had to meet for our tour at one o’clock. We had a light lunch at the International Café and then we went to the Explorers longue to people watch until it was our turn to go to the bus.

This port is a very busy one and for that reason people are not allowed to just walk off where ever they would like. You must take a shuttle to the city. It is only a five minute ride and the shuttles are provided by Bergen and they are free.

When the time came we were escorted to our shuttle and then taken to the boat. The shuttle was very nice with lots of leg room. Then we arrived at the dock where our boat was waiting. The tour on water was about 2 hours long and the guides were great. They told us all about the area:

Health Care is universal and free.

The average wage is equaled to 5ooo.oo dollars a month.

Average income tax is 31% and it can go to 75% if you are in a highest income bracket.

The value added tax is 22%.

Their temperatures are quite mild with below zero readings being an exception.

It rains 282 days a year, last year they had 86 days in a row when it rained.

There city has over 260 different varieties of Rhododendron.

All education is free. Day care is provided as is Maternity leave and Paternity leave.

They have a high rate on immigration with people coming from many places to find a better life there.

They can trace their city back to 1070 AD

Vikings have been here since very early recorded history.

They are promoting the use of Electric cars. If a gas using car is priced at 20,ooo you will pay that price and then double it as a tax for using gas.

There is no such tax on an electric car.

Parking is a problem but there are special parking spots complete with quick charging stations for electric cars and this parking is at no cost to the driver.

Berger is a city of around 300,000. One special food item is reindeer soup. I told Ken that someone who looks like Santa could not be seen eating reindeer soup.

Everything is very very expensive. An ice cream cone at McDonalds is 8.00and a glass of coke is 6.00

There economy is in good shape because of the oil industry. Most people living in the outskirts have boats because it might be 5 minutes across the fjord to visit your neighbor or five hours by road.

After our time on the boat we were transferred to a bus. The bus was the best ever. There was lots of leg room and there were 2 doors so you could load and unload quickly. We were told all about the area and all of our questions were answered and we made the one hour return trip to the city.

In town we were taken on a short guided tour of the historic area of the city.

Then it was time to reboard the bus for the trip back to the cruise ship.

All in all it was a great tour and I loved Norway. There are many small villages and many islands with small homes on them. It looked very much like Nova Scotia at times. But the cost of living would prevent a person from retiring there.