Beautiful Bergen

---

Public Service Announcement:
This email is rated M for Mature audiences, it contains the consumption of exotic meats which some readers may find distressing. Parental guidance is advised....


Hi Everyone,

Hope things are fine and dandy.
After Oslo, I have been making my trek to the west coast of Norway to the coastal town of Bergen.

Bergen is a good 6 hour train ride from Oslo, which can sometimes be a day spent not doing a great deal but reacquainting yourself with your favourite albums, which are kind of like old friends. Each album or song is kind of like that old buddy that reminds you of that moment when you were together.

For instance, everytime I listen to 'Is this love?' by Bob Marley, it takes me back to Sintra in Portugal with Lisa and Michelle, when this shopkeeper was singing along to it, or when a work colleague and I were driving home in my little Daihatsu and being really stupid. But I digress....

The train ride from Oslo to Bergen is one of the most beautiful and scenic railway journeys I have ever been on. It's kind of like a 6 hour symphony for your eyes. The journey begins quietly and subtly with the odd view of lakes and flora, and it begins to build as your journey continues. Views of lakes fade into more impressive views of mountains and a flowing river that runs parallel with the railroad. The visual symphony cresecendoes in Finske (I can't remember exactly what it's called), where we're so high in the mountains that they're still snow capped, and there are still lakes of water that provide a crystal clear reflection of those very mountains. As you arrive into Voss and Bergen, the piece diminishes into a whisper as the train doors open and let you out into the picturesque town that is Bergen.

The other highlight was taking a ferry through the fjords and up to a glacier.
I don't know, it's hard to describe how beautiful it really is. Steep mountainsides that bank each side of the narrow fjord that we were travelling in, gray mist that obscures the peaks of mountains, small waterfalls cascading down the mountainsides like tears streaming down a face, crying at the demise of the glacier from which it was formed.

I dunno, when you're travelling through such beautiful scenery you just feel peace and serenity. For those 4 or 6 hours or so, you feel there is nothing in the world to worry about and that everything's ok. You stand there and take it all in, take in a deep breath, taste the peaceful air, feel the sunbeams peeking through the clouds kiss you on the cheek, smile at the people around you. I even took some time out from my daydreaming to teach the catering dude on board what the food he was selling was called in english. It was all good fun 😊

Go to Bergen, it's well worth it.

For all you people that also like delving into exotic food, there is plenty fare to immerse yourself into at the fishmarket. All the seafood is fresh and it's gorgeous. I start off with norwegian smoked salmon on a baguette, followed by traditional fish cakes, very tasty. I also had this super seafood deluxe baguette which was excessive but so beautiful. It started with fresh scampies on one end, prawns in the middle, and finished with smoked salmon and caviar on the other end, it was so decadent. But the coup de grace was getting to try a mooseburger, which was really tasty (much like reindeer), and getting to try a a whale toasted sandwich. If you're curious, it's red meat and reminds me of really good venison 😊

Bergen itself is a really lovely town. The old town where the merchants are, Bryggen, is full of old weatherboard houses that house art and craft stores. My favourite is the moose leather store, I have not had any softer leather under my fingertips before. It's such a shame the colours and designs were so boring.

But anyway, I'll take leave of you guys now, you must be sick of my diatribe by now 😊 Leaving Bergen, I was in transit for 30 hours from Bergen to Hamburg, but I won't bore you with the details.

Take care of each other, missing you guys.
Ben

---