I ate wild sheep :)

On Saturday Kristine and I climbed Rundemannen, the second tallest peak in Bergen, and fjell nummer fire (mountain number four) for me. It was a “gradual incline” to the top of the peak, but a bit grueling, as it is a continual upward slope. It sprinkled a bit on the top, which was surprisingly the only rain we have had since Monday, extremely out of the ordinary for Bergen.

Yesterday was the infamous seven peak hike. Every May, hundreds of people gather to hike all seven of Bergen’s mountains. Some do it as few as 4 hours! I didn’t feel I was in great enough shape to attempt it. Maybe on my next visit, but for now I should probably stick to taking the mountains 1-2 at a time.

Instead of hiking, I visited the Bergen Aquarium with Solveig, another girl from my dorm. It was smaller than aquariums I have been to in the US, but still contained exhibits for penguins, seals, crocodiles, and thousands of fish. We arrived just in time for the penguin and seal feedings. The penguins looked graceful as they swam through the water. A few of them were watching over eggs that should hatch in 2-3 weeks, and I think it might be worth another visit to see the chicks when they hatch.

After the aquarium we walked to Nordnesparken. It is a park right on the ocean, and therefore a bit chilly. However, with the sun shining, many Bergeners were out having picnics and lying in the sun. There, I saw the totem poll given to Bergen by Seattle, their sister city, in 1970 for Bergen’s 900th anniversary.

I had dinner last night at my professor’s house. He served wild sheep, a meal you can only have in Norway. These sheep roam in the fjords of Norway, and are considerably smaller than normal sheep. It was very flavorful and tender and I really enjoyed it. I think that it is probably one of the best new foods I have had so far on my stay in Norway.

Skål, Allison

*More pictures coming soon!

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