The King and Queen Take us Out!

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Geo: 60.3881, 5.33185

I awake at the B&B around 8am. Our trip to Bergen from here is 2:15 minutes but we already know how that usually goes. We have a boat trip planned for 2:30pm up the fjords for 3 hours and, you know, Mom likes boats. She will like this leisurely cruise. Here's the description of our boat trip to Mostraumen direct from the Internet:

"Experience the fjords, mountains and waterfalls – all year round! The cruise starts from Zachariasbryggen, right next to the well-known Fish Market in Bergen. On the way from Bergen you will have a good view of the famous Bryggen, the old city of Bergen along with the rest of Bergen's harbor basin. Furthermore, we sail under Nordhordalandsbrua and on the Osterfjord. When we approach Mostraumen the fjord gets more narrow and you are surrounded by steep mountains. We sail past several waterfalls, and if you are lucky, we will try to collect a sample of the fresh mountain water for you to taste! On the return, we sail around Osterøy. We make a stop by a beautiful waterfall called Heskjedalsfossen, which is a popular spot to take pictures. The tour then continues back to Bergen. There is an abundance of wildlife in the area, and we can often see seals, goats and eagles! This fjord cruise takes 3.5 hours."

This trip sounds really good and we decide to leave a little early, about 9am, to give us plenty of time. It will be early for our check in at the hotel but I just want to park in the garage, drop off our valuable luggage at the hotel and get to the boat. It's located at the pier right outside our hotel. I eat some breakfast but not that much. Apparently, they are famous for their pancakes around here. Herring pancakes, salmon pancakes, and a fish potpourri pancake are the local favorites. While it sounded good (yuk), I got a plain pancake, actually a crepe, and put jam on it. Perfect. My appetite isn't there and my nose is running again. Mom gives me more pills and off we go. The directions are fairly simple. We have a choice of two routes, both 153km. One of them takes 2:45 minutes, skirting the Hardangerfjorden with a stop at Steindalsfossen, a waterfall you can actually walk behind. I'd like to go that way but I don't want to miss our boat in Bergen at 2:30pm. I opt for the highway route, shaving a half hour off our drive time. I wish I could sleep while she drives but she says that she will never drive. I also want to take pictures but I can't while driving. Since she won't drive, she attempts to shoot with the camera and video but results have yet to be seen. I honestly don't care. I just want to get to Bergen and sleep. Maybe I can on the tour boat this afternoon.

We arrive in Bergen at 11:45am, well in advance of our boarding time. We're just 2 blocks from the hotel when we reach a barricade and police direct us and everybody else to the left and then right. We in a long procession of cars going the wrong way. I make the first right possible and end up at another closure where the policeman directs me back to the long line. I stop to speak with him, explaining our predicament and that we just want to park at the hotel garage. That can't happen. "The Royal Family of Norway has decided to visit Bergen today and the entire downtown traffic has been cleared until 2pm", he says. Unbelievable! He directs me to follow the line to a tunnel by the train station and maybe that would work. Maybe? It won't work. It doesn't matter how you enter the town, your not getting in, just around. We confirm that and, back by the police barricade and no more than a few hundred feet from him, I park in a no parking zone and walk to the hotel, about 3 blocks.

I speak to the guy at the reception desk but he too doubts will get anywhere until after 2pm. Returning to our car, Karen tells me of the antics the homeless have been involved in while I was gone. Dumping out one garbage can, putting everything in another can, taking stuff out and smashing it, all while yelling at everyone. Oh boy! Since I can't get to the hotel garage, I try to find a parking place to leave the car but nothing is available. We drive up streets that turn into walkways, across patios and even backup one way streets, all with thousands of cruise ship passengers standing in the way, strolling across the street against the light.

We try once more in another direction to circle back around to somehow "surprise" the road blockers but we still end up in the same illegal parking place, next to the homeless shelter. It's entertaining. Some dude walks up to my closed window and says something I don't understand. I wave home off. He starts getting irate, yelling and waving his arms. He's attracted the attention of other tourists and he doesn't realize that I'm more pissed than he is. I tell Karen, "If that f$@& guy doesn't get out of my face, I will get out of this car and pound him to the ground!" If he had just touched the car, I would have taken every bit of my frustration that's built up in the last three hours out on him. It would probably would have ended terribly but at least I'd have a room for the night. We stay in the same spot, Karen waiting for the streets to open and me, waiting, just waiting, for that guy to come back.

At 2:30, the streets start to open and we drive to our hotel garage. It accepts my card and issues a ticket. At the hotel, all is smooth. I find an IPhone on the sofa and turn it in. I really am a nice guy. Some lady just left without it to the airport. She will be pissed. Our room is nice but our planned cruise for the afternoon is now gone. Good thing I didn't prepay. Quickly, I substitute a ride on the Floibanan. We were going to do it anyway but now it's the highlight of the trip.

Fløibanen funicular railway in Bergen is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Norway. The funicular is located in the heart of Bergen, it's entrance being close to the fish market or Fisketorget and the pier, known as Bryggen. The Fløibanen quickly takes you from the city center to the top of Mount Floyen in 8 minutes. Floibanen was officially opened on January 15, 1918. The idea to build a transport to Mt. Fløyen was put forward in 1895 by John Lund, a member of the Norwegian legislature. Work to build Fløibanen started in 1914 and the line was completed in 1918.

It's not all that unique to us but we're desperate. I had bought senior tickets online but I can't find them so we purchase two more. Norway loves us. Round trip takes us about an hour. There's a gift shop and restaurant at the top where we hang out, take a few pictures and people watch before heading back down, returning to the wharf area to look around. Mom stops at an pharmacy but their closed until Monday. She wanted to get me some cough drops. My throat's not sore but I do have a cough. I'm ready for bed and it's only 6pm. We check out a few fish restaurants on the Bryggen. I always say, "When in Norway, eat fish". They're all expensive and we settle for one. We keep it simple, fish and chips for two, a Coke and Zero, all for only $62. Keep in mind, we're sitting at a picnic table using plastic ware. We wait and wait while others come in and are served. I don't care. I'm falling asleep but when I ask the lady, she's very apologetic, blaming the cook. She comps the two drinks. That's $12. Now it's only $50 for fish and chips. Woohoo! She brings our fish and I can only eat half. Same with Mom. It's terrible. Not like what we had before. It's like a ground fish patty. I thought you guys are into fish? We leave disappointed for the day and all its problems, including dinner. Food is expensive in Norway but really expensive here in Bergen.

We walk back to the hotel, taking a few pictures. I want to write on the blog but opt for an early bedtime. Our bedroom here is like a closet, no window. I like it since it's finally dark enough to to sleep. I don't know how these people do it with only 5 hours of darkness. I'm looking forward to leaving here tomorrow, just not too early. We will return in here in a week on the ship. Maybe we can take the boat ride then if the weather's OK. It was pretty good today. We have a free breakfast and a late checkout tomorrow. Ahhhhh. Sleep.

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Comments

[Boom&min]

That restuarant sign is hilarious!

[Alan & Min]

The irate guy was simply trying to warn you about the restaurant food quality. If only you could have understood!