The big book of Norway |
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Page 1 - "Bryggen"The famous silouette of the colorful old fishing houses in the center of Bergen. Today they house pubs, restaurants, gift shops and much more.. Walk around them, and in through the narrow alleys between the buildings for a quick walk through history. 
Page 2 - Working highWorking on the rig of the Tall ship "Statsraad Lehmkuhl". The ship is a profile for Bergen, with it´s almost permanent position in the city port. During the season you can go for jazz cruises with "Statsraad Lehmkuhl" on the Fjords around Bergen. 
Page 3 - StolzekleivenJust north of the the city centre, there is a sttep trail/stairway that takes you 379 meters above sea level. It´s a great workout or, at a slower pace, a nice scenic walk. Every year there is a contest, "Stolzen" up. And rumors say that even Mick Jagger has walked it..! 
Page 4 - SandviksfjelletAt the top of "Stolzekleiven" you have a nice view over the City. And from here there is lots of hiking trails (or in winter ski tracks) further in over the mountains. For a really good workout, why not walk up the 400 meter steep "Stolzen", and then continue for a jog through Norwegian nature? 
Page 5 - FløybanenFrom Bergen city center you can take the funicular up to a viewpoint 320 meters above sea level. At the top you have a very nice view over Bergen. There´s a restaurant, and a gift shop. There is also a lot of tracks if you want to walk further in over the mountains. The funicular runs quite often, but it is also a nice 20-30 min walk to/from the city centre, if you prefer to use your legs. 
Page 6 - OksenYou don´t have to go far from Bergen to find more alpine views. And Western norway doesn´t only have a lot of rain, it also has a lot of snow. In higher terrain the snow remains long in to spring and you can find excellent mountains to climb with skiis or snowshoes, to get excellent runs down with a view over the fjord. This picture was taken in april on the mountain "Oksen" ("The ox"). 
Page 7 - HorndalsnutenClose to Bergen is the town Voss. It´s known for extreme sports. In Voss you can go skiing, rafting, skydiving, base jumping etc.. Around Voss are also a lot of nice peaks, like this one "Horndalsnuten". Here we had a great run on skiis and snowboards late mai. Back in town the temperature was 20 degrees celsius! 
Page 8 - Cultural clash?The 17.th of mai is national day of Norway. Probably the most important date for the Norwegians. The city is crowded and most people wear the traditional outfits "bunad". Celebration is hughe all over Norway, but maby a bit more special in Bergen. A bit more cultural variety in the parade, and the famous "Buekorps" wich is music corps with crossbows. 
Page 9 - Shower in the cityLocal variation in the amounts of rain delivered over the city is quite huge. Quite often you can walk from one side of the city, dry, to the other side while watching the showers from a distance. 
Page 10 - "Bryggen" from behind and abovePicture taken from the walking road running along side of the mountain with a view over the city all the way. "Parked" outside "Bryggen" is the worlds largest (and most expensive) Yacht, the russian owned "A". It got quite some attention touring Norway the summer 2009. 
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BergenWestern NorwayBergen is the "Capital" of Western Norway. It´s know for the huge amounts of rain yearly, due to the mountains forcing the westerly winds to release precipitation over the city (and most of Western Norway). However, it is actually not that bad. When it rains, it pours. But when the sun shine, the city is really beautiful. You can buy fresh fish at the fish market, find a nice café, a good restaurant or go for a hike on one of the seven mountains surrounding the city. Or why not just take a walk through the cosy narrow streets in town. |
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