Hurtigruten Day 2: Sightseeing Bergen, Departure

It is already past 9.00 a.m. when we finally wake up. Sharp's the word, we have to go for breakfast! On the stairs, an older lady befalled us with the news that her journey had to be rebooked, as a Hurtigruten-vessel ran aground. After it does not affect us, we sit down at the table where a nice married couple is sitting and help ourselves decently with the goodies of the buffet. Obviously, the veesek that should depart a day after ours, had touched the ground somewhere and the passengers of tomorrow will then depart to the north with us this evening. They will surely have enough space!

After the hearty breakfast, we prepare our luggage to be ready for travelling, deposit it at the reception and start our way down to the harbour, as there are still some touristical gaps since our visit in the year 2002, and they will be filled today. First, the fish market. But the fresh catch does not really attract today, as we were stuffed by our breakfast. But here, there are very chic and warm knitted caps for which there was an immediate need for Rita, as the wind blows strongly bit by bit, it is getting clear for her that up here, winter is not that far yet in May.

Passing the old wood houses of Brygge, our first destination is the Marien Church that is still closed. Thus, we have a little walk at the harbour, go quickly into a supermarket in order to buy what we had forgotten. Then it is half past twelve. The Marien Church is the oldest church in Bergen, from the 12th century, and despite a few baroque fixtures still purely conserved in gothic style. Here, the holy mass was held in german language up to the 19th century, as long as the influence of the trade families of the Hanseatic period could be kept. The church is a real treasure, and it was worth the effort to do several trials for visiting it, as it is only opened at noon for a short period of time.

Until the Håkonshalle opens, we decide to drive first up to Fløyen, the local mountain. The view from the new panorama terrace in Bergen is great, and specially today, as the weather is really acting in our favour; We take the hiking path downwards through the thin forest and arrive in time to the harbour at the old fortification.

The Håkonshalle is the oldest conserved building of Bergen and was built in 1261 by the King Håkon for the coronation of is son. It had a changeful destiny. When it was not needed any more for representtive matters, it noticably deteriorated, was misused as a warehouse and burned down completely afterwards in the year 1944 after an explosion of an munition ship. It was not opened to the public until 1961 after its reconstruction and today it serves as a concert hall and for official festivities. A very impressive gothic building, built according to the antetype of English halls. The ceiling of the hall is open, a massive roof truss is visible that reminds on the construction of a turned vessel. In the arches of the basement, there are cozy rooms arranged for the catering.

Due to some building works, the rosary tower beside is not accessible, thus we keep it in mind for our next visit in Bergen. This is why we start our way into the city centre, as we want to visit the museum of applied arts. We have a short break in the city park and recover ourselves with some cookies. Sitting on a park bank at the sun, we watch the poeple and the birds; Amidst, there is a monument of Edvard Grieg, it primary serves as a landing and toilet place for the seagulls. Poor him.

In the museum of applied arts we find, beside a significant Chinese collection, gold and silver smithery works, but also some modern design and Norwegian handcrafts.

Now we relly feel very hungry and we find a local at the harbour. Rita grants herself a fish soup and I take a solid stuffed potato. Well recovered, we pick up around 5 p.m. our baggage at the hotel and walk with it up over the hill to the dock of Hurtigruten. Soon we check in, as no one else is there yet. Until it is time to get on board, we have a little walk into the oldtown in front of the landing stage and enjoy the sun on a park bank.

At 6 p.m. we join the people who are waiting and choose a nice table at the window for dinner on board. The married couple that was sitting behind us in the plane, Christel and Christian, joins us. Finally, the queue starts moving. We get our cabin cards at the reception and also find soon our mini home for the next days. Our luggage also arrives, thus we can unpack and move in.

After putting our empty suitcases in the closet, we went to the restaurant, as the buffet dinner was waiting for us. We were really stunned: fish goodies ad infinitum! I don't think anymore on my delicate stomach and try everything what looks good. Rita also gets her gluten-free bread without any problem! The married couple from the breakfast, Renate and Erich, joins us. We start to have a pleasant time together. And the food is fantastic!

We leave the restaurant around 8.00 p.m. to get to the upper deck, as it is time to have a walk and no one can do it for one. It is a quarter past eight when we finally cast off. Slowly, the "MS Richard With" starts to move and soon, it has 15 bends that are equivalent to nearly 30 kilometres/hour through the skerries to the north. Slowly, Bergen disappears behind us with its city mountains Fløyen and Ulriken, at the portside we leave the Askøy bridge behind and nearly soundless, the ship slides along. It is hard to believe: our long standing wish starts to be true! And the weather is picture-perfect: a blue sky, little white clowds and a north sea flat as a pancake. And I am absolutely sure that we will take this nice weather throughout the whole trip with us!

At 21:15 p.m. we are asked to come to the panorama saloon at the very top in deck no. 7 in order to get the security information. Half of the crew is represented and informs us about the escape routes, thermo suits and life vests. But one certainly pays limited attention, as one has repeatedely to look outside in order to enjoy the landscape. Here in the panorama saloon, one does not listen to anything about the ship and the vessel at all. Maybe the quite air noise of the air conditioner. As gliding in rails, we pass the islands in the sunset. We go again outside, at deck no. 5 one can walk around the whole ship and, of course, the nicest place is at the very front at the bow, underneath the command bridge. There, it is nearly windless. A dream!

Around 11.00 p.m., the fatigue overcomes us and we leave to the cabin to spend our first night there. The beds are equaly arranged, one is only stroke down, the other one is a bench during the day, only the back is to be pushed down in order to convert it to a common bed. Although the pillow is very soft, lying there is quite pleasant, but it is only too warm and we did not discover the little lever for the graduation of the temperature until next day. The noises are still unusual, sometimes, there is a vibration in the ship, and also a light sea disturbance appears that makes Rita grab a "superpep"-chewing gum. Somewhen I take a sleeping pill, as I am deadbeat but still can't sleep. But then I do and it is already 9.00 a.m. when we wake up.

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Author: Rudi Kronenberger; Copyright: Patrick Wagner, www.urlaube.info