Charming Bergen

I think we all enjoyed the charm and quaintness of Bergen today. We started by walking down to the harbor and were immediately struck by it's brightly colored wooden buildings with shutters and filigreed eaves and cobblestone streets all encircled by surrounding hills. In the harbor we saw a variety of boats from fishing, cruise, touring and tall sailboats. We also enjoyed walking through the infamous fish market as they sold fresh fish of a wide variety and prepared seafood to your liking. The aroma was intoxicating! The live crabs and lobsters were huge!! What fun... We vowed to come back later for a tasty treat!

To gain a different view of the city and surrounding inlets, we took the popular Floibanen funicular to the top of Mount Floyen. It is a unique rail system that takes you up the steep hillside to the top of the mountain in seven minutes. The panoramic view was truly spectacular! Our eyes were mesmerized by the view as we sat on the steps eating our lunch while overlooking the harbor.....

We were eager to do some hiking on our trip so we took advantage of all of the trails Mt. Floyen had to offer. With the boys leading the way, we took quite the adventuresome route back down to Bergen. Let's just say that it may have been the road less traveled....but it certainly offered enough challenge and excitement for an old lady like me! I loved the unbelievably green, mossy forest floor, the smell of pine, the peaceful lakes, and then following the trickling stream that eventually ended in an impressive waterfall as we climbed down the rocky trail. Whew! I was so thankful that we all made it down safely....(P.S. I just want you to know that my legs are going to be so buff by the time we get back with all of this walking and hiking!!)

We had a fun evening cooperatively making an awesome traditional dinner of salmon and boiled potatoes in our apartment... It's raining again but I think we're enjoying a break from our hectic pace to just relax tonight.