Today is Saturday and apparently a holiday – or several holidays here in Bergen: On the one hand, a kind of trade day/early summer market is celebrated in the old harbour, since ages a special event with lots of people in traditional costumes, in addition, a kind of Pride parade takes place at the same time (seems a bit artificial), and on top of that, some big cruise ships arrive (and hundreds of day/excursion tourists flood the alleys of Bryggen). A big happening today; in general the people are in a good mood, because for once it’s not raining, not really, just a little – you have to know: Bergen is the rainiest city in Norway. Yes, it is the rainiest city in Europe: it rains here about 250 days a year!
Right now it’s just drizzling, then it’s already beautiful. But because the rain doesn’t upset the people here, even when it’s really raining, there’s usually a good mood: the people are positive, upbeat, infectiously cheerful. – So we let ourselves be infected, explore the compact centre of this city of 250 thousand people with its countless, widely scattered suburbs, visit well-designed restaurants and shops as well as another food market (with astronomical prices), and enjoy the local specialities that are offered.
On Sunday, we take an excursion (an extended walk) up the local mountain, the Floyen, at 320 metres above sea level. From here we have a magnificent view of… the clouds! – The clouds hang so low and weep themselves out that you can hardly see anything for all the raindrops. By the way, you can easily recognise locals by their waterproof suits (tourists by their umbrellas). Children and young people, even the girls, don’t seem to care about the rain, their heads/hair are always a bit wet – only Lois buys an original Bergen water hat, a kind of sailor’s storm cap (in unsuspicious green instead of bright yellow), and tries to assimilate this way.
It’s already Monday, and we do something that was in my focus but impossible to plan: we board the train to the Norwegian highlands and travel to Myrdal! Passing glaciers and raging watercourses, we arrive at this spot with about ten houses, from where one of the most spectacular railway lines in Europe starts, the narrow-gauge railway to Flam! – While changing trains, I notice how we could also race down to Flam from here on rental bikes… Well, it’s going to be wet (what else), but exciting. And I would have done something, physically… Lois, however, prefers to enjoy the view from the comfort of her armchair, after all she is on holiday here. No sooner said than done: I quickly change to my bike and her train sets off.
Barely on the way, I see a signpost leading to a zipline (also called flying fox, rope slide or tyrolienne). And then I see it, the cable that lets brave people whiz down into the depths hanging from a harness: almost 1,400 metres long, over 300 metres difference in altitude – supposedly the longest descent on a cable in all of Scandinavia, breathtaking just by looking at it!
Well, I think back and forth – but while I’m here, having let the train ticket expire, I might as well skip the descent by bike and buy a super-rapid ride down into the valley for a modest additional 70 francs…
My heart beats violently, very violently in fact, as I let myself be packed into the harness (the bike is sent hurtling into the depths after me, but I think the bike doesn’t think as much as I do). Then it’s off, the brake shoes release and I slowly but steadily pick up speed. Huuuuuch, jeahhh!
The last few kilometres to Flam take me by bike past thundering waterfalls to the small town on the Sognefjord, the longest and probably most impressive fjord in Norway. – Lois, meanwhile, has enjoyed a coffee in the sun (!) and is already waiting for me; she now shows me how to continue: with a brand-new electric catamaran on this very fjord along high rocky slopes to Gudvangen.
This impressive trip is so inspiring because, firstly, I don’t have to do anything but marvel, and secondly, this excursion boat is like something from another planet: unconventional, beautiful, spacious, functional – as if made for calm waters and well-paying tourists.
Then it’s back up to the highlands by bus, where we board the train, and down towards Bergen. A wonderful, one-day adventure trip – never, really never would I have booked something like this (because during my preparations I didn’t even think of going inland). But now I am even writing my own blog about it…
On the way back to Bergen I hear that the engines and propellers will arrive tomorrow and can be mounted on the ArgoFram. I can’t get out of my amazement. And I gratefully accept this gift from wherever.
So: dinner, study the weather forecast, find out the routes, sleep. Soon we’ll be moving on!