Bergen

I'd been to Bergen a couple of times before, but never as a tourist. I believe the last time I was there was sometime in the mid 90s, so I couldn't even remotely claim to have any knowledge of the city, nor any of its many sights. I spent two nights there and was pleasantly surprised at the city, though most of my suspicions about its natives were also confirmed (as I've written on another blog of mine, the now almost defunct "Ask A Norwegian", "...today's Bergensians: The bastard offspring of horny, drunken Krauts and Norwegian prostitutes.")

Anyway, I took some pictures of the center of town and it was actually quite nice. The Latin here is quite easy to translate: "The House of the Hanseatics greets you". It is found at the entrance to one of the so-called Schøtstue, house where one could go and eat heated meals. Open fire was not allowed in the important buildings on the actual quay, so these places were usually put behind them. This custom is similar to a lot of wooden structures, for example in the US, where the kitchen building was separate from the house itself.


From the great hall. At first I thought he was flipping me the bird, but on closer inspection he was just admonishing, as religious nutcases always do, to no avail in my case.


From the cellar of a Schøtstue.


St Mary's Church, the oldest building in Bergen. Built in the 1100s as a parish church, it was used by the German Hanseatics from 1408 till 1766 and after that it was still in use by a German congregation till 1874. Sermons were still given in German till after the first World War. It is unusually richly decorated for a Norwegian church, since the Krauts had money to burn.


A memorial to the aforementioned WW1. Norway remained neutral, but our merchant marine took some hits.


Fløibanen goes from the city centre up to a mountain with great views over the city. I couldn't be bothered, but maybe next time.


This statue, standing in a very quaint little square is of the Danish-Norwegian author Ludvig Holberg, who was born in Bergen.


The quay ("bryggen" in Norwegian).


Ouside the town library is a statue of the Icelandic author Snorri Sturluson.


Purdy buildings and cozy streets: