The final stop on my ScandiRAYvia was Bergen, Norway’s second city. It’s on the southwest coast of the country, and it’s a gorgeous city with a rich history. And one of the prettiest MacDonald’s you’ll ever see.
I stayed in the local Scandic hotel, and it was my least favorite of all of the hotels on my trip. It wasn’t offensive or terrible, or anything, just very business-like. It was also quite large, run with Nordic efficiency and consequently felt a bit like staying in a very comfortable bee hive.
The room I was in also had the single most obnoxious piece of decor I’ve ever experienced in a hotel room. Check out this American bald eagle image.
The best part: IT WAS BACKLIT. It was like having a Coors ad over my bed. Eeeeek.
But on to Bergen. This was the coldest I’d been on the trip while at sea level. It was about 40 degrees there. In July. Imagine February.
By this time, I was getting a bit homesick. But I was still glad I included Bergen on my itinerary. I think it’s a very underrated tourist destination, and I wished I had had more time to explore it.
There’s a funicular that takes you high above the city for some great views. I never met a funicular that didn’t like; I’ve taken them in Naples, Paris, Switzerland, LA (Angel’s Flight!) and any other place I can find them. My only regret was that I didn’t have a sunny day with blue skies for my vista photo:
But it’s gorgeous! Here’s some snaps I got while wandering around the city:
Bergen is famous for its Fish Market.
Next: In the Hall of Edvard Grieg!
