We arrived in Bergen, Norway on Tuesday, July 21st with a very low cloud ceiling and 50 degree temperatures. The forecast initially was for rain most of the day. As the morning progressed, the rain got steadier, and the clouds got lower and lower. Around noon we headed out in search of the Hop On-Hop Off bus that someone promised was near the pier. We found it quickly and rode it completely around the first time, noting places where we wanted to take photos. The rain finally let up, and we got off the bus in search of good photo opportunities. For awhile fog set in, but quickly burned off, and we actually saw the sun for a time although you wouldn't know it from the photos.
This is the view we woke up to after we entered Bergen's harbor area. It was cloudy but colorful!
This is a shot of the harbor area.
One aspect we liked about Bergen was the bright colors on many of the buildings. We learned that Bergen's climate is much affected by the Gulf Stream, keeping the winters warmer than St. Petersburg, Russia, even though it's further north. Bergen sits at 60 degrees north latitude. Summer days are very long- almost 18-1/2 hours. The sun doesn't set until almost 11:00 PM!
These houses used to be fishermen's homes in another era.
This is an area in the center of town known as Fisherman's Wharf. It's a lively place with many tourists and locals who shop for fresh fish, flowers, local produce, and/or a quick meal.
One thing you can count on here is that everything is very fresh. This night, onboard the Nautica, they featured fresh fish that was delicious. They had halibut, salmon, cod, and sea bass, all cooked while you waited. Yummmm!!!
The clouds broke long enough for us to take the funicular to the top of Mt. Floyen. The views were spectacular even though the clouds came and went. The Oceania Nautica is the smaller ship to the right of a larger one.