BERGEN, NORWAY

                                 Delightful Bergen

          Bergen, established in 1093, is squeezed between mountain ranges and bounded by water. Bergen means meadow between the mountains. The city center is between the harbor and the railroad station. The capital of Norway in the 13^th century, it was the country’s largest city for the next 600 years. The main square is called Torgalmenningen. In the Middle Ages the Bryggen waterfront became a thriving center of international trade. Because of its harbor and commercial importance it was a vital link in the Hanseatic League, a tradesman organization. The parallel rows of colorful buildings with their seaward-facing gables are characteristic of a building tradition 900 years old. The old wooden buildings along the waterfront are a UNESCO site.

             Norway’s oldest city is a city that has seen a dramatic change of life in the past century as it has evolved from an area of small farms and fishing villages to a city now dominated by gas and natural oil industries. 

           The northern end of the city, Sandviken, is filled with warehouses. Cobbled streets, medieval houses, numerous cafés, colonnaded shops, and an open-air fish market add charm to the city center. At Gamle Bergen one can step back into the early 19^th century. Most major attractions are located within walking distance of the Fish Market. 

         The next day we woke to a very heavy mist---there goes my Bergen pictures! This weather also prevented us from riding the funicular as the visibility was zero. Taking advantage of the weather, in the morning we rode out of town a bit to the Royal Residence, a castle-like structure on lovely park-like grounds. The grounds keep one full time and a couple of part time gardeners busy. 

         The residence was built in 1900 by the Prime Minister. When he died he willed it to the Royal Family to stay in when they visit the city. It was a short uphill walk to the grey stucco residence.

       En route our local guide told us, “Although Bergen is Norway’s second largest city with 250,000 residents, the city feels like a small town. People have lived and worked here for centuries. Much fish is shipped into the city as Bergen does not have a fishing fleet. This year 234 cruise ships will visit the city in a five month period. The unemployment rate is very low. The Gulf Stream moderates the weather, so the city seldom experiences freezing temperatures and we see very little snow. The old south gate to the city remains. The University of Bergen has   23,000 students. Chimneys must be cleaned every three years by law and many of the chimney sweeps are women. It is supposed to be good luck to touch one.

            The hospital is a major employer with a compliment of 8500 people. It has a state-of-the-art burn center, a large ob-gyn division as well as all other disciplines except for organ transplants, which are done in Oslo."

        Beautiful flower boxes were all over the city.  Local people are fond of saying they are not from Norway, but from Bergen. They are very proud of their city and its history. They also have a distinctive dialect. Bergen is a delightful city---old, picturesque, historic and friendly.

            More about this delightful city next time.