2011-05-30

Another cold, windy day with rain showers. We took a walk, but had to hurry back to the hotel when it started raining. By the time we reached the hotel, the sun was coming out again. So after a while, we set out again to visit the shops. Everything is much more expensive than we see in the Bay Area. At a Chinese restaurant we paid $25 for a dish of Chow Mein, and another $5 for Chinese tea (just common Oolong, not even Jasmine). We spent most of the remaining day and evening reading and relaxing. The hotel's supper buffet was quite good, plenty of real food, not just snack food. The cheese selections are very nice: blue cheese and several varieties of mild white cheese. There is a surprising amount of fresh vegetables and fruit available at breakfast and supper, considering we are so far north. I suppose most of the food is imported from southern countries.

2011-05-29

We awakened about 6 am despite going to bed after midnight. The time change meant our bodies thought 6 am was 3 pm and that we were sleeping the day away. By 6 am here at 60 degrees North latitude, the sun has been up for a while, and doesn't set until quite late in the evening. We went for a walk, but the temperature was about 10 C (50 F) with a chill wind, and occasional showers. Bergen is an attractive city, not too big to walk around, and actually quite pleasant with the picturesque buildings. Bryggen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryggen) is a port area, and a historically significant UNESCO World Heritage site. We found everything quite expensive; the dollar is pretty weak. At Macdonald's we had a chicken nuggets with fries and a soft drink that cost about $20. Fortunately our hotel serves buffet breakfast and evening buffet, with coffee and tea available during the day. It is pleasant to sit in the lobby area where the sun shines through the window (when it's not raining!).

2011-05-27

We departed SFO at about 8:15 on Lufthansa for Frankfurt, Germany. We were in Business Class, so the food was very good. The salad was just about a meal by itself; then they brought the main course. Complimentary beer or wine is served in Business, so we enjoyed a relaxing meal. The entertainment system was old style, but I watched The Green Hornet, which I had not seen before. The seats are quite comfortable, with foot rests that make the seat like a recliner, and very nice head rests that prevent your head from lolling to one side when you sleep. After a nap, we had breakfast prior to our landing. It was already 3 pm, but our flight for Bergen was not scheduled until about 9 pm. With our Business Class tickets, we were able to wait in the very nice lounge with snacks, coffee, and an interesting view of the Frankfurt airport, where airplanes from all over the world came and went. Our flight to Bergen, Norway was on a small E80, but we were served a nice meal and beer. After arrival at the Bergen airport we collected our luggage and took a cab to our hotel, The Clarion Collection in Bryggen, the former Hotel Havnekontoret. The cab fare was over $100, our first "sticker shock". We later found out a an airport bus goes from the airport and stops right in front of our hotel.