I'd like to start off by saying I did not realize that when I booked this hostel I had booked a bed in an 18 bed co-ed dorm... Interesting to say the least.
Bergen is a different kind of city, it is spread out and there are many parts to it and yet it can all seem so close. The weather is unpredictable, one minute sun, the next rain, pouring or just a drizzle.
I went to the aquarium, walked around the town center, journeyed through the botanical garden.
7.19.11
I made a friend from Australia, Chris, and we ventured off to "Old Bergen", saw the old shops of Bergen, they were all lined up in a row, all different colors: reds, oranges, yellows. The streets were exceedingly narrow and of cobblestone. We saw Domkirken, Bergenhus the fortress, Haakon's hall (13th century royal ceremony hall), Rosenkrantz Tower (16th century). We seemed to try and peek through every door we could find, even if it didn't look like the "tourist" way to go. Mariakirken was closed for construction (won't open until 2015...). At some point it started pouring and we waited it out in Korskirken.
The Shops of Bergen
By Sarah Zuckerman
7.20.11
Today I made my "art day" and went to the Bergen Art Museums: Lysverket, Rasmus Meyer Collection, Bergen Contemporary Art Centre: Bergen Kunsthall. The current exhibition at the contemporary Art Centre is work by Hanne Borchgrevink, she composes her work of simplified shapes and a range of colors to create house motifs - very akin to some work I saw in Svolvær at the Kunstnersenter. Parts of the exhibition are installation based. One room (a rather large room) have the floor and entering walls painted a lime green, the left wall is black, the right wall is gray. It was a relatively overwhelming scape - but not dissimilar to how I have felt at certain points during my travels.
I also went to Bergen Art Museum: Stenersen, a salon style gallery. Realistic, Romantic, and Classical works. I was very excited to find a piece by Gunnar Berg titled "Svolværgeita", which was the peak I saw everyday from my window in Svolvær. The other side of the building was modern work. There was piece by Yoko Ono titled "Crickets" pertaining to the events of pain and suffering.
Good "Art Day".
7.21.11
Today I decided to go on a nature walk and ended up climbing Ulriken, the highest of the seven mountains surrounding Bergen. It was quite a hike, I didn't really know if I was going to make it. It took a little over an hour and a half but I made it to the peak. The view at the apex was breathtaking, I couldn't believe I had made it up, and I am sure my adrenaline was pumping. I could see what seemed to be all of Bergen. All the little houses lined up in their rows, the clouds drifting in the distance. I thought about staying until sunset, but realized I didn't want to hike down the mountain in the dark...
Going down the mountain was more difficult than climbing up. I must have deviated from the path (if there was a set one to begin with), but it seemed like I got lost a few times. I did eventually make it down safely, only a few scratches and bruises, totally worth it.
Top of Ulriken
By Sarah Zuckerman
7.22.11
Esben came to visit me in Bergen. We went to the Leprosy Museum- weird weird place. Then we went to the Marittime Museum; lots of ships. We took a tram to the top of Fløyen, it was beautiful to see all of Bergen from its peak.
Esben received a call while we were on the top of Fløyen that Oslo had been attacked. We had no idea what was going on so we left to go and see what we could find out. We didn't really know any details at the time, it was frightening to see the photographs of everything that was happening. I made sure to call everyone I knew in Oslo to make sure they were alright, and they were. We spent the rest of the day just walking around aimlessly, it seemed a time of quiet contemplation.
Top of Fløyen
By Sarah Zuckerman
7.24.11
This morning I woke up, ate breakfast, and caught the 10A bus into town. Esben and I went tin an international mass at Johannes Kirke. The service was supposed to be in English and Norwegian but the minister had made last minute changes to her service due to the attack and spoke only in Norwegian. Even though she was speaking only in Norwegian I understood parts of what she was saying, the deep sadness in her voice made what she was saying evident.
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