It was raining when we woke up. It was raining when we had breakfast. It was raining when Lisa took us for an early orientation walk. Some of us bailed early. Ann stopped and took shelter at the Bryggens Museum. I went back to the hotel and put my fleece jacket under my rain jacket. I then wandered over to the Fish Market to see what was there and to take some pictures.
One of the Fish Vendor's Display
I then went back to the museum to meet our guided tour of the old town. Our guide was dressed in a period costume. His delivery was very professional and well informed. He took us through part of the Bryggens Museum and talked about the archaeological excavations of Bryggen between 1955 and 1972. (See the web site above). He then took us some of the narrow alleys of Bryggen, the old Hanseatic League town established almost 900 years ago. Finally, he took us to the Hanseatic Museum which is one of the old trade houses at Bryggen. The museum has old interiors from the 18th and 19th centuries.
Bryggen
When the tour was over, we grabbed some lunch and then walked over to another part of town to see the Bergen Aquarium which at 150 Kr a head was too expensive, so Ann went for a swim in the outdoor pool. At this part of the day, it was about 55 degrees, raining and blowing. The last two women in the dressing room explained the ropes and pointed out the 10 Kr for a warm after swim shower was the swimmer's reward. The salt water pool was barely warmer than the air, but in the rain, with the sea just yards beyond the deck and the exhilaration of having the entire pool to herself, it was a magic moment of the trip, especially after the shower! Of course, I was holding her towel waiting for her to finish while I was standing in the rain and wind as the waves were slamming against the pools wooden deck and blasting streams of surf into the air.
Ann in the Pool
The walk back to the hotel was nice. The rain had let up a little and I could take pictures of another part of Bergen.
Our tour's farewell dinner was at Steakers. I had reindeer steak while Ann had a vegetarian dish. We all gathered around after dinner and related our WOW moments of the tour. Some where light and some were emotional. All-in-all, it was a good evening.
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