Bergen & Oslo trip
Thursday 19th September
Flew out to Bergen, just myself & Gilly. Arrived early afternoon and caught the light rail (tram) to the city centre. Checked into the Magic hotel which is a quirky boutique style hotel with its main access through the supermarket.
Room quite nice.
Weather is drizzle, which seems to be standard for 99% of the year.
Had a wander, lunch in MacDonalds! More of a wander and back to the hotel, why is travelling so tiring? Went out for dinner to an Italian restaurant, exchange rate with sterling is diabolical so everything double UK pricing, meal was very nice though. Small beer around £9!
Friday 20th
Okay breakfast at the hotel, set off for a wander, damp with a 10 minute show of blue sky.
I really fancied a boat trip through the fjords, Gilly less so. Anyway we decided to go for it, tour boat wanted 690nok each (£69), we didn’t have enough cash, so Gilly asked if he would do 2 for 1, chap said no but changed his mind as we walked away. Trip wasn’t great, compounded by the fact that the rain worsened, tour was a 2 hour trip of the dockyard and not quite what we imagined, not much scenery but industrial buildings. Really cold & wet by the time we got back to the hotel.
Both had a nap, went for a meal, fish soup!
Back to the hotel, Gilly went to bed early, I went for a wander with the camera.
Saturday 21st
Unbelievably, woke up to sunshine, had breakfast and then straight out onto the furnicular up to the top of the mountain, stunning up top, came back down and had a wander.
The sun makes a massive difference and Bergen is transformed.
Took the light railway to fly to Oslo, arrived at the hotel Thon around 7:30pm.
Bit of a saga with an evening meal, found a really nice tapas bar, went in and unbeknown to us had gone into the bar next door, really awkward as Gilly wanted tapas, left the bar and went next door, but the tapas bar couldn’t take us.
Awks! Went back to the place next door, didn’t have scampi, which Gilly wanted! Stuck it out for an expensive but average meal!
Judgement definitely gets clouded when you’re hungry!
Oslo looks nice and very clean.
Sunday 22nd September
After an okay breakfast at Hotel Thon we set off for a walkabout, first stop the Palace which was just across the road from the hotel, stunning area helped by magnificent sunshine, it was already very warm, Gilly nipped back to the hotel to ditch the overcoat. We then meandered down to the National Theatre, from there onto the harbour Aker Brygge. Tom was going to meet us for 12 bit this quickly turned into 2pm! It wasn’t a bother as it was very warm and forced us to sit in the sun and watch the world go by.
When Tom & Tuva did arrive we had coffee and then set off for Frogner Park, which was packed with many people statues. From here we got the tram to Ekeberg Skraningen, which in a nutshell was a large forest on a hill with incredible artistic statues, one of them was by Damien Hirst, small world!
We went back to the hotel and met up in the evening with Tom & Tuva for dinner back down at the harbour.
Evening conversation was dominated by Maaemo, who seem to be breaking Tom financially, physically and mentally.
Monday 23rd September
Cloudy start to the day and definitely a bit nippy, we both went for a quick stroll before meeting Tom at the hotel for coffee and a chat. He seems very disillusioned with work and very tired, after coffee we walked to Maaemo, had a quick look around and then to his and Tuvas apartment, nice little pad. Spent most of the time there levelling their vibrating washing machine, which after some time came to the conclusion their is a fault with the machine.
Turns out Tom has also been dabbling in cocaine, although apparently not for a while.
Left for the airport around 3:30pm.
It’s been nice to visit Bergen & Oslo, although due to the exchange rate, deep pockets are required with food and drink around double the UK prices. Bergen is a pretty place in the sunshine, but this is rare and spends most of the time in the rain.
Oslo is a lovely city with much more to see and do, plus the weather generally is better.
Hotel reviews;
Magic in Bergen:
Quirky boutique hotel in a great location.
First acquaintance with the hotel is the entrance which is through the supermarket, which is very strange. Breakfast was okay with a good selection, usual cooked section is standard buffet fare with the also standard dry bacon. Room was small but pleasant, but it is noisy, whether from the front due to city life or the noisy pipes in the room.
Friendly staff.
Okay hotel at 2/3* standard.
Hotel Thon – Oslo
Nice hotel in a great location.
This hotel is big and modern and very close to Slottsparken, this is a lovely park housing the Palace, plus easy walking access to the harbour and other parts of town.
Reasonable size room and very tidy, the view from ours was the rear yard so not inspiring.
Breakfast, lots of choice but the standard buffet dry bacon.
Lounge was a nice touch where you could sit and help yourself to free coffee.
Worthy of a 4* rating.
