Day 5 – Arrival in Bergen

The wake-up call the next morning is the loudspeaker announcement that passengers heading to Stavanger should please get ready and vacate their cabins by 6 o'clock (or something similar). Our alarm is set much later, but from that moment on, I am awake and I want to get to the upper deck as quickly as possible to witness the arrival in Stavanger. Stavanger is the center for oil and gas processing and loading, so the first thing I see is a small refinery that juts out into the sea on a promontory. Before that, a few small rocky islands are passed. The docking is interesting in that the captain and his crew position the huge vessel centimeter-perfect between the quay and the loading ramp. Its cargo destined for Stavanger is unloaded relatively quickly, and then we continue towards Bergen. With Stavanger getting smaller in the distance, we enjoy a sumptuous breakfast (salmon, marinated herring, fruit, everything your heart desires) in the "Commander Buffet", located at the stern and offering a magnificent panoramic view outside.

Due to the onset of postprandial fatigue, we lie down for a nap again, but it is abruptly interrupted by a loudspeaker announcement, which announces something similar to the passengers heading to Stavanger. Therefore, we have to spend the remaining two and a half hours on the upper deck, which is truly no punishment considering the beautiful landscape of the fjordland passing by. In the meantime, I spot the dorsal fins of four presumed porpoises swimming through the fjord.

We arrive in Bergen at around 12:30, but we leave immediately to find a campground. Parking is said to be incredibly expensive away from the large parking garages, and we don't fit into any of them with our bikes. At "Bratland Camping" on Grimevatnet, we unload the bikes and ride back to Bergen.

Bergen, especially the old harbor district or Hanseatic quarter with the Bryggen (German/Norwegian "landing stages, quay"), is very worth seeing. The right side of the harbor basin from land is lined with the historic trading offices of the German Hanseatic League. The air along the quayside is saturated with smells that make a hungry traveler's mouth water. The market hall offers a diverse selection of freshly caught fish as well as snacks, including sushi prepared right in front of our eyes. Everything at salted prices for us, of course. The Bryggen is now used for all kinds of arts and crafts, but also for souvenir shops, which are generally very numerous in the harbor district. Very touristy indeed.

Back at the campsite, our German neighbor tells us about the adventurous roads in Norway and the dangerous situations they have already experienced while hiking with their dog. We decide to find out for ourselves if there wasn't also a little exaggeration involved.