Our Norwegian Adventure - The Where, Part 2 - Bergen

I've watched the Trolls movie so many times with Olive and Abby that I was very suspicious of  Bergen (in the movie, that's where the monsters live who eat cute little trolls - the monsters believe that will make them happy.)  I'm happy to report that there were no trolls or monsters in Bergen, Norway, and that everyone seemed quite happy anyway.

Bryggen, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, right down the street from our hotel

We took the train from Oslo to Bergen, a 7-hour journey.  

But it certainly didn't seem like 7 hours; we chatted with new friends, read a little (Clay), knit a little (me, as Clay wasn't a knitter -- yet) but spent most of the time just looking out the windows, as almost every time you looked up and out, there was something beautiful to see.  And neither my words nor these photos do Norway justice. 

The train station

It was just as wonderful as I always imagined a train journey would be - very White Christmas/Harry Potter/Murder on the Orient Express (without the fancy sleeping cars.  And the murder.)

We got settled into our hotel, and explored a little up and down the street, and, as a nod to our Purdue Crew friends, sat outside at a bar and had a beer.  

King Haakon VII, who looks remarkably like the actor
who played him in Atlantic Crossing

The next morning (Wednesday, March 8) we climbed onto another tour bus and after a drive around beautiful Bergen, we headed to Hillesvag Ullvarefabrikk for an incredibly interesting tour of their yarn factory, family owned since 1898.

One of the brothers who now own and operate the mill explained
the process of making yarn.

Our whole group of beautiful people (who left the factory with a lot of yarn!)

Our bus.  I can't say enough good things about our bus drivers,
who maneuvered us around so many narrow, icy switchbacks

Our next stop was to Oleana, a knitting factory which produces the most lovely clothes and home items.  

Housed in what was once the first textile factory in Norway, they use modern technology to turn merino wool and silk into fabric that feels soft as butter and seems to float in your hands. 

All the pieces of a garment are bundled together to be sewn up

I was fascinated by these specialty sewing machines, and even though I watched the seamstresses for quite a while, I still couldn't figure out how these round machines worked.  I need to go back and apply to be an apprentice. 

There was a small museum on the site, which told the story of textile manufacturing in the area - so very interesting. 

Back on the bus, back to Bergen city center, we took a ride on a the Floibanen funicular. 

 

(Not our photo - copied from the funicular company)

 Yikes. 

Our ship is down there somewhere...

The views were amazing, but I was happy when it was time to go back down.  And, happy to add "funicular railway" to my list of things I'm not so scared of any more! 

And THEN, it was time to go to board our ship!  

Peace.