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Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
  • Two to Travel
  • Ahmet Erkun
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  • Two to Travel
  • Ahmet Erkun

Escape the Heat (August ‘26)

Our August getaway in search of cooler, more comfortable temperatures in Europe … from Norwegian Coastal towns to Baltic Sea ports. Read more
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    🇳🇴 Mehamn, Norway
    Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
    Interesting way of depicting the buildings that burned down ... not much was left.
    Behind the structure is a panel depicting one of the many fires that destroyed parts of Bergen.L to R: necklace; mini pots, rattles, toys; oil lamp ... against the Wall of Time.Will our "Wall of Time" look like the one on the left or the right? That is the question.Knife sheaths from between 1198-1413 ... probably Northern European in origin.Stove tile from the Middle Ages ... Bryggens Museum — Bergen, Norway.Thunder Stone; pre1332; made when lightning struck; protected buildings against fire & lightning.Wood carving of a woman's head; undated; found in Bergen — Bryggens Museum.Shard from a drinking glass; from between 1476-1702; Bryggen — Bryggens Museum, Bergen.Skate made of bone with attached shoe; undated — Bryggens Museum, Bergen.The Bryggen ship was a 130-foot (40m) long trading vessel; charred remains found in a passageway.Ceramic ware from the Middle Ages uncovered in the ashes — Bryggens Museum, Bergen.Beaker; undated — Bryggens Museum, Bergen.Part of Jug (c. 1280-1350) ... Vågsbunnen — Bryggens Museum, Bergen.Walrus skull with runic inscription that reads "Johan Owns;" likely imported from Greenland.Charter (on parchment) from Bergen dated 8 August 1472 — Bryggens Museum, Bergen.Column capital reused in a wall; found in a grave in Bergen Cathedral — Bryggens Museum, Bergen.Rune Stick with a war fleet carving; Runic inscription reads "Here travels the brave at sea."Wooden stick; perhaps depicting Adam & Eve with the serpent — Bryggens Museum, Bergen.Madonna from Granville Church (c. 1350-1400); Altar Front from Dale Church (pre 1300).Altar front from the Dale Church (built c. 1250); altar front estimated from before 1300.Male skeleton from the graveyard near St Mary's ... Middle Ages — Bryggens Museum, Bergen.Possible gravestone with runic inscriptions; reused in a building — Bryggens Museum, Bergen.Closer look at the runic inscriptions on what might be a gravestone — Bryggens Museum, Bergen.Ring depicting two holding hands; Middle Ages — Bryggens Museum, Bergen.Combs from between 1198 to 1332 — Bryggens Museum, Bergen.Shoe from the Middle Ages — Bryggens Museum, Bergen.Textile fragment from the Middle Ages — Bryggens Museum, Bergen.

    Bergen: Bryggens Museum

    August 8 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 57 °F

    Our ship embarkation day dawned with a deluge. The rain was coming down in steady sheets … forecasted to last all day. We were expecting this and had planned accordingly.

    Check-in for the ship wasn’t until 3:30p. Our bags were already packed. Nothing to do but relax at the apartment until the 11:00a checkout. We had already scoped out a place to store our luggage … just a few feet from the apartment. That worked out beautifully. After dropping off our bags, we headed to Bryggen to visit a museum we’d not been to yet.

    Despite the pouring rain, the waterfront was packed with people checking out the old ships and vehicles participating in the festival. The museum was reasonably well attended though surprisingly less crowded than one might expect on such a wet day.

    The Bryggens Museum opened in 1976 to exhibit artifacts from the Middle Ages … found during excavations undertaken following the fire of 1955.

    As the attendant explained, each time Bergen experienced a devastating fire that turned it into a pile of ashes, the city was simply rebuilt over the top of the ruins, so there were many layers of history to uncover … reaching down over 25 feet (8m). The displays were later enhanced with finds from other excavations in both Bergen and Western Norway.

    Mostly displayed in glass cases, the artifacts included everything from the wooden flooring of tenements, to fragments of glass and pottery; to remnants of leather and fabric; to shoes, socks, and jewelry; to stone and bone carvings with runic writings. All things left behind or dropped as people fled the flames.

    Amongst the most interesting items was a wooden sculpture of the Madonna dated to around 1350-1400; an altar frontal from a church in Luster that was built around 1250; a male skeleton from the Middle Ages … from the graveyard near St Mary’s Church in Bergen.

    As interesting as the archaeological artifacts were, what I found on the second floor was even more fascinating … to me, at least. Coming up in the next footprint.    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
    Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.
    Steeple of Nykirken (New Church) ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Coffee break with fun signs ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.This seems to be the equivalent of an ostrich burying its head in the sand ... Nordnes — Bergen.In a gift shop in Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Haakon's Hall and Rosenkrants Tower ... from Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Bryggen ... from Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Built as a steamship, this vessel used to sail the coastal express trip along Norway's coast.Take a book; leave a book ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Nykirken ... the "new" church dates back to 1761 ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.The pastor has a feline visitors ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Kitty cat posing for its portrait ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Cute roadside garden with lace tablecloths ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.The park at the tip of the peninsula ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.2The totem pole is a gift from sister city Seattle to Bergen ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Panorama from the park at the tip of the peninsula ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Bergen harbor tour and one of the ferries that ply these waters ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.The swimming facility ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Built as an old age home for seamen, now converted to apartments ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Detail from the old age home for seamen, now converted to apartments ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Clinging to life ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Frederiksberg Fortress & Per Ung's "Kringsmoderen" ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Enjoying the views near Frederiksberg Fortress ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.View of the Fløbanen track to the top of Mount Fløyen ... from Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Velvety roses ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Painting in a gallery ... Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.Nordnes — Bergen, Norway.

    Bergen: Nordnes A-Wander

    August 7 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 55 °F

    After stopping to take photos of the boats along Vågen Bay, we continued down the Nordness Peninsula, to the historic neighborhood by the same name.

    The peninsula, which is about .6 miles (1 km) long, stretches into Bergen Harbor. Back during the time of the Hanseatic League, Norwegian merchants dominated this part of the peninsula, leaving Bryggen on the opposite shore of Vågen to the League members.

    The neighborhood was where judicial decisions were handed down at the courthouse and executions were carried out … including burning witches at the stake during the 16th and 17th centuries. Later, the area became infamous as the red light district frequented by sailors, and the dark alleys that provided a safe place for undercover activities.

    All that is gone now. In fact, the neighborhood is filled with expensive homes … and all the amenities of family-life, including schools, parks, and churches. The Bergen Aquarium sits at the tip of the peninsula, and not far away is the Nordnes sjobad, an outdoor swimming facility that offers locals and visitors alike a chance to swim in the cold fjord waters before taking advantage of the heated pools to warm up.

    Continuing along the waterfront for a short bit, we cut inland when we spotted a park, and continued through the neighborhood streets that were lined with small shops and houses. The streets were all but deserted … offering a peaceful setting for us to explore. At one point, we stopped at Dromedar Kaffebar … get some coffee and rest our feet.

    Energized, we somehow found ourselves back along the waterfront briefly … where a ferry terminal afforded another vantage point to photograph Vågen Bay and all the boats. Then, back inland to check out Nykirken, the parish church. It was locked up tight, however, so we continued our walk from there to the forest-like park at the tip of the peninsula.

    Before sitting down to enjoy the views where the three bodies of water that surround the peninsula come together — Vågen, Byfjorden, and Puddefjorden — we found the Totempæl (Totem Pole). Carved by Duane Pasco, an American artist, the Pacific Northwest style pole, is a symbol celebrating the sister city relationship between Bergen and Seattle.

    On the way back, we followed a meandering route along the west side of the peninsula, passing the Seamen’s Old Age Home, which was originally constructed in 1897. The building has since been converted into residential apartments.

    This route had more of an incline, but nothing that we couldn’t easily handle. At the highest point of the peninsula, we came upon Frederiksberg Fortress … constructed in 1666 following the Battle of Vågen. In addition to being the execution site I mentioned earlier, the fortress was also used as a fire watch station from 1667 to 1926. As I understand it, the fortress is now the headquarters for the youth marching organization.

    We didn’t go inside, opting instead to sit on one of the benches in the small park next door that also serves as an overlook with views of central Bergen. Here we found Per Ung’s “Krigsmoderen” (Wartime Mother) sculpture … which honors the “… crucial efforts of women and mothers on the home front during WWII.”

    One of the reasons we took this route back was because we wanted to check out Jekteviksterminalen … from where we will be embarking our Havila Kystruten ship tomorrow. Weaving our way down via narrow residential streets — some of which were quite steep — we eventually found our way to the terminal.

    Our ship sails at 8:30p … check-in starts at 3:30p, with boarding starting at 4:00p. All fine and dandy, except that we have to check out of the apartment by 11:00a … with luggage. I had read that there were lockers at the terminal, so we were thinking we’d use them. Except that they were few in number, and they didn’t look like they would accommodate medium-sized wheeled bags. We’ll look for a different solution. In the meantime, it was good to get the lay of the land for tomorrow.

    With that, we wrapped up our Nordnes wander, and returned to the Bergen city center in search of lunch. There are lots of seafood places, including the historic fish market, but we didn’t care for the crowds. So we made our way inland. You know our search ended at the Pygmalion Ekocafè, so I’ll call it a wrap for this footprint.

    A pleasant stroll in a quiet, residential neighborhood was the perfect way to spend our rain-free day in Bergen.    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
    'Gated art' ... not far from the apartment — Bergen, Norway.
    Mural on our way to the city center ... OK, yes, I did a short detour to photograph it — Bergen.Domkirke (Bergen Cathedral) — Bergen, Norway.Memorial stone honoring two prominent Norwegian hymn writers ... Domkirke — Bergen, Norway.1Domkirke — Bergen, Norway.Domkirke — Bergen, Norway.Domkirke — Bergen, Norway.Domkirke — Bergen, Norway.Domkirke — Bergen, Norway.Domkirke — Bergen, Norway.Domkirke — Bergen, Norway.Domkirke — Bergen, Norway.25m long carpet is part of the "Going Grey" art installation @ the Domkirke — Bergen.30 life-sized human figures ... part of the "Going Grey" art installation @ the Domkirke — Bergen.Domkirke — Bergen, Norway."Last Supper" ... at the Domkirke — Bergen, Norway.Colorful side street — Bergen, Norway.Colorful side street — Bergen, Norway.On a side street — Bergen, Norway.On a side street — Bergen, Norway.Mural on a side street — Bergen, Norway.Decorative street lamps — Bergen, Norway.Can you say narrow? — Bergen, Norway.On a colorful side street — Bergen, Norway.The hot dog stand was doing a booming business later in the day — Bergen, Norway.Korskirken ... now a cultural venue — Bergen, Norway.Korskirken — Bergen, Norway.Korskirken — Bergen, Norway.Korskirken — Bergen, Norway.Streetscape with the the steeple of the Domkirken — Bergen, Norway.Looking across Vågen Bay to Bryggen — Bergen, Norway.Looking towards the top of Vågen Bay — Bergen, Norway.Statsraad Lehmkuhl ... a 3-masted barque rigged training vessel — Bergen, Norway.One of the many boats that offer fjord cruises — Bergen, Norway.The sun is out! ... at Pygmalion Ekocafè — Bergen, Norway.Delicious lunch at Pygmalion Ekocafè — Bergen, Norway.View of the Korskirken Square from Pygmalion — Bergen, Norway.Wider view of Korskirken Square ... Pygmalion behind the gelato truck — Bergen, Norway.Mui checking out the flavors at the gelato truck — Bergen, Norway.

    Bergen: A-Wander

    August 7 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F

    The weather promised to stay dry for most of the day.

    There were no cruise ships visiting the city. It was still crowded, though, because there was a festival along the waterfront in Bryggen … old vessels, buses, cars.

    We decided to put into play our plan to check out the historic Nordnes neighborhood, which a friend had suggested would be less crowded. We took a roundabout way to get there, visiting a couple of churches along the way, and enjoying the back streets of Bergen before the crowds descended.

    Our first stop was at the Bergen Domkirke (Cathedral). When we visited Bergen in 2018, the nearly 900 year old church was under restoration, so we’d not visited it then.

    Dedicated around 1150 to Norway’s patron saint, Olaf the Holy, the Domkirke is part of the Church of Norway. Quite understated … inside and out; beautiful stained glass windows. Like so much of Bergen, the building was heavily damaged by multiple fires that ravaged the city starting in 1248. It was rebuilt each time … most recently in 1880.

    Meandering through narrow, cobblestone streets, we passed one of Bergen’s most popular eateries … a hot dog stand. It was quiet at that point, but on our way back to the apartment this afternoon the line was all the way down the street and around the corner.

    Just past the hot dog stand we came to Korskirken (Holy Cross Church). Built around 1150, it was originally in the shape of long church. It wasn’t until the 17th century, after surviving many fires and rebuildings, that it took on its current cruciform shape.

    Used as an inclusive social and cultural venue, Korskirken no longer functions as a parish church. In fact, when we stepped inside today, we noticed they were setting up to feed the needy … which might explain why there was a “no photography” sign. Before we left, I took a few shots … pointing the camera in the opposite direction from where food was being doled out.

    Our steps eventually took us to Vågen Bay. We stayed on the opposite side from Bryggen since we were heading to Nordnes. The UNESCO-listed buildings were mostly hidden behind the historical boats participating in the festival. We stopped to take a few photos anyway.

    I’ll leave our Nordnes meander to the next footprint and wrap this one up with the delicious lunch we had at the Pygmalion Ekocafè overlooking Nedre Korskirkenallmenningen … a square down the street from the church.

    It is housed in an old house that dates back to the 18th century, and we were tempted to sit indoors to soak up the ambiance. But the sun was out, so we decided to eat al fresco. Of course, the sun went into hiding by the time our food was served, but we enjoyed it for a while at least. Delicious food; charming hostess.

    We would have had dessert at Pygmalion, but the one we were tempted by had sold out. So, we picked up some gelato from a ‘truck-gelateria’ nearby instead.

    The day had grown chilly as the breeze off the water had been steadily picking up. Time to head back to the apartment and relax.

    Oh, and yes … the rain did hold off until about 8:00p tonight … but it’s now pouring like crazy.    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
    Byparken — Bergen, Norway.
    Byparken ... Lille Lungegårdsvannet (Small Lung) — Bergen, Norway.Byparken ... Lille Lungegårdsvannet (Small Lung) from Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway.Byparken ... Lille Lungegårdsvannet (Small Lung) — Bergen, Norway.View of hillside homes from Byparken — Bergen, Norway.Byparken ... Lille Lungegårdsvannet (Small Lung) from Lysverket — Bergen, Norway."Rød Vind" (Red Wind) by Arnold Haukeland; 1978 ... Byparken — Bergen, Norway."Hestebarrikade" (Horse Barricade) by Vibeke Tandberg; 2024 ... Byparken — Bergen, Norway.The Music Pavilion ... Byparken — Bergen, Norway.The Music Pavilion and Permanenten ... Byparken — Bergen, Norway.Edvard Grieg, composer & pianist ... a favorite son of Norway ... Byparken — Bergen, Norway.1Permanenten from inside the music pavilion ... Byparken — Bergen, Norway."Fiskeren" (Fisherman) by Arne Vinje Gunnerud; 1971 ... Byparken — Bergen, Norway.The expression on his face would make more sense if the water feature was working.Mallards on the shoreline ... Byparken — Bergen, Norway.Gulls on the shoreline ... Byparken — Bergen, Norway.Herring Gull reflections ... Byparken — Bergen, Norway.2Pigeons on the shoreline ... Byparken — Bergen, Norway.Pigeon puffed up against the chill and drizzle ... Byparken — Bergen, Norway.Kode Museum across Lille Lungegårdsvannet (Small Lung) ... Byparken — Bergen, Norway.1Quaint gate on the way to the apartment ... Byparken — Bergen, Norway.View through the quaint gate ... Byparken — Bergen, Norway.The Mount Fløyen viewing terrace is visible from the apartment this evening — Bergen, Norway.We get a tiny bit of sunshine around sunset — Bergen, Norway.1Common Gull on the rooftop across the way from us - Bergen, Norway.Common Gull on the rooftop across the way from us - Bergen, Norway.

    Bergen: Byparken

    August 6 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 55 °F

    Our visit to the Kode venues to check out the art included strolling through the Byparken … the city park … a delightful green space even on a drizzly, gray day.

    Bergen is a city that has been through dozens of devastating fires between 1198 and 1855 … 15-20 of them recorded as being “… catastrophic citywide or quarter-destroying.” The last one in 1855 resulted setting aside a clearing to serve as a firebreak. That clearing is now known as Byparken.

    The park, which also serves as the “lung of the city,” is split into two parts … which resulted in the splitting of the pond as well … though the water is still connected by an underground pipe channel. The larger of the two ponds today is a marine bay. The smaller one is Lille Lungegårdsvannet (Small Lung) … the octagonal-shaped pond that I circumnavigated today … despite the cold wind that added an unexpected chill factor.

    When I got back to the apartment, the cup of hot tea Mui prepared was most welcome.

    In addition to the flowers in Byparken that added color to the day, we had a bit of sunshine this evening to brighten things up … though it was short-lived.

    (The photos in this footprint are from throughout the day as I made my way from one Kode venue to the next.)    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
    The Permanenten Building from the small park across which it sits — Bergen, Norway.
    The glass ceiling from the lobby ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway.Zooming in from the lobby, the yellow and pink in the ceiling glass become apparent — Permanenten.Decorations along the rim of the ceiling ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway.Decorations along the rim of the ceiling ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway.From the third floor staircase ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway.Frits Thaulow (1847-1906) ... wearing his signature cold weather coat ... Kode Art Permanenten."A View of the Normandy Coast" (1875) ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway.Detail from "A View of the Normandy Coast" (1875) ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway."Beach Scene, Jæren" (1879) ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway."In March, a View of Saxegaardsgate" (1880) ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway."Summer Day in the Garden" (1880) ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway."Summer Day" (1881) ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway."Ice Haulers" (1884) ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway."The Doctor's Horse" (1888) ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway."The Old Coaching House" (1890) ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway."Washerwomen at Quimperlé, Brittany" (1901-02) ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway."La Dogana, Venice" (c. 1897) ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway."Foliage, Beaulieu" (1903) ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway."City Street at Dusk" (c. 1890) ... example of mood painting ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen."A Street in Kristiania" (1900-01) ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway."Factories Along the River Mesna" (1905) ... Kode Art Permanenten — Bergen, Norway.

    Bergen: Kode Art … Permanenten

    August 6 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 57 °F

    After the interesting collection at Lysverket, I left under a light drizzle — more a mist, really — to continue my Kode Art day. Mui was already home … having sent me a note to say that he was going to take a nap.

    I had two buildings to choose from. I decided to skip Stenersen, which is billed as a space where large-scale exhibitions of contemporary art are hosted. Instead, I continued along the lake, and crossed the street to another small park where I found the Permanenten venue (KODE 1) .. housed in an Italianate Neo-Renaissance building that dates back to 1896.

    Once again, I had my ticket scanned and found the gardrobe to store my rain jacket. The museum, as I understand it, is currently undergoing renovation, so there is just a small, limited exhibition here on the third floor … a one-man show, if you will.

    First, however, I detoured to the fourth floor for a closer look at the glass ceiling panel and decorative elements that enthralled me when I glimpsed them from the lobby. I would have peeked into the Festhallen (ballroom) as well, but the door was locked.

    Walking down to the third floor, I began wandering through the exhibition of paintings by Frits Thaulow, billed by the Bergen Times as being “… full of painterly joy.”

    This Norwegian painter apparently “… shocked and captivated the Norwegian art world and was internationally celebrated for his landscape paintings.” He is said to have played a pivotal role in the development of modern art in this country, and was at the forefront of the “plain-air” painting style.

    I really enjoyed the exhibition of Thaulow’s paintings … all the more so because I didn’t have to scratch my head and wonder what he was trying to express.    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
    Krone & Kanne: Crowning the North ... Kode Art Lysverket — Bergen, Norway.
    Bridal crown (Jens Pettersen Smith; 1726) ... Kode Art Lysverket — Bergen, Norway.Journeymen Shoemakers' Welcome Cup (Hans Pettersen Blytt; 1711) ... Kode Art Lysverket — Bergen.1"Twisted Folds" (M. Band Espersen; 2021) ... stretched and folded yellow glass — Kode Art Lysverket."Red Form" (Torbjørn Kvasbø; 2003) ... glazed stoneware — Kode Art Lysverket."Silverback" (Cato Løland; 2020) ... cut polyester satin — Kode Art Lysverket."Yellow Telephone to the Right" (Fredrick Nielsen; 2024) ... blown and cast glass."Breaking News" (El Anatsui; 2015) ... aluminum liquor bottle caps stitched with copper thread."Breaking News" detail (El Anatsui; 2015); aluminum liquor bottle caps stitched with copper thread."Liquid Sunshine" (Rui Sasaki; 2025); blown glass, phosphorescent material, broad spectrum UV lights"The Greenhouse from Palmyra" (K. Fornes; 2020); silk embroidery on cotton and linen damask."Blackstar" (Toril Bonsaksen; 2016); stainless steel cutlery ... Kode Art Lysverket — Bergen, Norway"Unknown Soldier" (Konrad Mehus; 2024); upcycled iron, tin, leather, & wood ... Kode Art Lysverket."Steel Dish" (Kjetil Aschim; 2013); hammered and worked steel ... Kode Art Lysverket — Bergen."Box II" (Pål Vigeland; 2004); upcycled mackerel tins ... Kode Art Lysverket.1"Closette" (Torhild Berg; 2005); Upcycled gravy boat, plater, glass mosaics ... Kode Art Lysverket."Kitchen Necklace" (G. Hackenberg; 2006); necklace pieces cut from an old Royal Delft faience plate.From various series by Caroline Slotte; Upcycled earthenware plates, pierced and sandblasted."Return" (Erlend Leirdal; 2011); upcycled chair parts, wood & veneer ... Kode Art Lysverket."Red Garden" (I.J. Rasmussen; 2002); textile intarsia from hand-dyed wool fabric with hand stitching"Daily Spoon" (S.K. Ruud; 2014-2015); carved and sanded wood ... Kode Art Lysverket."Celadon bottle shaped like P.E.T Bottle" (E.J. Too; 2013) & "Work in Progress" (L. Midbõe; 2010)."Untitled" (Vidar Koksvik; 2023); blown glass with white Murano filigree ... Kode Art Lysverket."Container Series" (Liu Jianhua; 2009); porcelain, celadon & sang-de-boeuf glazes.1"Fuel" (Faig Ahmed; 2016); hand-knotted wool carpet & woven cotton ... Kode Art Lysverket."Kitchen Wall" (Hanne Tyrmi; 1998); aluminum thread, crocheted, knitted, and twisted.War & Pieces (B. de Vries; 2019); shards of porcelain; transfer-printed porcelain; gilded/cast steelWar & Pieces Detail (B. de Vries); porcelain shards; transfer-printed porcelain; gilded/cast steel."Absolut Askeland" (Ingrid Askeland; 2015); glazed earthenware with decals ... Kode Art Lysverket."Jug" (Lippa Dalén; 2004); earthenware, white slip, decals ... Kode Art Lysverket."Still Life" (Anne-Helen Mydland; 2007); upcycled porcelain tableware, nesting tables, slides."Glass Laboratory #4-7" (C. Maske; 2023); blown glass joined with discarded laboratory glassware."Banquet (cobalt)" (Bjørn Båsen; 2018); oil & modeling paste on canvas ... Kode Art Lysverket."Animal Bowl with Hippo" (H. Jongerius; 2004); slip-cast & glazed porcelain, hand-painted decoration"Serving Device for Egg" (S. Bronger; 2001); wood, egg slicer; glazed porcelain; rubber tyres, metal"Grasshopper" (Kjetil Aschim; 2016); upcycled metal parts from a motorcycle and a bus."By a Waterfall" (Paul Scott; 2018); upcycled earthenware plates, decals, kitsugi repairs (gilding).2"Ironman" (J.K. Raustein; 2002); linen canvas, machine & hand embroidered, mounted on ironing board.

    Bergen: Kode Art … Lysverket

    August 6 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 55 °F

    One venue at the Kode Art Museum down … onto another one.

    I mentioned that we could see the museum buildings from the apartment. I was especially intrigued by one of them as it had a banner that read Kunsthåndverk … which I took to mean handicrafts … literal translation, Art Hand Work. Intrigued, I headed there when I left the Rasmus Meyer venue.

    The steady rain that was falling earlier had dwindled down to a drizzle. But the wind had picked up a bit to add a chill factor that was missing earlier. No matter, it was just a short walk to Kode 4 … formally, Lysverket. Dating back to 1938, before it was converted into exhibition space, the building housed the former municipal power company, Bergen Lysverker.

    The woman at the front desk scanned my ticket, I cloaked my rain jacket at the gardrobe, and went off to explore the current exhibition … with a detour to check out a small, single-room temporary exhibition.

    Entitled “Krone & Kanne … Crowning the North,” it was dedicated to Bergen’s “…unique position in the history of Norwegian silver.” Apparently, Norway’s first goldsmiths’ guild was founded in Bergen. It held a monopoly on the production of both gold and silver works … serving as the goldsmithing hub for Norway for some 300 years.

    Next, I continued on to the main exhibition, which ends on 16 August … “Crafted.” It took just a moment to realize that the collection wasn’t going to be the type of handcrafts I was expecting.

    The goal of the exhibition is to give “… visitors the opportunity to explore the field of Norwegian craft through a rich selection of works … . More than 100 artists are represented, in a wide range of materials, formats and forms of expression. The exhibition explores contemporary crafts and challenges us to see things – and the world around us – in constantly new ways.”

    The displayed works focus on the shift in the art scene during the past 25 years … a shift that allows artists to move freely between disciplines and materials in order to try their hand at something different. The works are displayed in what the museum describes as themes “… of materiality, craft traditions, everyday life, decoration, reuse and post-industrialism.

     An interesting wander through crafted art!    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
    Blumentahl Room ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway,
    Blumentahl Room ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway,Blumentahl Room ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway,Blumentahl Room ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway,Blumentahl Room ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway,"Villa Borghese, Roma" (Johan C. Dahl) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway,2"An Eruption of Vesuvius" (Johan C. Dahl; 1821) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway,"Shipwreck on the Coast of Norway" (Johan C. Dahl; 1830) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway,"Nigard Glacier" (Johan C. Dahl; 1844) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway,"View of Lysekloster near Bergen" (Johan C. Dahl; 1827) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway,The gilded-leather room ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway,The gilded-leather room ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway,Longcase clock (Master of Buskerud; 1750-1800) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway.The Baroque dining room ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway.The Baroque dining room ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway.Sideboard (late 1500s) ... the Baroque dining room ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway.One of the wrought iron stoves ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway."Dying Trees" (August Cappelen) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway.2"Grapes" (Frants Bøe; 1845) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway."Study for a Pirate (John Eskeland)" (Olaf Isaachsen; 1858) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway."Fjord Landscape with Cattle" (Anders Askevold; 1869) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway2"Farmhouse Interior" (Bernt Grønvold; before 1895) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway."Youngest Son's Farewell" (Adolph Tideman; 1867) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway."Bridal Procession on the Hardangerfjord" (Johan F. Eckersberg; 1866) ... Kode Rasmus MeyerStaircase decoration ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway.2"Village of Nevlunghavn" (Gerhard Munthe; 1881) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway.1"On the Lookout" (Eilif Peterssen; 1889) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway."Head of a Child" (Ingebrigt Vik; 1910) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway.Left: "Mother & Child" (C. Krohg; 1904); Right: "In the Bathtub" (C. Krohg; 1889) — Kode."Interior from Udval Stave Church" (Harriet Backer; 1909) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway.From the "New Colors and Lines" collection ... Kode Rasmus Meyer.Tiffany glass works; USA (3 center pieces) ... from the 1900 Paris Exposition — Kode Rasmus Meyer.Liqueur decanter (Émile Gallé; France) ... from the 1900 Paris Exposition — Kode Rasmus Meyer.Alpine landscape embroidery (Sweden) ... from the 1900 Paris Exposition — Kode Rasmus MeyerJewelry (Maison Vever, France) ... from the 1900 Paris Exposition — Kode Rasmus Meyer."Self-Portrait in the Clinic" (Edvard Munch; 1909) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway."At the Death Bed [of his sister]" (Edvard Munch; 1895) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway."Evening on Karl Johan" (Edvard Munch; 1892) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway."Spring Day on Karl Johan" (Edvard Munch; 1890) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway."Garden with a Red House" (Edvard Munch; 1882) ... Kode Rasmus Meyer — Bergen, Norway.

    Bergen: Kode Art … Rasmus Meyer

    August 6 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 57 °F

    Woke up to pouring rain. No surprise since the forecast had been calling for that to be the case all along.

    We took our time with breakfast, enjoyed relaxing with the city views providing a peaceful background to go along with our coffee and tea … taken indoors instead of on the terrace, of course.

    When the rain decided to give us a longish-break, we headed out to put the day’s plan into play.

    We’d start out at the art museum. Then we would go our separate ways. I would continue enjoying the art at a slower pace. Mui would head out to do something he enjoys and I don’t … wander through the shopping district. Not that he planned to buy anything. It’s just something he likes to do in big cities.

    Kode is “… one of the largest art, craft, design, and music museums in the Nordic region.” The museum’s history dates back 200 years. It boasts some 50,000+ pieces in its collection … ranging from paintings, to sculptures and furniture, to installations, to works of fine craft and design, and more.

    The venues that are under the Kode umbrella include three historic composers’ homes … which we did not get to today. Instead, we visited the venues along the Lille Lungegårdsvann Lake in Byparken … the city center park we can see from the apartment … a 5-10 minute walk away.

    Following neighborhood streets, we arrived at Byparken and made our way around one side of the lake to the Rasmus Meyer venue … referred to by some simply as Kode 3. Purchasing our tickets — NOK 200 = $21 at today’s exchange rate — we began our day of ‘Kode Art’. The woman at the desk set up an audio guide for me that I could activate at will by touching it to buttons near several of the more important pieces.

    Rasmus Meyer had a dream … for a public building where his collection of art could be “… exhibited for a larger audience.” After he passed away in 1916, his children donated the works he had collected to the city — art from the period referred to as the Norwegian “Golden Age” (1880-1905) and historical furniture.

    The building looks deceptively small from the outside, yet there is quite a bit to enjoy across the two floors … starting in the Blumentahl Room where we found scenes painted on the walls and ceiling. My kind of place.

    Kode has the world’s third largest collection of Edvard Munch’s paintings and works on paper … some 100 pieces. Though the collection has increased with additional purchases and gifts, the nucleus is the pieces Rasmus Meyer collected in collaboration with Munch. His intent was to follow Munch’s artistic development over the years … and the exhibition is set up that way … assuming you enter the Munch wing on the second floor first when you get to the top of the stairs.

    In addition to the “Golden Age” paintings by Norwegian painters, there was a special thematic exhibition featuring the museum’s international Art Nouveau pieces from the 1900 Paris Exposition. From what I understand, these pieces are being shown together for the first time to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the arrival of the objects at the museum.

    By the time I completed my wander through the exhibited art works, Mui was long gone. No worries. I had made sure to keep the key to the locker, so I collected my rain jacket and bits and pieces and headed out to the next venue.    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
    The city station for the funicular to the top of Mt Fløyen — Bergen, Norway.
    Entertainment as we wait our turn to ride the funicular — Bergen, Norway.We score one of the two seats at the front of the funicular car ... aboard the Fløibanen.Our Fløibanen ride to the top of Mt Fløyen — Bergen, Norway.A "we made it up to Mt Fløyen" selfie — Bergen, Norway.View of the city from the Mt Fløyen viewing terrace — Bergen, Norway.View of Byparken, which we can see from our apartment — Bergen, Norway.The arrow points to our apartment way down there — Bergen, Norway.Can't resist taking a photo of m/s Havila Pollux ... completing the Kirkenes-Bergen run — Mt Fløyen1A delicious meal at Fløirestauranten on Mt Fløyen — Bergen, Norway.Fløydis chewing cud at the goat barn ... Mt Fløyen — Bergen, Norway.Mui with Alex (L) and Pippi ... two of Mt Fløyen's cashmere goats — Bergen, Norway.1Keeping Waldemar company on the bench he has claimed for himself ... Mt Fløyen — Bergen, Norway.Clockwise from top left: Pippi; Alex & Pippi; Waldemar ... Mt Fløyen — Bergen, Norway.Meet the Mt Fløyen Troll near the playground — Bergen, Norway.Can't come to Norway and not take a selfie with a troll ... Mt Fløyen — Bergen, Norway.Mui with the three bears of the Troll Forest ... Mt Fløyen — Bergen, Norway.1I make a friend in the troll forest — Bergen, Norway.Not to be short changed, Mui finds a friend in the troll forest — Bergen, Norway.Some of the many trolls in the troll forest of Mt Fløyen — Bergen, Norway.Finally heading down the trail to the city center — Bergen, Norway.A glimpse of m/s Havila Pollux confirms the location from which we will embark m/s Havila Castor.Hope to stroll around the Nordness neighborhood on the peninsula one day — Bergen, Norway,The oldest part of Korskirken belongs to a Romanesque long church known as Mariakirken — Bergen.A pop of beautiful color on a rainy day — Bergen, Norway.Residential street on our way down from Mt Fløyen — Bergen, Norway.Residential street on our way down from Mt Fløyen — Bergen, Norway.Residential street on our way down from Mt Fløyen — Bergen, Norway.Residential street on our way down from Mt Fløyen — Bergen, Norway.Residential street on our way down from Mt Fløyen — Bergen, Norway.Residential street on our way down from Mt Fløyen — Bergen, Norway.

    Bergen: Fløibanen & Mt Fløyen

    August 5 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 66 °F

    Bergen has always welcomed us with rain and cool temperatures.

    That has gotten in the way of accomplishing two things.

    Bundled up as the women were against the elements, Mui has not been able to confirm the claim made by an 82-year-old British gent that Bergen is home to the world’s most beautiful women. (We were on a Celebrity cruise at the time, and his wife’s reaction when the man made this proclamation is still something that makes us smile.)

    Kidding aside, the weather conditions on those previous visits led to the cancelation of our plans to ride the Fløibanen. This time, we were bound and determined to ride the funicular that takes visitors up to the top of Mt Fløyen (1,050 feet/320m asl). Since the rain looked like it was going to give us a break, we decided to go up today despite the lack of blue skies and sunshine.

    The plan was to hike down, so we joined the short queue to purchase one-way tickets to the top station. If the weather got in the way of doing so, we could always purchase return tickets at the top.

    Tickets in hand, we joined the longer, but fast-moving queue of people waiting to board the funicular for the 6-minute ride to the top of the mountain. We didn’t have to wait long to take our turn. Mui had scoped out the funicular while we were waiting and we decided to take the bottom car since the top car was set aside for persons with disabilities. We even managed to score one of the two-person seats … a great vantage point to videotape the ride.

    At the top, we wandered over to the stepped-terrace to enjoy the views. Yes, blue skies and sunshine would have made for some magnificent scenery, but the moody ambiance of the expansive views was more representative of Bergen.

    Before setting off on our hike, we
    decided lunch was in order. There’s a café and a restaurant from which to choose. We headed to Fløirestauranten, slightly fancier — though still casual. Despite the chill, we would have sat on the terrace, but the only food service there was burgers and sandwiches from the bar. Not what we wanted. Luckily, even though we didn’t have reservations, the hostess was able to seat us in the dining room.

    Yes, it was touristy. Yes, it was expensive. But it was worth it.

    I wasn’t very hungry, so I ordered the tomato & ricotta sandwich … local tomatoes, rucola pesto, and crunchy seeds on a rustic bread … open face … sort of like an Italian bruschetta with a twist. When Mui noticed the halibut on the menu, his decision was quickly made … served with amandine-style green beans and steamed potatoes. Dessert consisted of three scoops of ice cream served on a crunchy chocolate crumble base … chocolate, vanilla, and a Nordic berry known as sea buckthorn (aka seaberry) … slightly tart. It was all yummy, yummy!

    There are a number of trails that one can follow to hike down the mountain … we opted to take the one marked for the city center … our waitress said it had the best views.

    But before we began our descent, we went to meet the goats of Mount Fløyen.

    The 6-year old cashmere goats were born on Radøy … bred primarily to clear vegetation. They are free to wander on the mountain … within an area restricted by a virtual fence that is commonly used for grazing livestock in Norway. Visitors are encouraged to play with them … and the goats seem to welcome the attention … or at least stoically accept the multitude of hands petting them. The only rule one must obey … no feeding of the goats!

    After that bit of fun, we headed toward the trailhead … walking past a children’s playground … quite large, and very popular. We let the kids enjoy the equipment, but could resist neither the photo op with Fløytrollet (the Fløyen Troll) … nor a wander through Trollskogen, the troll forest filled with mystical, enchanted wood carvings.

    Eventually, we found ourselves on the trail. Down, down, down for just about 2 miles … at first dirt; paved the closer we got to the city center. At this point, the rain that had given us a break started once more to fall. But it was light, and the trees provided enough coverage that we needed umbrellas only part of the time. Never did break out our rain jackets.

    The last bit of the trail either winds through narrow residential streets … or we somehow took a detour. The streetscape with wooden houses and cobblestone alleys was charming. We had planned to stroll through the hillside neighborhoods, so we enjoyed ourselves … eventually coming out right next to the Fløibanen city station.

    Thus wrapping up our day, we headed back to the apartment. Arriving just before the skies opened up in a downpour that is still continuing. Mui prepared dinner to kick off a quiet evening … need to rest up for more Bergen exploration tomorrow.    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
    2Det Gamle Rådhuset (the Old Town Hall) was originally built as a residence in 1558 — Bergen, Norway.
    The Seamen's Monument; sculptor Dyre Vaa — Bergen, Norway.Seamen's Monument; unveiled in 1950 to honor achievements of Norwegian seamen through the ages.Seamen's Monument; this side is dedicated to the 17th-18th century sailors — Bergen, Norway.Seamen's Monument; relief panels ... Viking longships (top); encounters with indigenous Americans.The Seamen's Monument — Bergen, Norway.A pigeon visiting the Seamen's Monument — Bergen, Norway.Having fun with a decorative column @ Torgallmenningen, the city's main square — Bergen, Norway.The white-trimmed building at the far end is Kjøttbasaren, a restored meat market from 1875 — BergenVågsallmenningen ... the statue is of Ludwig Holberg; writer, playwright — Bergen, Norway.Across Vågen, a natural harbor in Bergen's historic core, is the UNESCO heritage site of Bryggen.The colorful buildings form the iconic wharf of Bryggen — Bergen, Norway.Bryggen was the trading hub of the Hanseatic League — Bergen,, Norway.Glimpse of the Rosenkrantz Tower ... which is part of Bergenhus Fortress — Bergen, Norway.Fresh seafood; at Mathallen, the indoor fish market overlooking Vågen; opened in 2012 — Bergen.1Fresh king crab anyone? ... Mathallen — Bergen, Norway.Mui heading over to the Fisketorget (fish market), which dates to the 1200s — Bergen, Norway.1Anglerfish at the Fisketorget — Bergen, Norway.Sometimes you find a gem when you look down ... decorative manhole cover — Bergen, Norway."Homeless" ... sits on the corner on the street ... outside an expensive shopping mall — Bergen.Traditional costumes — Bergen, Norway.

    Bergen: A Meander …

    August 5 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 64 °F

    This is our third time in Bergen … the first two visits were cruise ship stops … just for a day.

    When Celebrity Eclipse called here in 2017, we wandered the UNESCO heritage site of Bryggen, enjoying the colorful buildings dating back to the time of the Hanseatic League; had a delicious fresh seafood lunch at the fish market; and just wandered around.

    We returned two years later on Oceania’s Nautica. This time, we hopped on a public bus to go out to Gamle Bergen [Old Bergen] … an open-air history museum in the Sandviken district where 55 reconstructed wooden houses from the 18th and 19th centuries allow one to step back in time.

    With that in mind, before we left the apartment this morning, we perused the map I picked up at the airport yesterday and marked up a bunch of places we’d not been to before. Did we visit any of them? No. Somehow our day turned into a meander, and then we went completely off the books. I’ll leave that portion of our day for another footprint, and focus on the first part of our outing.

    In fact, no sense trying to describe in words what we saw on our meander. I’ll just let the photos do the work for me.

    By the way … August is prime time for cruise ships in the Scandinavian countries. Today was a two-ship day in Bergen. There was an NCL mega ship, which was relegated to the less-desirable berth, and a ‘Norway’s own’ Viking Ocean vessel, which was docked in the heart of the city. We expected that Bergen would be crowded when we made the decision to come to Norway at this time of the year. But hey … places around the world where you can escape the heat are getting fewer and fewer, so cooler temps trumped crowds in this instance.    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
    When the rain lets up, I head out to enjoy a cup of tea on the terrace — Bergen, Norway.
    Panorama of the view from the terrace — Bergen, Norway.Across the way from us is the Kode (art/music complex ... with the cupola) and the Kunsthall.Part of the scenery across the way from our building — Bergen, Norway.Glimpse of Småstrandgaten from the terrace ... we'll be walking in that direction later — Bergen.Neighboring building ... I like the little attic balcony — Bergen, Norway.Looking back at the hills behind the apartment building — Bergen, Norway.A glimpse of Mount Ulriken from the apartment — Bergen, Norway.Time to head out ... our neighborhood from the door to the apartment building — Bergen, Norway.Cute little cottage next to the apartment building — Bergen, Norway.

    Bergen: At the Apartment

    August 5 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 57 °F

    We went to sleep to the rain pitter-pattering on the terrace. If it stopped at any point after midnight … well, we were asleep.

    We woke up this morning to rain pitter-pattering on the terrace. At times heavy; at times barely a drizzle. Filmy clouds wreathed the hills across the way … as well as those behind our building.

    An easy morning was part of today’s plans so we didn’t mind the rain one bit. With the thermostat turned up just a bit to ward off the morning chill in the apartment, we were cozy.

    As the morning progressed, the skies started to brighten. We saw a few patches of blue amongst the clouds that never entirely went away. We even had a glimmer of sunshine at one point.

    With the rain drying up, it was time to head out … with no real plan but to wander around the city.    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
    Welcome to Bergen, Norway.
    Bergen? That question mark tickled my funny bone ... at BGO — Bergen, NorwayOn the light rail from BGO into the city — Bergen, Norway.Apartment with a lovely terrace — Bergen, Norway.The apartment has all of the amenities we need — Bergen, Norway.View from the terrace — Bergen, Norway.

    Welcome to Bergen, Norway

    August 4 in Norway ⋅ 🌧 61 °F

    Are we in Bergen? Yes, we are. Though it was funny to see the ‘big letters’ near the airport with a question mark following the name of the city!

    Following our uneventful flight, LH874 was on the ground by 4:30p. Again, being a Schengen-to-Schengen flight, there were no formalities required to enter Norway … even for us as US-passport holders.

    There are three ways to get to the city from BGO … light rail, flybussen, or Uber/taxi … from the least expensive to the most expensive … from the longest ride time to the shortest.

    We opted for the light rail … the trains leave from the airport … there are easy-to-follow signs directing arriving passengers to the station.

    Mui had already downloaded and set up the Skyss app, but we had not pre-purchased our tickets since we weren’t sure of our timing. Thus, we skipped the train that was already at the station when we stepped off the escalators, and used the 8 minutes between trains to buy our tickets for the 5:00p departure … using ApplePay to complete the purchase.

    The ride was smooth … easy peasy. Mui said that we’d be getting off at the 24th station … 52 minutes later at the Nonneseter stop … not far from the apartment we booked for our four-night stay in Bergen.

    AI had suggested that the 5-minute walk from the light rail stop to the apartment was flat. It was … except for a tiny bit of incline at one point at the start of the walk … nothing that we could not manage, even with luggage in tow. What AI did not mention, however, was that the street was cobblestone. No worries … it was just a ‘noisy’ walk as the wheels bumpity-bumped over the pavement.

    We’re in a modern apartment building in what is mostly a cute, older neighborhood. At least that was our impression during the short walk. We’ll verify that when we go out to explore.

    The apartment is on the 6th (top) floor with an amazing terrace … with city views. Lots of floor-to-ceiling windows and doors makes the place feel light and airy … even on an overcast, rainy evening. The decor is streamlined Scandinavian … think IKEA. Oh wait, the furnishings are from IKEA 😄. And the cleaning crew did their job well. No complaints.

    After checking out the kitchen amenities, we went out to shop for groceries for our self-catered meals. There is a Coop within 2-minutes of the apartment … very convenient and had pretty much everything we were looking for.

    The rain, forecasted to start around 6:00p, held off until we were back at the apartment. The light drizzle that was falling on the walk back from Coop is now coming down in earnest. I am enjoying the pitter patter of the rain on the terrace.

    The forecast for Bergen this week is rain, rain, and more rain … we don’t really mind, though I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the wet stuff will give us enough of a break to enjoy the terrace for at least a couple of hours over the next few days.

    Oh, by the way. It was 61F (16C) when we arrived in Bergen. That compares to 91F (33C) in Bologna at about the same time yesterday. So, for now at least, we’ve found the cooler temps that brought us up north.    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
    Arrival at FRA on LH283 ... Lufthansa still has a number of Boing 747s in its fleet.
    Condor Airlines has interesting livery; we also saw green, orange, and beige striped planes — FRA.LH283 on our way to the gate — FRA ... Frankfurt, Germany.Aboard LH874 ... the emergency exit through which passengers embark the A321 — FRA.Our primo exit row seats on LH874 ... on the flight from FRA to BGO.Celebrating 100 years of flight service with Lindt chocolate — Aboard LH874.Once below the cloud deck, we get to enjoy the scenery ... on approach to BGO — Norway.Looks like a fish farm is being repositioned ... on approach to BGO.Aerial scenery on approach to BGO — Norway.

    FRA ➡️ BGO

    August 4 in Norway ⋅ ☁️ 63 °F

    The remainder of our BLQ-FRA flight was uneventful. LH283 was at the gate by noon … 5 minutes ahead of schedule … deplaning through a jetway into Terminal A.

    This being a Schengen to Schengen flight, there were no formalities to go through. Checking the nearest departures board for the gate information for our next flight, we verified that LH874 would be departing from the same terminal … from gate A20 just down the concourse a bit.

    Time to find ourselves some lunch.

    We ended up at a place that had a variety of hot dogs on the menu … from bratwursts to frankfurters. That there was sit down service as well was a bonus. Our ‘dogs’ came with warm potato salad, and lemon-lime sodas completed our lunch. Not an outstanding meal, but we were satisfied.

    With boarding for our FRA-BGO flight scheduled for 1:50p, we found a nearly empty gate not far from where we expected to board LH874. No sooner were we seated that a series of text messages from Lufthansa started popping up on my phone. First our gate changed to A16 … across the concourse from where we were. Ten minutes later there was another gate change … this time to A15, just down the concourse from where we were whiling away our time. I kept an eye out for more texts, but that was the last change.

    Boarding began on time. Since we were once again in Group 2, we got in line at the priority lane. We have no standing with Lufthansa, so I think the perk is a result of being Premier Silver on United.

    Anyway, there was no aircraft at the jetway … a clear indication that we would be bused to the Airbus A321 that would be taking us to Bergen. The reason for this became apparent soon enough … the aircraft was parked at a jetway on the non-Schengen side. Taking us to the aircraft by bus and boarding us via the mobile stairs meant we could be kept in the ‘secure zone’ and not have to go through security. OK by us.

    When I was selecting seats for this flight, I lucked out with what has to be two of the three primo seats on the entire aircraft! On this version of the A321, passengers board from what is the emergency exit door between rows 9 and 11 … no row 10 on the portside of the aircraft. Seated in 11A/B, there’s at least five feet of legroom. I did say that these were primo seats.

    The aircraft pushed back 10 minutes late at 2:30p. FRA is a big airport, so it was another 15 min before we were wheels up for what the cockpit announced would be a flight that is 1 hour and 35 minutes long.

    We’ve received our complimentary bottle of water. Waiting for the bite-sized Lindt chocolate. In the meantime, we’re flying above the clouds, so not entertaining views to enjoy. I’m going to put away the iPad and do some reading.

    More when we get to the apartment we booked in Bergen …

    P.S. Yes, the flight attendant has come around with the complimentary chocolate … honoring the 100th anniversary of the founding of Lufthansa.

    P.P.S. On approach to BGO, we were below the cloud deck, so we did end up getting some enjoyable views after all.    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
    Italy's Südtirol Region ... from our Lufthansa flight from BLQ to FRA.
    Italy's Südtirol Region ... from our Lufthansa flight from BLQ to FRA.A different perspective of Italy's Südtirol Region ... from our Lufthansa flight from BLQ to FRA.On approach to Frankfurt Airport ... from aboard our Lufthansa flight.

    BLQ ➡️ FRA

    August 4 in Germany ⋅ ⛅ 86 °F

    At first it looked like boarding LH283 would be chaotic, adding to today’s ‘zoo’ experience.

    There were two lines at Gate 7 … Priority and All Passengers. What happened to boarding by groups … of which we were assigned to #2. With no expectation of priority privileges, we were about to join the very long All Passengers queue, when a gate agent put up signs directing groups 1 and 2 to the Priority lane. Whew!

    There are no jetways at BLQ. You either walk to/from your aircraft or you are bused. Today, was the latter. Soon enough, we were in our exit row seats. Not much legroom advantage as it turns out … just a tad bit more than the rest of the rows.

    Once we were settled into our seats, the flight attendant stopped by to give us our emergency evacuation briefing. We had stored our carry-on bags and personal items in the overhead bin — a requirement for exit rows on most airlines these days. Being compliant earned us a bravo from the flight attendant 😉.

    The aircraft — an Airbus A320 — pushed back at 10:40a … just 5 minutes late. We were in the air by 10:45a. The service cart came through soon after the aircraft had leveled off at its cruising altitude … water and a bite-size Lindt chocolate complimentary; everything else at a price.

    We are now almost an hour into the flight and it has been uneventful thus far. The scenery outside the window is hazy — has been that way since we took off from BLQ … smog? summer heat haze? both perhaps? I’ve clicked a few ‘memory shots’ of what I think is Italy’s Südtirol … where we were in July for our ‘escape the heat’ mountain trip.

    We’re scheduled to land in about 30 minutes. More later …    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)

    The ‘Zoo’ @ BLQ

    August 4 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 86 °F

    Not a literal zoo, of course.

    We’ve flown in and out of BLQ before … all but one flight all non-Schengen. The one time we arrived into the ‘Schengen’ side, it was in the early evening. We went directly to baggage claim and then left the airport. All good.

    Today we got to experience what the Schengen side is really like. Total controlled chaos until we got to the security checkpoint. That was the easy part of our morning … even with Mui’s carry-on bag detouring to the hand-check lane of the conveyor belt for the charging brick he had packed. Of course August is “ferie” time in Italy … the exodus for summer vacations may have had something to do with our experience.

    The good news is that we were ready ahead of schedule, so left the apartment before 7:30a. Half an hour later we were exiting the taxi at BLQ … with plenty of time before our scheduled departure.

    There is no bag drop off per se for Lufthansa passengers … which is all that we needed to do since I checked in for the flight online yesterday. Five or six check-in counters were open to handle a mixed queue of Lufthansa, Austrian, Swiss, and Air Dolomiti passengers. The line stretched way back and around the corner. At least it moved steadily. A lovely check-in agent with a great sense of humor efficiently took care of the formalities when our turn came.

    Next step, up the moving sidewalk to the first floor of the terminal to go through security. All in all, it was an hour from the taxi drop off to our gate.

    Since we had an early start, we skipped breakfast at home. So, we found a café and got ourselves some caffè — cappuccino for me; doppio espresso for Mui — and a couple of cornetti. Not the best pastries … but they’ll hold us for a while.

    Waiting for boarding to be called. More later.    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
    Off on another adventure ... this one will require flying.

    One More Sleep …

    August 3 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 97 °F

    … and then we’ll be off .. once more in search of cooler temps.

    🔹 Bags are packed … zippers to be secured with zip ties tomorrow morning … just in case we have something to add at the last minute.

    🔹 Check-in is completed for Lufthansa — the carrier that will take us from Bologna to Bergen tomorrow … via Frankfurt. Boarding passes are saved to the iPhone wallet for easy access.

    🔹 Mui took the recycling out to the street bins; he’ll take the trash down after breakfast.

    🔹 Most of the ‘temporary shut-down’ checklist for the apartment has checkmarks in the completed column. We’ll take care of the rest before we lock the door.

    See you at the airport!    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
    Our itinerary for the NCL Sun cruise.

    NCL Sun: Cha-Ching!

    July 23 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 82 °F

    I haven’t written much thus far about the short cruise we’ve booked on NCL Sun. The lack of words was primarily because until final payment, there was a chance we might cancel for something better. Especially since the ship was experiencing propulsion issues that were heavily impacting the itinerary.

    As it turns out, the issues were resolved by 3 July. Which was a good thing since I found myself with no spare time to research alternatives, so we’re sticking with it.

    The final payment was made today.

    Now that we are locked in, here’s a bit more information.

     We’ll be embarking the Sun on 22 August in Copenhagen; disembarking on 29 August in Helsinki. The cruise is seven days long. No days at sea. Unlike on our Havila voyage, we’ll be calling on just one port each day 😄. Five of the ports are new-to-us … two of them in countries we’ve not traveled to before. Not a bad ratio for such a short cruise. The ports we’ve been to before have plenty of experiences for us to enjoy, so we don’t mind returning.

    When we disembark m/s Havila Castor in Bergen on 19 August, we will fly to Copenhagen for a few days pre-cruise. We have not added post-cruise time when we disembark in Helsinki as we spent about a week in the city before and after our 2014 icebreaker voyage to the North Pole. So straight back to Bologna once we are back on land.

    I still need to do some research on the ports we’ll be visiting. But finding time to do so is at a premium. I have a feeling we just might have to wing it! Any suggestions on things to do would be welcome … leave a comment.    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
    Our ship ... our itinerary.

    BKB: 12 Days … How Many Ports!?

    July 1 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 90 °F

    BKB, in the vernacular of Havila passengers, refers to the Bergen-Kirkenes-Bergen roundtrip coastal voyage. It’s the itinerary we booked.

    Over the 12-days it will take M/S Havila Castor to complete the route, we will be stopping at 34 different ports.

    No, that’s not a typo.

    There will be 34 ports of call on the way up north. And 34 again on the way down south.

    How is this possible?

    Well, remember, m/s Havila Castor is not a cruise ship. Rather, it is better described as a ferry that conveys everything from mail to people from one place to another.

    While there are stops of 3-4 hours in some ports … and occasional 1- to 2-hour stops as well, most are just long enough to drop off or pick up mail and goods, and embark or disembark passengers … 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes. Also, stops are made at all hours of the day and night. The ports you miss while you’re sleeping in one direction you stop at during daylight in the other direction.

    You get the idea. Essentially, we will be passengers on a working ship.    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
    Sketch of an SSD cabin ... base photo from the Havila website.

    SSD on m/s Havila Castor

    June 30 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 93 °F

    SSD, in this instance, does not mean Solid State Drive.

    Rather, it is the booking code for the cabin category we opted for on our BKB voyage.

    Our cabin — 4308 — is a Seaview Superior Double … deck four, midship. It’s portside, so we’ll be able to peek out for a glimpse of port operations because the Havila ships always dock on port … or so we’ve been told.

    No balcony, alas … the veranda cabins were a bit too pricey for our budget. No worries … I understand there are some lovely lounges around m/s Castor … and, of course, quite a bit of outdoor space that we can take advantage of when we want to be out and about.    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
    We'll be making the Norwegian coastal journey on m/s Havila Castor.

    Our Vessel: m/s Havila Castor

    June 29 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 99 °F

    When you search the web for a ship named m/s Castor, AI asks you which one? The new ship? Or the historic ship? Of course, adding Havila to the search, would eliminate the question.

    Anyway, the historic vessel was built in 1936 as a fishing galease … a ketch. It was later converted to passenger charter. In 2024, it was permanently moved onto land in Bogense, Denmark as a local landmark … a museum ship. It would be fun to see this vessel, but our limited time in Copenhagen after our Havila journey won’t allow us to do so.

    As for the ship we will be sailing — m/s Havila Castor. It is a modern, eco-friendly vessel built by the Tersan Shipyard in Türkiye and delivered to the company in April 2022. Mui’s already planning a scavenger hunt to find the builder’s plate after we embark the vessel in August.

    One of four sister ships operated by Havila between Bergen and Kirkenes, the vessel has a passenger capacity of 640 … traveling either in cabins or deck chairs … doing one way, roundtrip, or custom itineraries … the latter referred to as port-to-port.

    One of the reasons we chose Havila over Hurtigruten is the more eco-friendly fleet the company operates. Castor and its sisters feature large battery packs that ensure zero-emission sailing through fragile fjord areas. In fact, this ship made history on 2 June 2022 as the first cruise ship to operate in the world heritage area of Geirangerfjord emission-free.    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)
    Base photo from the Havila Voyages website.

    Havila Kystruten or Havila Voyages

    June 28 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 99 °F

    “We are sailing in the world heritage. So should the generations to come.” ~~ Per Sævik, owner and founder of Havila Kystruten ~~

    So which name is accurate?

    Actually, both are.

    Havila Kystruten — the latter a Norwegian word that translates as “the coastal route” — is the registered name of the company with which we are doing our August ‘escape the heat trip’. The more commonly used Havila Voyages name is the international brand.

    Havila is a shipping company … one that is continuing the tradition of plying the Norwegian Coastal Express route that was first established in 1893. What began as a mail, passenger, and goods service between Trondheim and Hammerfest has over the years been extended to serve the coastal communities between Bergen and Kirkenes.

    While we will be spending a great deal of time at sea on this 12-day voyage, this is not really a cruise. At least not in the sense of traveling on a ‘cruise’ ship. And certainly not in the sense of visiting a port a day. More on that later.

    Looking forward to a new-type-of sea voyage.    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)

    August Escape Prep Work

    June 27 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 97 °F

    With the Dolomiti the more imminent of the two ‘escape the heat’ trips we’ve got on the calendar, it took us awhile to get back to logistics planning for our August voyages.

    📌 AIRFARE … First and foremost … check for posted August transportation strikes in Italy. That’s not to say that a last minute “sciopero” won’t rear its ugly head, but worth checking anyway. Sadly, the calendar only goes out to the end of July, so we’re going to have to pay Russian roulette with at least our outbound flight.

    * Bologna - Bergen … Lufthansa with a connection in Frankfurt.

    * Bergen - Copenhagen … SAS nonstop

    * Helsinki - Bologna … FinnAir nonstop

    📌 LODGING … Apartments with laundry facilities booked for both Bergen and Copenhagen. OMG the prices!!!!

    📌 TRAVEL INSURANCE … Havila Kystruten requires trip cancelation/interruption and medical/evacuation coverage. This was a bit of a challenge since we are already outside the USA, but Mui managed to find a suitable policy through IMG.

    📌 NCL CABIN ASSIGNED … We wanted a balcony cabin. The only way to get it was to accept a guarantee … i.e. let NCL assign one. It took just two days for them to assign us to a BB cabin on deck 8; sandwiched between other passenger decks; midship. We done good it seems.

    📌 NCLH STATUS HONORING PROGRAM … The NCLH family — NCL, Oceania, and Regent — now recognize a passenger’s status on any of the sister cruise lines.

    We are Gold in NCL’s Latitudes Rewards; Diamond in Oceania’s Club. I sent an email to the powers-that-be to request the status match. Received a response within two days granting it. What this means is that we will have a few additional perks to enjoy.

    📌 EXCURSIONS … Port planning has yet to commence.    Read more

  • Escape the Heat (August ‘26)

    Barebones

    June 22 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 95 °F

    Well, not quite ‘barebones’ since we have booked the two main elements of our ‘August escape’. But we still need to flesh things out.

    After several days of back and forth discussions, we have a plan to go to cooler climes over the summer months.

    July will be in Italy … and will rightfully be covered in the “Italy: Ciao Bella” trip (https://findpenguins.com/8pccjefaitoru/trip/68e…).

    Details for August to follow, but here’s a quick outline.

    First up … a Norwegian Coastal Voyage with Hurtigruten’s competition … Havila Kystruten. This one is locked in quick-set concrete … paid in full; non-refundable.

    Next … a Baltic cruise on NCL. Seven days only 😢 … limited necessarily by timing and the need to stay within the Schengen Zone while we await our Permesso di Soggiorno for Italy. We could possibly jiggle this, but as difficult as it was to find an itinerary that suited our requirements, I doubt that we will touch it.

    Somewhere in there will be a couple of short city stays. Locations determined as our embarkation ports; airfare and lodging pending.

    The checklist of pending logistics is ready, but our brains need a break. So, we will tackle the details another day.    Read more

    Trip start
    August 4, 2026