Bergen Norway personal reflections photography

Biked, hiked and psyched about Bergen

Bergen bewitched me. All my fears about Bergen weather with 9 inches of rain on average for the month of September were cast away in a  summer spell of six straight sunshine filled days. Norway’s second largest city is the environment where I biked, hiked and psyched about Bergen. A week in Bergen was one of my most relaxing international adventures in years.

Bergen sailing
Islands of Bergen in fjord country of Norway

One of my first activities was to hop on a bicycle and check out the landscape.

Bergen biker
Uphill cycling in Bergen

Around Bergen the road is generally going uphill or downhill. I could not sustain that for more than a couple hours. Stinging legs from uphill climbs pained me into submitting to walking for the rest of the trip.

Bergen Golden Gate
Bergen’s ‘Golden Gate Bridge’ to Askoy Island

California Dreamin’ in Bergen with a view that looks like San Francisco’s Golden Gate.

Bergen city park
Bergen city park on a sunny, warm summer day

Bergen is city parks and wilderness, museums and cruise ships, old traditions and new technologies.

Bergen ageless
Legs up in Bergen.

Bergen is ageless. Bergen is a vibrant city of young people and a city of healthy people living long.

Bergen bike park
Cycling up in the air.

There are the fish market, Bryggen and fjord cruises for tourists. The weather was too nice to be inside and the wilderness too close and available to spend the day confined with people on boat and bus rides.

Hiking around is my favorite activity and Bergen offered a playground of places to walk and different vantage points to see.

Floyen city view
Floyen view of Bergen from 320 meters view platform.

Floyen is a lovely park walk at 320 meters. Ulriken is a bit more of a mountain scramble to summit 643 meters if you do not ride the cable tram up to the top.

Ulriken hikers
Ulriken view of Bergen from 643 meters is a bit more challenging hike, although the trail map labels this hike “Easy’.

Seeing Norway and meeting Norwegians was easy on the trails. In the outdoors is where locals seemed to be more willing to take a moment to talk. Although, even on the mountains it seems people take pride in moving quickly and conquering the environment.

Mountain bikers
Norwegian mountain bikers take the quick route down Ulriken.

There are several ways to descend the 2,100 feet of Ulriken.

Ulriken parasailing
Soaring off Ulriken in Bergen.

Parasailing off Ulriken is something I had seen from the harbor. The view was even better from near the top.

Ulriken hiking women
Norwegian women rock.

Three days of hiking around Bergen revealed to me that women seem to outnumber men hikers by about 4 to 1. Interesting data point.

Bergen revealed Norway’s strength and beauty to me.

Norway flag on Ulriken
Norway flag on top of Ulriken, Bergen’s highest mountain at 643 meters or 2,110 feet.

Thanks for six days of sunshine Bergen. Thanks for the memories of Bergen outdoors.

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