Blue Skies in Bergen – Mega the Norsk

I was thinking that this would be one of the breaks between posts where there is not a lot so share during my visit. That changed on Saturday when I woke up to blue skies in Bergen. More significantly, when I started walking around the harbor area. I noticed that it had exploded with people everywhere. It turns out that the residents of Europe’s rainiest city like to take advantage of a Saturday with blue skies on the last day of February.

*People walking around the Bergen harbor area on a blue sky day at the end of February.*

*The trail with numerous switchbacks from from the harbor area to the top of Fløyen.*

On Friday afternoon, I attended the weather discussion, put on by students in the department at the university. I learned from the weather discussion that the weather would be amazing for the weekend after a week of rain. I realized that it would be good for me to get out and explore the area for one of the first times since I arrived in Bergen. I looked up possible hikes for me to do. Bergen is known for its seven mountains (more like peaks) that surround the city and it is filled with hiking opportunities, near and far. I decided to do a hike at the top of Fløyen. Before I could do my planned hike, I had to get to the top of Fløyen (elevation: ~400 m / 1300 ft). There is the Fløibanen funiculur, which is a railway that ascends from the harbor to the top of Fløyen. It is a very common tourist attraction as it provides great panoramic views of Bergen from the top. I chose to instead walk a trail that is a series of switchbacks going from the harbor to the top Fløyen. Everywhere I looked it was filled with people enjoying the sunny afternoon.

*Restaurant patio seating and seating overlooking Bergen from the the top of Fløyen and Fløibanen funicular.*

I made it to the top and the restaurant patio area and the seats overlooking the city were filled with people. I should add that it was warm, likely mid- to upper-40s °F, but not like crazy warm late spring temperatures. I did an add-on hike that was a small loop (about 1 mile) around a little frozen lake. There, I found families enjoying picnics and grilling over small wood fires. I met a researcher at the top of Fløyen and we ended up talking for a while, as well as walking back down to the harbor to end my sunny afternoon in Bergen. I met this researcher as a result of asking a random person to take a photo of me at the top of Fløyen.

*Lake at the top of Fløyen with families picnicking and grilling to the right.*

*Hero shot from the top of Fløyen overlooking Bergen.*

The views from the top of Fløyen also provided the opportunity for me to take a few skyline photos of the Bergen Sentrum. Specifically, for those that are curious, I have annotated the photos below with where my apartment is located, my office on campus, and a view of the walk I take every day to/from my campus and apartment. You can also see why the small lake that I walk on my way to/from my office has been commonly featured in my photos.