Summer 2011 Part 6

Summer 2011 Part 6
NORDSTJERNEN to Bergen

Tuesday 12th July 2011
The ship called at Torvik for half an hour, and then Maloy for 45 minutes, but I was still sleeping, obviously undisturbed by a quayside right outside my porthole! After that though the seas were very rough and we pitched and rolled for nearly an hour until 4 a.m. I eventually slept and woke when my alarm clock went off so I could be on deck for the next port of Floro at 7.45 and I managed a 5 minute walk on the quayside there, just to restore my equilibrium.

Rem Stadt

Skandi Sotra

Half an hour later we were off again, and then it was breakfast and rolling our way south again.

We were asked to vacate cabins by 10 a.m. so luggage was stored up on Deck C near Reception, carried up there by large Viking-like crew members, thus allowing the cabins to be cleaned and linen changed, ready for arrival in Bergen. Once we were in the shelter of another fjord the sea calmed slightly and many of us chose to sit up on the top deck, wrapped in warm thick blankets, taking in the fresh icy air in a very convivial atmosphere and admiring the amazing scenery.





Fedjefjord

Salmon and reindeer appeared on the lunch menu again,

3rd and 4th salmon to appear

lunch choices

more lunch choices

desserts

with more beautiful-looking desserts amongst other things, so everyone was well-fed by the time we sailed through the last of the fjords into the port of Bergen and the Hurtigruten Terminal. En route we could see lots more ships.


Falkvik

Malene Ostervold


Hanseatic Sailor

White Lady

The newly named Artania cruise ship

Another view of Artania

8 ships and Mount Floyen

SC Aberdeen

local sightseeing vessel

Snarveien



We were on time of course, at 2.30 p.m., and I felt reluctant to leave this delightful little ship.

Goodbye little dear

She really is a little liner, with so much wood in her fixtures and fittings, comfortable and stylish furnishings, fabulous food, and interesting and pleasant staff. I would happily sail on NORDSTJERNEN again, preferably when there wasn’t a low pressure weather front from the west affecting the state of the sea as it was during my short voyage, but a Hurtigruten voyage of whatever length is certainly something to be recommended. I imagine that the whole round trip from Bergen to Kirkenes and back is rightly named ‘The world’s most beautiful voyage’.

It was sunny and hot as I walked to my Bergen city centre hotel, past the harbour-side Fish Market stalls selling all sorts of fish and reindeer meat, to eat there or take home, and the Norwegian knitted goods stalls.






Another interesting drain cover



Tourists and visitors were everywhere, enjoying the sights and sounds. Later I met another of my travelling companions and we enjoyed coffee and cake before exploring part of the harbour and looking for interesting ships.

Restaurant Ladies toilet sign

Dinner of course was reindeer or salmon, and it was lovely to be able to walk home late in the evening whilst it was still very light. NORDSTJERNEN meanwhile was on her way north again, sailing along the Norwegian coast in the Land of the Midnight Sun.

NORDSTJERNEN leaving Bergen and sailing north again

Tomorrow I will be sailing on another unusual ship, from here in Bergen, heading further south.

Ships seen: Rem Stadt, Skandi Sotra, Fedjefjord, Falkvik, Malene Ostervold, Hanseatic Sailor, Artania cruise ship, SC Aberdeen, Snarveien, White Lady, Nordstjernen and other Bergen harbour vessels


To be continued…