Saturday, July 5, 2014

EMBARCATION ON THE "HURLEY GURLEY'


Readers:  Another post in our activity.  To read the adventure in the order of the Day by Day Trip Report click HERE. To see all the photos click HERE

FEETS ON LAND....take advantage while your feets are still on land.

It's still raining and we have plenty to do today. We have not finished our viewing of Bergen, museums, and a return to the fish market. We have groceries to purchase..so we gotta hit the road before there is no road.


A FOND FAREWELL ....TO:  wifi, walking, shopping, restaurants, blogging, emails, texting, exploring, large rooms, large bathrooms, large any rooms, hotel staff, room service, morning coffee, clothes hangers, closet space, desks, land lottsa land.


Heads up: As we leave the hotel to board the M/S Finnmarken around 5:00pm, we may have problems with wifi access on board. Certainly we will not have access while on water and uncertain what will happen when we are in port. Be prepared for sporadic reports until we get settled and can access wifi. Also, when we off board, we will be in the far North of Norway in Kirkenes. Who knows what kind of service we will be getting. Therefore, below is the map of Norway and our stops. Becky has identified a link as to where the 
M/S Finnmarken (name of our ferry) will be at any time.




Click the name of the ship to see the interactive map of the ship's location/route.

Shopping in the rain

Fish market reprise -- this time to decide what to have for lunch.  We were offered tastings of many things, including whale meat!  For lunch we decided on another baguette with smoked salmon and while eating met a family from San Francisco.  Pouring rain, pouring off the edges of the tents covering the picnic tables.




A great looking food truck with no one patronizing during the marine rain!






Hanseatic Museum -- the 1702 building where the various officials managed trade among the Hanseatic states (there was no unified Germany and probably the Dutch ruled Norway and Sweden.)  Very cool cooperative idea among peoples with unique offerings to their 'global' region:  salt, fish (and these two go together for sure); grains; life stuffs such as fabric.  The officials in the Bergen building lived there and were locked in at night.  Coolest thing to see (not enuf light for a picture) was the lavabo on each floor: a hanging teakettle over a brass bowl, with a roll towel on the wall nearby.  Downpour when exiting the museum.

Wharf -- sailing boats, industrial ships, a view of our hotel.  Driving rain, sharp and chilling.




Groceries -- "just around there."  We have decided that hotel clerks need to be much clearer in their pointing and words.  "There" was twice to the right and down a street on the right.  Found cheese (second trip) and crackers and olives and some chocolates.  Mistake -- chocolates we thought were filled with nuts were actually marshmallows and shaped like gummy bears.  Stuck the grocery bag under my coat to keep things dry -- steady rain, not letting up.

Seagull watching -- back in the hotel lobby waiting for transport to "Hurley Gurley" Ferry we dried out a bit, discovered the mistake in chocolate purchase, and watched a seagull feasting on mussels scarfed from the piers just outside the window.

Of course the rain has stopped.  We are ready for the ship.

Remember, we may not have wifi so, as the astronauts said when circling the moon: "We'll see you on the other side."