Off I go again!

 It was a later drive to the airport for me yesterday morning, I left home at 4.30am and I was parked up by 5.15am. Just in time to walk over to the airport with the first shreds of daylight breaking through.

I was in Duty Free by 5.35am and then went to have my obligatory glass of champagne ( might have been two!) and watch the sunrise over the Jet 2 planes.

The flight was pretty nippy and in 1hour and 15 mins we were suddenly touching down in Bergen, Passport control...... well anyone who has travelled to the EU recently will know how awful the queues are, however Norway is not EU and we just sailed through, there were 10 booths open!

A 20 min drive from the airport to the hotel, where my room was all ready for me and I was in, quick coffee and then out to explore. This is not my first time in Bergen, so I had made a list of all the things I wanted to do this time and repeat from when I had been before.

The weather was as bad as Spain in March, ( and yes you will all be basking in sunshine again) but it never deters me. I headed off to get my bearings, and also a good soaking.

My hotel is across the water from The Bryggen, which has Unesco World Heritage Site,status but it is actually just a 5 minute walk which takes in all the boats that are moored next to offices ( and yes people go to work on their boat!).More of this tomorrow.

Not much call for a fisherman workwear shop in Darlington , but must make a fortune here!!!

I had booked to go to the Magic Ice Bar tomorrow, but as I was passing I decided to head in. After being dressed in a huge insulated cape ( if you've ever been to the Ice Bar in London you know what its like) and given insulated gloves I headed in. WOW!, the ice sculptures were just amazing, and looked even better after 2 glasses of Norwegian liquor wine! Sitting on ice seats at ice tables sipping form ice glasses whilst freezing your wotnots off. It was brilliant.

I cancelled tomorrow and wandered on.

The cloud was not lifting from any of the  seven  mountains that surround  the city.

The Lego shop was huge, and had so many displays, but I was drawn to a shop  with a beautiful display outside

And it was full of 'pretties', sadly most of which would not be able to be carried home, but beautiful to look at.

I carried on to destination, which was the outdoor seawater swimming pool, right on the edge of the sea ( you can go in the sauna and then have a dip in the sea but I wasn't up for that). The pool itself looks straight out into the fjord, just stunning and a perfect way to wash away the travelling tiredness.

Had a 15 min swim with half of Bergen and I loved it. They change to their summer timetable on Saturday so I am hoping that they will be open in Sunday and I will go again. 

I headed back to my hotel and a shower and bite to eat. Then time to have an early night as its another exploring day in the city today.

I had a couple of glasses of champagne ( my little 'plant' was a gift from my little friend Georgie, when I lost my sister, so it goes most places with me at the moment).

And day 1 in Bergen came to an end ( it was still light at 9pm! and it was still raining)