Bergen
Bergen in January
22 January 2008
I’m always amazed at the scale of ferries and their ability to sail and dock so close to buildings... As I mentioned on an earlier blog entry I always used to enjoy the journey up the river into Göteborg on the DFDS Seaways ferry from Newcastle...This is the MS Richard With moored in Bergen. It looks very like the DFDS ferries which travel across the North Sea from England to Denmark, Netherlands and Norway, maybe a little grander inside... if you like you can see on board this one... click here if you’re interested. This ship travels up the Norwegian coastline...where you will sail the fjords and inlets taking in the breathtaking scenery and stopping at 35 ports that line the Norwegian coast (see Hurtigruten web site). Would be a great journey to make some time.
The rain here in Cumbria seems to make everything slimy and muddy, but in Bergen on the granite cobbles there is a sparkle amidst the gloom, and patterns on the streets....
Bergen in January is invariably wet grey and dark.. but then so is Cumbria. Yesterday, attempting to reach Manchester I had to turn back on the road to Penrith (going there to to catch my train) as the flood waters turned the road into a raging river at Sedbergham. Extraordinary scenes... unfortunately I didn’t get my camera out, I was more intent on getting back home in one piece than recording the deluge...
Even the Zebra crossings are made from granite sets, really beautiful attention to detail, and use of material that is all around...
Above, detail of the theatre building, and below, more wildlife.. the local pigeons preening on rails in the afternoon rain
I love the pollarding of trees, and the way in which any exposed soil from defunct summer flower beds are covered with green conifer branches,. The green beds seem so preferable to the rain washed expanses of flattened soil seen in England during the winter months.. presumably they also give some protection to the soil structure by deflecting the pressure of water in the worst downpours...
Anyway more from Bergen another day.. all for now....
