On the boat to Leikanger

As I write we're sailing north from Bergen toward the Sognefjord on a Norled Express Boat. We woke up early and hit the Bergen McDonalds before boarding the boat. I got the famous "McToast," a ham and cheese sandwich on a hamburger bun, the bun flipped upside down and toasted on the flat side. Sammie got a beef and egg McMuffin, the beef being a hamburger patty. In Norway you have to pay extra to get your food "eat in" rather than take out, but we did it anyway because we didn't really want to eat outside in the rain.

Today we'll be on the boat for about four hours, hugging the western shore of Norway then spending some time going inland on the Sognefjord. In Leikanger we'll be renting a car and driving to the little town of Solvorn where we'll be staying at a family run place called Eplet Hostel. I'm looking forward to driving and I think we're all looking forward to hanging out in a quaint little town on the fjord for a couple of days.

Yesterday in Bergen was great. We did a lot of wandering around the city, including up into the hillside where the narrow streets and footpaths curved in every direction. Tricia and I explored a military museum that had exhibits on the Norwegian resistance during the German occupation of World War II. Sammie and I had fish soup and an open faced, cured salmon sandwich at the fish market adjacent to the main harbor. Most of the fish vendors were Spanish. Not sure why, exactly. In the afternoon Casey ventured off for a few hours wanting some alone time just to do what he wanted to do. I took Tricia back to the 3-kroneren hot dog stand for her own reindeer sausage.

In the late afternoon the four of us reconnected and made the funicular trip up the hillside to the viewpoint at Fløibanen. It was a quick ride up - we had the front seat which was cool - and then a long stroll back down through the woods and some cute neighborhoods. The view at the top was awesome. On our way back into the city we began to hear drums and what sounded like a marching band. We then saw the group marching as we made it back into the city center. Apparently it was a group called Buekorps, a sort of traditional corps for young "soldiers" that is unique to Bergen and which has been in existence since the 1850s. It was pretty cool.

In the evening we went to a Rick Steves' recommended restaurant called Pingvinen, or "The Penguin." It was a fun little joint that served basic Norwegian food. I got a fish pie with fish and macaroni inside. Sammie got the meatballs and Casey and Tricia had pork stew. Sammie also ordered her first-ever restaurant beer which was fun. Beers here, by the way, cost about $9-$12 a glass - a small glass.

After dinner the kids got some gelato, then Sammie went back to the apartment while Casey stayed by the harbor and Tricia and I roamed a little more around the city. A good day for sure.