Norway - Day 2, Bergen

Our full day in Bergen began with a trip to the home of eminent Norwegian composer, Edvard Grieg. It only took about twenty minutes to reach the home, which is known as Troldhaugen. In addition to the original house, the site now houses a small museum (with its requisite gift shop) and a marvelous small concert hall. Upon arrival, we learned that we were lucky enough to be there for a short concert. We took our seats and had the good fortune to hear a very talented pianist, Christian Ihle Haland. He played selections from Grieg’s Op. 17 “25 Norwegian Folk Songs and Dances.” This was a perfect choice and a great start to the visit. The pianist was phenomenal. The hall itself has

Concert Hall at Troldhaugen

wonderful acoustics and a great view. The same view that inspired Grieg when he was composing in his little hut.

Grieg's home

After the concert, they split our group in two, because the house cannot accommodate large groups. My group was ushered into the museum where I learned a lot more about Grieg’s life and career than I ever thought. All cynicism aside, he had a remarkable career. With good reason, he is revered in Norway as much as a patriot as a musician. The house itself was interesting as an example how a 19^th century bourgeois Norwegian family would live. The setting, too, is lovely.

Back on the bus, our British ex-pat tour guide provided a running commentary on both the city’s history and his own, including his two failed marriages. I could have done without the latter. The city pretty much owes its existence to the German Hanseatic League, which used it as an outpost for the dried cod trade. Though I had a vague idea of the league and its history, I learned much more about it while visiting Bergen. There is a Hanseatic Museum, which I visited later in the afternoon. We had the afternoon free, for which I was grateful. My capacity for organized fun while traveling is not unlimited.

My first stop was a visit to a pharmacy to get something for a cold that had developed. I probably managed to find the least helpful pharmacist in Europe. Not only was his English limited, he seemed constitutionally incapable of making a real recommendation, “well, you could try that, or you could try that.” Ugh. Fortunately, after complaining to my fellow travelers the next day, the really helpful things emerged from people’s suitcases. I spent some time wandering the pedestrian shopping area and grabbing a sandwich for lunch. 

City park in front of gallery

I then decided to go see the collection of Edvard Munch paintings in Kode 3, one of the four principal art collections in Bergen. In the same building, there was an exhibition of 19^th century genre paintings, but nicely displayed in rooms with period furniture. I enjoyed that exhibit a great deal. The Munch collection and the historical perspective that the museum provided was quite well done. Well worth the visit. After the gallery, I toured the Hanseatic Museum, which I found very informative. Last task of the afternoon was to get an umbrella. It rains a lot in Western Norway!

Art shot! Can you tell what it is?

Back at the hotel, I worked on this blog for a while and then decided to benefit from the hotel’s free evening buffet. I had hoped to be in bed early, but to my surprise, I found a fair number of my fellow travelers doing the same thing. Well, one thing led to another, and soon I was enmeshed in a lively conversation with two Australians and a Canadian couple about the current state of US and world politics. I’m not sure how the wine kept getting to our table, but it wasn’t the early night I had hoped for – but it was fun!