Bergen is home of two famous... and other Bergen, Norway Local Custom Tips

Bergen is home of two famous composers: Edvard Grig and Ole Bull. Worth visiting their homes (museums).

For those of you that are Grieg fans, I will atemt to make a traveloge (under construction...)

---

If you would like to read some litterature to 'put you in the mood' before visiting Bergen, I can recomend any book by crime-author Gunnar Staalesen. His descriptions on Bergen are superb, and his books are translated into many languages. Read more at this link
www.literature2000.org/bergen/eng/gunnar/index.htm

Leave a Comment

Website: http://www.troldhaugen.com/default.asp?sp=2

The famous Henrik Ibsen lived in Bergen for a while. Here are a couple of poems he wrote about Bergen:

¤Outing to Ulrikken¤

15th May 1853

1

Travel Sketches (Mel: The Sinclair Song)

A lovely morning in “summer's gown”,
Birds sat in the trees and chattered, —
Then out streamed a party that left the town
And off across country scattered.

But Ulrikken lay like a giant's shield
Turned stone by the day's bright mocking;
A mermaid, foul troll, bade us heed concealed
Haphazards to boot-sole and stocking.

A full-o`-fun party, for such it soon grew,
We wandered for hours, three running, —
And finally Følgefonn hove into view, —
I'll not try to hide the punning!

Up top, away over beck and scree,
The crowd of us set to wander;
And here, to the dwarfs' dismay, must be
Where giants swapped blows, a bit yonder.

Our gaze and our thoughts are like birds of prey,
The world is the scene they quarter, —
Their flight took them soaring where snow-fields lay,
They swooped on the woods and the water.

Like swans when they yearn for the southern shore
As high above cloud they go streaming,
Thus joyful our yearning spread wing to explore,
Thus sped for the Spring it was dreaming.

And when at long last we arrived back home,
With pride we could state our conclusion:
There's infantry-stuff amongst those that roam
In Ulrikken-fell's seclusion.

--->> cont.

Leave a Comment

2
¤Prospect of Bergen¤

O, ancient Bjørgvin! from this vantage-view
You look your splendid best, for hence we see
Germanely, from this ridge, the German Quay, —
Yes, God forgive me! — the Triangle too, —
Beyond, your Lead, renowned the whole world through,
Rich mine wherein you seek prosperity, —
And Lunggaard's lake, midst many a green-clad rise,
As deep and lucid as your daughters' eyes! —
And now, the background! Look, where skerries throw
A dark yoke on the sea! The fjord's smooth sleekness!
But even better is the foreground show;
The fell there plunges in a bold obliqueness,
And our blithe troop, lay figures, pose just so,
Its ladies whiling in a fetching weakness
Whenas the southern fruits, all golden-glowing,
(From open knapsacks) make a lovely showing.
Henr. Ibsen

[Ulrikken, the highest of the mountains overlooking Bergen — a favourite spot for walking; the giants, deadly foes to the gods, who were turned to stone if the sun shone upon them; Følgefonn, a glacier on the far-distant Hardanger range; dwarfs, the technicians, so to speak, to the gods — skilled miners and smiths, timorous yet capable of malice; Bjørgvin, the ancient form of Bergen; the German quay, one of the wharfs; southern fruits — a playful pomposity for oranges. Rikke Holst was one of the party. ]

Leave a Comment

The Theatre in Bergen. A statue of Ibsen in the forground. He lived in Bergen for some years and was one of the founders of the Theatre. More to come...

Leave a Comment

Let me present Amalie Skram (1846 - 1905). I took this picture in honour of all females and in celebration to the international women’s day March 8th. She was an author and an amazing and brave woman of her time. She was also from Bergen.

The statue is at Nordnes on the way to the aquarium.

Quiz: How many monuments over female heroines have been erected by the city counsel where you live?

Leave a Comment

The 17th of May is a big day in Norway. It is Norway’s National Holliday were the Norwegians celebrate the signing of the constitution in 1814. It is a day with processions and festivities and the Norwegians are on the streets marching and waving flags. This is also the day that is best to observe the National costumes, as all Norwegians that own a costume will be wearing it. The costumes vary from district to district.

Leave a Comment