What defines a beautiful town? I struggled with Bergen, the second largest city in Norway. Visually it has a lovely seaport, as long as you don’t think about the whaling ships that probably dock here. I have to admit I was taken aback when I saw the free sample of whale meat in Bergen, Norway.
Here we chose not to do an official excursion from the ship, but rather to do things on our own. We got tickets and headed up the Funicular cable car for some stunning views of the city:
Bergen, Norway from the cable car (we are looking down, out the front window. Sarah has the headband, I don't know the other women.
Bergen from top of the Cable Car (it is a walking stick, as we were doing a bit of hiking at the top)
Then we headed to Byrggen, the old town and an UNESCO World Heritage Site. We read somewhere this town is sinking, and it’s appearance would support that.
Can you see the metal poles holding this building up?
Finally the fish market where we found some of the best shrimp I have tasted sitting next to whale meat, rain deer sausage, whale sausage and pelts of fox, reindeer and seals.
The Greenpeace supporter in me was rather horrified, and before you ask – No, I did NOT try a free sample of the whale meat in Bergen. Would you?
Travel Counter: We are in the third month of our 250 day overseas adventure. We were actually in Bergen on June 12 as we were cruising on the MSC Opera, however we had no internet access on the ship
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Travel with us as we laugh our way around the globe. I am Rhonda Albom, wife, mom, photographer and blogger, sharing the lighter side of our traveling family's life with two teens. 
I have mixed feelings on this issue and won’t go into a long diatribe here. In a nutshell I guess I need to know more before I venture a firm opinion. As a Greenpeace supporter also I agree, but I’m not sure it is quite as cut and dried as that. I do find the smiling whale picture rather ironic though.
Lynne recently posted..The Hitch-Hikers Guide To The Galaxy
I totally agree on the smiling whale photo, and its ok to leave long comments. Debate is good. I suspected this post to be a bit controversial.
The idea of the buildings falling is quite scary. Seems like they’d do something more than planting a few poles in the ground.
Joyce recently posted..#BFF: Sunset
It is more than the buildings falling, the town is sinking. It seemed to feel pretty safe for now as we walked around, but after reading your comment, it has made we wonder.
Interesting!!!!
Thank you for not trying the whale meat & for setting a great example for Melissa & Sarah
Thanks Debbie. I do my best
I think I couldn’t picture myself that I would taste any of those ‘delicious’ meals, although I know that they could be really tasty for the meat-lovers. I am also Greenpeace activist from the inside, but I understand that these whales have been fished legally and under the national fishing laws in norway. By the way, I really like your beautiful pics, Bergen must be a really wonderful city, I wish I could have the chance to get there.
Angela recently posted..Eine wundervolle Stadt: München
I know they are fished legally, but I don’t have to like it, or try it. I will admit, there was a small part of me that was curious as to what it tasted like, but not enough to actually try it. Thanks for your comments, and welcome to Laugh-Quotes.
Today eating whale meat and killing whales seems wrong, but the Norwegians have been doing it for hundreds of years, and it’s hard to stop traditions unfortunately.
I know what you are saying is correct, but it is today.