What a beautiful day in Bergen! The sun was out and it was comfortable, although chilly in the shade. We started with a short walking tour of the Bryggen wharf area where our hotel was located. The old wooden buildings were so quaint, and the streets were mostly uneven brick. Our walk took us to the funicular, where we rode to the top of one of the mountains for a spectacular view. Lots of locals went up also, carrying their skis.

In the afternoon we had a guided bus tour. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and had many interesting stories. Our first stop was the home of composer Edvard Grieg – more gorgeous views.

Our bus tour ended at our ship, where we did the usual embarkation things then had a very nice buffet dinner. Now we’re settling in for a 10 day sail up the coast. We’ve been told this is the best time of the year to see the Northern lights, so keeping our fingers crossed for clear skies.