And now for something completely different

 

It is a country with less than one fifth of the population of Australia. It has over a 100 000kms of coastline (three times the length of Australia’s coastline) and a sovereign wealth fund five times greater than Australia’s Future Fund (more than twenty-five times greater per capita). The sovereign wealth fund is the largest of any country in the world, owning 1.5% of all the shares of all the companies listed in the whole world. Where? Of course, Norway!

 

A ninety minute flight from London Gatwick and a thirty minute bus trip delivers us to the historic dock area of Bergen on the west coast of Norway. Our mode of transport is now public, so our Airbnb is located right in the heart of the historic centre of town. We trundle our luggage  up several cobbled streets, through a pretty laneway and half way up a very steep hill. Our studio apartment is similar to a tiny IKEA showroom, functional, well located and comfortable.

In the advertised photos we had noticed that the double bed was positioned under a staircase, which looked quite cozy. Once here, we realise that the staircase is actually the main staircase for the three storey wooden building. Our neighbours are actually climbing the stairs over our heads, but it is surprisingly quiet.

 

The average maximum temperature in Bergen, at the height of summer, is 18, but in the dying days of spring it peaks at 25. The Scandinavian heatwave sees the locals sweltering in bright summer clothes. This is not how we pictured the start of three weeks in Scandinavia. 

 

Our studio is a couple of steps below street level, which is fine, until we open our windows to catch the breeze and not once, but twice, the neighbour’s cat enters through the window, uninvited. They (in case the cat is precious about pronouns) quickly flee in response to our startled cries.

 

Bergen is Norway’s second largest city with a population of about 300 000. Its glorious deep water port is part of the Byfjorden, the city fjord. It’s very, very pretty. The colourful wooden buildings, set off by blue sky and bright sunshine and surrounded by mountain forests make Bergen picture postcard perfect.

 

When Sydney attempted to democratize the naming of its harbour ferries it ended very badly with one ferry being named Ferry McFerryface. We notice a Bergen ferry with a slightly fiercer name, Eric Bloodaxe. It seems Eric ascended the throne of Norway about 1100 years ago by systematically murdering all his brothers. Vikings! The Norwegians seem to be a friendly bunch, but history shows that they definitely have a darker side!

 

In the words of Slartibartfast:

I happen to like fjords; I think they give a lovely baroque feel to a continent.

The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.