Nordnes stroll

Today was sunny and warm, and of course I wandered around my neighborhood taking pictures. Of course you will believe that if you come to visit me, it will always be sunny and warm.

I live on Nordnes peninsula here in the middle of Bergen, Norway, sister city of Seattle, Washington. Same rain, same water, same hiking. Same totem pole? Definitely worth the stroll, for you PNWers.

A gift from Seattle to Bergen on the occasion of the 900 year jubilee in 1970

Outdoors is the place to be on a sunny day, or even a rainy day. The best views! The fresh air!

Nordnes Sjøbad, outdoor heated swimming pool

Norwegians encourage their children to climb as soon as they can walk

Two women knitting in front of Fredriksberg fort and the young mother statue 

A sunny day fills all the benches with people facing the sun. All the benches! And knitting is a very big pastime here. The fort has had all those stone walls repaired in the last few years. The Nordnes battalion of buekorps boys have their headquarters there. Come visit on the 17th of May to see and hear them! The young mother statue is about what happened after WWII. Norway was occupied right away, and was occupied for years. Imagine all those healthy hormone driven soldiers and all those blonde blue eyed young girls, also hormone driven, the whole time. No vivid imagination needed. Then, the Nazis lost, and the girls and their babies were shamed and disgraced. The fact that there is a statue about this sad time makes me proud of Bergen.

Toward Vågen harbor, the tight cobblestone neighborhoods are lovely

During WWII, a ship was in the harbor, full of ammunition. They decided to fix some problem with the ship, by ... welding! Most of the houses along Vågen were destroyed, but those that remain are very picturesque.

One of my favorite buildings is this one, looking away from Vågen uphill from the Strandgaten side, and then downhill from the Haugeveien side. It was restored to this beautiful condition in the last few years. It is the old seaman's home. 

The flowers are coming out! The sun brings, not just humans, but daffodils out.

Another favorite house is at the top of Nordnes, next to the little park at Klosterhaugen. When this house was for sale right at the beginning of the coronavirus years, my kids would not buy it for me. Bummer! I did get to admire what the new owners did with it, though, one day when they were having a yard sale. They restored the historic fire gear closet, uncovered a hidden window, and beautified the whole interior.

This fountain sounds like a musical stream during the summer.

It has been a fire lookout, and I believe it was owned by the church, once upon a time.

Two more pictures before I go. 

The view over the fjord toward the boat works. An empty bench?

The Fishery Directorate sign, which just appeals to me

Come explore my neighborhood with me! It's alway sunny and warm.