Bergen (23 Jan), Part 2

I said bye bye to this magnificent place. wait for the tram down and entered the tourist shop.

Norwegians have strange soveniors.

Finally, the tram came, I wanted to buy a ticket, just to realise that it didnt cost 18Kr, but 35 Kr. 7 Sing dollars to get down is too much. I decide to walk down.

I followed some people and signs, then saw a sign that says "this way to terminal" (downhill), but the path is going upwards. It is really really really turn off to see a downhill sign going upwards. I thought for a while whether I should bash down, cos I saw a faint path. Then an AngMoh in front of me, who was obviously, as disappointed as I am with the f-up sign, took off and bashed down the vegetation. He had no backpack, so he went real fast. I decided to take the same path. If there's any wolves or whatever, they probably eat him first.

Using this army path (more exciting than army really), I reached the bottom, albeit not knowing where I was anymore, because I lost my bearings while bashing down.

Reaching the bottom


I lost my bearings already.

So I took out a Map, but then I decided to just walk Bergen somemore.

I was deciding where to go, when I saw this great old church. Never fails to attract me, such old architecture.

And I walk more..

I was thinking whether I should just start going to all the science center and supposed places of visit. Then I thought that that's not really the way to live and smell and tour Bergen. I mean, living in Singapore, I dont even visit the botanic gardens, zoos, whatever, everyday. That's just not the Singaporean life. I walk to hawker centers and stuff. Im sure, people here dont visit their science center everyday. So I prefer, to see, what the people here see, daily. Hence, I decided to continue, on foot.

Reached the harbour. I guess this was what bergen is famous for, and what ludek mentioned that is nice to sit by.



This is a bad photo. I waited a while till someone came and help me take a photo. And that guy cant speak English, but he can understand. Its quite an old big man. I dont know why his aim is so bad, I was completely not inside the picture the 1st 2 tries. Kudos to him, he was willing to learn and I taught him to aim here and press this button. And I think he did not press the button properly the next 2 tries. Maybe, on the 5th attempt, he got a shot of me, in this penguin post. I wanted a new one, but then, he tried so hard, lets not be too demanding. I said 'yea this is ok'. He looked happy, thumbs up and left (5 attempts. he must be a happy man)

Great Architecture by the harbour. Its suppose to have some heritage meaning, which I dont bother to pay for a guided tour to find out.


I followed the harbor towards the sea. And saw these 2 castle.

I tried getting into these 2 castle, but couldnt really find the way in. Asked a few passer-bys, but they have no idea either. Saw some people going in and coming out of a house beside it and I walked it, stood there for some time, got a few weird stares, only to realise that there was some function going on inside.

So I ended up sitting here, and eating my mat-pakke, its quite a good place to chill, because u still have the harbour view to the left.

When Im done, I walked to a building, and sat on the floor, taking a serious read of my bergen guide finally. I didnt know where else to go and it was 4pm already. Realised that almost every tourist places in bergen closes at 4pm. And most shops in bergen opens at 11pm, closes at 4pm. knn. Damn slack pple. Maybe cos its winter. So here I am, at 4pm, dont know where to go, thinking that I wasted money coming to bergen and that I should meet Peter now. Then I saw that the acquarium (their aquatic zoo), closes at 6pm. Great. Im going there now. And I was told, that if you go to Bergen, you have to visit their acquarium. A little excitment I regained, as I also plan the route for tmr. (I have only 5 hours man). So I stood up, and rmbed that the toursist center says I can take bus 25? to the acquarium from the center. (And I have bergen card! so free bus!). So I asked a few passer-bys, how to get to the tourist center and the bus stop. I asked those at the bus stops, assuming they are better, but astonishingly, no one knows. Then I saw a girl on ear phones walk past, and I asked her. She's smart, she knew that I wasnt that concern about the bus, so she asked "where are u trying to get to?".
Me: "Acquarium"
She: "Well, walk there"
Me: "What?"
She: "Yea, in Bergen everyone walks. Its faster and its not that far, its just on the opposite side of the harbour"
Me (after climbing the mountain, I feel like slacking really). "Ok"
She: "Im walking in that direction, so we can walk together and that I can show u where to turn next"
Me: "Ok, that;s good"
She: "Where are u from?"
Me: "Singapore"
She: "Oh! I've been there. For a short study trip. Im a marine-time engineer, been to your beaches"
Me: "Oh really!. Thats cool, and rare!"
And some other convo..
Then, went we past the ferry
She: "Actually, u can try to take the ferry, across the harbour. Then u're just in front of the acquarium"
Me: "Oh. that's nice. I wonder if my bergen card enables me free ferry rides, I think so."
She: "Well, u can try and ask them, its just here"
Me: "Ok. I'll do just that, so.. good bye!"
She: "Yea. nice meeting u"
So I went to the ferry, asked the ferry person, told her I have bergen card, so she said "I give u discount"
Me: "how much?"
She: "16 Kr"
Me: "Ok, that's alright" (that's like $3.50 sing. its ok)
So I searched my wallet, then I pulled out my bergen card and showed her
She: "Yea, but u have to give me MO-NEY"
Me: "I know that, I just want to show u that I have the card"
She: "I trust you, dont worry"
(Norway pple, everything is a stupid trust system. So easy to abuse)
Me: "Ok, here's ur money"

So I took this picture, on the ferry, to the other side of the harbour.
I reached the harbour. And the ferry lady was nice enough to offer me directions to the acquarium w/o me asking. She said 5 mins walk. But I learnt, in Norway, when whatever time they say you need to get to this place, multiply it by 3. So 15 mins. Saw a great church/cathedral (i dont know whats the diff, but pple here insist there is), and they said acquarium is just behind. I wanted to give up walking, but some passer bys tell me that its just abit more. Abit more and abit more.. they always say. So I walked. And eventually, I reached.

This wasnt in door. This was outdoor. Apparently, the temperature here is just nice for them.

They have some pretty interesting aquatic species, I tried my best to make physical contact.

Inside the acquarium. Reminds of underwater world, but underwater world, is really much better. Sometimes, europe is overrated.


They call this the Norwegian Lobster. Actually its just a hybrid of prawn and lobster. Well, actually its just a prawn with pincers.

Nemo and Dory. Perfect.

This is quite nice.

And this is cool. At least a little creativity.

Why ur one hand so big.

This is prolly the weirdest aqua I ever seen. Its suppose to be dangerous I think. Look how its young congregate at the small corner.
Oh yes, btw, I was also reading on the different creatures. I learnt that there are a few kinds of fish, that has the ability to change its sex. There is one kind, where the female can change to male, if she desires, when there are too many females to males. And some other weird cross-sex stuff.

This acquarium is suppose to be full of dangerous fishes. I was disappointed that I could take a good shot, bcos all of them are stationary or hiding. And I was disappointed that they didnt provide information, on why they are dangerous.

I continued walking, up the stairs, into a very dark place. I didnt know why it was so dark, but I walked and realised that this room is full of crocs in cages. I walked to a cage, it was so dark, but I saw a croc in the water. It wasnt huge. The croc saw me, then it stealthily submerged, and without a sound, drift towards me. I knew it locked me as a target. Although separated by a fence, I felt my hair stand, and heart pound faster. You learn about it on discovery channel, and in movies, how the crocs move towards their prey w/o a sound. But now, I see it live, and I was his target.
Then, it laid motionless beside the fence, 10cm from me. I wondered why it didnt attack me, perhaps it realised we were separated by a fence (then the croc is dumb to realise it now). I cldnt help it, the fear got the better of me. I kicked the fence, and IMMEDIATELY, the croc sprang up from the water, opened its jaws, and tried to bite me. Thankfully, the fence separated us. And there was no camera or security around (Norwegians, can u stop being so damn slack and have some security!)


This shit below, it tried sprang from the water and tried to bite me.

If I hadnt got enough scare already, walking past the below make me go "oofff" and the other visitors looked at me. This is an ANACONDA. Its bloody long. Click on the picture. Enlarge it, see how the coil in the center actually belongs to it. Its full length is unimaginable.

Bloody snakes. My hair still stand seeing these pics. There's more. I shall not post.

HUMONGOUS lizard.


I pity the seal. It lives in a swimming pool. Damn you acquarium, can you give it a more decent habitat.



At night, I visited the pengiuns once more, and they were still there. I was expecting a feeding show to start at 6pm, then I rechecked my booklet, and realised that feeding at 6pm is cancelled in winter. Damn, I have to come back tmr at 12 or 3 pm to catch it.

More of Bergen, to be continued.