2014 - OCEAN PRINCESS - BERGEN

FINALLY, I AM ON BOARD THE OCEAN PRINCESS, WHICH IS VERY FAMILIAR AS I WAS ON IT A MONTH IN 2012 & TWO MONTHS ON A SISTER SHIP IN 2013.

THIS VOYAGE IS BILLED AS THE 'VOYAGE TO THE MIDNIGHT SUN', NOT 'THE VOYAGE TO THE NORTHERN LIGHTS' AS SOME, YET TO BE DISAPPOINTED PEOPLE THINK IT TO BE.

HERE WE GO, LEAVING THE WHITE CLIFFS OF DOVER BEHIND WITH NOT A BLUE BIRD IN SIGHT...

JUST A SEAGULL...

AND COMING INTO THE PORT OF BERGEN, OUR FIRST PORT IN NORWAY & MY FIRST TIME HERE TOO.

AND YOU HAVE ALL HEARD HOW EXPENSIVE NORWAY IS, WELL I BEG TO DIFFER....

AND THIS LADY IS THE FIRST OF A SURPRISING NUMBER OF BEGGARS I SEE IN NORWAY...

SOME REALLY NICE ART WORK ON DISPLAY....

I WAS TAKING THOSE PHOTOS WHILE WAITING FOR MY TOUR TO START & COULD NOT FIND THE START POINT. I WENT TO ASK IN THE TOURIST INFO PLACE AND SPOKE TO AN AMERICAN TOURIST FROM MY SHIP WHO INFORMED ME HE WAS GOING TO A GREEK CONCERT. WHAT A STRANGE THING TO DO. ALL THE WAY TO NORWAY FOR A GREEK CONCERT.

I LATER FOUND HIM ON MY TOUR WHICH IS TO AN EDVARD GREIG CONCERT.

UP INTO THE HILLS BEYOND BERGEN WE GO....

AND ARRIVE AT EDVARD GREIG'S HOUSE ....

WHERE WE GET A SHORT TOUR & THEN ENTER THIS BUILDING FOR A PIANO RECITAL OF GREIGS WORKS...

THE LITTLE HUT IS WHERE HE COMPOSED HIS WORKS IN UTTER SERENITY..

HERE IS THE END OF THE CONCERT & YOU CAN SEE THE HUT BEYOND THE PIANO.. WITH THE WATER BEYOND IT..

AFTER A WONDERFUL HOUR OF MUSIC WE HEAD BACK TO BERGEN WHERE I HAVE SOME FRESH SHRIMP, SOME MUSSELS & WHAT I UNDERSTOOD TO BE A HERBAL BEER..

NOT MUCH OF OF A VIEW FROM THE SHRIMP SHACK BUT, .......