Friday it was back to Bergen at the Norwegian west coast. Some month ago, I found some cheap airline tickets and the trip was booked. Leaving directly from work – hand luggage only – to catch the flight at 17:10. 45 minutes to Oslo and a 45 minutes layover before the 45 minute flight to Bergen. No problems with SAS, even with a ten minute delay to Oslo.

The Bergen light rail takes my directly to “byparken station” which is only a 5 minute walk from my hotel, the Scandic Byparken – you see, same name… 🙂 Stayed here before on my trip in April. The central location is perfect. Check in fast and I get a nice single bed room on the second floor. Also here I got a great rate for the room. Members of the Scandic loyalty program could book at a discount rate, not refundable and advanced payment – but you saved about 30 % of the normal price.

Time for dinner. Found a nice Latin American restaurant close to the hotel. Unfortunately, they were fully booked and there was no table available. But I reserved a table for the next day. So the next best possible inner was chosen – Kebab. 😀 Not the best, but filling. As it already was late, I ended the evening with a film.

Saturday up at 9:00, shower and down to breakfast. The restaurant is full (everybody got up at the same time it seems) but I got a table in the conference room that was open for breakfast. Not the most beautiful room. The breakfast is great and one of the reasons i chose this hotel over one other option. Everything fresh and a huge variety of foods. Filled that way it’s time to prepare to leave.

As I have been here before, there is not much new I nee to see. I start by walking through the city center, visiting some shops (no wallet was harmed during this action^^) and finding some geocaches on the way. It is raining and cold. The decision is made that I take some laps in the AoD pool downtown. The national arena for swimming and diving. Great pool, they even played the national anthem when I entered the pool area… Ok… there was a national diving championship going on, my bad. di 1,85 km of swimming and used the sauna for a while. In a way refreshed I take a stroll along the lake towards the city.

I ordered my table at 18:00, so I have time to get to the hotel, dry up, put down my backpack and even rest for 30 minutes before I leave to the restaurant. I found Salsa in the SAS app and all reviews say that they have good food. THe restaurant is manly in the basement and very cosy. Latin American music playing. All tables are occupied. I order a Chicken Roja with a salsa, chutney and creamed corn and a banana emplanada for dessert. The food was great – as was the bill. 😀 That is Norway but totally worth it.

Still an hour before I have an geocaching event at a local bare also only minutes from the hotel. Normally you meet for half an hour or maybe an hour – we sat there for more than 4 hours. Great group, lots of talk about geocaching and traveling.

I am back at the hotel at 0:30.

Sunday I awake at 8:30 and try to head down to breakfast directly after a shower to get a seat. I manage to get my own table – but just in time. Again a great breakfast. Outside it is raining like hell. Who goes out in this weather? After breakfast I go back to the room and check some flights for the US in 2019 – find a flight and make a booking. Then I have to pack and check out at the reception.

Yesterday I was told to take a Wherigo geocache, which I plan to do. umbrella in one hand (not helping that much) mobile in the other I take the tour through the city center, visiting several pieces of art. A very nice cache. Takes some time, my legs are wet but I find the final place in the end. I am in a part of the city center which is on the opposite side of the #tourist# area. Very ice houses and squares – and most important, no tourists. 🙂

Back to the hotel to get a free coffee and to dry myself a little bit, logging the geocaches. After that it is out again to get some lunch at the Sumo restaurant (Asian food). Still raining, but not as much as before. I don’t want to carry around my luggage so I take an earlier light rail to the airport. Luggage checked inn (why did I buy fluids?) and back to Molde via Oslo. A small overlay in Oslo (YouTube is a good killer of time) and back in Molde at 23:00. Of course no bus at that time of the day, so the taxi mafia gets some more of my money.

The end of a nice relaxing weekend, that would have been much nicer with good weather – but this is Bergen… rain rain rain. Just two weeks until my next trip.