Well, the cruise has ended in Bergen, Norway and with it the fine weather.  I’d wanted to walk around downtown, but it’s a cold driving rain and very stiff breezes, so we fled back to the hotel so that I could dry out my pants with the hair dryer.  This evening, we’re keeping alive our long-cherished custom of trying the local Mexican food restaurant in the different countries we go to.  This trip’s adventure in dining is ‘Casa de Toro,’ advertised as Bergen’s only Tex-Mex restaurant.  The other rather intriguing option was ‘Tandoori Tapas,’ an Indian/Spanish fusion restaurant (doubtless with a Norwegian twist).

Here’s a fishing village on the way in to Bergen…

This is another black-and-white experiement…

I did manage to get a couple photos of Bergen before I got drenched and wind-swept.  This is our hotel, Det Hanseatiske Hotel, in an old Hanseatic trading post, the Finnegaarden, which dates back to 1403.  The room has massive wood beams everywhere.  It reminds me of my room in the 16th century farmhouse we lived in in Marlesford, Suffolk, England when I was in high school.  (If you go to the hotel’s website, our room is the first one that shows – http://www.dethanseatiskehotel.no/en/)

And this just blew me away – have you ever seen a McDonalds like this?!  The building dates to 1710.  And check out the special being advertised – it appears to be a Big Mac, fries, and a drink for 150 Norwegian Krone – that’s $23.30.