Day 10 & 11 - Bergen, Norway & start of Stockholm, Sweden

We love Norway!  We found our way to the western town of Bergen, Norway after our adventurous drive and Korey found a great little bar with dark wood and bookshelves filled with leather bound books in Norwegian to stop for an adult beverage after a long travel day.  Then Ines took the lead and immediately found the hipster neighborhood, where we drank local beers while sifting through vinyl records from around the world and spent the evening listening to Norwegian pop, indie, and electronic music.  Check out Comet Kid, Ines declared them her favorite.  

The next day we walked around the bustling town of beautiful Bergen.  We found our way to their port, where streets lined with original and very weathered buildings stand.  Many of them were clearly leaning one way or another in the Bryggen area, but cafés, shops, and bars occupied them all.  Korey thoroughly researched the safety of the architecture before Ines was cleared to go in and walk around.  Bergen overall was one of our favorite cities ever, and we wish we would have known and planned to spend more time there!

A quick evening flight brought us into Stockholm, Sweden (can you believe it took us 7 hours to cross Norway by car and only 70 minutes to fly from western Norway all the way to Stockholm, Sweden!).  That is truly how curvy and scenic the roads of Norway’s Fjords proved to be.  

We were lucky to have connected with friends of friends, Nel and Mel, who have been living in Stockholm for a total of 5 years (Thanks Ray and Laura!) who met us for a traditional Swedish breakfast of Muesli and yogurt, breakfast sandwiches, and cappuccinos.  Ines thinks the food options are amazing in Sweden, as they present you with an array of options of how to have your meal (lactose free yogurt and milk!).  Nel gave us the skinny on Stockholm and greater Sweden, and Mel walked around with us through different neighborhoods, giving us the history of Stockholm and pointing out all of the wonderful sights and things to do during our stay.  We then spent the rest of day walking around, catching the sights, and ordering what Korey thought were very complicated specialized food orders, with each one delivered perfectly to Ines. 

Finally, with Ines leading the charge, she immediately found the hipster neighborhood in Stockholm were she perused through vintage stores and we again found our way to an adult beverage accompanied by perusing Swedish vinyl records, where we met a guy from Sweden who spent his first 10 years growing up in Minneapolis!  He talked our ears off in English and seemed so excited to recount to us his Minnesota youth experience.  

What we learned:  1) We logged over 27K steps/12 miles on one day, and didn’t even realize it!, proving Ines can condition herself for Mt. Kilimanjaro, 2) Ines has some pretty advanced hipster neighborhood radar, who knew!

Beautiful gazebo in the heart of Bergen

 

Korey chilling with a cherry cola in downtown Bergen

Bryggen, Bergen

Pretty much twins!

Alley between the buildings of Bryggen, technically they're not supposed to be touching...

Nel and Mel!  Thanks again!  This is the cool old part of Stockholm, Gamla Stan.  Ray and Laura have officially been requested to visit Stockholm

Another cute couple pic on a bridge overlooking Stockholm, Sweden

Great view of Stockholm from Djurgården island

Ines showing her walking legs are holding up okay in Stockholm!