Hei hei, I am writing for Bergen and man, it is amazing here! I just have to be honest and say: Bergen is so much better than Oslo, hands down. For those who are unfamiliar with Bergen, it is Norway’s second largest city and is situated on the western coast of Norway. What’s really amazing about the city is that it lies on the edge of the water, but also surrounded by mountains.

We are here to spend påskeferie, and are living with Geir and Irene, and their children: Mathias, Jonas, and lille Lisa.

It was quite a ways to get here: over seven hours of driving across Norway–saw quite a lot of Norwegian landscape (sure beats your average Californian road trip).

On Tuesday, we went around the city center to do some shopping. (Or rather, window-shopping. I have pretty much sworn off shopping for any clothing here in Norway and have regulated myself to only wasting money on transportation fees and the occasional yogurt from the school cafeteria.)

Yesterday, we took a fjelltur (mountain hike): Bergen is practically built into the mountains so it’s easy access to many great hiking routes. And I just have to say, it’s so incredible to be back in Vestlandet again; the scenery in eastern Norway just doesn’t compare to here, and it’s great to revisit the places which made me fall in love with Norway in the first place.

Later in the day we went to Vestkanten Ishall to play curling. I’ve never even heard of the game before, but it was great fun play. And in the evening, we kosed ourselves with some games and music.

Today, we toured some more around the city. We got to see the neighborhood of old houses and buildings behind brygga (Bergen’s harbor, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage site). The houses there were built so close to each other, and the old cobblestone walkways were still intact: it was very charming and distinctively European. Got me thinking that I would love to live in one of those neighborhoods for a while; de ser så koselig ut.

We also got to try out Geir’s new boat. (And by trying out, I mean drive, hehehe.) I now completely understand the whole yacht/boat obsession. It was incredible: so simple.

And hmm, what else? Ate lots of good food–including something called blings, which is more or less a huge brødskive (slice of bread) with a lot of pålegg (topping)–and went to the aquarium and otherwise just chilled with Jonas and Mathias and the rest of the family.

Oh, and I forgot to mention one thing: the Bergen dialect! It’s hard to understand, but very very cool. And what’s insane about Geir and Irene’s family: the 5 of them speak 4 different dialects! (Irene is from Vestfold while Geir is from Rogaland, and they speak quite differently from each other and from Bergensers. Mathias, their oldest son, was born before they moved to Bergen, so his dialect is a mix. [In fact, the way he speaks to me is very different than the way he speaks to his brother.] However, the two younger children were both born in Bergen, and both have the typical Bergen dialect, even though their parents don’t! Amazing, huh?)

And now, I think I shall get some sleep. Go kvæl!