Scandinavia 2019 Travel Blog – June 19

By Kim Andersen

Bergen, day 3, Wednesday, June 19

Fun little things always happen. Last night sitting talking at the hotel a pair of elderly American travelers came over full of joy having recognized a group of Cougars in a foreign land. They had friends and family working and studying at WSU. Gave us that sense of pride we all know. Then this morning as we headed out a group of Norwegian high school students whose class assignment was to interview visitors to Bergen conducted a lengthy, fun interview with our group. They were in luck, of course, as our students know exactly how to handle such an interview. Such happenings, as benign as they are, make our students aware that they come from a special place, that they represent both themselves and our university which is such a great part of who they are now and will become.

We were on our way to do the number one Bergen thing to do: take the funicular to the top of Mount Fløyen and admire the gorgeous view of the busy hub of Bergen between mountains, inlets and fjords. Fishing vessels and cruise ships coming and going. The sun was baking away, the forest on top lush and green as we hiked around, found and petted the six Kashmir goats that Bergen city is keeping there to control the undergrowth. They are wearing GPS collars that’ll zap them if they try to wander off into the Norwegian wilderness that starts just a kilometer or two beyond the Mount Fløyen cafe. Quite amazing that we are this close to the Arctic circle.

It might be an idea to equip Honors students with a similar nifty GPS bracelet which I could track on a pad. Nevertheless, it’s a lovely stroll down the mountain along forest paths and finally through old Bergen housing quarters of pretty wooden houses seemingly velcro’d together wherever there’s space to squeeze in a couple. A unique architectural atmosphere; windows full of interesting ceramics and flower arrangements. Without tracking everybody made it back to the evening meeting.