Piss, Dried Fish and Sweat

I’ve got a secret tip for riding the Hurtigruten. Don’t purchase a cabin. The top inside deck is plushly carpeted with soft sofas everywhere. Grandmothers come in for a sit and gaze out of the front glass (astounding views). At 9 in the evening, all the grands go to bed. You’ll have the top deck all to yourself.

That’s what I did because the cost of a cabin was so outrageously expensive. From the North Cape, I just purchased the 8-day ride (no cabin) to Bergen. I had my sleeping bag and air mattress, so I combined them with the plush carpet and enjoyed all the space. When it was time for a shower I just hopped first into the hot tube in the back of the boat, gazed out at glaciers and then rinsed off in the all-inclusive showers.

After reaching the top of the world, still glowing with joy and a sense of self-accomplishment, it was such a treat to NOT to cycle every day but rather just read a few books and enjoy the scenery. I can highly recommend two Norwegian Authors, Henrik Ibsen and Dag Solstad. You have to read Ibsen’s The Wild Duck first and then dive in the modern Shyness and Dignity by Solstad. Amazing!

Just when I started to catch cabin fever, the Hurtigruten would dock in a town on the coast and I’d have time to run ashore and take a look around. During one stop, I also had the chance to eat whale meat, which is quite unique in it’s taste and texture. It looks like a big juicy steak but has a light fishy / sea flavor and is tender as butter.

Finally, we made it to Bergen, a real gem of a city. My good luck continued and arrived on the sunniest week of the year. The old Hanseatic quarter, Bryggen, next to the wharf, was fascinating with its old buildings from the 14th to 16th century. They’re all built from wood, wall on wall, with only narrow passageways between them providing access to the harbor. In the old days, goods and fish would be loaded on and off the ships and brought into the buildings for storage. Some of the old pulleys and structures to haul up the goods up the different floors are still there as well.

I never realized how important fish trade was back in the 14th to 16th century and how powerful this old German merchant clan was. The Hanseatic League was so dominant in controlling trade throughout the Northern European waters that they had secured special rights so far away from home – back in the days when traveling by ship wasn’t as comfortable as the Hurtigurten.

Today you can tour some of the remaining houses and see how packed the seamen stayed together even when sleeping on land. Some of the lads slept two to a bed. All you needed to do was imagine the piss, dried fish, sweat and sea smells together with the fact that there was only wood to burn for heat and you’ll quickly come to the conclusion that living at a modern but crowded youth hostel with pubescent teens is infinitely superior to the old Hanseatic days.

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