Beautiful Bergen

So its off to Bergen we go on the next leg of our Euro jolly. The Ukraine, Germany and Holland have all been peacefully invaded by thousands of Blues fans, and now the Kopites of Norway will have to contend with their neighbouring Team's support invading their patch.

Bergen sits on the south-western coast of Norway, in the county of Hordaland, with its centre situated between a group of mountains known collectively as De syv fjell ('The Seven Mountains'), God I love Wikpedia. It was European Capital of Culture back in 2000, and its wealth has derived from the Oil and Gas Industry, and Tourism with it being a thriving Port and gateway to The Norwegian Fjords. Its population is just under a quarter of a million, and it currency is the Norwegian Krone or NOK, and by what we are hearing bring plenty of them with you.

The price of a bottle of grog is in the region of 60 NOK (£5.50), and a decent Steak in a Restaurant will set you back in the region of 300 NOK (£28). Norway is historically one of the dearest places to live, and you will be glad to know tips are not expected in bars and Restaurants, so thank Christ for that, as I have a family to feed and a wife's credit card to service.

Bokmål (that's easy for you to say) or Norwegian is the main language, though the great language of English is widely taught from school age, but if you have any trouble, just point the amount on your fingers and then point to the bottle of grog in question, that normally does the trick.

The local brews are mainly Pilsner lagers, with unfortunately Carlsberg being widely sold. Some other brew's however delight us with such names as Bokkøl, Lyst Sterkøl, Bayerøl and Juleøl, but be warned as they can be as high as 7% - 8% proof. Oh dear I can feel my head hurting already.

Norway's weather is obviously harsh in the Winter, but with Bergen being a coastal City, its temperatures are well above the Norwegian average. The weather this week will be mild by Norwegian standards, and on Wednesday it will be sunny with a top temperature in the day of 5 degrees, with a low of freezing. In the evening it will fall to below minus, but if we braved Alkmaar we can brave anything.

Bergen has two main football Clubs in the city, Brann being the one in Everton's sights, and in the lower tier of the Norwegian League their neighbours Løv-Ham play. Brann have a capacity of 17,824, and as we know the Blues have received 950 of those tickets. Me thinks though with 2,000 plus Evertonians traveling, a decent Blue presence will be had in the Brann Stadion.

So enjoy your trip to Brann, and as we have always done on our Euro excursions in the past, let us be Ambassadors for our great club. Enjoy the day and the night, and here is to another away day victory on our European Tour. (11/02/08)

* There's a fish-market down at the port-side in Bergen that's cracking and has to be sampled. The place is expensive - be in no two minds about that. They have fantastically wierd laws like no alcohol sold in supermarkets after eight o'clock - so you can be in the queue and waiting to pay - too late - put the booze back! The only place after eight o'clock you can buy booze (outside of bars) are government run shops - where the mark-up is a very sick joke indeed. My advice - stick to the Irish bars - staffed by cheery South African types...

The natives don't look you in the eye - dunno why, but they don't - but if you manage to break the ice with them - then friendly and jolly they turn out to be. Don't mess with the Police - they have been especially selected from the No Sense Of Humour Ever Class at school. Check out the music scene - pumping! My son lives there - his band are called Countess Carpet - they're the bollox!
Take a raincoat! Bergen is wet, man.

Politely whoop their soccer asses and be nice to 'em back at Goodison. Come on you blues - George Costigan (12/02/07)