Today is the first thoroughly wet one. An excellent opportunity to visit the Leprosy Museum.
Leprosy is not something that I associate with either Norway or Bergen. But there were three leprosy hospitals leading to Bergen having the slightly disconcerting reputation of being the leprosy capital of Europe. A Dr Hansen eventually established that the disease is not hereditary but an infection and the hospital where he worked is now a museum. So far only one Bellew ancestor has been afflicted. He went on a pilgrimage, hoping that like Naaman in the Old Testament ( 2 Kings, 5:14 ) seven dips in the river Jordan would put him to rights. Like so many a miracle cure, it didn’t work and he died there. All this happened a long time ago, in the early 16th century: “the other day”, as my grandfather was wont to say. Here is a picture of the hospital/museum; not very jolly.
Next, to cheer us up, the art gallery. Like many collections around the world the core was bought by a rich industialist, Rasmund Meyers. He decided to give his collection of Norwegian pictures to Bergen (like the Frick and Wallace collections). It is refreshing to be able to look at and enjoy the pictures without bothering too much who painted them. One of the best is J C Dahl. Here is an example.
A peculiarity of Bergen is their Christmas shops, unexpected in August.
In the grounds of Bergen Castle, overlooking the harbour, is a statue of our old friend Haakon VII.
