Bergen Dog Walk - School Park

Today on our last dog walk in Bergen, we went to the same place that we went to on our first dog walk in Bergen. We call it School Park. I think it is officially called something like Storetveit parken but whatever. On the way today we saw a couple of gorgeous poppies out playing with the sun. So beautiful. As I was photographing them, one of my favourite creatures in the whole wide world, a bumblebee, flew in. He was so sweet bumbling and buzzing around in there. I couldn't see him after he crawled in, but I could certainly hear him! Busy little bee he was. And no wonder he flew in there! Look at that magnificent eye! The poppy stares back at us. The inside perfectly matches the bumblebee's fluffy body and colours too, a real safe haven with the feel of home :) Heading to School Park takes us past the secret turnoff to Sherwood forest. The dodgy little road takes on a covering of trees for a small section and Mina usually stops to ask/suggest we take the track to Sherwood. Today though, she got the 'not today' answer to her question and we pressed on to the park. On the way, we pass the local church, starting from the cemetary side.

It may sound strange but I actually love the cemetary. I like the reminder of my mortality. It helps me enjoy more of the small beauties of the daily dog walk. I also find this cemetary aesthetically beautiful, in all seasons.

They replant the plants around the gravestones to match the seasons, so that there are always living flowers. In the winter, they light candles in little lanterns so that they are shining in the darkness when we walk on those cold dark mornings. A local friend told me that it is often young school kids, around 16 or so that are hired for the work. She said she did it for a few summers and enjoyed using the lawnmowers and driving the little cart :) There are defintely worse things to do all day than plant flowers and contemplate your feelings on death.

We then go on up past the bell tower... that charming construction that rings at 10.00 and 10.30 on weekends, as well as all over the place on weddings, confirmations, religious celebrations etc. I love listening to them on lazy morning weekends, 10am is right about the time it starts to be okay to have bells ringing I think.

Finally we hit the park! A couple of retirement villages sit at the end near the church and a school lies at the other. Here is the path between the two...


Today being Sunday, people were really out and about. The group of guys on the soccer field in this shot were flying a model stunt airplane, and doing so very well I might add! Lots of tricks and turns and rolls.








They had a captivated audience!
I love that the woman had been picking flowers from the meadows of the park. As you can see, it is left rather wild, but that is for good reason! There is a rather rare bird species that calls this meadow home - so dogs must be leashed and all plants allowed to grow. Today I was lucky enough to see one amidst the daisies.
They make the craziest call when alerting you that their babies are nearby, really like an old school computer game firing sound, pyanng pow, pyang pow pow pow. So cool.













When it is sunny and warm, people in flats use the park as a backyard and heaps lay around with their shirts off in the sun, and why not?

Once we have done a lap around the park, we take the path back to the main road, which I always find most lovely when it is covered in snow...



















Along the main road we pass our vet clinic. The smells are just so intriguing that Moj thinks he would really like to go in! Mina is not so sure though... :)
And that is that - our regular bergen dog walks - school park, sherwood forest, slettsy lake and king's lake. How very appropriate it is that I finish this blog series, on our last walk in Bergen, the day before we leave for Tromsø. How crazy and exciting! J and I are all packed up and are waiting for the removalist to pick up our boxes first thing tomorrow morning. We will then pack the car, do the last run round of cleaning and carpet washing and we are out of here! We are taking 4-5 days to drive the 1800kms up the country. We will have the dogs and our camping gear and plan on taking some of the winding tourist roads along the coast. Personally, I am super excited to our see our new home on a fjord above the arctic cirlce, but also excited to enjoy the whole journey along the way :) Next blog coming to you from Tromsø...xxx