Friday, September 28, 2018

Trolls in Bergen

Norwegian trolls are mentioned throughout Old Norse legends, tend to live in mountains, caves, and under bridges, and are rarely helpful to humans, often dangerous.  Trolls are said to have insatiable appetites, eating rocks, livestock, humans, and anything else they can get their hands on.  They are generally not very bright and some are depicted as deformed, with multiple heads, fangs, and claws, while other depictions show them as incredibly beautiful.

Trolls are an essential part of the fabric of Norway and we find trolls throughout our trip, but the largest collection we come across is in the Bergen Troll Forest.

On reaching the top of Mount Fløyen, either on the funicular or by walking up the 320 meters (1000 feet) from the harbor, a short walk from the view point leads into Trollskogen and a great collection of carved wooden trolls.












 Troll carvings in the Troll Forest

And, of course, a place for trolls to sit

Back in town, the shops features lots of trolls for sale.  We don't acquire any, but do enjoy the variety.




 Trolls on display and for sale

We see trolls throughout our travels in Norway and all the ones we meet seem to be friendly.  We do not encounter any troll-related issues!


 Hanging out with trolls



















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