Reading Between the Lines

For today’s edition, brevity is indeed the soul of wit. Our departure from Norway beckons, and so too do the responsibilities that accompany it. My suitcases were full when I arrived a month ago, so a Herculean challenge awaits. I am readily accepting thoughts and good wishes for the upcoming customs process. Side note: I will have some final thoughts and reflections for this blog within the next few days once we’ve landed stateside and I’ve had some time to digest.

I am generally wary of assigning undue importance to matters of coincidence, but one would be forgiven for being tempted to read the signs today. Our first attempt at an activity this afternoon was foiled by an errant Google listing that led us to the Old Bergen Museum, now closed for the season. Luckily, the landmark isn’t a museum in the traditional sense, but rather a village comprised of many separate buildings constructed in the likeness of Bergen as it was in yore, so we were still able to enjoy some of the scenery even if we couldn’t view the interiors.

In need of contingency plans, we made the soggy trek over to the Bergen Aquarium on the opposite side of the harbor. The exhibits at the aquarium punctuated a common theme we’ve experienced in Norway, pulling no punches in their direct criticisms of human behavior with respect to climate change. The stairwells featured fishing nets saturated with discarded waste, the flow between individual tank displays was interrupted by glass cases displaying plastic trash, and the giant central column of the main exhibit was littered–literally and figuratively–with horrifying statistics regarding our treatment of the planet. I have appreciated this country’s directness with respect to the subject, and I credit our trip here with adjusting some of my own attitudes.

As we departed the hotel for a final celebratory meal, the sky, as if in waiting, unleashed its full fury, drenching our party within moments and bringing an end to the otherwise well behaved weather for our time in Bergen. And while we were impressed with Mother Nature’s performance, we had not requested the equally powerful encore we received on our return walk. It was enough to wonder if, had we tuned out the surrounding noise, we could have heard the air whispering to us: you’ve had your fun, but now it’s time to go.