Bergen - Norway - page 289

tourist office (see “Orientation,” earlier in this chapter) and at the door. Bryggens
Museum, Bryggen. & 97-52-86-30. Tickets 95NOK ($13) adults, free for children. Bus: 1, 5, or 9.
FILMS
Bergen has two large movie theaters, Konsertpaleet, Neumannsgate 3 ( & 55-
56-90-83 ), and Forum, in Danmarkplass ( & 55-20-62-48 ), which show all
films in their original versions. The earliest performance is at 11am, the latest at
11pm. Tickets usually cost 80NOK ($11).
THE CLUB & MUSIC SCENE
Café Opera Built in the 1980s, this is a large stone bar that is both a restau-
rant and a cafe. After the kitchen closes, it becomes a nightclub on two floors
from Tuesday to Saturday. On Tuesday night there is an open jam session where
musicians can entertain or poets can read. On other nights DJs mix and blend
disparate music, depending on their individual tastes. The cafe is host to inter-
national DJs and bands on most Fridays and Saturdays. A crowd in their 20s and
30s find this to be one of the more entertaining joints after dark. Engen 18. & 55-
23-03-15. Bus: 2, 3, or 4.
Engelen This is one of Bergen's more elegant discos. Wednesday to Friday
night, an older, sedate crowd in their 30s gathers to enjoy the music and ambi-
ence. On Saturday, beware: The atmosphere changes drastically with the arrival
of noisy, fun-seeking 20-somethings. Light meals are available. Cocktail drink
prices begin at 74NOK ($11), or 55NOK ($7.80) for a beer. It's open Wednes-
day to Saturday from 10pm to 3am. In the Radisson SAS Royal Hotel, Bryggen. & 55-54-
30-00. Cover 60NOK-80NOK ($8.50-$11), free to hotel guests. Bus: 1, 5, or 9.
Kafe Kippers USF A favorite rendezvous for artists, this club plays some of
the best jazz music in Bergen, attracting a wide age group. Every Friday night they
have a live jazz artist performing; otherwise it's the best in “listening jazz.” Inter-
national food is served, from American to Malaysian. In winter the club holds 80
patrons in snug comfort inside. In summer the on-site outdoor restaurant, Kaien,
becomes the largest in Bergen with 500 seats available, opening onto fjord waters.
Georgenes Cerft 3. & 55-31-00-60. Cover 100NOK-150NOK ($14-$21) Fri. Bus: 13.
Madam Felle Dark, woodsy-looking, and cozy, this is an animated and
crowded pub with limited food service and live music that packs the place with
20- and 30-somethings 4 nights a week. On those nights (always Fri and Sat,
plus 2 weeknights whose schedule changes frequently), live music plays between
9 and 11pm, with a cover charge that might be free, or which might rise to
150NOK ($21), depending on the season and the mood of the staff. The pub is
named after an early-20th-century matriarch who became a noted innkeeper at
a spot near here, and who's something of a legend in Bergen. Bryggen. & 55-54-30-
58. Cover: 150NOK ($21) some Fri-Sat. Bus: 20, 21, 22, 34, 50, 70, 80, or 90.
Rick's Café This is something of a labyrinth, with rooms devoted to the after-
dark pursuit of cabaret and comedy (there's a tiny stage for small-scale acts);
some serious drinking (on cold winter nights, things can get rather sudsy); or a
general, friendly pickup (no doubt encouraged by the bar's potent cocktails).
Attracting a crowd of 20- to 40-somethings, it's open Wednesday to Saturday
from 5pm till around 2am, depending on business. Veiten 3. & 55-55-31-31. Bus: 1,
5, or 9. No one under 24 permitted.
Rubinen Rubinen is one of Bergen's most popular nightclubs, attracting an
over-35 crowd of mostly married couples. It plays all kinds of music, including
country-western and rock. Drinks cost about 75NOK ($11). It's open Wednesday