A Trip to the Gingerbread City

Yet another giant tent was set up in the center of Bergen (it seems like there's always a tent for some reason or another), and when I found out that it was the annual Pepperkakebyen (Gingerbread City), I had my heart set on going. Can you imagine? The entire city of Bergen built out of gingerbread?!

The place opened on the 25th of November, and every trip into the city thereafter left me wondering what it must be like inside. 

You could smell all the pepperkaker from anywhere in the square. 

Stian and I went on 'date night' and that's when we found out that it cost 70 kroner per person (almost as much as a movie!), and with a long line, we chose to go another day. 

Every trip to go Christmas shopping was just another inconvenient time to go see what was in that big white tent. 

Christmas came and went. 

The last day of the year had arrived and with nothing better to do, we went into the city with the hope that it was still there. 

Great news! It was. 

There's even a special theme song for this! 

I loved it. Local barnehage's (preschool's) contributed, as well as local families, and even some of the bigger companies in the area. 

Amazing.

Can you tell how happy I am to be there?!  :)

Of course, in true Norwegian fashion, little Norwegian flags adorned many of the houses and buildings in this little gingerbread utopia:

What a wonderful community activity! 

Yes, they had trains going throughout the city!

Honestly, I think this one of the coolest things I've ever seen. I probably need to see more of the world because in the grand scheme of things this is probably pretty lame - but right now, in my little world, this is delightful. 

So many more...

A stage with a band! And an audience made of pepperkaker sitting in pepperkaker chairs!!!!

Super cool ship: 

Pepperkaker Norwegian Flag, too!

A little soccer team, with goals made of straws, and they glued their own faces on. So cute. 

OF COURSE they made airplanes out of pepperkaker!! Bergen's Airport: 

And finally, the sports hall with some little gingerbread people playing some Olympic games: 

And so, that was my first visit to the Pepperkakebyen. It was the absolute perfect thing to do on the last day of the year and I'm definitely going again next time!