Iceland: The Land of The Midnight Sun Part 1 of 4 Reykjavik

After years of saying "I want to go to Iceland" Scott and I finally did it and with ten months of planing I was excited and anxious as we landed at Keflavik International Airport.  Coming from the scorching heat of B.C. I was not prepared for the biting wind that greeted us at 6:20 am, but the fresh Arctic air that filled my lungs grounded me.  I was in the homeland of my ancestors and I wasn't going to let weather or jet lag slow me down.

By the end of the 45 mins bus ride to the capital city of Reykjavik we were ready to explore.  Since we couldn't check into our downtown apartment until 2:00, we locked up our luggage and put on an extra layer, as it was only 10 degrees celsius and still windy.  From the bus terminal we navigated up the streets and found where our digs would be for a few nights and then headed into downtown for some coffee and food.  To our surprise the streets were dead on a Sunday morning and many shops and businesses were not open yet.  Eventually we hunkered down in a cafe and had the best cup of coffee.  Icelanders know how to make strong, hot coffee, which we couldn't get enough of.  Then we explored the trendy streets of Baronsstigur and Bankastraeti, looking in shops and eventually purchasing me a pair of gloves and Scott a toque.  It felt more like early Spring to us.  Much of the tourists around were donning similar garb like hiking boots, wind breakers and toques. We had our first "Happy Hour" which is common throughout Iceland.  Since food and alcohol are expensive, many pubs, bars and cafes have a "happy hour" where the drinks are usually half off.  We went to Tiu Droppar, this quaint underground French cafe.  It had the best cheese and meat plate ever.  Scott and I regaled about this cheese plate for days afterwards.

Hallgrimskirkja

On our next day we left our small, but functional apartment, which was conveniently located by the tallest building in Reykjavik, the Hallgrimskirkja.  This iconic church has the best view of the entire city from up the bell tower.  Then we toured through The National Museum.  It was well worth the trip if you are interested in the history of Iceland.















After a rest we hiked back to the bus terminal to catch our ride for our snorkeling tour at 4:00. Yes, I said snorkeling.  I didn't think there would be such a thing in the Arctic, but there is.  Scott and I love to snorkel and try to do it on all of our trips, so when I saw this I jumped at the opportunity.  This adventure was something I'd recommend to any experienced snorkeler.  We drove to the Thingvellir National Park where we suited up in tight dry suits and then jumped into 3 degree water that had been melted from a glacier and then filtered through lava rock.  We were actually swimming between two tectonic plates- North America and Euroasia, called the Silfra fissure.  The visibility was astounding in the fissure. Though there wasn't much in terms of marine life to look, the sun streaming into water made the rocks and algae glow aqua, emerald, and golden, which was magical.  The only thing that got a little cold was my face.

Menu from pub

Once back into town we ate at the Public House Gastro Pub that I'm still tasting the lobster dumplings and braised beef slider from.

Next morning we got our car and started the 7 day road trip on the Ring Road of Iceland.  In those days we encountered many sites.  The one we saw over and over again were sheep!!!  They are everywhere on the side of the road, in the fields.  You can't miss them.

On the way to Vik, we stopped at the famous Gulfoss falls.  It was a bit of a drive out of the way, but it was spectacular, and worth the drive.

Gulfoss Falls

Once back on the road we stopped at a small cafe and had the best bowls of lamb soup.  Through mossy hillsides and black lava rock fields we arrived at Dyrholaey, which is a famous black sand beach, where you'll find puffins!!!!  Being on the black grainy sand I felt this overwhelming emotion.  It was hard to describe.  The atmosphere was so hauntingly beautiful.  We saw a few puffins nesting in the cliff side and walked the shore line soaking up the misty air.

After a long day of site seeing we finally checked into this lovely bed and breakfast aptly named Kosy Vik.  We had this cute, cozy room with a full bathroom.  And like all the beds in Iceland there were two comforters, one for each person.  Such a brilliant idea.  Pizza and wine for dinner by the beach and off for a good nights sleep.

Lava rock field

Dyrholaey