A Blustery Day In Reykjavik

A Blustery Day 

Keep this in mind, The water in Iceland is very pure and excellent to drink. During the cold war when there was a US Military presence on Iceland they chlorinated this excellent water. Bring a water bottle to refill as you go about your visit. 

Yesterday we received an email telling us out Glacier Walk Tour had been canceled due to a forecast storm.   

During the night I noted there were times when the skies would be clear or a blizzard. This prompted me to be up every hour from 2300 to 0400. Alas no luck seeing the Northern Lights. 

We woke a little after 0700, cleaned up and headed to breakfast. The Hotel provides a generous breakfast of porridge, cereals, fruit, Skyr, breads, meats, as well as eggs, and a few hot dished. Well done and very nice coffee. 

After breakfast we bundled up as temperatures were colder and it was a bit windy, yet the sky was partly cloudy. We started out by going to the Tourist Information Office in the Old Town area. We learned a vast majority of the tours had been canceled  due to the pending  storm. Here we purchased a two day Reykjavik Welcome Card. This will get us bus transportation and entrance to many local attractions. 

We made our way to the Hallgrimskirkja Church. In front of the church is a statue of   Leif Ericksson.  This church sits high on a hill and overlooks the city. One can access the bell tower to enjoy the view. For a fee of 800 ISK you will be given access to an elevator which takes you almost to the top.

The weather is still holding for us and we make our way to the 871+/-2 Settlement Museum via Laugavegur Street, a main shopping street. This street is where you will find all kinds of shops selling clothing and other souvenirs. There is no wanting for various places to get a drink and a bite to eat. 

Having some change is handy for these

A place for single gloves to hang out

This was an unexpected find 

I found the Settlement Museum very interesting and the displays very well done. This is an excavation site of a Long House. The displays guide you through the various parts of the structure and gives insight as to how the people lived. Excellent interactive displays present how the house may have been constructed. Give yourself about an hour to visit this museum. 

SEVERAL OF THE LOCAL FOLKS ARE WARNING US OF THE IMPENDING STORM. 

From the Settlement Museum we walked to the  National Museum of Iceland. Another great museum highlighting the history and development of Iceland to the current day. Excellent informative displays.  Here one can find a statue of Thor, which was discovered in 1815. I expected this to be a STATUE , it is a small statue about 3 inches tall. One should plan about 2 hours or more here. There are a couple rooms which are called hands on rooms were kids young and old can play with many items. 

I will emphasize the museum visits were definitely enhanced by having taken the Reykjavik City Walk the previous day.  

Our plan was then to make our way to next make to a local pool to enjoy a warm soak, The storm was starting to arrive and it was a bit of a hike to the pool. It was now snowing and the wind was about 20MPH. Change of plans.

Lets find a cafe for a warm drink and snack. But First, lets get a hot dog. Nothing says Iceland like having a hotdog with everything on it in an icy gale.  Yes even in the inclement weather there was a line, albeit short.  The Cafe Haiti had been recommend to us by the people at out Hotel front desk and the Leader of the City Walking Tour. 

Cafe Haiti is located a few meters from our Hotel so we made a stop. Lynn had a hot chocolate and I had coffee. We shared a nice tasty brownie, worth a stop for sure. 

We then stopped by our hotel room to drop items from our packs before we made our way to the Vikin ( not a misspelling)  The Reykjavik  Maritime Museum. The weather has taken a big turn for the worse. Blizzard with strong winds. In Iceland the wind speed is measured  by Meters Per Second. The wind was at 21 Meters per second. The snow would sting your face and at times, the gusts would almost blow one over. I would say it was in the area of 60MPH. We have been told some bus routes have been closed and locals are saying this is very very unusual weather.   

This museum highlights the more modern days of fishing in Iceland. Great displays and very informative. Here one can learn about the Cod Wars, where the Iceland Coast Guard was called into action. The most common weapon used during this conflict was the Trawler Line Cutter. This was used to cut the trawling lines of those who invaded Iceland’s fishing waters.  

A statue for those lost at sea

Line cutter 

Iceland has no army, their only defense is three Coast Guard ships and two helicopters. The helicopters are used primarily to rescue hikers during the summer.

We made our way back to our room where we caught up on journals and logs and dryied out our outer clothes. I was glad we had Arctic gear and were warm and dry for this nasty weather. 

Tonight we will make our plans for tomorrow. 

Random Thoughts:  Have only seen a few folks walking dogs. The people cycling, most are riding a cycle-cross bike. The roads and bike paths are still snow covered.    

The common food at the cafe’s and bars seems to be hamburgers, followed by pizza. There a couple fish and chip shops. The only chain restaurant we have seen is Subway. 

Denver to Iceland and Day One

Icelandair from DEN to KEF and day one. 

Saga Class is nice service. Friendly greeting from flight crew and water was awaiting at our seats. A pillow and duvet were on our seats. We were soon offered a noise canceling headset to use during the flight,  and a glass of Mont Marcal Cava Reserva.  Comfortable seats in a four across configuration. There is a power outlet for each seat and a USB outlet located directly in the seat back in front of us, under the entertainment system.   Only 14 seats up front on this flight in Saga Class.  

Reykjavík is believed to be the location of the first permanent settlement in Iceland, which Ingolfur Amarson  is said to have established around AD 870. Arnarson is said to have decided the location of his settlement using a traditional Viking method; he cast his  high seat pillar chair into the ocean when he saw the coastline, then settled where the pillars came to shore. Steam from hot springs in the region is said to have inspired Reykjavík's name, which loosely translates to Smoke Cove/Bay,  the city is often referred to as the Bay of Smokes or Bay of Smoke. 

Dinner was served , I had beef steak and Lynn had a Pasta. Served with a very nice crab/fish salad. The Bordeaux wine was excellent. Desert was a fruit cookie bar with berries on the side.  

We are about 5 hours out so I should try for some sleep. Actually slept fairly well. No northern lights were sighted as we asked to be awakened should they be visible.  I did wake up as we crossed the East Coast of Greenland and no Aurora. The coast looked very interesting and should be great viewing when we visit this summer. 

Upon arrival it was a easy passport control and customs clearing. We made our way to the Fly-Bus desk and we were directed to a bus. We waited till the bus was totally full about 20 Min or so, and were on our way to Reykjavik. This is about a 30-45 minute ride from the airport in Keflavic to the BSI Bus terminal. Depending on your destination you may have to transfer to a smaller bus. We were part of the group that had to transfer. 

On the way in I noted the landscape was barren and reminded me of Craters of the Moon area of Idaho, or any other volcanic landscape. Geologically speaking Iceland is rather young. As we got closer to Reykjavik there seems to be no lack of 3-4 story apartment buildings and then some single family residences. All seem rather plain and box like in their architecture. My guess this is dictated by the climate. There is about 6-8 inches of new snow on the ground and a big storm is scheduled for tomorrow. We are wondering if our Glacier Walk will be canceled.  

The smaller bus took us to our hotel, the Reykjavik Marina. Total time was about two hours from landing to arriving at our hotel. Our room was not ready, hey, it was 0830 in the morn, as we expected. We got our coats, stored our luggage and went for a walkabout. I did not take my camera as weather was nasty at the time we left the hotel. We used this time to get our bearings and find a few landmarks. 

The downtown area is comprised of narrow streets and many many shops, restaurants and bars. Reykjavik does not come alive till about 1000 to 1100 hrs. There were a few coffee shops open. Also of note were the parks and their water features, which were pleasant and nicely done. 

We arrived back at out hotel about 2 minutes after 1000 to find our room ready. We had requested an attic room which has a small balcony and a view of the harbor. Large TV and work station, open shelf for storage and an area to hang clothes. The bathroom is next to the bed and the shower looks great.  The decor above our bed and in the room is wallpapered with a street map of Reykjavik and the area east of the city.  I like this place, it is a modern funky kinda place. 

After getting settled in and unpacked we went out again.  First stop was Baejarins Beztu Pylsur for a hot dog. These were great, we got one the Icelandic way with everything. Made mostly of lamb with pork and beef added and a cost of 380 ISK. The accompaniments are also quite different from those used in the U.S. Icelandic hot dogs, which have a natural casing that gives them a delightful snap when bitten into, are topped with raw white onions and crispy fried onions, ketchup, sweet brown mustard called pylsusinnep, and remoulade, a sauce made with mayo, capers, mustard, and herbs. I found them excellent as I am very partial to a Chicago Vienna Dog and believe ketchup should never be added to a hot dog. On this snowy day we were about third in line, and as we ate our dog the line had grown to about 30. Locals and visitors alike. 

We next made our way to  Tjomin City Pond, which is a natural lake and on the North end warm spring water keeps the ice open for several local waterfowl. Here we found Whooping Swans, Tuft Headed Ducks, Mallard Ducks, and Greylag Geese. 

We had made a reservation for the afternoon City Walk Reykjavik tour. These are free tours, and guided by a local graduate student, and are licensed by the Iceland Tourist Board. Although these tour are totally free a gratuity is requested. Well worth a generous tip.  I would highly recommend this be ones first tour taken in Reykjavik as you gain a great deal of information about the history and culture and issues of Iceland and Reykjavik. Here is a link to their web sire. They have only been operating for about 9 months.  

http://citywalk.is 

Prior to our tour we stopped and had a coffee and a kleinur (this is a Iceland doughnut). To give on an idea of the food cost we spent close to $15 US for the afore mentioned coffee stop. 

After the fantastic city walk, we stopped at a 1011 (7-11) store to see what was available. We each had a Skyr (yogurt of Iceland) for a snack. If you want to save money on your visit self catering could be the way to go. 

We then went to visit the Reykjavik Photo Museum on the 6th floor of the Library. Free admission  and the featured exhibit  showcased photos taken in 2006 of the US Military base  after it closed. 

We went back to our room and set stuff out to dry as the second part of our walking tour was in a heavy snow.  

The locals are expecting a big storm tomorrow and as such our Glacier Walk and Northern Lights Tour has been canceled. SO we will regroup and plan tomorrow accordingly. Might be a good day to hit a local pool for a soak. 

As we reorganized at 0530 the sun came out so we quickly bundled up with a mission to find the Solfar and get some pictures when the sun was shinning. Mission accomplished. 

Back to our hotel to catch on on journals and photos as we enjoy a local IPA and Lynn had a non alcoholic soda concoction of pear, lemon, grapefruit, almond, and cinnamon. 

I feel the jet lag sleepy monster will strike soon.  

  

ODIN WE ASK FOR CLEAR SKIES!!!!

The northern lights are spectacular and Iceland is an ideal place to search for this natural phenomenon.  Sightings are most likely in the evening hours during the months of September to March. NASA predicts that this winter the northern lights will be their most intense in over a decade. Our chances of seeing them on our June/July trip are almost nil due to the length of daylight during those months at these north latitudes. 

What are the Northern Lights?

Displays of the Northern Lights occur when solar particles enter the Earth’s atmosphere and on impact emit burning gases that produce different colored lights (oxygen produces green and yellow; nitrogen blue). The scientific term for the lights is the aurora borealis (named after the Roman goddess of the dawn). A similar spectacle in the southern hemisphere is known as the aurora australis.

Where can you see them?

The aurora borealis occurs in an oval doughnut-shaped area located above the magnetic pole. The best sightings are within the “doughnut” (rather than at the pole itself), and away from artificial light and moonlight.

The oval rotates with the sun, and it may grow and shrink in size considerably in only a matter of hours. The most spectacular displays occur in the northern parts of the following areas: the Nordic countries of Sweden, Norway, Finland (including all of Greenland and Svalbard), Alaska, Canada and Russia.

Icelandair  has nonstop service to Reykjavik and they offer some interesting tours which include air, lodging, tours and transfers. We opted for the Northern Lights and Glacier Walk offering. 

We depart on March 8, from Denver and arrive Monday March 9th in Reykjavik. Our Glacier Walk will be on Tuesday March 10 and we will have Wednesday March 11 to explore Reykjavik on our own. 

Our pre-trip research indicates Reykjavik is a town easily explored on foot. There is a local bus service and if one purchases a Reykjavik Card many local attractions (hot pools, museums, etc.) and bus card are included. A three day card is about $39 US. A shorter/longer stay Reykjavik card is available. Will see if we decide to get one of these. 

Highlights of this trip will be the Northern Lights, Hotdogs (more on those later), the local cafes , the Harbor area, museums, and pools.  We will see what fates the Norse Gods have in store for us. 

Our lodging will be at the Hotel Reykjavik Marina, ( http://www.icelandairhotels.com/en/hotels/marina/about-reykjavik-marina/about-the-hotel ), not centrally located but close to the Old Harbor area. Most locations we want to visit are close within 1-2 km.  

Our fingers are crossed and we hope Odin will give us clear evening skies. 

Stay tuned as this journey progresses.

Pups were dropped at puppy camp, they pulled me in there like the start of the Iditarod.  We drove to DEN and got checked in with Icelandair. We were given passes to the UAL club so here we are waiting.