Day 2: Reykjavik

In case the video thing worked (it did for THB) on the prior post, THB tries it again!

VOTD: (click on this link) How to Glaze a Cup: Broccoli

Brandon Bateman mug, now owned by THB

Day 2: Reykjavik

QOTD: By 930 the chieftains had established a form of governance (Althing), making it one of the world's oldest parliaments. Also towards the end of the tenth century Christianity came to Iceland due to the influence of the Norwegian king, Olaf Tryggvason. During this time Iceland remained independent, a period known as the Old Commonwealth and Icelandic historians began to document the nation's history in books referred to as Sagas (Icelandic for story or history). 

Weather:  Bright at midnight (full moon?), overcast at 3:30am, one spot of blue sky at 7:40am, then overcast again, rain starting at 11am, and then some blue skies mid-afternoon, followed by more complete overcast

 

There are lots of light switches in the living room to choose from, none necessary at midnight

First breakfast of coffee and terrific 5-grain toast and butter, at 3:30am. While DB got the induction stovetop to work last night, this morning it is a mystery. On other hand, she gets drip coffee, toaster and microwave to work. Youtube gives some help on stovetop, you have to tap the i in the circle some magical number of times. Exchanges are full of adventure. 

 

No knobs to turn

Tap, tap, tap, tap?

First shower (yes, for you sharpies, THB did not bathe on Day 1): hot water smells of sulfur, and not because of problems with water heater. Icelandic hot water smells of sulfur, somehow it comes straight from the geysers to your hot water faucet! True?

Second breakfast, at the more normal time of 7am, of haframusli (we thought we were buying granola – jet lag) and 1.5% lettmjok (milk, maybe from Germany?) and berries (from Spain, probably $1 a berry).  

Hallgrimskirkja

For $50pp, we’ve signed up for the I Heart Reykjavik walking tour. It starts at 10 at the big church in town, Hallgrimskirkja. Figuring out the pay-for-parking machine is a two-headed task: finding the English version, trying to differentiate between spaces in the P1, P2 and P3 zones, putting the credit card in the right way, selecting a time, and then realizing we paid $10 for 6 hours. Ironically: the tour leader tells as after we find the tour that parking is free in spots right at the church.

 

Audur, our tour leader

The tour is usually closer to 3 hours; today as the rain starts up mildly at 11 and then intensifies as noon approaches, Audur, our tour leader decides to call it a tour in front of the Parliament House.

Famous local artist and architect

 More shots from around town:

Murals are big

Yarn bombing has come to Iceland

There are no zoning/paint restrictions

THB brings back utility boxes

Another set of utility boxes

Rotate your screen 180 degrees, pleast

Harpa concert hall, we hope to tour later in trip

We cover quite a bit of the non-touristy part of town, and pass our dinner spot for tonight (recommended) and end up very near our lunch spot (recommended), the Sea Baron. Two bowls of “lobster” chowder/bisque (actually, a few pieces of langoustine, the soup is hot and not too creamy) and lousy bread, $25.

Still raining as we leave the restaurant, and large puddles (aggressive drivers seem to use this opportunity to splash the pedestrians that wander to close to the curb; we learn to stay back). Visits to a i8 art gallery, the contemporary art museum ($13pp, ya gotta be 70 here to get the senior discount), a few stores, and then a mid-afternoon treat at Reykjavik Roasters: double espressos with steamed milk on the side and cinnamon scone (more like a muffin top than a scone), $15.

A few more shots around town:

Onesies?

THB goes back to urinal/bathroom art shots

Here's what's outside the bathroom art shot

As we are nearing the car, the sun breaks out and so we take the opportunity to go to the top of the Hallgrimskirkja, $7pp to ride the elevator (there are no stairs). A great view of Reykjavik, in all directions. 

Dinner at Sjavargrillid: THB gets a three course menu of fish soup (same-same but different from lunch chowder), combo grilled catfish and char, and a combo of almond cake and rhubarb sorbet for dessert; DB has green salad and salmon done two ways (grilled and gravlax), each have a drink (THB – blueberries; DB – cucumber), mediocre bread, total is $175. Nothing special, and cracked plates on several courses. THB is thinking that it may be time to lower standards on food at all levels. TBD

Days 0-1: E-ville to Iceland

Hello all:

Finally, the video you've all been waiting for: Sea Lion Rescue on Salinas State Beach. 1 minute of four volunteers corralling a feisty sea lion. Of course, that's if it plays! May the force be with you...

Further, before starting the trip, THB is posting the pics of the art purchases from the western New York trip, all by Ashley Lyon:

Photos of "leather hard" ceramic pieces

closeup

closeup

"Contralto" door

closeup

"Leather hard" pillow

VOTD: (yes, THB is now linking to videos...assuming it works!)

Emeryville goes viral  Yep, you can see our immediate neighborhood, live on TV


Now, back to the travel blog!!
 

First glimpse of Iceland from the air

QOTD: The recorded history of Iceland began with the settlement by Viking explorers and their slaves from the east, particularly Norway and the British Isles, in the late 9th century, since Iceland was uninhabited long after the rest of western Europe was settled. Recorded settlement has conventionally been dated to 874 CE, although archaeological evidence indicates Gaelic monks had settled Iceland previously. The land was settled quickly, mainly by Norwegians who may have been fleeing conflict or seeking new land to farm.

Weather: Overcast and clearing in E-ville, nighttime in NY, overcast and 50-ish with a breeze in Reykjavik (ie, cold), followed by light rain (very cold if you're wet)


Business class to JFK, then a short red-eye (4.5 hours) to Reykjavik, arrive around 9am, buy a vodofone mobile (the one we have from NZ trip has conked out) for $60 (includes sim card with $20 worth of minutes; should work in Holland as well), pick up expensive rental car (cheapest one THB could find), and DB guides us right to the house exchange (in this case, an apartment exchange) in a relatively new suburb of Reykjavik. After a bit of confusion finding the key (we knew where it was, we couldn’t figure out how to get it out what we thought was a locked mailbox, which wasn’t locked), we’re in and it is very nice!

We're in 402, top right

Interior shots

 

Head to local market which just happens to be next door to a bakari, which also turns out to make excellent bread. Groceries: $90; Bread: $10.

After lunch of roti chicken (better than the ones we get at our markets), arugula salad, five grain bread, and some soft drink THB hasn’t tried before, we walk to a museum that is just past the market to see an exhibit of clothes and jewelry worn by the Icelandic PM from 1980 to 1996, which also included an interview of her discussing her choices of apparel.

THB has a beer with dinner, it is a dark one!

Dinner in: of pasta, baguette, beer and arugula/spinach salad. Time to collapse in bed regardless of the time and the lack of darkness. 

How dark was it? Since it is daylight 20 hours a day now, and twilight 4 hours a day, DB is predicting we never have to drive at night. THB is predicting we won't ever sleep at night.

Route1 Rental: 

Hyundai

And, two shots from the apartment balcony, time delayed:

Before

 

After

Book Review:  Clever Girl, Tessa Hadley (novel): The highlights of a British woman’s life, full of lots of unwed mothers whose children seemingly come out all right. Starts in mid-1950s and ends 45 years later. Three of the chapters appeared in the NY’er as short stories; the only one THB remembered is the one with sex in it (of course!). Recommended (especially chapter 4)