The First Days in Iceland: #1 and #2

Jetlagged and sleepy we scraggled out of bed the next day in time to venture once into town and get these Reykjavik City Passes, which included bus fares, museum entry, and best, entrance into spas. So what did we hit first? The SPA of course! Can't really take pictures in there, but they have several hot tubs outside, and it was snowing, so your bottom half is reeeally warm, and your top half is pretty cold, but its a luscious mix. It's a pretty Icelandic thing to do since all of it is GEOTHERMAL LY HEATED. They just pop by after work, swim a few laps, and then relax in the tubs.

Well after that experience we ventured out for a bit to eat.

All bundled up.



And braving the snow. It would flow right into our faces.


We happened on this hamburger joint where we got discounts with our passes and guess what? It turned out to be the place where the Cold War Peace talks were held! See the photo behind Abby and Mitch.


I REALLY LIKE HIM.

And do you know what it also did, that was oh so sweet? It kept a record of the population of Iceland on the wall behind us. And yes, a baby was born while we were there! A server stood on a stool, rang the bell, and added #320,011 while we were at dinner.

We crashed early, and the next day headed into Reykjavik's City Center.


Where they sold freshly canned Icelandic Air. I wonder if the tinned Salmon is just as fresh?


Caught views like this from the harbor.


Climbed on statues.


And went into the Culture Museum. We stopped into here because it had some Icelandic Sagas on display from Medieval times that I reeeally wanted to see. Do you know what else they had? A BOOK IN RUNES. Like Futhork and all that. I was beside myself. Do you know what Mitch and Fran saw? Some disturbing artwork of chairs shaped like private parts. That's what you get for not wanting to see Medieval literature come to life.


Do know what else we saw while we were in there? (Or I should rather say who?) The ex-prime minister of Iceland!! He was on trial there for their whole financial crash in 2008. I might have even been on tv as a camera got me in the background of the stairs as he left the room. So. This is Abby outside the Culture Museum because we couldn't take pictures inside.


This was a slide they had in a department store!!! Alot of their store designs had interactive features.



This is the main church, a Lutheran one, of which the entire population is pretty much a member. It was built after WWII and the top shows an excellent view of the city.

Here in front of the church is a statue of Lief Erikson America gave Iceland to say
"THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR FINDING US FIRST."


Here's a view from the top of the church on the colorful Icelandic houses.


After that, we were starving so went for some Icelandic food at Cafe Loki (named after a Norse god). I cannot begin to tell you how delicious their food is. This is mashed fish on rye bread with moss tea. It doesn't sound appetizing does it? Eat it to believe it, folks. Abby, who is probably the pickiest eater I have ever met, took one bite of their bread and said, "This is the best stuff I have ever eaten." And the moss tea? It tasted rather like green tea, but more pungent. I liked it. The mashed fish? Delicious. So much so, I bought a cook book before I left. Does anyone know where to find rye flour in the UK?

At Cafe Loki. I couldn't resist, it's so momentous.


We walked around in a snow storm to find the National Museum of Iceland. Fran found some ducks.


What do you do when your sister-who-has-a-masters can't read a map? Make snow angels. Duh.



Prally my favorite part of the National Museum of Iceland. Each of these drinking horns is intricately carved with stories: some from the Bible, some from their mythology, some from their sagas. It's more exciting once you've read the Sagas and you hear how someone was slipped a potion into their drinking horn, and then it's like "Oooo! This is their version of roofies and this is what they drank it out of."