Hella to Reykjavik, September 11, 2019

The countdown is beginning.  From here we go to Reykjavik for about twenty-four hours, then to Keyflavik and home.  Sigh.  We have a lovely breakfast with several different freshly-baked breads and waffles and the other traditional Icelandic breakfast treats.  And we have a great conversation with our hostess, who explains to us about the Icelandic government, and who shares our views of our president.  (Seems like everyone we meet outside of the US feels the same way!)

Winner of three Trip Advisor awards!

Some fall color in her front yard!

Very easy to drink, Viking arctic berry ale!

We trek everything out to the car and take a few minutes to figure out our next move.  We’re still planning on going to the Viking Village, since one should never ignore a recommendation from a local resident!  We get really close;  but the turn doesn’t say Viking Village and it takes some comparing of our various maps to decide where we think we’re going.  Ah!  There it is!

How cool is this!  So much attention to Viking details!  There is an authentic-looking stave church and lots of runes and ribbon monsters.  Inside there are some items for sale, most of which are outside my price range;  but I find a couple things and after we’ve ooo-ed and ahh-ed we set out for Reyknavik and our hostel.

Such unique geology!

We’re not nearly as far away as I thought!  Our first stop, though, will be Planet Iceland so we can thank Gunnar in person for our wonderful adventure.  We fine the address on the Facebook page and a very helpful lady in the lobby finally calls their number and we learn they’ve moved!  We’ve got the new address and get there without too much bother.

Gunnar is actually waiting for us at the front door!  We have a marvelous visit with him and get a chance to meet his boss and tell him what a treasure he has in Gunnar and also in the lady who handles their emergency number.  We are even treated to coffee and chocolates!  

Cool vehicle used by the postman

In Gunnar's reception area!

Here's our hero!!

Time, now, to locate City Hostel, HI, Reykjavik.  Thank goodness for the magic blue dot on Google maps!  My phone won’t do this and we can’t figure out why Marilyn’s does - but we’re very grateful!  And she’s checked her charges and we aren’t burning any data!  Yay!

Our room (with ensuite!) is on the ground floor and we bring in all our luggage and souvenirs and assorted stuff, so we can get our suitcases organized before the mad dash for the plane early Friday morning.  We get a good start on it and head down town for the Follow Me Walking Tour of the city.

We find the square where we are to meet and locate a parking place.  Now we just have to figure out how the parking-payment machine works.  It takes a couple of tries;  but we’ve got it and we don’t even have to print the receipt to put on our dash!  Modern technology!

We walk to the green clock and wait patiently for Thor to arrive. (His name is actually longer than that and means “stone of Thor’s hammer”, as he says, “a strong name for a weak man!”.   It is billed as a comedy tour and it lives up to the hype, in addition to being very informative, providing historical context, as well as lessons in government and economics!  We learn that the little tower in the square is featured in the video game, “Where in the World is Carmen Santiago?” It is famous for being made famous - like the Kardashians!  (I will keep my mouth shut and not steal any more of his punch lines!)  

Thor!

The infamous tower fro Carmen Santiago

The building that houses the Finance Ministry has lots of statues on top, all of the artist’s son!  They are the office holders who are ready to jump when the next crash hits!  (giggle!  ) We also see the statue of the first prime minister who is ready to give a “low five” and the Danish king who is the inventor of the first remote control!  (It’s actually an important document.). We visit Republic Park, which is located right across from the Danish consulate (nah nee nah nah nah nah). Did you know that is international?!  

We are amazed by the lack of security at the office of the prime minister and the parliament building and actually see the finance minister walking through the park where we are standing!  We also learn that there are no automatic weapons or handguns in Iceland, although many people have hunting rifles.  But they have to take lessons before they can get a license.  We also learn about “E15”, the Icelandic volcano that brought the country to the world’s attention when it erupted in 2010, disrupting air traffic around the world.  The Icelanders greatly enjoyed watching newscasters try to say the name, which begins with an E and has fifteen letters.  Thor told us we can fake it by saying “Hey, you forgot your yogurt” really, really fast!  Marilyn actually does a great job of repeating it after him!  

Ministry of Finance

Note the tight security at the prime minister's office!  Well, there's a camera over the door!

The Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Center

The National Theater of Iceland with a combination of art deco and nature-inspired architecture.

Beautiful buildings abound!

Originally painted for Pride Week;  but now has a broader significance and will stay up all year!

When there is a street mural, the taggers leave it alone!

Perhaps the most interesting thing we learned is that there is an Icelandic motto that helps everyone stay calm and get through the day.  We all repeated it in Icelandic;  but I won’t try to write it!  It translates roughly into “It’ll all work out!”  Kind of like Hakuna matata!, from “The Lion King”!  And there is lots more information!!  The tour is fabulous and is funded only by tips at the end!  And the last item is the story of how Thor got his hammer back from the ugly ogre, by dressing as Freya and marrying the ogre - the first gay wedding and the first example of cross dressing!!

There she goes!

Next we head to the Icelandic Street Food shop, which Thor recommended.  We have the Fishermans’s special which is quite filling and tasty.  You can also order several kinds of soup in bread bowls with unlimited refills!  And there are chocolates and macaroons for free!  I don’t know how they make any money!

Our evening is rounded out by the open mike at the Secret Cellar.  Our bartender tells me about several delicious alcoholic Icelandic beverages and is also one of the comedians!  

Some of the talent getting each other revved up.

Waiting for the house to fill up.

After our two-drink minimum (I have two glasses of Einstock White Ale and Marilyn has one glass of white wine and a Coke Zero) and two hours of intermittent laughter, we head back to our warm beds and crash until morning!  (Thank you little blue dot for getting us home!)