Iceland

 

Shops snag tourists like me.

COOLING OFF IN ICELAND

 

A vacation in Iceland is worth the mortgage you’ll need to pay for it. The landscape of lava fields with tails of steam escaping from the ground will give you an idea what it’s like to be on another planet.

 

I was in Reykjavik last Saturday for the annual Culture Night, though it’s actually a Culture Day and Night. In the morning, my husband Doug ran the half-marathon and son Jason ran the full marathon—nice weather but the previous day was 45 degrees and rainy with winds up to 45 mph. 

Doug, Jason, and me after race

This was my second visit to the Reykjavik Art Museum, and I’d love to see what they’ll do next time I’m there. On this visit I experienced a black-out room with sounds and suggestive lights, the art of Jonsi. On a previous visit, I was puzzled by a brush pile on a gym-like floor until, by watching it, I discovered it was moving very slowly. Some people may question whether this is art, and the approach is unusual, but can’t art be an experience that makes you conscious of your own perceptions?

Dried fish heads at the Maritime Museum

 Our reservations at the Blue Lagoon (a geothermal pool) were cancelled due to the nearby eruption of a volcano, so we went to the Sky Lagoon, which is less well known but even more interesting. The abundance of underwater springs of hot water provides most of Iceland’s energy needs. 

 

If you're interested in architecture, Harpa is where you'll find an innovative construction.

Sister Nila and Jason at Harpa

Before returning to 90 degree weather in SC, we visited Snaefellsjokull National Park. Remote living exists here.

So do mountains, streams, waterfalls, and lava caves; much coastline with black beaches. However, there are no trees.

Doug at a black beach

We visited a black beach that was littered with wrecked metal that had washed ashore from boats that sank. 

 

The few trees you'll see are beautiful even if the leaves seem to be shivering in the cold air.

Note to my readers - the different fonts you'll see here are presents from Google, not by my choice.