Our day started with a great breakfast, our package includes a full breakfast not a continental one. We paced ourselves and were not hungry again until dinner. We did love the sign asking the really hungry tourists not to make a pack lunch from the buffet. As I sat and ate, the rain was hitting the windows as if someone was throwing buckets of water at them then swiping them with branches. I have plans on running this morning and I am trying to come up with as many excuses as I can not to go out there. "But no!" I hit the pavement and go for it. After all, I learned young that waiting for the weather to change will get nothing accomplished. It hurts! It really hurts! Icelandic rain in November is like glass shards coming at you sideways.
Against all odds I make it to Hofdi House.
This very Icelandic looking white house was the site were Reagan and Gorbachev signed the agreement to end the Cold War in Oct. of 1986. You can't go in the house and look around so it does not matter what time you arrive. This is also the site of the first radio communication between Iceland and the rest of the world, and most recently a piece of the Berlin Wall.
The weather changed after my self guided tour, so I could continue my run with out the benefit of the glass shards.(I did check out some of the runs and races in Reykjavik while we are here on Running in Iceland but none of them worked out). I am cold and wet once back at the hotel, so decide that we should pay the 10. euros for the wellness center. Well as Hannah pointed out that was a very very bad decision.
I am so please we bought the Reykjavik card. We planned our day according to what we wanted to see. We have more then paid for the card by the amount of galleries and museums we have visited plus circumnavigated central Reykjavik.
When I was here a few years ago there was a hot dog kiosk,Islendingar Borda Ss Pylsur that was all the rage. I mentioned to Hannah that we will have to check out the Icelandic lamb hot dogs with the great mustard. Well it seems progress has sent the iconic hot dog stand packing.
Special Icelandic Hot Dog Mustard. We bought some of this
A big shiny new hotel is going in. In fact there are a lot of bright shiny new things going in around the city . It seems that Reykjavik is pretty much under construction much to the chagrin of the buses and any one else that wants to get through town We did find the company's street store and had our hot dog.
Our final event for the day was a Northern Lights adventure to Fontana Spa with dinner. Dinner was great with lots of traditional foods like salmon, cod potato salad and an orange pea (lentil) and pineapple dish yummy soup and so much more. After that we headed to the hot pools. We were surrounded by candles and snowflakes but the Northern Lights would not be making a appearance tonight.
As our flight touched down I hugged Hannah and said "your in Iceland "Our Icelandair flight landed on time and our day here in Reykjavik started at 6:50 am GMT. Geez Keflavik airport sure has got big in the past 3 years. You have to go through security again once you land then customs . I of course had to be swabbed for explosives and drugs, The look on my face was enough to prompt several apologizes. The line up was as big as those at Gatwick as I am sure 5 flights landed at once. Needless to say we were pretty happy that the airport transfer bus turned around and came back to get us and a lovely gentlemen came running to help us with our luggage.
Once our bags were dropped at our Center Hotel Arnarhvoll we passed on the 40.euro early check in fee and head out. It is still dark at 8:30 but it is as warm as a Prince Rupert day. +5 and drizzle. We found the tourist info place and picked up the:
1] Reykjavik city card: this card gets us into all the museums we are wanting to see while we are in Reykjavik, it is good for 72 hours and cost 4900.kr {49.42CAD). It also covers all the buses and thermal pools,
2} Te og Kaffi a wonderful coffee shop that we frequented on our previous trips. I am sure it is the wonderful glacial water that makes the coffee taste amazing. I always rate the affordability of a country on the price of a coffee.At 500kr for my double latte, this cuppa is worth it
3) Settlement Museum: covered by our card this great exhibition is about the beginning of Iceland. My techy daughter found the inter actives really cool and interesting this museum is located right in the town center
4} Maritime Museum: also covered by our card. Has great fishing and maritime displays. For a girl from Prince Rupert I really enjoyed their collection. It is located right in the harbour a short walk from the town center.
5) Saga museum located about 1 minute from the maritime museum we only got 10% off here so it cost us 1800.kr each. This museum was located at the Perlan and has moved to the harbour which is great as it is easy to get too now. The wax figures are extremely well made. The whole display is very high quality and tells the story of the Icelandic people and the sagas. each of the 17 stations have a audio guide that is done very well. There is a great dressup area at the end for children and adults. Hannah was in her element here.
6] Family! this is a bonus for Hannah and I. How wonderful that Hronn picked us up and had us for tea. Her sister Elin and daughter Sigga joined us. I met Elin for the first time last year when I stayed with Hronn and to my delight her daughter Sigga was able to join us this year. We had a wonderful time with these ladies. It is like I have always known them. I know it is them that keeps me coming back here. It is said you can't choose your family, but you can choose your friends. In this case I have the best of both world.
So now it is back to our lovely hotel that has a amazing view of Harpa and the harbour. Tomorrow is a full day with a lot more adventures to come. For now it is a little English telly and a glass of white wine and maybe the Northern Lights will entertain us with a free show.
