photos and facts:  my recent visit to

**** ICELAND ****

—————————-

Yes, the country of Iceland is pretty much like a dream.  If you visit this magical island, you won’t believe it’s real.  You’ll stand in awe as you gaze upon gorgeous cliffs, black sand beaches, majestic waterfalls, and massive volcanos.  You’ll think you’ve stepped onto a television or movie set — in fact, many big-time productions have been filmed there, including Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Thor: The Dark World, and Game of Thrones.  When you return home, you’ll wonder:  “Did all that really happen, or did I imagine the place?”

 There’s a lot more to this Nordic country than just Sigur Rós and Björk.  An isolated and unique territory, Iceland offers a surprising mix of Viking history and eco-friendly-yet-stylish modernity, and it’s an absolute paradise for nature lovers.  

I’ll attempt to walk you through my mind-blowing Icelandic experience — mostly in pictures, but I’ll offer a little advice and info along the way, as well.  

Many of these photos were previously shared on my Facebook timeline and/or my other social media sites, but I realize that many of my readers follow me ONLY on this blog, so this will be the first time they see any of these images.  I’ve tried to include a mix, posting quite a few that were NOT on my other pages, so everyone will see something new.  

So, let’s start at the beginning…

 GETTING THERE

Above:  my first glimpse of Iceland, just as the sun was rising

I did what most people do — I flew into the airport in the city of Keflavík.  If you’re looking for good deals, you’re in luck:  Iceland is trending as a destination spot, and the tourism industry is booming.  There are many great flight offers and vacation prices right now, including dirt-cheap round trip airline tickets through Wow!, and amazing bundle deals through Expedia (that’s who I used).  Of course, per usual, many things will affect your prices, including how far in advance you purchase your tickets, and what time of year you plan to visit (the coldest months tend to be cheapest).  Just be sure to try many travel sites/apps to search prices for various seasons, and you’ll begin to see what might work for you.  

Above: a colorful Blue Lagoon welcome awaits you in the Keflavík airport.

Most people opt to stay in a hotel or other rental in the capital city of Reykjavík, which is about 45 minutes away from the airport.  What to do?  You have a couple of options:  1) Arrange to have a rental car waiting for you at the airport, and travel at your own pace, or 2)  Take a shuttle or bus provided by a local company.  The one I used (and highly recommend) — GRAY LINE.  You can easily purchase one way or round trip tickets between the two cities either directly on their website or through one of several travel apps (including Expedia).  And yes, they are quite affordable.  I arranged for a shuttle pick-up at Keflavík for my early morning arrival in the country, and they drove me straight into the capital with several other new arrivals, dropping us off at whichever bus stop was closest to our respective hotels. No delays, no fuss. Gray Line provides excellent service, and I’ll be talking more about this company later.

Once you’re in Reykjavík , you’ll have it easy-peasy.  Like most Nordic/Scandi metro cities, everything is within walking distance, and if for some reason you don’t feel like walking, they offer plenty of affordable, clean, and safe public transportation.  And yes, bike rentals. 😂You KNOW the Scandinavians and Vikings freakin’ love their bikes — although the Icelandic people do not come anywhere CLOSE to the bicycle-obsessed Danes.  Denmark still takes the bike-loving cake.  But I digress…

Above:  even in this blurry shot taken on my way to Reykjavík via shuttle, you can already see glimpses of steam rising from hot springs in the ground, lava fields, and some of the smaller hills and mountains formed by volcanic activity. 

I was dropped off at the City Center bus stop, because I happened to be staying close to the heart of everything.  I had some time to kill before I could check in at my rental, so it was time to wander and get a feel for Reykjavík.  The following photo gallery offers a bit of what I saw as I explored the city…

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:  STROLLING AROUND REYKJAVÍK

Above:  a few of my favorite buildings, and in the center, one of my own photos of the Northern Lights.  Yes, I saw the lights for the first time!  More on that later, as well…

You’re probably getting the idea by now, and you’ll notice that the Icelandic capital is very much like other Scandinavian places I’ve visited in the past — colorful and charming…simple and classic, yet somewhat quirky.  And the similarities go way beyond anything you can see in photos, or even what I can explain with words.  There is simply a Nordic/Scandinavian FEELING to this small batch of special countries — a common, invisible thread running through them.  Their minimalistic, natural, eco-friendly approach to everything they do.  The way they will go out of their way to help you if you ask politely, but they don’t DARE speak to you or butt into your business if they don’t know you (thank GOD).  The way they are no-nonsense in the VERY best way, saving their questions, compliments, and smiles for when they truly matter, creating a culture of authenticity.  It’s funny that so many people label Scandinavians as “aloof” or “cold”, because appearances don’t count for much, and beneath the surface, these might be some of the warmest people on earth.  

Okay…I’ve given you a “taste” of Reykjavík. I was about to begin breaking down all the “must-see” places in the capital (and later, the other cities/parts of the country I visited), but the WordPress site is going BONKERS on me, so I’ll save that for my next blog…IF I can stand to continue using this website. It has given me grief for MONTHS. I’m toying with the idea of starting a new blog elsewhere. But we’ll see…

For now, I’ll leave you with this photo of Hallgrímskirkja, the church that towers over the city of Reykjavík…

and I’ll say a simple “goodbye” in Icelandic: Bless bless! 😄🇮🇸❤️✨