Return to Reykjavik and the Golden Circle

Tyler Reporting:

Day 7

Reykjavik is only the third international city that I've been back to more than once (the other two being Paris and Santiago). There is something comforting about going back to a city you've been to before (international or not). You don't feel the pressure to "see it all" and instead are able to focus on doing what you'd like to do. 

I think, when initially planning the trip, Sarah and I had sort of presumed that we would spend the couple of days we had in Reykjavik re-showing the kids the city. But, with Stella still feeling under the weather, and Otto being a little burnt out from being drug all over Iceland, we decided to let them off the hook a bit and let them hang in the apartment while Sarah and I ran explored around a bit. 

Otto's default mode, when mom and dad weren't making him walk around Reykjavik. 

That said, Otto and I did start the morning by going to one of Reykjavik's community pools. We'd actually been intending to go to one that we'd been to the previous visit, but we remembered our directions wrong and ended up at a different pool. This one wasn't as fun as the previous day's pool in Akureyi, but with its waterslide, hot pots and large swimming pool, it was still a good way to start the day. 

When we got back, we did make one quickish trip up to the main cathedral. I'd gotten it in my head to recreate a photo that was taken on our original trip. In the original, Sarah and the kids stood hand in hand looking up at the cathedral, all jetlagged from the flight in. I thought it would be fun to show them all in the same pose today. I think it turned out well...

The original. 

...and today.

I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. After that, we lingered for a bit, taking in the crowds and sun, and enjoying some waffles from a nearby stand.

Rock star posing.

Just including this photo because it feels so cheerful and carefree. 

We returned the apartment, long enough to drop off Stella and Otto. Then, we headed back out to explore around a bit. First off The Icelandic Punk Rock Museum! The Icelandic Punk Rock Museum is an old public bathroom that has been converted into what must be one of the smallest museums in the world: Basically, three stalls worth of information detailing the Icelandic punk rock up through Bjork and the Sugarcubes. 

Punk Rock Museum entrance.

Some example text from inside the museum.

After that, without an agenda, Sarah and I just wandered for a bit. Like, "let's just go that way a bit" wandering. Away from the crowds of the main drag, and with the sun out. It was relaxing an dnice to just aimlessly explore. 

Me, at the pond, which lies at one end of the main tourist thoroughfare, with Reykjavik spread out behind me.

A typical piece of architecture. Icelanders love their corrugated metal. 

A mural, just off the main drag. Murals are a pretty common sight, which also helps keep the graffiti down. 

We then swung by the apartment just long enough to collect Otto for dinner at Reykjavik Fish & Chips Company. We'd been there on our previous visit, and remembered enjoying it, but also remember being really jetlagged. So, we thought it would be fun to revisit with our resident seafood connoisseur. It didn't disappoint. 

After that, we decided to hike down to a waterfront portion of Reykjavik we hadn't been to before, to get ice cream. It was neat to see another side of the city, and it was also nice that this portion both a) didn't seem to cater exclusively to tourist, and b) also had a number of small boutique businesses and restaurants. 

On our previous visit, our front Jody had introduced us to the owner of the Icelandic chocolate company Omnom. Since then, Omnom had opened up a storefront where they sold chocolate bars and ice cream. 

The Omnom storefront, with its rainbow wolf logo. 

The Panda ice cream that we got for Stella, and then had to try to race home with before it melted. Semi-successfully. 

Day 8

On the morning of the final day, Stella had begun to rally a bit... but unfortunately, I could feel myself fading a bit. My mantra was "just need to make it 19 more hours, and then I can fall apart at home."

We decided that, rather than linger around Reykjavik, we'd take the kids out to the Golden Circle. We'd been there on our first trip, and hadn't intended to do it again, but decide to call an audible, since it would involve less walking for Stella, and neither of the kids remembered it from the first time.  But first: Hot dogs!

Another thing that the kids didn't remember was the Icelandic Hot Dog stand, so we decided to do our early lunch there. Especially since Otto is a bit of a hot dog connoisseur, too. He maintains New York hot dogs are good... but is critical of pretty much any other dog. 

His verdict? Good. Not New York good. But good.

Hoping back in the Rifter for one last day of driving, we headed out to the first stop on the Golden Circle, Þingvellir. Þingvellir is both the site where the North American and European tetonic plates are expanding away from each other and it was also the site of the annual gathering of lawmakers in the settling time. I'm sure that Sarah or I detailed it in greater detail in our original entry, so I won't bore you with it again. Still, here's some photos of our sunny and relaxed visit. 

One of the other few pictures of the whole family, thanks to a friendly tourist. Not sure why my head appears to be put on crooked. 

Below the rocky rift that is the main tourist draw, there's a small wetlands, with a gangplank walkway. Here's Otto enjoying it.

The kids, on our walk back up the hill to the parking lot. 

After that, it was on to the geothermic area Haukadalur, the site of the original "Geyser" and Iceland's most spectacular geyser: Strokkur. When we'd been there, before, the area consisted of little more than a parking lot and dirt paths. So, we were amazed to find it now posted a fancy interpretive center complete with shop, restaurant and gas station. 

Unfortunately, as we pulled into the parking lot, we also realized we were already running behind schedule, and that not only would we have to skip revisiting Gullfoss, but would have to even hurry our visit here. Still, Strokkur didn't disappoint, and erupted several time while we were there. 

The kids enjoy the geyser, while I make awkward conversation with a tourist who thought it was really important to remind us that -if Yellowstone erupted- it would kill my whole family. 

Having watched the geyser erupt, it was back in the Rifter, and back the way we came. Back past Reykjavik. Dropping off and saying "Goodbye" to the Rifter. Navigating the airport. And, home to Seattle.