Iceland - Part 2

It has been a few years - five, according to my visa stamps - since I've been in Reykjavik.  So the geography isn't really second nature to me.  So I was taken completely by surprise when I turned the corner and came across this:

Yes, it's a duck pond.

I remember this duck pond.  It sits right at the back of the big pond and park on the edge of Gamla Hofn (the old town) -- Tjornin. It's pretty, especially early on a Sunday morning.

The Free Church anchors one side of the pond.

Thingvellirhusid, the Icelandic Parliament House, stands in the background.

And Reykjavik City Hall just rises right the hell out of the pond.

I have my bearings once again, and I move forward more confidently through the quiet streets.  Not much is open yet, so I'm free to wander without the crowds of [other] tourists.

And as I head up the main shopping street, suddenly I see it off to my right:

There it is.  Still pretty far away and, yes, it would be uphill, too.

The wooden signs on the right host the local kindergarten students' drawings of the cathedral.  I'll post those separately.  But to prove I did make it all the way to the church, here's Leifur:

Leifur Erikson, with an axe.

Part three continues with some nice views of the shoreline, a stop at the Icelandic version of the 7-11, and a trip to the Phallological Museum of Iceland.  (Yes, I said "Phallological".)

Oh, I forgot to add...this is what I thought when I finally found my way to Hallgrimskirkja:

Iceland - Part 1

Part 1 of my Icelandic saga (see what I did there?) began in the skies above Newark, just as soon as the landing gear went up.  This is the moment when I set my watch to Iceland time and reconciled myself to the fact that I was actually on vacation.  

US Time:  July 5, 21:00.  

Icelandic Time: July 6, 01:00

The flight was somewhat turbulent, but mostly uneventful.  I had an aisle seat, and several forms of entertainment. IcelandAir is quite comfortable, and they have an in-seat entertainment system so you can watch movies and such. I had my iPod, Kindle, and an audiobook on my phone, too.  And the couple who had the seats next to me spent most of the flight making out.  So I had lots of choices.  I ended up re-watching The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, which I had originally seen with Nicole a few months ago. Liked it the first time, still like it, and it's a great way to get fired up for a vacation.  I watched a little bit of Garden State, too, but mostly just listened to music. Didn't sleep.

We touched down at Keflavik airport at 05:40, local time. Went right to immigration and got through with no hassle.  In fact, the immigration agent -- who looked to be 17 years old, maybe this is some kind of high school work study program -- was amazed that I would be going on to the Faroe Islands.  "How did you even know about them?" he remarked in wonder.  Picked up the luggage, exchanged some money, and hopped on the Flybus to take me to Reykjavik. 

My passport betrays the fact that I am a return visitor.

Forty-five minutes later, I am in Reykjavik Domestic Airport.  My flight for Akureyri leaves at 13:00.  It is now 06:40.  The temperature is 39 degrees F -- 40 degrees less than when I stepped out of the car at Newark. 

After collecting my thoughts, which took a while because they were in a number of different places, I decided to follow Walter Mitty's path and be bold.  I found a luggage locker and somehow managed to get it to work with my credit card.  I stowed my big luggage.  I put on a fleece and went outside.

Then I went back inside, took out my jacket, and put that on over the fleece.  Then I went back outside.  It was really cold.  (But not raining, for once.)  I wanted to go see Reykjavik, again.  But I didn't know where to go.  Fortunately, the city has one famous and prominent landmark: Hallgrimskirkja. 

Hallgrimskirkja, from around Reykjavik Domestic Airport

You just have to keep walking toward it, and you'll be downtown eventually.  Should take about 10 minutes.

Hallgrimskirkja, ten minutes later.

Ten more minutes should do it.

Hallgrimskirkja, ten minutes later still.

You know what, there is more to Reykjavik than giant churches.  I decided to deviate off course and see what lies to the West.  Find out, in part 2.