First of all, this entire town is a Columbia/North Face/ LLBean advertisement. I guess everyone is either coming back from or on their way out to do some serious trekking when in Reykjavik. And everyone is gorgeous. Ad companies for those brands would save a ton if they just walked around with their cameras a bit. Makes me feel unprepared. What I'm unprepared for, I'm not exactly sure...
Second, there is art everywhere. The architecture is fascinating, there's street art, tons of museums, and sculptures around ever corner or on top of the hills.
Third, the pace of life is very relaxed here. I haven't seen much activity before ten in the morning either days. And unless everyone is going to work at 6am, I'm assuming they're all taking advantage of the late summer sun and staying out late instead. Can't argue with that. No one is rushed, which makes for a great tourist town. If you make a mistake and might get embarrassed, the locals don't even bat an eye. It's not so much a sel-centered culture, more of a, "you do you" kind of vibe.
Fourth, steam baths and salt pools are the greatest 'invention' ever! Went to another pool today (Laugardalslaug), and learned how to perfect the alternating temperature thing. I feel like a whole new person! I wish these community pools were as popular in the US, with hot pots and steam rooms and water slides etc. Yes, those were all at the pool today.
Fifth, volcanic soil is pretty, and the rocks everywhere are really cool.
Sixth, the weather is crappy here in the summer. Or great! Depending on what time of day you step out. I've worn almost every layer I brought just keeping up with the change of weather within one day. There's been a lot of rain, but no downpours. And the sun comes out at the right moment so most days there's a rainbow!
Lastly, everything is really expensive here. Especially in Reykjavik. Of course they have to import most of their food stuffs because it's an island and everything, but since 2004 it's been a little more rough. A carton of strawberries was the same price as my breakfast, around $12. Shocking to many tourists, but the average salary here doesn't really make up for the price hike. Disclaimer: I am not an economic specialist, all of this information here has come from a bartender at my hostel and an Icelandic wwoofer when I was in the Netherlands. All around, it just seems like a terrible situation and hopefully improves soon.
On to less depressing things!
It's smack dab in the enter of the harbor, where the first stone house was built in all of Iceland. It was a thriving village at one point, and then just a monastery. Keep thriving in context of the city, which only two decades ago was about the size of JMU. Now Videy is a place for people to visit and walk around in the wind. And it was windy. I almost got blown over into a hill at one point!
I'm dreading that moment when the doors slide open at Dulles and the humidity hits... I probably shouldn't have started in the most similar climate to home and gone colder gradually. Should have done the other way round. Because 55 degrees and windy today to 98 and 90% humidity tomorrow will be a shock.
But my family will be on the other side of those doors so that terrible humidity feeling will be cancelled out! (Hopefully)
Once I get on the bus to the airport, I no longer have to worry about where I will end up next; I already know exactly where I'm going.
So long Iceland, until next time!
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