December 10, 2024

Þriðjudag, December 10, 2024

Or, Tuesday or Martedì

Reykjavík, Ísland

Our first full day in Reykjavík. We are staying at the Sand Hotel on Laugavegur Street. Nice place, very comfortable bed. Breakfast isn’t much, but there is a bakery next door that has a hot breakfast. Laugavegur Street is probably the main tourist street here. Lots of shops.

We took advantage of the day and did a little shopping. There is an Ice Mart, in fact two on the street. Ice Mart started out as a knitting factory in Hvannstangi in 1972. Since 1984 they have put out clothing under the Icewear Brand name. The focus on designing clothing for the extreme conditions in Iceland. The clothing is very comfortable and appears to be well made. Mary got gloves, glover liners, a very insulated hat. I got the glove liners and a woolen cap.

We walked down to the Hard Rock Café for Grace’s T-Shirt. When Grace and I were here in August 2019 we bought sweatshirts. But it doesn’t match her collection so I needed to buy a t-shirt for her. My sweatshirt has long bitten the dust, so I got a t-shirt for me as well.

It was lunch time when we finished up our shopping and we were at the bottom of the hill on which the hotel sits, so we went looking for a place for lunch near the Hark Rock. Just around the corner from the Hard Rock on Austurstræti is is a small restaurant called Hressó, The Original Icelandic Bistro. It opened in 1932.

We started with the Deep Fried Camembert served with red current jam and Icelandic Christmas Bread. This was almost sufficient for lunch all by itself! Mary had tomato soup, which seems to be an Icelandic thing. They grow lots of tomatoes in greenhouses here. I got the fish and chips. The chips were really just oven roast potatoes but very good.

After lunch we walked back up the hill to the hotel to take nap. We have a tour this evening beginning at 21:00. Going out looking for the aurora borealis. Unfortunately, after the nap we discovered an email saying due to the weather conditions there would be no tour. Hey, the aurora borealis is why we are making this trip! But, when ride around in a jeep for three or four hours looking for something no on believes will show up.  Heart broken, but not dishearted.

Just before 18:00 we walked down the block to Frakkastígur (street?), and stopped in at a local fish and chips place for dinner. Yes, fish and chips twice in a one day. Reykjavík Fish is a small local place just off the tourist path. They fish and chips here were really good.

Afterwards we walked back to the hotel to pack. Tomorrow we go on a 2 day tour of western Iceland and the Snæfellsne peninsula. We are only going to take a back back with a change of clothing and sleep wear. We need to be at shuttle stop 14 at 09:00. We checked out the location of shuttle stop 14, it is at the foot of the hill about 450 meters from the hotel. There is an icy patch just before the stop. Found by falling. No damage fortunately.

Back to the hotel. Played cards in the bar. Then hit the sack for a good night’s sleep.

Buonanotte e ciao, Enrico e Maria