The land of ice.

Cold…snowy…white…everything I pictured, yet so much more.  And being only 5 hours from Boston, I couldn’t miss experiencing the tundra.

Although plans of viewing the aurora borealis were thwarted, I still got to experience a country unlike any other.

The drive from the airport to the hotel set the tone for the entire trip.  There was a solitude, a peace, a calm, an utter lack of chaos that let me notice and appreciate things that are usually easy to overlook.  In the van, rain drops were slowly sliding down the dark windows, like shooting stars in slow motion.  I had ample opportunities to cast my wishes as the drive took a while and the light rain continued for the duration.  Beyond those dark windows lay nothing but a vast expanse of black volcanic rock, creating a snow-tipped moonscape as far as the eye could see.

Reykjavik was great because just about everything you wanted or needed could be easily accessed.  It’s a small city, so walking everywhere was very comfortable.

iconic church

“Suncraft”

There are plenty of pretty buildings, museums, sculptures, cafe’s and shops to keep one busy for a while.  And in the middle of the city is the tourist info office where you can arrange excursions to many different parts of the country, weather depending.  This is where I booked the day trip to the Blue Lagoon, a must-see for anyone visiting Iceland.

About 40 minutes outside of Reykjavik is the Blue Lagoon.  It’s a man-made lagoon, which is basically a by-product of the geothermal plant next door.  The 100 degree water was perfect to wade in, especially when it’s 20 degrees outside and it’s snowing! 🙂 It was a surreal experience.  And if one gets board wading in the magical pool, there is also a waterfall, a sauna, and tubs of while silia mud, for you to practice giving yourself a spa treatment.  The only down side was the extremely dry condition your body and hair are left in…but a small price to pay for such luxury.

The Blue Lagoon

Food was also exciting for me.  I couldn’t wait to try some traditional items that Iceland was known for.  First was a piece of skyr cake.  Skyr is a fat-free soft cheese substance with an added bacteria culture, so it has a yogurt tast to it.  The skyr cake, however, was almost like a cheesecake, only very light and fluffy…and extremely delicious.  Puffin was next, and yes, I mean those cute little birds.  I had a smoked puffin appetizer.  The puffin strips were a bit raw for my taste, but it was ok and I’m glad I tried it.  My favorite Icelandic food item, however, was a delicious horse steak with potatoes, carrots, cooked mushrooms, and a creamy pepper sauce…simply mouthwatering.

Skyr cake with blueberries and whipped cream

Puffin !!!

Icelandic Horse !!!

Of all the places I’ve been, I think I’d go back to Iceland first.  There is so much to see (weather and season depending) that I’d love to hop another plane and stay for another few days.  Perhaps one day….