Iceland

June 2, 2017

There are many things to do and see in Iceland, but only if you like to do and see the same things over and over again!  At first glance it is a physically beautiful country but the first impression wears off quickly.  Granted, our first full day in Iceland was plagued by foul weather but even the sunshine of the next day did little to improve our impressions.

Since we had missed our first port in Iceland we only had one full day in Reykjavik and we tried to make the best of it. We left the ship on the first shuttle bus into the downtown area where we stopped at the new concert center and convention hall called the Harpa, which means harp (see, Icelandic isn't a hard language). The building is modernistic and all black glass panes to make it look like lava or something. It is impressive, especially since it is the only thing on the old harbor that is more than three stories.

It was raining lightly but we took off on our own walking tour and looked at monuments to Vikings, in fact everything seems to be a monument to Vikings despite the fact that the Vikings came from Sweden and Norway and only used Iceland as a pit stop. We headed to the famous church in  town which is far more impressive from a distance than it is up close and personal. There were lines of people waiting to take an elevator to the top of the church for the 'good' view of Reykjavik, but we just looked at the beautiful organ and departed.

All too soon we realized we had seen everything and headed back to the ship for a quick lunch, changed our wet cloths for dry and headed back to a bus, this time for a four hour tour called, "Historic Iceland, Lava Fields and Viking History."  By now it was really pouring, but looking at the rain at least distracted us from the most BORING guide in the universe. By the end of the tour we all knew what he paid for his water and electricity, the price of a car and how much gasoline costs. It was more of a really dull lesson on the economics of an island nation than an exciting lecture on the history of the island, but perhaps there is no exciting history of Iceland.

We continued in the rain through endless lava fields, which are flat and covered with a dull brownish moss. We went past a large lake with swans on it and finally, after on hour on the bus, came to the thermal springs and boiling mud puddles. We got out of the bus into a raging rain storm with cold rain coming at us horizontally, but we persisted because it was either that or stay on the bus and listen to the guide. After ten minutes of sulfur infused air and watching mud boil, we headed to the toilets before getting on the bus for what we were told was going to be another hour ride. There were only two toilets, this at one of the major attractions on the island, and since we were on a cruise where we were among the youngest, there was active interest in both holes.  (Note from Cindy: yes it was wet and windy and smelly too, but the colors of the water and mud were amazing.  They've built walkways alongside the thermal springs so at least our feet were dry!).

Back on the bus we tried to dry ourselves as best as we could while heading through more lava fields to what was described as a picturesque fishing village.  This turned out to be the major fish processing plant in Iceland and we traded sulfur stinks for fish stinks. Then it was on to the Viking Museum - which truth be told, was wonderful. There was a replica of a midsize Viking ship and lots and lots of history and detail in how they sailed, traded and made ships. Truly a great experience and it was all indoors.  Then back to the ship where we passed the Blue Lagoon - another tour included the mud baths and sulfur springs, but that's not our cup of tea so driving past was great.  The water is an amazing shade of light blue aqua with swirls of pink.  The rest of the tour was a ride through rush hour traffic before being deposited in the parking lot where we had to walk though yet another rainstorm to board. We had never seen so many people making a beeline to the bar before, all of us still in our wet jackets and shoes - it was hilarious.  The Crystal cruise folks had set up a table full of fluffy dry bath towels just inside the ship, so you can believe that our tales of dampness are not exaggerated!

Best wishes, Cindy and Wm