Six years ago in mid-December I was navigating my way around Iceland's quirky capital. Reykjavik was my first stop on a six-month trip (or relocation as I like to call it) that still stands as the best trip I have ever taken. This was my second trip to Iceland but not the last - I stopped there in June on my way back to Canada.
I was booked in at the Snorri Inn for three nights. Yeah, that was the name. I'm sure I did them proud during my four nights there.
I seem to have the unique talent of visiting a place during their snowfall of the season and Reykjavik did not let me down. While the sidewalks near my guest house were icy and treacherous the sidewalks in the city centre were clear due to pipes carrying boiling geothermal water underneath the streets and sidewalks. This volcanic island certainly makes use of its natural resources!!
So let's go for a walk and see all the Christmasy/wintery sights in one of my favourite cities.
This is the view from the front of the Hallgrimskirkja looking down towards the harbour with a back view of Leif Erikson the Icelandic Viking who was the first European to set foot in North America.
And here is the front view of the Hallgrimskirkja (and Mr. Erikson) which was completed in 1986 and is the largest church in Iceland.
This is Tjornin (the pond) which is lovely any time of year. "Monument to the Faceless Bureaucrat" - this statue makes you stop in your tracks. It is close to City Hall so perhaps a satirical salute to the bureaucrats that serve Iceland.
After walking around for a while in the cold a nice warm bowl of lamb soup is very welcome!
This was taken on my first day when I hadn't had any sleep and was jetlagged - and slightly misplaced trying to find my way back to my guest house. I heard giggling and looked up and there they were!!!
By now if you are on Facebook you've seen the meme that tells of Iceland's obsession with books. It's all true!
Sunset...while I was there the sunrise was around 11 a.m. and the sunset somewhere between 3:30 and 4 p.m. On the bright side, if you are old you don't have to stay up late to see the Christmas lights.
This is the Reykjavik Church of Iceland (Lutheran) Cathedral. The original construction was completed in 1796 but it had major reconstruction in the late 19th century. The majority of Icelanders are Lutheran although religion is not popular here.
Time for an Icelandic hotdog! Disclaimer: In case you think all I did was eat here in my defense these food pictures were taken over the course of three days. Icelandic hotdogs are made from beef, pork and lamb and they are delicious! I froze my fingers off eating this but it was totally worth it!! The pale yellow topping is called remoulade and is made with mayonnaise, capers, mustard and herbs.
Next up is a walk to the harbour which is an area close to my heart. On my first trip to Iceland the year before I had stayed close to the harbour at an Airbnb. Sadly I could not get into the same place but of course, I had to walk past and see if I could see Rosa, the Icelandic sheepdog looking out the window. Sadly she wasn't there...in case you are curious here she is. (token dog photo...) While her master was out she spent her time in the window looking out or if she was feeling like being naughty she would sit on the dining table. Bad Rosa!
These are actually whaling ships but let's not go there.
Let's have some lobster soup instead! My host at the Airbnb I had mentioned previously had told me about the lobster soup at the Seabaron restaurant by the harbour. It is a shack really but the food is so good - I've had the lobster soup on all of my three visits there.
I meandered along the path by the sea until I came to one of my favourite sculptures in the city.
This is called the Sun Voyageur which is an ode to the sun. I love it!
I walked further along the path to view Harpa which is Reykjavik's performance hall. Don't worry, we will see more of it later!
I must say I expected more from the Christmas market but I obviously visited too early in the day as quite a few stalls were closed. No problem...I wasn't in a "buying mood " anyway as I had six months of adventures (and luggage) ahead of me.
I always like visiting National Museums and when I heard that there was going to be a special Christmas festival there the day before I was due to fly on to London I knew I had to go. And what fun it was! Okay it was a family thing but I wanted to know more about Icelandic Christmas traditions.
This is Gryla, the ogre mother of the thirteen Yule lads. She boils children and eats them! I had to laugh when she came on stage. The children were happily singing Christmas songs and when she arrived they all started screaming! She and her husband have thirteen mischievous boys. Starting December 12th children leave a shoe in their bedroom window and the Yule boy of that night (they each have a specific night they visit the children) leaves them either a small gift if they have been good or a rotting potato if they have been naughty. Or they might even eat you if you've been really bad. The Yule lads are known to misbehave by stealing unwashed pots and licking them clean, slamming doors everywhere, stealing sausages, peeping in windows and stealing food from frying pans. (each one has their naughty thing) What a bunch! As if all that trauma isn't enough there is a huge cat that eats children who don't get at least one new piece of clothing for Christmas. Unlike the rest of us when we were kids I guess Icelandic kids are grateful for clothes for Christmas!
This is one of the Yule lads.
I then attended a talk by university students about the Icelandic Christmas traditions. So interesting.
Let's stop for an Icelandic doughnut.....I wish I could say it tasted better than it looked but er.....no.....
I then walked through town back to the guest house to change for a very special evening.
Before I had left home I had booked myself a ticket to attend a special Christmas concert at the beautiful Harpa concert hall.
The Harpa concert hall was completed in 2011 and is absolutely beautiful inside and out.
The concert included the Icelandic Symphony orchestra, ballet dancers and a children's choir. It was enchanting even if I couldn't understand the emcee who was some sort of well known clown (yes an actual clown) celebrity. It ended with everyone singing "Silent Night" in Icelandic except for we tourists who sang it in our own language. Goose bumps!
I pretty much floated back to the town centre. A beautiful concert and the knowledge that the next day I was winging my way to my special place, London to base myself for the next six months. I wish I could have bottled that feeling I had right then as I need it about now!
Being as I had an early morning flight to London the next morning (think waking up at 3:30 a.m.) I had opted for the earlier concert at 4 p.m. For my last night I decided to splurge on a meal at a Danish Smorrbred restaurant.
Hmmm....it was good but luckily I had some Skyr (Icelandic yogurt) back in my room as I was still hungry.
I hope you enjoyed this quick trip to Reykjavik at Christmas!!!
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