Well we've officially been back state side for about a day and a half now, so I thought I would do a quick write up about our overall time in Iceland and my impressions about it. First of all, what a wild country. I don't mean it's crazy, I literally mean that it's wild, rugged, and even untamed in spots. Snowy plains go on forever, melting into an icy blue sky or body of water, and black mountains strike up from the earth, dusted in snow, looking like a delicious scoop of cookies and cream. Evidence of the geothermal energy that the country embraces and relies on is prevalent along quiet roads as well as in the cities; from great clouds of steam rolling across the land, shrouding buildings and mountains in clouds of heat, to pipelines stretching out into the wilds, connecting towns with one another regardless of distance.
Wildlife is few and far between, the most elusive being the arctic fox who evaded our eyes the whole trip and the most abundant were birds. Crows called from their light post perches in Reykjavik, geese honked as they flew in formation above us, swans and lazily paddled in lakes, lagoons, and streams, while seabirds kept an eye on everything while tucked away in the high cliff edges and caves. Puffins were missing as their season doesn't start until about May, when they return to breed, and we did manage to see one seal poking its head above the frigid waters near the black sand beaches in Vik. Aside from that the farms held Icelandic horses, with no wild ones in existence, along with some sheep and cows while domestic cats roam the streets of Reykjavik, returning to their homes and owners here and there, and dogs trot next to their owners happily.
Reykjavik is a bustling city with modern, industrial spaces hidden within the walls of older, unassuming buildings. This is especially true of many of the restaurants and even the cafes we visited. They keep the old world charm on the outside with contemporary flair on the inside. Stores and fashion is very modern as well, while also focused on the practicals as well, especially in the biting cold of their winter months. Clothes are meant to keep you warm, but also look stylish and classy. I still wish I had bought one of these really nice rain jackets I found, my god were they nice.
The food was not one of the main highlights of this trip for me at first, as I don't care for lamb (though I did make an effort to try a little of every dish my friends had, because you never know) and I'm not huge on fish. Although, I will say that the fish was extremely fresh and I found myself enjoying it enough to actually order my own or split an order of fishy dishes on a couple separate occasions. That was a pleasant surprise. And once it was just Lara and I, we splurged on some nicer restaurants for dinner and had some fantastic dishes. I had steak, reindeer, and sashimi during a 7-course meal that were all beyond delicious and I savored every bite of. I almost cried when I ate that steak. I'll have a whole write up about that in one of my upcoming Monday Munchies! We also tried horse, kangaroo, puffin, and goose, and enjoyed a few buffets during the tour group. The Pylsa, or lamb hot dog, was a winner in Lara's book and only edible for me with the edition of bacon, bacon jam, Icelandic mustard, and crispy onions. And the Swiss mocha, particularly Te and Kaffi's caramel Swiss mocha was my drink winner for the whole trip. I pretty much drank that every morning. Also the non-alcoholic drink I had at Kol was out of this world, but something I could only get there.
What a beautiful and adventurous trip we had. The locals are kind and welcoming with great senses of humor and a love of the outdoors. We already have a bucket list set up for a summer time visit, as we would all like to see this gorgeous country when it is humming with life and awash with vibrant colors, the air filled with the sweet smells of florals mixed with the ocean salt.
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