Iceland

From the moment I landed in their mostly glass building airport, I was in awe. What a wonderful place to enjoy nature at its very best. Geographically speaking, Iceland is often dubbed the country of fire and ice. Volcanic rock, geysers, and glaciers explain why. Let's not forget the infamous geothermal hot springs, the Blue Lagoon, located not too far from the airport. The most unique place I visited was the Phallological Museum. It was a few blocks away from Hotel Borg and is open limited hours. The museum prides itself for its collection of phalluses. The rumor is that they plan to have a human phallus for display shortly. In the meantime, we'll have to be in awe of the other 100 on display. My favorite site was Gulfoss, which I think means Golden Falls. This twin waterfall made my trip. It's part of the Golden Circle Tour, which is the most popular venue for tourists. This tour also includes a trip to a famous crater, a visit to stables to see Icelandic horses (they look like ponies), and Geysir.

Quick Tips:

Be prepared for all types of weather. Wearing various layers of clothing will help you adapt to the changing weather. In the summer months, there is sunlight most of the day. It's hard to sleep sometimes because light is present. However, in the winter months, you have the opposite problem. It's dark most of the day :( Icelandics are multilingual, so you shouldn't have a problem communicating with them. Most of them consider English their second language and speak it very well. The oddest thing about Iceland was their "no tipping" policy. Gratuity is included in the price of the meal, so there is no need to calculate a tip. In fact, for this reason, prices for food may seem high.

Best Way To Get Around:

Depending on what you have on your agenda, you will probably have to arrange a rental car or tour bus to see anything outside of the downtown area. Otherwise, you can walk through most of Reykjavic on foot. Bring some comfortable walking shoes, though.

Hotel Borg is a very classy hotel with an art deco feel; it even has a "lift," better known as the old fashioned elevator. Prices when I was there in the spring were very reasonable, but summer rates can get quite expensive. Keep in mind that prices include private shower and their version of a continental breakfast. Location is perfect, right in the heart of the country's capitol. Of the roughly 250,000 Icelandic residents, over half of them live in this single city. The hotel is walking distance to anywhere in the downtown area (note: across the street is the hottest nightclub, NASA). The party starts at about midnight until the wee hours of the morning. For those who insist on staying "connected," they even have a small booth where you have full internet access (and a printer). This hotel has been visited by famous Americans, such as Kevin Costner and Ronald Reagon. A few doors down is a trendy restaurant named Apotek. Icelandics pride themselves for their fresh and healthy meals. There was a large selection of seafood and red meat on the menu (don't be suprised to see horse and reindeer as dinner options). The food was a bit bland for my personal taste, but I didn't doubt the quality of it.