Iceland 2005

This hotel seems to be a popular one for American tourists, which means that its easy to find people from home to chat with. The room was clean and decent-sized, if not a bit minimalist. After a long trans-Atlantic flight, it did take us several minutes to figure out how the shower worked, but I blame our fatigue, not the design.

We were on the third floor and were kept up one night by a live band playing at some event on the first floor. I recommend trying to get a higher floor.

The hotel's daily breakfast buffet was very complete, offering fruit, meat and cheese, croissants and pastries, eggs, bacon, sausage, a variety of cereals, and more. You can also help yourself to a healthy glass of cod-liver oil, though I didn't choose to do so. NOTE: the breakfast buffet is not included on your day of arrival. We walked about a block to a convenience store to get something to eat after we arrived.

Transfers to and from the airport were easy through Reykjavik Excursions, and the room was ready for us when we arrived at 8am amidst a large group of other tourists. All of our excursions picked us up and dropped us off at the lobby.

The hotel staff was competent and efficient, though not overly friendly or overly knowledgeable. We didn't get a chance to check out the spa, but we did use the business center on the second floor to check in for our return flight and print our boarding passes, which saved a lot of time on our last day. On our next trip to Iceland, we will more than likely stay at Nordica again.

Vox Restaurant, located within the Nordica Hotel, offers modern European cuisine in a very upscale setting. The food was outstanding, and the service was first-class. As someone who is not accustomed to fine dining, I was impressed with the waiter, who very deliberately identified every item on the plate and was very attentive throughout the meal. He also provided complimentary samples of a king crab appetizer and a creme brulee dessert. We started the meal with sauteed fresh herring in an almond crust. For my entree, I ordered the chocolate-glazed wild duck, and for dessert, the glazed pears with honey ice cream. We made our reservations online through the restaurant's website (www.voxrestaurant.com), which also features a copy of the menu.

This restaurant is housed in one of the oldest buildings in Reykjavik, orginially built in 1834. From the exterior, you may not expect to find fine dining, but you would be wrong. After the meal, the waiter invited us to enjoy our coffee and dessert in the upstairs part of the restaurant, which houses a small living room, complete with comfortable couches and chairs, coffee tables, and an intimate atmosphere for quiet conversation. Having eaten early in the evening, we were fortunate that we were the only patrons in the upstairs for a while, but eventually others drifted in. On our next trip to Iceland, we will seek out new places to eat, but we will probably include a return trip to Laekjarbrekka.

We visited Kerid Crater, Geysir, and Gullfoss Waterfall. The tour picked us up at our hotel at 11am and returned us at approximately 5pm. Our first stop was at Kerid Crater, which is not much more than a big hole in the ground, but it is still impressive. You can get as close to the edge as you dare or simply spend a few minutes sitting on the viewing bench. While you're there, don't just look at the crater, but notice the landscape in all directions and take a few minutes to appreciate the fact that you are miles away from civilization. We didn't spend much time at Kerid (because how long can you spend looking at a crater?), so we boarded the bus and continued our journey to Geysir. [NOTE: The tour does not include lunch, but there is a small cafeteria at the Geysir souvenir shop.] After our allotted time at Geysir, we boarded the bus again and drove a short distance to Gullfoss Waterfall.

This journal is incomplete. It is still a work in progress.

Our first visit was at night, which gives the place an extra touch of romance. The spa is large, and with the steam that rises off the hot water, it is easy to find some relative privacy in some of the back corners. And there is something very breathtaking about lying out in the lagoon and looking up at a sky full of stars. For first timers, or simply for those who are more hesitant, there is an inside portion of the lagoon where you can get acclimated before moving to the outside through a special door, without having to get out of the water. The water is warm in some places, warmer in others, and in a few places, almost too hot to spend more than a few minutes--those were my favorite. [NOTE: In addition to being warm, the water is also very cloudy, so be careful moving around near the edges. The lava rocks are sometimes where you least expect them!]

On the way back to the hotel, the bus stopped to look for the Northern Lights, but unfortunately, they weren't visible. We also booked a second visit on our last day in Iceland. After some relaxing time in the lagoon and a quick bite from the cafeteria, we departed, and the tour bus delivered us to Keflavik Airport in plenty of time for our flight. It was a great way to relax before a long flight back to the U.S. [NOTE: You can stow your clothes and personal items in a secure locker and rent towels, robes, and swimsuits if you need them.]

Instruction from the staff was minimal, but the scenery was incredible. The best way I can describe it is to say that it was like horseback riding on the moon after a wintery snowfall. This was only the third time on horseback in my entire life, but somehow I got paired up with a horse. His name was Vindur, which the girl told me meant "the wind". That should have been my first clue that this horse would be a problem. Icelandic horses are a little smaller than ones that I had ridden previously, but they seemed more stubborn--at least this one was. Despite my best efforts, he kept his own pace, often lagging behind the rest of the group and then trotting to catch up. [NOTE: If you have never been horseback riding before, there is one thing you should expect that no one ever seems to tell you about. The horses are well-trained to follow the horses in front of them. This means that if one horse starts to trot or gallop, all of the horses behind will trot or gallop as well. So keep an eye on the horses ahead of you, and hold on.]

After the ride, we were served a small buffet lunch at the Riding Center, consisting of chicken, corn, salad and soup.

Ishetar Riding Center (www.ishestar.is)(+354-555-7000)

This journal is incomplete. It is still a work in progress.