Go North: Reykjavik, Iceland

Compared to other European capitals, Reykjavik is minuscule - only a few miles of civilization in the middle of a country that is green, black and clear ice. But this is part of it's charm, and it is one of the most beautiful little places on earth.

Reykjavik is small streets with little houses, grays and whites and blues, with red, green and yellow rooftops. The city would almost glow if it didn't rain so much - but that's just Reykjavik, it's often drizzly, cold and gray. Still, I never minded. It is wonderful to go out on a Reykjavik balcony first thing in the morning and breathe in the cool air. It is refreshing to soak in a jacuzzi in the cold night wind - and let your shoulders come up out of the water to feel the burn of cold. And it is truly wonderful to sip hot coffee in a glass windowed cafe at any hour of any rainy day in this city.

Walking around in Reykjavik can be quite pleasant - a stroll by the lake (The Tjorn) is pretty and you can feed the ducks and/or see the controversially modern city hall. Walk down by the bay to see the fishing ships and find markers with Icelandic fishing history and descriptions of Iceland specific fish.

Strolls up some of the streets will reveal souvenir shops, and here look out for Icelandic wool. By a shawl or scarf for warm memories of this cool country.

And of course, the nightlife. At night Reykjavik comes alive with locals, blonde, tall and beautiful, dancing in clubs, drinking beer and Brennevin in bars, and just partying the night away. Everyone parties until the bars close around dawn, and even then plenty of stragglers will be found in the town square, drinking and talking and laughing as the sun comes up.

Quick Tips:

Food is terribly expensive in Iceland. Try to eat breakfast and lunch in your hotel/apartment - buy food from the supermarket and this will save some money.

If you want to sample Brennevin (Icelandic schnapps) in a bar/club on a weekend night, do so early. The bars will run out sometime in the middle of the night.

Try some absinthe - illegal in the U.S. and hard to find in other countries, Iceland usually has this on it's drink menu.

Go whale watching in Reykjavid harbor - boat tours leave from the dock twice a day daily.

Best Way To Get Around:

Walking is he best way to get around - but hotels sometimes have shuttle buses or vans that go certain places. Renting a car is a good idea if you plan to go out of Reykjavik. Public transportation is almost nonexistent here.

This is a fabulous place to stay. These are apartments that can be rented for pretty much any length of time. They are modern, and most rooms feature leather couches, TVs, DVD players (they even provide DVDs!), stereos, and so on. Many rooms have access to two outdoor decks and the Jacuzzis on them. Rooms sleep anywhere from two to seven people depending on which one you book, and the owner, Arni, is most accommodating. If you arrive in the morning and your room is not ready yet, he will give you another room to rest in while you wait for yours. He also was gracious enough to rent us his van one day when we wanted to sightsee the country. Rooms are made daily by a maid service. This hotel is located right in the middle of town near the bars, restaurants, and shopping and is a 10-minute walk from the bus terminal and car rental place. It is highly, highly recommended.

The Blue Lagoon is a surreal experience. Voted the best medical and thermal spa by the readers of Conde Nast Traveller magazine, this spa is certainly worth one, if not several, visits. Light blue steamy water laps against dark volcanic rocks, and steam comes off the lagoon, drifting over mossy green mountaintops. To enter the lagoon, first you must shower in the nude - the waters are not chemically treated, so all patrons must do this. Afterwards, you pull your bathing suit back on and move outside. The air is often cold - and it hits your bare skin quickly. Move into the lagoon and feel its healing warmth close around you.

One of the biggest benefits of the Blue Lagoon is the silica mud. White and grainy, it can be found in buckets around the lagoon, near underwater benches and places to relax. Smear the mud on your skin and let it dry for 10 to 15 minutes. Then wash it off - your skin will feel renewed and open, rosy from your pores being cleansed and open. The mud is said to have healing powers for skin conditions like psoriasis, and we saw firsthand that this was true when one of my friends saw a vast improvement in the discoloration of his skin. The Blue Lagoon is fairly inexpensive - general admission is 1200 ISK, about $15. They also have towels, bathing suits, and other necessities for rent. In the spa area, treat yourself to a massage (done in the water). When you need a break, head into the snack bar - and don't forget to try a Blue Lagoon cocktail!

You can see this church from nearly anywhere in the city, as the tower rises up and the churches jagged design makes it one of the most unique churches anywhere. The view from outside is impressive, but you'll need to stand across the street to get a full shot of the church. Inside the church is fairly ordinary, though there are some display boards that feature the church's history and facts about the birth of Christianity in Iceland. You can go up to the top of the tower for a fee (about $3), and tickets must be purchased from the church office to do so. Up in the bell tower, various windows give excellent views of Reykjavik and the bay.

Gullfoss is a mighty gray waterfall that is massive in width. You can hear the roar of it before you can see it - this only adds to the anticipation. And anticipation will have built considerably by the time you reach it, as Gullfoss takes a few hours to reach from Reykjavik by car, especially if you stop to see sights like Geysir and Pingvillir National Park like we did. You can park your car in a lot and then work your way down the road towards the falls.

The falls rush gray and white over rocks and spill down into a shadowed canyon, adding mystery. Good photographs can be taken at the overlook, and then if you want close-ups, stroll down the gravel road and stand out on the rocks. You'll feel the river spray hitting you on the face, which is cool and refreshing. This natural wonder certainly was a sight to see, and I must say, worth the long drive. All you need to do to get there is take Highway 1, and if you don't have a car, tours can be booked in Reykjavik.

Cafe Paris is a small but bustling coffee shop right off the main square, Austurstræti. It is warm and welcoming, a great place to get coffee or hot chocolate when it is cold or rainy outside. Watch out for celebrities! We spotted Forrest Whitaker having coffee there one Tuesday afternoon when we were in there in September of 2004. The macchiato lattés are highly recommended.

Whale watching is a great outdoor activity to take advantage of while in Iceland. Since it's so far north and surrounded by water, Iceland's ocean waters are filled with different kinds of whales including but not limited to orcas, blue whales, sperm whales, and humpbacks.

Whale watching is very easy to do, just walk down to the Reykjavik Harbor and if you're near Cafe Paris just head towards the bay. There is a ticket office right on the dock where you can purchase tickets for whale watching tours. Boats leave two or three times a day—usually in the morning at around 9 and in the early afternoon around 1. Tickets are expensive—we paid around $60 for our tickets—but Iceland is an expensive place, so high priced activities are to be expected.

Whale watching is a hit or miss activity. I went on a rainy cold September day, and while we did see a few tails in the air, none were up close and there were sometimes long periods in between sightings. Still, it's fun to try, and where else are you going to go whale watching? At least on our trip, they had rain slickers on board to help keep us dry!