Another fairly relaxed start but this time we had to be a bit more careful about packing, making sure that all we needed for our pre-flight COVID test was easy to get at.
Although we didn’t have that far to travel, we were going to make the most of the things there were to see along the way. We started immediately with Reynisfara beach, famed for its black sand, basalt columns and proximity to Reykjavik – and its ‘killer breakers’
It was still quite cold, though not as bitingly cold as further east, and we were ready to go back to the van fairly quickly. On to Skogafoss. It was absolutely perishing there!! The water looked grey and the tourists were all clad in dark, warm clothes: none of the bright colours we’d have liked to see!
And the force of the waterfall had to be seen to be believed.
After a quick lunch stop at a very modern motorway services type facility which happened to be full of Chinese tourists, we were on the last leg of our journey to Reykjavik and our COVID tests.
Although only three of us actually NEEDED them, all five of us decided to have them – the tests that had been bought can be used anytime up to their (longish) use-by date.
Our driver seemed to find the place without too much difficulty and parked a two second walk away. There were masks at the door for those who had forgotten them and we were greeted with an easy smile by the staff who took our names and offered to print the letters for us. We were ushered into an area together and tested as a group. Our tester was a young Greek-Brit who had been living in Iceland for three years. The whole process was quick and painless – and free, so well worth knowing about.
Within the promised fifteen minutes, the official fit to fly documents were in our hands and were OK to go.
Next stop the city highlights that we wouldn’t have seen had we not a. had an extra day and b. needed to be tested.
Hallgrímskirkja
Hallgrímskirkja is a Lutheran ( Church of Iceland) parish church. Commissioned in 1937, construction started in 1945 but was not completed until 1986. A major restoration took place in 2008-9 and it is now possible to go to the top of the tower again. Views over the city give an impression of the size and variety of the centre.
We walked down this street to the harbour and there was something to see all the time – either the colourful shops or the well cared for homes with interesting doorways. The colourful shop here was right next to a very brightly coloured bakery providing some photo fodder as we passed.
All this, of course, was part of our walk to the Harpa – Reykjavik’s famous Concert Hall. It has been open since 2011 and hosted many live concerts – both classical and Pop in normal times.
Having failed to get a reservation ar his favourite restaurant, our leader decided if we were all happy we’d go to a fish restaurant on the harbour’s edge. The prices were more reasonable than I had expected and I decided to try the fish stew we’d been hearing about – plokkari – more like flakes of fish in very softly mashed potato: not bad at all!
At the end of the meal, he went to get the car so that we didn’t have to walk back up the hill, then drove us to a hotel on the outskirts of the city where we would spend our last night in this amazing country.
Home tomorrow but there will be things to see because our flight changed from early to later in the afternoon. I wonder what’s in store!?
Living the Journey 