Day 13 in Iceland- Last full day!

Well the time came and went pretty quick- our last night in Iceland!!

Brett and I ventured downtown on our own today and went through a few more shops. We went back to the delicious noodle place my aunt took us the day before- it was so good we woke up craving it! :) Brett found some good looking trolls along the way- I personally think the second picture is a perfect fit. ;)

Knowing we would have a long night ahead, we fit in a nap and started packing our bags. Even though we spent yesterday at the Blue Lagoon, we decided it was not nearly enough time. It is quite expensive to go to the lagoon (over $50 each just for entrance), but we decided that you only live once and who knows when we'd both be back in Iceland again. Off to the lagoon we went for a second day!!

The lagoon has buckets of silica mud masks throughout so we made sure to get our masks on and freshen up our skin! We made our way around pretty much the whole lagoon over the course of an hour and a half. Certain areas are warmer than others so anytime we'd find a hot spot we'd stick around a little bit. On the far side of the lagoon the rocks sloped up gradually creating kind of a "beach" to lay/sit on. After a few minutes some HOT water made its way toward us and I had to get up and move- I felt like I was slowly cooking. Hahah.

We purchased the "volcanic ash mask" and spread that on for a few minutes- I actually really like this mask- it exfoliates wonderfully. :) You're supposed to finish it off with an algae mask, but we couldn't find the "mask guy" around the lagoon- oh well! After getting our fill of the lagoon and fully-pruned at this point, we decided it was time to leave.

On our last night we stayed at my Aunt and Uncle's house because my cousin Nicholas and his girlfriend were flying in from Paris around 11:30pm and I hadn't seen them in 5 years. We got to my aunts around 9:30 and saw my cousin Steven and his girlfriend Aldis. Debbie made a wonderful dinner and we sat around and chatted for a bit. When Steven found out Brett wanted to try shark before we left town it was off to the grocery store!!

We thought we were out of luck (let's be honest, Brett was excited when we couldn't find shark at first), but Aldis found it and we were all set!! We also checked out some of the other "nasty meat" at the store like cow tongue and blood guts or whatever it was- I couldn't look at it too long. Bleh!!

I thought we would wait for Nicholas to get home before Brett tried shark but Steven had to work in the morning nad couldn't miss this opportunity. We had to search my cousins room for some hard alcohol for Brett to chase the shark with. He insisted on just chasing the shark down with some juice but we convinced him he would NEED the alcohol afterward. ;) Once everyone had out their phones and video cameras, Steven handed Brett his sample of shark! Brett took about 5 or 10 bites and wasn't making any faces- I thought maybe he like dit for a second. After swallowing and chasing it with a shot, then a couple coughs/gags came! ;) He said it took a while for that "ammonia" kick to the mouth set-in. Haha. We were all doubled over laughing and enjoying his misery. My aunt thought it would be funny to suggest I do it again- not a chance! I did it 5 years ago and once in a lifetime is good enough!

Brett went to bed shortly after and Andrew and I stayed up while Debbie picked Nicholas and Yr up at the airport. It was nice to spend some time with them before I left town!

Up early in the morning, my aunt drove us to the airport and said goodbye. It was a WONDERFUL vacation and so nice to see family and show Brett the beautiful country. Definitely sad to leave but excited to be home. We had a long journey at the airport yesterday- delayed out of Iceland and missed our flight in New York. Finally got back home around 10:30 and then off to Canada with Brett we got back after 1am. Long day but worth all the traveling. Next year- all-inclusive beach resort summer vaca! Until next time. :)

Day 11 and 12 in Iceland

Day 11-

Our last morning in Patro. Love this little town. Wish we would have stayed an extra day but I wanted to get back to Reykjavik and see my dad. We packed up early, I said goodbye to my grandparents house, and off to the ferry we went.

When we drove to Patro on Friday we drove the entire way. While it was amazing, a lot of it was unpaved roads with lots of potholes and narrow roadways (See map below to see our journey). It was definitely worth the drive, but at this point... it is just easier to take the ferry and cut off 2 hours of rough driving! The ferry was VERY expensive (over $200), but it was nice to get out of the car and take a break.

Brett and I went up on the deck for about 10 minutes to look for whales, but unfortunately we saw nothing! Brett kept joking he wanted to see a shark snatch up a seal (seals are my favorite animal)- I didn´t think he was that funny. Back on the road, we found ourselves in some "Icelandic traffic". ;) LOTS of cars and campers headed back toward the capital.

We pulled into a gas station once we got home, filled up the tank, and Brett rinsed off my aunt´s car since it picked up quite a bit of dust over the weekend!! Finally arriving home, dad and Heida had a DELICIOUS cod dinner waiting for us with sweet potatoes and tomatoes. YUM!! After dinner we all grabbed a spot on the couch and watched the big soccer game. Brett and I kept laughing about all the "injuries" on the field. A player would get a hand to the face or a small tap on the leg and they´d fall on the field like their life was ending... would like to see them play hockey. But congrats to Germany on the big win!!

Day 12-

Aunt Debbie picked us up again today to head downtown to the shops. We ate lunch at a delicious noodle restaurant- sooo good, wish we had known about it sooner! The last few times we have gone downtown have been later in the evening and many shops were closed, so I was finally able to get into the Christmas store and buy an ornament. Thought it would be a neat souvenir from Iceland to take home with me! The trip has been pretty spendy and we´ve split a lot of costs along the way. I paid for the ferry the other day so Brett owed me a few bucks. He thought it would be funny to give me his BAG (seriously, he had it in a bag) of change from the trip- about $15 worth. When I dumped it on the counter, he walked away laughing. Lucky for me, the nice lady at the Christmas store helped count out what I  owed! ;)

Since Iceland does not have Starbucks, my aunt told us we needed to get an "Icelandic coffee" while we were here, so we made a last stop to Te & Kaffi- Brett grabbed a coffee and I had my chai tea. One final stop on our way back was to the man-made beach in Reykjavik. I had never been here before! It was pretty neat looking- there were kids in swimsuits building sand castles, and others playing in the water (they pump thermal water in so it is warm). Last but not least, it had some beautiful views... something to do on our next visit for sure.

And now finally, we were off to one of the best parts of the trip and Brett´s most anticipated adventure- the Blue Lagoon. My aunt suggested we go later in the evening to avoid most of the tourists. We passed many tour buses on our way in so that was a great sign!! It is a very weird feeling going to the blue lagoon. You feel like you´re driving in the middle of nowhere- and it is not a pretty drive in my opinion. Everywhere you look is black lava rock and it looks like hell honestly. Hahah. But as soon as you get close to the lagoon you can start to see some of the blue/white water. It´s really amazing the first time you see it in person because the brightness of the water against the dark lava rock is really spectacular.

Brett and I decided to make the most of our visit and get a premium package, complete with towel/robe/sandals (that we got to keep), cocktail, lava face mask, and dinner voucher. We decided to go to the lagoon first so we could enjoy it without a full belly!!

The lagoon was wonderful and the water was perfect temperature. We were treated to 3 different kinds of face masks. The first was their mineral mask, second was the lava rock mask, and third was the algae mask. Needless to say, our faces feel brand new. Haha! The lagoon is massive, so even with all the cars and buses in the parking lot, it doesn´t feel crowded when you´re in there. We walked around quite a bit and finally grabbed our drinks.

I had a few people asking about my GoPro since we were in the water when I had it with me. The guy at the bar joked that I should just start taking peoples pictures and then charging them for it. We started talking to him and his girlfriend and it turns out they are Canadians! Of course, this made Brett happy. Hehe. They are from Edmonton and were just in Sweden for a wedding and decided to spend a couple days in Iceland.

After the lagoon we got showered up and headed to dinner at the Lava Restaurant at the Lagoon. We had a 4 course meal with our purchase. First sampling was a scallop and leek pairing. Then our first course was cod, second course was salmon, third course was lamb, and fourth was skyr and raspberry dessert. Oh my.... every single thing was SOOOO tasty. That was the first time I´ve ever had a multiple course meal like that.

Full, relaxed, and happy, we headed back to the house. When we pulled into the driveway we noticed my dads car was gone and figured he had gone out to sea. He has been working most of the time since we´ve been here so we figured he had gone out for another night. When I asked his girlfriend Heida if he has gone back out on the boat she asked if I had received his message- I hadn´t. Apparently the fish were biting and it was off to the West Fjords for him (likely a 2 week trip). It was very short notice (obviously) and he had to leave quite quickly so we didn´t get the chance to say goodbye.

I ran off to our room and began crying. As quickly as I turned around, Brett was there, arms wide open waiting for me. Brett only sees his dad a couple times a year and I have been there when he's had to say goodbye- he knew how hard this was for me. :( And to not get a proper goodbye after going over a year without seeing my dad... I am absolutely heartbroken. Dads girlfriend Heida came in to comfort me a little later, and since my sister is having a baby in October, I told her to make sure he buys a plane ticket and comes to visit soon. Not the best way to end my night... but I will see him again. ♡

Day 10 in Iceland

We did so much today I'm tired just thinking about it!! The weather was absolutely beautiful in Patreskfjordur this weekend, we really lucked out!! I really wanted to start off the day with a drive out to Latrabjarg. Along the way, we stopped at a ship that was driven on shore back in the 80's. It was built in Norway in 1912 and was one of the longest-going ships in the West Fjords before it was retired.

Brett wasted no time jumping into the ship despite the warning signs. Haha. I am dating a true adventurer! ;) He got some pretty neat video inside the ship though. I am going to put together a video from our trip when I get home.

Back on the road, we headed out to the cliffs. This drive was again equally breathtaking and terrifying. Anytime a car was coming up ahead, we would either slow down or stop completely to let them by. Narrow gravel roads with no lines and large cliffs= cautious driving!!

We finally made it to the cliffs and as I warned... it was WINDY!!! AGAIN... terrifying. These cliffs are the most Western point in all of Europe. They are also several hundred meters high- eek!!! Of course, curiosity drives you close to the edge, but I was staying back. Brett made me nervous a few times. Haha. There were large gusts of wind that were knocking me off my feet- there was no way I was risking anything. In the picture below you can see a few small black dots on top of the cliffs- those are people just to give an idea of how big the drop is!!

We made it safely to the car (warmed up our fingers) and adventured back home. We saw signs for Radusandur (Red Sand beach) only 10 km away. The view was amazing, but there wasn't really anywhere to walk on the beach. Still worth the short drive!!

After getting home and refueling we decided to head out to the local golf course just outside of Patreksfjordur. It is a 9 hole, 36 par course. I haven't golfed in at least 7 years!! We were surprised when no one was there (although we found out the mayor was getting married and that's basically where the whole town was). Lucky for us, they worked on an honesty policy and we found clubs and score cards inside to play!

We had the entire course to ourselves, which was nice considering my poor shot and the gusty winds. It was definitely fun to enjoy the nice weather, and now Brett and I can say we have golfed in Iceland!!

On our way back to town I had Brett stop at the cemetery so I could visit my grandpa. He passed away in 1994 (my first visit to Iceland was for about a month for his funeral). Lucky for me, he came to America to visit us before he passed away. ♡ Definitely could not travel this far and not go visit him.

After grabbing dinner at a local cafe, Brett and I decided to visit my families land (Raknadalur). My aunt/uncle/cousin placed some Geocaches on the land about a year ago. For those that dont know, geocaching is basically a treasure hunt. There are over 2.4 million of these throughout the world. The website helps you look up boxes near your area and then you can go on a hunt for them. You can take something from the box as long as you leave something for the next person. Brett and I really wanted to get the geocoin someone recently left and take it back to canada to place somewhere else.

After about 45 minutes of searching (and almost breaking my ankle), we decided to call my aunt for some clues. Unfortunately, even after looking in the exact spots she described, we found nothing. We are hoping someone didnt steal them. :/ My aunt is coming up in a few weeks and will check then. Oh well- it was a good workout!! But a treasure hunt isn't fun unless you find treasure!!

Back at the house now. We are headed back to Reykjavik in the morning- this time taking the ferry. It is very expensive but will save us time and bumpy roads!!

Day 8 and 9 in Iceland

Day 8-

Last time I was in town I visited Árbæjarsafn which is a museum in Reykjavik. This museum is built on many acres of land and is composed of several houses that have been moved to the site. These old houses show how Icelanders lived back in the day. You can walk into each house and see furniture/belongings from the time period of the house. Each house also has a description of the owner. For example, one house we visited the owner was a blacksmith, so his tools were displayed in the house.

It was fun to go visit this museum again. There are over a dozen places to see while you are there- some dating back to the mid 1800's. One house was so small I couldn't stand up straight and the informational plaque said it fit two families with up to 6 children. Holy moly!!

The museum also has people dressed up in old Icelandic clothing in some of the houses to answer your questions. In one house that had a lot of knitting supplies there were two young girls in the bedroom knitting (sign me up for that job)!! When knitting machines were made back in the day they were so expensive that many Icelandic women would share the cost to buy one.

It was also interesting to learn about the evolution of the country and importing of goods. Icelanders diets mainly consisted of fish and meat. Importing of goods later brought coffeeand sugar to Iceland. Fun fact- Starbucks is not in Iceland (though it has been in every other foreign country I have visited). Icelanders like coffee, but they typically have coffee at friends houses when they visit- very rarely do they go out for a coffee.

After the museum, Aunt Debbie and my cousin Andrew picked us up and we went to the 66 North shops. Really nice stuff- I was looking for some gloves but didnt find anything I couldn't like without. Debbie decided to take us to "lolly-land" at Haugkap. This place had the biggest candy selection I'd ever seen!! Watch out Janice- Brett filled up a bag for you!! ;)

Brett cooked up some delicious pork chops when we got home. We are getting sick of watching Storage Wars and Pawn Stars on the History channel. But hearing some English is worth it. Haha!!

My dad got home from fishing late. He has unfortunately been working a lot since we've been here. :( Good for his wallet, but not good for my short visit.

Day 9-

Today we decided to drive to Patreksfjordur which is where my grandpas house is. He passed away when I was 4, but my dad and his siblings still own the house and visit frequently. My aunt decided to start renting it to tourists and it has been a great success!  It is about a 5 hour drive north of Reykjavik. Brett got in his driving this trip. :) most the drive was absolutely stunning. The most beautiful country around!! That being said, most the drive is also terrifying. There were several times I was telling Brett to just keep his eyes on the road and not look down (although the views were incredible). They might have been more enjoyable if there were guardrails... or ANY protective barrier for that matter!! ;)

Our long journey finally brought us to Patro. I love this town. I remember coming here with my dad and sister when I was 4- so it has a special place in my heart. Brett cooked up some dinner (what a guy), and we decided to relax at the community pool after our long trek today. It cost about $6 to get in, is only a 1 minute walk from the house, and has a heated outdoor pool with 2 hot tubs, a sauna, and a gym. We were in heaven. And did I mention it has views of the fjord to boot!? We threw the ball back and forth in the pool swam a few laps, and let our bodies relax in the hot tub. A perfect day indeed!!

After watching a movie with my love, it is off to bed. Lots of adventures to pack in tomorrow. Goodnight for now!! :)

Day 6 and 7 in Iceland

Day 6-

Aunt Debbie agreed to give us a ride to the Golden Circle of Iceland after my cousin´s horse-riding lessons!! This area is about an hour and a half drive from Reykjavik. Thankfully the weather held out for us and although it was overcast there was no rain.

Our first stop of the trip was Geysir. The main geysir is quite large but has not gone off in a LONG time. The other geysir next to it on the other hand goes off about every 10-15 minutes. Last time I was here it was not as active and took a lot longer to erupt. The water around the geysir and neighboring areas is between 80 and 100 degrees Celsius!! After catching the geysir on video a few times we walked around to some of the other areas. Brett and I decided to take a picture in front of the geysir and my aunt was joking that she should just keep taking pictures until the geysir erupted behind us. We laughed.... and as soon as Brett and I walked away, the geysir erupted!! Then I asked Brett to take a picture of my aunt and I, and as soon as we walked away, it erupted AGAIN... and then one more time right after that! I´d say it erupted 3 times in a 2 or 3 minute span, it was bizarre!

After Geysir we grabbed a bite to eat at the cafe across the street and looked around the souvenir shop. We couldn´t help but laugh at the "canned Icelandic air" they had for sale for about $11. The sad thing is... tourists actually buy this crap. Haha.

Back on the road for about a 10 minute drive, we made our way to Gullfoss- Iceland´s most famous waterfall, and my favorite spot in the country from my last visit!! Even though I have been before, it still amazed me. It is so large and grand and terrifyingly powerful.The view from up on the hill looking down is unbelievable, and then walking up next to it is even more amazing. I think Brett was pretty impressed! ;)

Day 7-

We´ve been taking it easy the last few days, so we decided to go visit my aunt Kristin and her family about 20-30 minutes away. Kristin and her hubby are getting sick of the cruddy Icelandic weather, so they are off to Turkey and this was the only day I could go visit. The last time I saw my cousin she was 6 years old... and now 11- so grown up!! She is still learning English and quite shy, so she was trying to avoid me I think. Haha!! I also got to see my cousin Lilly and her 2 adorable boys!!! So sad how much has changed since I was last here. Kristin´s boyfriend was cooking up my FAVORITE when we arrived- pannkakur (Icelandic pancakes). They are thin like crepes, but much different. Icelander´s usually spread them with either sugar, or jam and whipped cream. SOOOO good. My aunt and uncle bought me a pannkakur pan as a gift last time I visited.

Lucky for us, we swapped some cars around while my Aunt Kristin is on vacation, and now we have our own ride while we are here!! Brett has to drive though since it is a standard car. I can drive standard, but I´m not that comfortable doing it in a place I don´t know!

We followed Debbie and my cousin Andrew back to town and stopped to get pizza. Brett is eating healthy so we took him to Subway. ;) My 10 year old cousin Andrew was translating for Brett because although he said the lady knew what vegetables he was asking for, she looked at him confusingly when he asked for chicken. Andrew to the rescue!!

We had a nice dinner back at Debbies house and then decided to head back to our home for the trip. Brett and I got in the car and looked at each other and realized we had no idea how to get back home as this is the first day we have had a car. I ran up the stairs to my aunt and when she realized we had no clue where to go, she stared laughing! ;) My aunt is very sweet though- she drove in front of us so we could follow her home.. AND she gave us a GPS to use on the trip! This will be helpful as we are driving to my grandparents house on Friday and it is about 5 hours away!

Days 4 and 5 in Iceland

Day 4-

Icelanders like to party!! Okay, just kidding... but they DO stay up really late, especially in the summer. Going to bed at 1am means I am not getting up until about 10 every morning. I hope I don´t become addicted to coffee after this trip. Even though I don´t think it affects me much, it does seem to open my eyes a little faster in the morning. ;)

We decided to enjoy the beautiful sunshine in Reyjavik and head to the city center again. But before we did that my dad made a pit stop at the Senior Living Center in town. My grandma remarried an American when my dad was young and moved to America. She lived in the south for the rest of her life and although she held me as a baby when I was younger, I unfortunately do not remember her. She was a beautiful woman  (see picture below). One of her sisters, Mattia, is still alive and I was lucky enough to meet her yesterday. She was very excited to see me!! She was playing card games with her friends when we arrived, so she brought us back to her condo. The first thing she told my dad was how much I look like my grandma!

My grandma Sigurveig with her 2nd husband. My half~Aunt and half~Uncle with her.

Much of the older population in Iceland does not speak English, so my dad had to translate between the two of us. But that did not make the visit uncomfortable whatsoever. Mattia showed us pictures of the family, and I saw a picture on her table I had to ask about~ this picture below if of my great~grandparents. Check out that hair flow on my great~grandpa!! She said he was born a complete toe~head and his hair eventually darkened up.

I noticed some cross~stitch work around the house and Mattia showed me some of her work. She had one particular sign over the door that said "God bless this house" in Icelandic. When she found out that I cross~stitch as well she gave me the pattern to do one myself. Once I get it made, I will think of her every time I see it. 

Our visit was short but wonderful. I know much more about my grandpa´s side of the family, so it was really nice to meet my grandma´s sister. We exchanged hugs and kisses on our way out and Matthia teared up as we said our goodbyes.

After driving downtown we made our way to Harpa, which is the Icelandic Concert Hall in Reykjavik right on the water. It is a beautifully constructed building with souvenir shops and cafe´s at the bottom and restaurants and concert halls throughout. Iceland has LOTS of art throughout the downtown center, but my dad said that many Icelanders were upset over the construction of this concert hall. It cost the city lots of money and many citizens felt it could have been better spent on building a new hospital. Nonetheless, it was beautiful.

On the top floor of Harpa- enjoying views of the harbor.

Brett and I outside Harpa.

Of course, at this point in the day, Brett is hungry. ;) We went to an American Style restaurant and purchased some delicious hamburgers... okay, Brett got a salad. But I had a delicious hamburger. Haha.

We walked along and found a building that had a topographical map of Iceland. My dad showed Brett around the country and shared some family history. 

Walking the streets some more, we decided to head back to the Lutheran church and see the inside. Since I have seen dozens of European churches, I won´t lie when I say I was a little under~whelmed with this church. Not because it wasn´t beautiful, but it was just a little less "decorated" than most I have seen. That being said, this church had the BIGGEST pipe organ I´ve ever seen in my life. They had a concert playing later that night but we did not stay for this (I know my mom would have LOVED this). We payed a few hundred kronur (about 6 bucks) and took the elevator up to the top of the church tower to see the views. They were quite spectacular!! Lucky for us, we were at the top of the tower when the clock struck 4pm. Even though we knew the bells were about to ring, we still jumped a little when the clock went off. ;)

After walking around town some more we grabbed some coffee (chai latte for me) and went in search of a backgammon and cribbage board. Brett and I are cribbage addicts and did not bring a board on the trip. My dad and I used to play backgammon when I was little and although I forgot how to play, dad said he would refresh my memory!! After searching several shops, we were out of luck... but we did find Santa´s mailbox. Will have to go back~ I haven´t written my letter yet!! Fun fact~ Iceland has 13 Santa Claus´s!! Every night, one Yuletide lad visits each child, leaving gifts or rotting potatoes depending on the child´s behavior throughout the year. Google "Yule Lads" if you want to read more~ really interesting!!

On a mission to find our crib/backgammon boards, we jumped in the car and headed toward a Toys R Us. This adventure was made more exciting by getting a flat tire and watching my dad race like a maniac through the mall parking lot looking for air pumps. Hahah. We found a backgammon board for 40 bucks... a REALLY cheap, crappy one at that! Haha. Out of luck with cribbage though. Oh well~ dad and I had a great time playing backgammon. I beat him 2~1... wonderful considering he had to remind me about the entire game!

Day 5-

Today was a LAZY day!!! My calves hurt, Brett´s feet are torn up from breaking in his new sandals.... so we took it a little easier today. Brett has still been getting up and working out while we´ve been here~ proud of him. I on the other hand do NOT have that kind of motivation on vacation.

As Brett was completing his run we crossed paths as I was walking to the store and he came with me to get some lunch/dinner food. The grocery stores here are SO much different than back home. I got my second bag of Kleinur today~yum!! We wanted some lunch meats for sandwiches and unfortunately for us, everything was in Icelandic. We did our best at playing "mystery meat" and took a gamble on a few good looking packs. ;)

Luckily, we found an online cribbage board to track scores, so we put in about 15 games today. It was a relaxing day!! Dad was out on the boat today mackerel fishing so we were on our own. We removed some cod from the freezer and Brett cooked up the fish on the BBQ.

Tomorrow we will visit the Golden Circle with my Aunt Debbie and cousin Andrew. Going later in the day which will be nice since the sun is out 24 hours and there will be less tourists!

Fun facts about Iceland:
~Gas here is $8.40 per gallon!!
~The sun does not set in the summer, does not hardly rise in the winter.
~The hot water in Reykjavik smells heavily of sulfer (rotten eggs). It is very odd to take a shower that smells like rotten eggs. Thankfully, the smell does not stick when you get out.
~Almost all of Iceland´s energy comes from green sources.
~The population of Iceland is around 320,000 people. THIS year alone, they will have over 1 million visitors.
~Iceland has a LOT of roundabouts. I once heard that the citizens call the President the "King of roundabouts".
~The European and North American plates meet in Iceland and are being pulled apart at the rate that our fingernail´s grow each year (we are visiting this area tomorrow... more pics to come then)
~Iceland has about 130 volcanic mountains.

Enough for now- goodnight all!!!

12:30 in the morning