Where The Wild Things Went (And Did Drugs)

Reykjavik and Vicinity

When we first arrived in Iceland, we only stayed in Reykjavik long enough to buy supplies, then we shot like a rocket toward the West Fjords. When we had returned to Reykjavik, there was plenty on our agenda, so we quickly checked into the downtown hostel and set out on a quest to consume as much of Reykjavik as we could in the two days we had left.

One thing I noticed  at first was how clean everything was. There was little to no trash laying in the streets, and the overall feel was modern and clean. The nightlife was fun and the people were friendly. We ate dinner at Frú Berglaug, which offered us a taste of Icelandic food. I had fried salmon and it was quite delicious.

What captured my attention the most in Reykjavik was the architecture of the Hallgrímskirkja church and the beautiful graffiti that covered the walls near the skate park. The attention to detail in both of these two very different things really show the passion that went into creating them.

Highlights

      • The Lava Tubes – Exploring these dark and rocky lava formed caverns near Keflavik was quite a trip. We only stuck to the first half mile due to time, but these things can extend many miles. The beginning section offered some pretty impressive scenes including many collapsed ceilings showcasing the world above.
      • The Graffiti in the downtown skatepark – Reykjavik has many different, interesting things to see, but when we stumbled across the graffiti strewn skatepark, my eyes could not stop exploring the expanse of artwork before me.
      • Nightlife – There is a slew of fun and interesting bars in Reykjavik. There is even a bar called “The Lebowski Bar” with a Big Lebowski theme. People are friendly, and there beer is comparably priced to the bigger US cities.
      • The Sun Voyager – This is one of those iconic landmarks, that if you are familiar with Reykjavik at all, you probably already know. This sculpture of a viking long boat sits on the shoreline.
      • Hallgrímskirkja – This church is probably the single most recognizable feature in Reykjavik. It’s towering columnar shape takes style cues from the basalt pillars of the waterfall, Svartifoss.

 

All said and done, my first experience in Iceland was phenomenal. We may not have had perfect weather, but we had no shortage of great experiences. The people were friendly, the landscapes incredible, and the experience was unforgettable. The midnight sun was really disorienting at first, but ended up proving to be useful in seeing as much of this country as we could in nine days. When I return, and I will return, I would like to experience the opposite end of the spectrum and go when the days are the shortest. Two words: Aurora Borealis. And on that note, I leave you. Until next time, safe travels!

 

Check out this short film we put together while in Iceland, also click here for more of my photos from Iceland. Enjoy!