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Jocelyn CooperJocelyn Cooper
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traveled in 12 countries Read more
  • Iceland
    Day 7

    Reykjavík

    February 15 in Iceland ⋅ ☁️ 36 °F

    We woke up and had a delicious pancake breakfast, packed up and headed toward Reykjavík which was a 2 hour drive. We had tickets to an interactive museum called Perlan, which was actually very cool. They showed a cool planetarium film about the auroras and another about the volcanic eruptions of 2021 that lasted 6 months. We learned about wildlife and visited an ice cave that was surprisingly accurate. We learned about glacier formation and speed of changes. The latter was pretty sad actually as it highlighted how fast we are losing glaciers worldwide. We tried some Icelandic ice cream (delicious) for lunch. Next we went to the iconic Lutheran church Hallgrimskirkja. We made it just in time to see the tower and had amazing views of the city.

    After the church we went back to our AirBnb and checked in. It is right above a busy shopping area with plenty of places we planned to check out tomorrow. Tige surprised me with Icelandic cinnamon donut holes drizzled with honey and sesame seeds and a musical candle like one we had for a birthday that sang for weeks in the garage in Texas.

    We fixed dinner for the kids and went out for a delicious birthday dinner at the Icelandic restaurant called Kol. Super yummy tasing menu for the restaurant’s birthday, def recommend. After dinner we walked for a bit before we headed home. A memorable birthday for sure.    Read more

  • Iceland
    1
    Day 6

    Into the glacier

    February 14 in Iceland ⋅ ❄️ 32 °F

    Today we were up with the sunrise to get ready for our excursion for the day. We booked a tour called Into the Glacier and drove to a nearby town called Husafell to meet the group and get into our crazy big super jeep (it holds about 50 people and has enormous tires). We even met a woman from Texas who was from SA and lives in Spring Branch. We drove for about 1 hour and 15 minutes around the surface of the glacier Langjokull. There are 13 glaciers in Iceland (including offshoots 269 named glaciers). One glacier has already died in 2015. Langjokull is the second largest glacier in Europe. The drive up the surface of the glacier was breathtaking and we stopped halfway (it was a bathroom break but there was snow covering the building so only the boys could take advantage of the break:)

    The tour takes you to a man-made tunnel into the glacier. The tunnel is 900m long and at the deepest you are 50m under the ice. It was crazy to experience being inside the glacier and they even had different little rooms in various states of compression from the weight of the glacier as it changes. They asked for a volunteer to sing and Gid bravely sang a verse of Imagine Dragons’ I bet my life. This was followed by Happy Birthday for me, which was very sweet. The tour lasted about 4 hours.

    After the tour we went back to the house and had lunch. The kids played outside and we tried out the hot tub (which was so hot it was even too much for me) but I let the kids play with snow and that helped. Gideon is a snow bird for sure. We have to force him to come in every time. We just hung out playing games and watching movies, enjoying our last night. It was a good day.    Read more

  • Iceland
    Day 5

    Chill/travel day

    February 13 in Iceland ⋅ ⛅ 23 °F

    Today was a relaxing day. Had a good breakfast and packed up. Apparently all of the farm’s animals were going crazy, there were horses and cows out of their fences running on the road. We headed out to the Secret Lagoon (not going to be the weirdos taking photos at a small hot spring, so no pics). It is the oldest pool (hot spring) in Iceland, used since the 1940s. It is fed by a natural hot spring that is 80-100C. Super relaxing once we got through the hectic changing and shower rooms. We stayed for about an hour, showered again and started our drive toward our next bnb in Ysatmoar. We made lunch in the car on the drive, which was about 2.5 hours in total. We stopped in Borgarnes (which was beautiful but the shops were very simple). 45 minutes and tons of Icelandic horses later we found our next farmhouse. It is super cute and we unloaded just in time for an incredible sunset.

    Big adventure planned for tomorrow so after watching half of Top Gun Maverick we sent the kiddos to bed.

    Edited at 11p: massive northern lights display tonight. E and Connie with us. Hudson kept just covering himself back up and we dressed Gid sleeping and Tige carried him out without boots and he immediately asked to go in. Pics don’t do it justice. Nothing like this!    Read more

  • Iceland
    1
    Day 4

    Caves and ‘sledding’

    February 12 in Iceland ⋅ 🌬 36 °F

    After a late night of Joce and I hunting for Northern Lights (we did see an uninspiring faint one after driving down the road but not enough to wake the kids) and deciding on the next day's activities, we slept in today. After breakfast in, we made our way into town to see the Caves of Hella. The 90-minute tour into three different manmade caves was an interesting and very funny history lesson about (probable) Celtic settlers that predated the Vikings. The caves were mostly used for lamb and/or cow and hay storage. Besides being a great escape from the gale-level wind outside, the local tour guide did a great job of keeping our attention with his pre-historic stories. After the tour, we drove to the nearby town of Sellfoss to have lunch at a roadside sandwich shop. Very yummy. We walked across to the nearby gas station to use the toilet (and bought some snacks since we felt weird not buying anything). Elliot made the unfortunate decision to buy an ice cream cone - what looked like chocolate (but couldn't be translated by Google) ended up being some very gross black licorice flavor. We had been warned about licorice flavor here but didn't consider it extending to ice cream cones. After finding a trash bin, we drove back to Kerid Crater - this time with crampons. We hiked down to the bottom (and out of the wind) and then had fun free 'sledding' down the steep sides. No injuries occurred (except for torn pants)!

    After a pit stop where we found some pancake mix (we think, another one that didn't translate but was by some syrup) and some expensive Islandic IPAs, we headed home for outdoor play with Jocelyn and the kids while the sun set. Games and pizza dinner tonight with some Super Bowl half-time and commercial highlights (we were all fast asleep before the game started at 23:30 local time). Tomorrow, we move further north.    Read more

  • Iceland
    Day 3

    Vik and waterfalls

    February 11 in Iceland ⋅ ☁️ 27 °F

    Once again we slept in until sunrise, made breakfast and then finally hit the road to Vik which was a little over and hour from us. Roads were clear at first and then not so clear, but Tige kept us super safe. Our first stop was the black sand beach Reynisfjara which had amazing basalt columns notched out at the shore and great views of the very rough sea. The wind was high and gusts would pelt your face with sand and small pebbles. Huddy was not a fan. We then went to a pub in Vik for lunch. Yummy fish & chips, Icelandic fish stew and burgers/pasta/chicken for the rest. Probably the best fish we have had in a while. We were sitting next to a woman in an Illinois shirt and found out she was from Alton, which is not far from Troy. After that we hit another black sand beach called Vikurfjara. Finer sand and beautiful views.

    After that we made our way back, first stopping at Skogafos (gorgeous waterfall). Tige, H and I hiked up to the top overlooking the falls and it was even more beautiful up there.

    Our next stop was Seljalandsfoss, a partially frozen waterfall that in summer you can hike around behind. Still beautiful in winter, but our real favorite was 1/2 mile from the first falls (there was a row of waterfalls down the cliffs). The kids and T & I made our way on rocks through the side of the water and climbed a huge ice block to stand next to the waterfall. Not to be missed and thankful we took the trek in.

    We made it home around 7 and hit the hot tub for a bit. Nice to warm up, but honestly our faces are the only things that are cold and windburned. Layers and a super Mountain Hardware sale for the win!

    Mexican dinner via Costco which was great and then Tige and I made some hot toddys and went out to chase the northern lights after an app we follow had several sightings nearish to us. We saw shadows and faint aurora but not the really green vibrant deal. Lots of action in Reykjavik. Hopefully will see her in the days to come!    Read more

  • Iceland
    Day 2

    Geysir & Hella (snow)

    February 10 in Iceland ⋅ ☁️ 27 °F

    Sunrise was at around 10am this morning and we packed up and headed out. First we went to Costco (obv) to get snacks and food for dinners and headed to our first stop at the Kerid crater. It was a small but cool spot where a lake (currently frozen) formed after a magma pocket solidified 6,500 years ago. We went halfway down but since our crampons were buried under a bunch of food, we hiked up and will come back this week. It was very cold! Next we headed to the Geysir area. First geyser ever that all are named after. It does not erupt but another one close by (Stokkur) does about every 5 min. We saw some strong eruptions, several in our party fell down, but luckily no one fell into the geysir water flowing by that was 80-100C. We headed to the car to drive a bit to see the Gullfoss waterfall when we encountered our first Icelandic white-out. We didn’t think we could even see the water so we turned around to make a sketchy 1.5 hour drive to our new spot. We made it just as the sun was gone. Cool farm covered in snow with Icelandic horses. Hoping to enjoy the hot tub later! Tomorrow heading out to explore more of the South Coast.Read more

  • Iceland
    Day 1

    Iceland!

    February 9 in Iceland ⋅ ☁️ 27 °F

    We flew direct to Reyjkavik this afternoon without issue. Elliot is off of school and we took boys out early. A little hiccup when our Airbnb was cancelled for day 2 because it is unreachable due to snow so a stressful start (we finally found a new one at 22:30). We got a 4 wheel drive car (steering wheel on the left side!) with metal studded tires and made the 5 minute drive to our first Airbnb. After settling in, Joce and I made the customary trip for groceries (just a few minutes walk away). We cooked in with pasta (as everyone has warned us, Iceland is expensive - groceries included). No hot water because of pipe issues from the active volcano right down the road (you can smell the sulfer in the air) so no showers but right to bed for our first day of exploring tomorrow. Sunrise not until 9:45 so will have to rely on our internal clocks to get up. It’s cold and snowy but not too bad so far - we will see how it goes tomorrow!Read more

  • Scotland
    Day 4

    Last 48 hours in Edinburgh

    December 31, 2023 in England ⋅ ☁️ 43 °F

    We had a great last full day in Scotland, starting with a visit to Camera Obscura. Super fun illusions and plasma tubes (the kids loved shocking each other after one of the guides showed them how). We have been to other illusions museums but this one was extra special. One of the highlights was that it snowed while we were on the roof deck looking out at the city- so beautiful! After we left there we had wings and beers (adults:) and stopped by the house to drop off our bags.

    We had a 2:30 booking for The Scotch Whisky Experience. Neither of us are big scotch people but we gave it our best. The tour was super fun and immersive even for the kids and we learned about regions and flavors and chose our favorite profile for a sample. The kids had a classic Scottish soda, which had mixed reviews. Our place was about 5 minutes from the tasting place, so we took the kids back and left our babysitter in charge (E) and went back to the Scotch Fair at the same spot. Basically just vendors that you could try if you went to the tour. We found some that were ok, but we are still not converts.

    We made our way into the more local part of the city away from the Royal Mile and went to the top escape room in Scotland. We did a Jumangi-themed room that was super fun with lots of puzzles and locks and managed to escape with 3 min to go. Kids loved it! Our last stop was dinner at Vittorio’s, which was a nice Italian spot. Headed home a little after 9 and everyone fell asleep quickly after a busy day!

    This morning we were up early to check out of our AirBnb. We walked the Royal Mile (which is actually a Scot’s mile, 1.1 miles) down to the Holyrood palace and caught a glimpse of King Arthur’s seat. We had wanted to hike it, but weather wasn’t ideal. Next time! Walked back to the train station, with a quick stop to buy some heavy wool sweaters, and on our way home on the train now. We all really loved Edinburgh and can see why so many people say Scotland is one of their favorite places. Tige will be back to locum in Glasgow in a couple weeks but we will all be back for a longer visit in the not-too-distant future.    Read more

  • Scotland
    Day 2

    Edinburgh Castle and Hogmanay

    December 29, 2023 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 41 °F

    Today was a chilly day but nothing a few layers couldn’t handle (which is good because Gid lost his glove immediately this am). Since we are right on the Royal mile we start our day hearing bagpipes, which is super cool. We went out after breakfast and headed to Edinburgh castle and spent the morning and into the early afternoon there. Elliot has been studying Mary Queen of Scots and Elizabeth the 1st pretty thoroughly and she knew a lot of the history that we were experiencing. We walked the grounds of the castle, saw the Crown Jewels, the amazing views of the city and the water from above. Other highlights were the great hall and the section for the prisoners and the 1p cannon shot. The audio tour was just ok, but the castle was terrific.

    Afterward, we walked Victoria street and found some delicious pulled pork at a place called Oink (def recommend) and walked the streets looking in shops and finding the perfect wool scarves. We checked out more bagpipes and headed back to warm up and played board games.

    Headed out to grab dinner at a place called The Mussels and Steak bar. Lots of fresh seafood here and we had fish and oysters and mussels. Everyone tried Haggis and it was actually delicious😋

    Hogmanay is the Scottish celebration of the end and beginning few days of the year meant to be a time of reflection (and partying). The beginning of Hogmanay kicks off with a parade of 20k people with torches and drums, and of course, bagpipes. Incredible to watch! That said, we had to blend in and cross over to get back to our place. Luckily Tige found a loose gate. The police were out enforcing the parade route and not keen on crossings! Back home to get ready for bed and get some sleep. Overall a great day!    Read more

  • Scotland
    Day 1

    Edinburgh!

    December 28, 2023 in Scotland ⋅ 🌬 45 °F

    We had to get up early to catch our 7:40 train from Beaconsfield. Just a short 5-10 walk from the house and then into London where we took the Underground to Kings Cross for our 4.5 hour train to Edinburgh. Storm Gerrit caused havoc in Scotland yesterday and most trains were canceled but, fortunately, everything up and running today. Unfortunately, it was standing room only for most of the trip with people sitting in the aisles next to us. At least they honored our seat reservations and we got to sit together. We arrived at 2 and were able to check in early. Our flat is awesome! It's directly on the Royal Mile or High Street in Edinburgh, just down the way from Edinburgh Castle in the middle of Old Town. It feels like walking on a movie set (the kids didn't get my William Wallace quotes). We dropped our bags and made our way to a late lunch at a nice restaurant down the street (will have to work our way up to trying haggis). We then walked across town to the Christmas Market with it's lights before heading back to the Royal Mile for a tour at Mary King's Close (which was right next door to our flat, as it turned out). Close refers to the old and (mostly) no longer existent narrow streets that separated the packed in homes in Edinburgh dating back 400-500 years. The old towns have been built on top of over the years but some of the narrow alleys and old rooms are preserved underneath the city. It was an interesting history with some lessons on the Plague that the kids couldn't believe; very enjoyable. After the tour, we found a local grocery for breakfast (and a late dinner/snack) and made our way back to the flat. We are all tired so it's nice to sit down and relax but a full day tomorrow.Read more

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