Day 1 - part 2 In Town

By the time I left the Blue Lagoon, the sun was out and shining. It was an absolutely beautiful, calm day in town. The temperature was high 40’s. After getting dropped off at my hotel, I changed my clothes and helped myself to the leftover breakfast pastries on the bar for lunch. Then I set out to explore. Since it was Sunday and I knew some of the museums were closed on Monday, my main focus was those museums.

I headed off to the Settlement Exhibition, following the excellent hotel instructions and my trusty map. I made it to City Hall right next to the Reykjavik City Pond to buy a Reykjavik Welcome Card. I bought a 2 day card and went off to the National Museum of Iceland. Then I headed back to the Settlement Exhibition and then the Culture House. After that I walked back to the hotel and took a little nap before my evening adventure.

Some info on Iceland/Reyk: If it weren’t for the sunlight issue and the high prices, Iceland would be an awesome place to live. Crime is basically non-existent. While there is a police force in Reykj. I never saw one. They’ve had 1 murder in about 3 years. They are quite progressive, beating us to women’s voting and their legislature is almost 50% female.
The water is totally drinkable throughout the country. It is underground springs. However, often the hot water source is different and sometimes tourists will complain about the smell of the hot water. Tipping is not typically done and there is absolutely no reason to convert money. I used my credit card the entire time, even out in the boonies.
Reykjavik is an amazing capital city. About 2/3 of the 355,000 natives live in the area but the streets, particularly the main street, are like a small town. There is just 1 way traffic and 1 small lane with angle parking. Traffic was not heavy. There was only 1 stop light the full 3/4 mile I walked on the main street before turning. The buildings are pretty much the same style and, just like other countries, I’ve visited the streets change their names a lot. I think our guide told us that most learn English in grade school so that was great. Unemployment is near zero. Purchasing a Reykjavik Welcome Card is a great way to see the museums for “free” and save money (24 hour ticket: $27.; 48 hrs: $34).

Pictures: 1-main square, 2-founder of Reyk, 3-city hall, 4-5-city pond, 6-Culture House museumRead more