Pre-cruise Day in Reykjavik
Our overnight flight to Iceland was uneventful and we even got a little sleep despite our non-reclining seats. Customs in Reykjavik went quickly and we met the driver for our transportation to the hotel in the harbor area of the city.
Despite having little sleep the previous evening we decided it was best to just stay up for the day, which really helps the adjustment to a 4 hour time change. So after quick change of clothing for the cool rainy and windy day we headed out for a walk in the city before a walking food tour of Raykjavik.
It was a pretty dreary day so after a short time we decided to head to the Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Center, a beautiful glass structure on the water. This was the starting point for our tour, but we had over an hour before the start time of the tour so we decided to walk around the facility and visit the gift shop. There was a ticketed exhibit in the center called The Volcano Express which provided an excellent overview of volcanoes in Iceland. The ticket included a movie/ride which was a little like Sorin’ at DisneyWorld where we got to see up close footage of volcanic eruptions complete with shaking and heat. These are a few photos from a volcano selfie photo experience in the exhibit.
When we left the volcano exhibit it was almost time for our 12:30 tour so we headed up to the Center entrance to wait for our tour.
We met our tour guide, Freys at the entrance to the building along with 9 other participants. Freys was a terrific guide who had a wealth of knowledge of Iceland including foods, history, culture and traditions. Our tour took us to 5 food restaurants and except for one, we were able to get out of the rain and enjoy the food in a comfortable and warm environment. We enjoyed good portions of traditional Icelandic comfort food at three of the restaurants which served delicious arctic char and lamb prepared in a number of different ways. At our last stop we enjoyed an ice cream dessert made from day old traditional dark bread that is often served with Icelandic meals. We got to try the bread at one of our stops.
At one of the stops we were offered the opportunity to sample a small bite of ammonia cured shark on a toothpick. The shark is a traditional Icelandic food which goes back hundreds of years. The actual shark which comes from Greenland is toxic if not cured and the ammonia makes it technically edible. A few people tried it, and only one person thought it was edible. I could not get past the smell which was reminiscent of a cat litter box so I declined the offer to try it. Today ammonia cured shark is served on holidays especially one that is dedicated to Icelandc traditions.
We had one stop on the tour that was unlike any of the others, the outdoor Bæjarins Beztu hot dog stand which has been around since 1937, and where hundreds of people are often found waiting in line to purchase a hot dog, even in the rain. The hot dogs are primarily made from lamb and most people get them fully loaded with homemade crispy onions and sweet mustard, along with raw onion, Icelandic ketchup and remoulade. I am not a hot do eater but had to try one. It was pretty enjoyable, even in the rain.
Our tour ended near the iconic Lutheran church which sits up on a hill overlooking the city. The road in front of the church took us past many different shops including a number which offer locally made sweaters and art. there are also a number of atouristy cheap souvenir shops along the road. Towards the bottom the hill, the street becomes a pedestrian only street, painted in rainbow colors. It is appropriately called the rainbow street.
We were getting tired as we walked back to the hotel and since we had been up most of the previous night we called it a day around 7PM and didn’t wake till the next morning.
