My Trip to Reykjavík, Iceland

A DAY IN THE SMOKY BAY OR WHAT THE HECK WAS I DOING IN REYKJAVÍK, ICELAND FEBRUARY 23RD 2012 It's November and winter is beginning to set in. So of course that means I have to start planning my escape so that I'll be able to see a light at the end of the frozen tunnel. So of course, Nathaniel and I decided that it was time to visit the most northern capital of a sover- eign nation. Thanks to Iceland's collapsed economy, www.travelzoo.com, and a desperate attempt to escape New York winters, we found ourselves waking up on a Thursday morning to a geothermal heated shower in Iceland's premiere Best Western Hotel Reykjavík. Turns out "Iceland" was just given that name to scare off invaders. 10:00 The Local Watering Hole After dinner, we head to a local pub, Bar- bara, only to learn that locals don't really go out until 1 or 2AM. Nathaniel decided to call it a night but I insisted on getting the full Icelandic experience. I ended up meeting Haffi Haff, an Icelandic pop singer. It was a good day. THE ICELANDIC PHALLOLOGICAL MUSEUM 8:54M The Icelandic Phallological Museum Yea, that's right. Right around the corner from out hotel is a massive collection of male genitalia from quite a diverse array of species. 7:30PM Today's Special: Whale Steak Back downtown, at another classic Ice- landic restaurant, we eat some traditional Icelandic fair. I didn't have the stomach to order the shark. 9:46M The Smoky Bay A beautiful walk along the water, you can see puffins swimming all around and smoke from the geysers drifting over the city. Even on a very cloudy day you can still clearly see the gorgeous snow capped mountains that surround the city. • 4:17PM Viking Roots Back along the water, we spot Jon GunnarI Arnason's striking sculpture Solfar (Sun- Craft, 1986), a sleek contemporary por- trayal of a Viking-age ship made of shiny I silver steel, demarcating the legendary spot where the Vikings first landed when they arrived in Iceland. REYKJAVÍK Art GALLERY 10:00 Icelandic National Gallery Along the water is a huge gallery space featuring a broad spectrum of Icelandic art. There was an exhibit up by Abba, unrelated to the Swedish band, who used swans in all of her imagery and paintings. 1:00PM Shopping at Geysir 2:30PM The Art of the Streets The national designer label, everything is designed in Ice- land and produced elsewhere. But they do use an incred- ible amount of Icelandic furs and wools. I bought a pair of socks. It was the only thing I 11:30 A Traditional Lamb Stew Lunch on the Avenue Probably some of the most arresting images throughout the city are the elabo- rately ornate street murals that decorate the sides of buildings, parking lots, and rooftops. We walked up to the main shopping street to have lunch. In the heart of Güll downtown Reykjavík, such an old street was only one lane wide! 12:15PM View from the Top. The highest point in the city, Hallgrímskirkja, is a 1,000 year old church with breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape. could afford! • ...