Cometsgirl

Waking up to city sounds for the first time in a week and a half, caught me by surprise. Outside my window I looked down on now empty tables from the gathering below my room last night. 

Breakfast served at the hotel was off the chart abundant. 

A blustery walk to church was brisk and determined. I had looked forward for many months to worship at Hallgrímskirkja. I could not wait!

A Lutheran High Mass service in Icelandic, led by a chick priest, choir and organ was the worship experience I had hoped for. 

After church we walked down the block to Reykjavik Roasters for cappuccinos and lunch. 

From there it was a delightful walk down and around interesting streets going every which way, many of which were spelled almost the same, making it a challenge at times to know where to walk.  We made it to the National Gallery of Iceland for an exibit I had read about and hoped to see.  HRAFNHILDUR ARNARDOTS / SHOPLIFIFTER TAUGAFOLD VII / NERVESCAPE VII

Then a walk back a different route to the hotel to freshen up for a concert late this afternoon. 

The Iceland Youth Sypmphoy orchestra performed Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring at Harpa Performance Hall. This concert brought together the largest group ever performing with the ISO Youth Orchestra, as the Rite is scored for an enormous orchestra.

About the ISO Youth Orchestra. “One of the most important roles of symphony orchestras the world over is to share their knowledge and enthusiasm with new generations of musicians. Each year since 2009, nearly 100 young people from music schools around Iceland have gathered together under the aegis of the Iceland Symphony to form the ISO Youth Orchestra, with splendid results. The Iceland Symphony Youth Orchestra was awarded the Brightest Hope prize at the Icelandic Music Awards in 2017.”
The performance was wonderful!

Then dinner at a local spot just up the street from the hotel. An end of the weekend kind of meal. 

As we strolled along the streets toward the hotel, a glance over my shoulder gave me this sight. 

This has been an abundance-filled Sunday in Reykjavik. 

Indeed. 

This day we departed Husafell for the big city, Reykjavik. Some 300,000 of Iceland’s 350,000 residents live in Reykjavik. 

As we checked out of the hotel, we promised to return. At breakfast this morning we decided we’d rather come back to Iceland than travel to Lapland, which we thought we might do. 

The rains stayed away until this morning. It was rainy and very blustery as we drove south. There were many places along the drive that we would have stopped to investigate, but this was no day for any of that. 

Some drive sights. Some through the windshield. Others by mad dashes outside the car. 

The weather cleared up as we arrived in the big city. After checking into our “hip” hotel in the heart of the city, we walked to lunch at a local vegetarian restaurant, then on to stroll for a bit.  

We returned to the hotel in time for a tasting. Icelandic cheese, lager and orange soda. A nice way to settle into evening. 

Night, night. 

We saw them tonight. 

Everyone ran out of the dining room here at Hotel Husafell. Squeals of delight and joy!

Amazing. 

No way to adequately describe, nor capture on an iPhone

No need. They are deep in our souls and memory. 

Years ago while taking a ferry to a small island off the coast of New Brunswick, Canada, a fellow passenger declared it was a “large day”. I have had many a large day on trips taken over the many years since hearing that description. 

Today is a large day. 

Beth declared today a Sabbath day for herself. I was good to have a Sabbath day myself. A day to stop and rest and rejoice in this place. It turns out our idea of Sabbath is not quite the same. While I’m good with stopping and relishing, I’m not so good with complete stopping. 

So I took off for a time to nearby Hvítarsíða waterfall. Just a 6 kilometer drive down the road, I was comfortable driving off by myself. I was rewarded with a waterfall sight the likes of which I’ve not seen before. 

Returning to the hotel, I drove just a short way further. I was rewarded with views of Mt. Strútur, Mt. Tunga and Eiríksjökull glacier. 

Now as the rain sets in for the duration of time in this place, I’ll continue my Sabbathing with a delicious cappuccino and bite of chocolate. 

Treated to an impromptu dance by hotel glee-filled personnel. 

And a rainbow!

It is restfilled. 

For a couple of nights I’m staying in what is considered a luxury hotel. I used American Express points to “pay” for most of the cost. Nestled in the area of the Geitland Nature Reserve, far away from any town or hamlet, I’m settled into my privilege. 

The views are awesome. The dining room superior. The service above the norm. Even the bathroom has heated tile flooring. 

This morning when we noticed the absence of plush robes and a second chair for sitting, we realized we were in a Standard, not a Deluxe, room. We are entry level luxury. 

While we can be amused by that revelation, there is an uncomfortable level of truth. 

What level of luxury, or for that matter, what standard of living is sufficient?

Once again, I am mindful of my level of security and convenience, and my responsibility to share my good fortune with those without such good fortune. 

When I travel I often say “now this is really away”, because it is very much away, off the beaten track. This night finds me on a new level of away. 

Tucked up in the hills of middle Iceland, abutting a glacier, I am away. 

So how did I get here?  After my morning pastoral time, we took off to drive around the Vatnsnes Peninsula. One of the shorter distance around peninsula, it might have taken a couple of hours to circle around. But as usual it took us twice that. 

So many vistas to pull over to marvel at and to photograph. 

The M indicates a layby for pulling over on the narrow road so oncoming cars can pass. We took it to mean a photo pull off spot as well. 

This was a day to get out of the car and walk. A dirt path from the road led to a beautiful cove. 

Using found materials near the cove, I created an impermanent art installation. 

People flocked to view the piece. 

Continuing the drive we took a beautiful walk high above the coast. From this vantage point we had a good view of the 15 meter high haystack. 

Icelandic horses gathered at the end of the peninsula drive. 

Before we departed this area of Iceland we enjoyed a late lunch of nachos, a surprising find in Iceland, and actually pretty tasty. 

 Finally we were on our way to our next lodging destination. Along the way we found Iceland’s version of fall. 

Turning off the Ring Road we twisted and turned for 45 minutes until at last we arrived. Away indeed. 

A beautiful day from start to finish. 

To paraphrase Robert Frost, stopping by a field on a sun-filled morning…

Seated at a table overlooking a field colored by morning light of the season of fall, I ordered a second cappuccino. I’m in the mood to stop and gaze at my view. 

I’ve had extraordinary views this past week, mostly through the windshield as we traversed north Iceland and the Westfjords. 

This place, however, has pastoral written all over it. 

I find bustling around in my life serves me well. I suspect stopping occasionally to sit with the view both outside and inside myself is well worth the time. 

I have roads ahead this day, but for awhile I have stopped. 

After a surprisingly good night’s rest, and waiting for 9am when the supermarket would open and a cappuccino could be had, we left Holmavik. It was decided that as long as we were in the Westfjords, we should take the road less traveled across the Westfjords, then down to the Ring Road. 

While it was wet and windy, the drive was gorgeous. Empty as well. We saw few cars, but hundreds of sheep. 

As we came to the last turn of our awesome road adventure, we were gifted with a rainbow. I don’t recall seeing the color purple in rainbows, but it is always evident here in Iceland. 

After checking into our full-house hotel, we left our laundry at the front desk and drove to a nearby town for dinner. I had the best cappuccino I’d had in days. 

We dined alongside the water at Sjavarborg restaurant, enjoying the views, the Fried Halibut and the Tiger Prawns. A taste bud treat!

Of course we had to share ice cream for desert. It was like no ice cream I’ve had before. Yum!

After dinner we drove past a do-it-yourself car wash. After a car wash incident on my 2016 trip to Iceland, I vowed to just drive a dirty car. But after getting the car so covered in sprayed dirt, with substantially reduced visibility, we had no choice but to wash. Two travelers from Maine assisted with the car cleansing. 

Once clean, we set out for a short end of day drive. 

Gathering to bed down for the night. 

As am I after this most excellent unplanned day of adventure. Looking back over the past 24 hours, I would not change a thing. It’s not often we can say that when we’ve faced unexpected and challenging changes to carefully made plans. I’m grateful I can do just that as my day comes to an end. 

The Lord Almighty grant us a peaceful night and a perfect end. 

Waking up in Holmavik in the Westfjords this morning, I realized the memo about visiting Holmavik in September had gone missing. 

The memo that announced the “closing” of the town on August 21. While I was viewing the eclipse at home, this town of 375 souls was preparing for the coming winter, when there will be just 4-5 hours of daylight. 

One of the two restaurants closed. The grocery store reduced its hours and no longer served breakfast in its cafe. The laundromat ceased operations. The hotel would issue an additional key to be used to open the hotel when returning to your room after looking for food and services. 

Surprisingly, we found a real bustle of activity at the church just down the road. As we walked around the church taking photos, cars swarmed into the parking area. It was time for choir practice! We were amazed at the number gathering in this town that otherwise had ceased opportunities to gather. 

Holmavikkirka was open for the business of singing. Indeed. 

Now I shall turn on the car music system, and sing my way south. 

Traveling mercies. 

Today we traversed across north Iceland to the Westfjords, an all day drive as we poked along, stopping for photo ops and short walks. 

We left Akureyri in the rain. 

We were in and out of rain and sunshine. 

The photographs describe the drive far better than words. 

Now settled in Holmavik, we have decided this is too remote and empty a place to remain more than tonight. We just need to have greater community surrounding than we have found here. Besides, most businesses have closed and there is not a cappuccino to be had! We’ve arranged for lodging tomorrow night back in “civilization”.

For now we are bedded down in the Wesrfjords. 

Traveling mercies.