Iceland

I finally took advantage of the fact that Icelandair lets you make a free stopover at their transfer point, Reykjavik, on the way to/from another European destination. So on the way home from Paris this Easter, Erica and I spent 4 days in (or is it on?) Iceland! The landscape is spectacular; moss covered lava rocks, no trees, snowy mountainous terrain, and volcanoes. Lying in the 94°F/35°C hot water at the Blue Lagoon Spa was everything it's cracked up to be. We did something that I normally never do - we took a tour. It was actually a convenient and easy way to experience the "Golden Circle" which included visits to the Gullfoss waterfall and Geyser area. Then we rented a car, and did our own touring for a couple of days. The driving was easy and the roads are in great condition.

Reykjavik has a small and walkable town center. I really enjoy urban landscape photography, and found the local architecture very interesting. The Hallgrims church is a unique and beautiful example. If you take the elevator to the observation area you will have great views of the city in all directions. The street graffiti was beautiful too, true art. Iceland is experiencing a gentrification process similar to New York, out with the old and in with the new. Vertical condo buildings are the flavor of the day. You might be able to find one at a steal as they have built more than they have buyers. Many developers have gone out of business, and properties are now owned by banks. Iceland is a large producer of aluminum, so lots of houses, old and new, have corrugated aluminum siding.

Don't forget to pay a visit to the Reykjavik photography museum. They have a small book store with a good selection of books and posters from previous shows. The "Fotografi" Fine Photography gallery has a nice selection of prints from Icelandic photographers www.fotografi.is. There are many photography books about Iceland. My favorite is "Location" by the local photographer artist "Spessi". It's a collection of vernacular Icelandic life.

A couple of things to consider before you head over. It's expensive, very expensive! So was France, but it made Paris feel cheap. Dinner for 2 in a decent restaurant with 2 entrees and 2 glasses of wine will run you to $125-150. I would suggest you find the hot dog stand on the same street as the photography museum, a couple of blocks up the street. Clinton, and just about everyone else who's visited Iceland have been there - the hot dogs are made from lamb meat and are pure bliss.

The temperature in late March was similar to New York, around the freezing point. But when that wind came in from the North at 40+ mph, boy did it get cold. The water is the purest and most drinkable cold water in Europe. But, the hot water has very high sulfur levels, so it smells like rotten eggs. I won't lie and say that you get used to it. But it was worth some quick showers and breaking the bank to experience a really unique, beautiful, and interesting country.

Happy Travels!

About the Author

More of Douglas Ljungkvist's work can be seen on his web site at Douglas Ljungkvist Photography