Reykjavik, Iceland

August/September 2014

Identifying Reykjavik as one of our previous travel destinations is misleading. We knew that we wanted to spend time in Iceland someday, but that someday was more of a far-off someday, so we settled for two extended layovers to and from Paris. They were only ten and seven hours long respectively, so coupled with the necessary cushions of dis/embarking a plane, we didn't have the opportunities to explore as we'd have liked, but it was enough time to walk around Reykjavik and swim in the Blue Lagoon. 

Icelandair makes it incredibly simple to arrange for a bit of recreation during their layovers. On our way from JFK, we landed in Iceland around 6am and caught the first bus into the city center (~40min). It was beautiful from the start (but freezing! August weather certainly comes in all shapes and sizes). The landscapes of lava fields and mountains were prevalent the minute the bus pulled out of the airport (which was so small and quaint that there really was just the one airport parking lot), and they continued right into Reykjavik.

With the intention of making the most of our ten hours in the city, we had a list of things we'd have liked to do, but because it was so early (and we were exhausted) there was no urgency in completing it. We were hungry and had an arsenal of cafe recommendations from a friend (hi Meredith!), but most places were closed and wouldn't open for another hour. We ended up finding C is for Cookie, an early-bird gem of a cafe where we shared a sandwich and drank coffees, and I ordered a slice of cheesecake for breakfast because it looked delicious and I was on vacation. It turned out to be one of the better decisions I'd made in my life, and I later found out that cafe is a bit famous for that cheesecake. We also visited Hallgrímskirkja, which was a really lovely space and boasted really lovely views; Olafur Eliasson's Harpa, where we took lots of photos and naps; and just walked around the neighborhoods. When I travel I make a habit of picking out which house/s I'd like to move into and imagining the life we'd lead, and it's easy to do that in Reykjavik. There's something about Scandinavian tendencies, or maybe the wide open skies, that feel a little like home.