After 2 weeks inward Germany, we've arrived inward Republic of Iceland for a 4-day stay. This is something I've wanted to create for a long time, together with it's in conclusion happening (Icelandair allows you lot to brand a gratuitous stopover of upwards to vii days on whatever transatlantic flight).
On our start twenty-four hr menstruation (Sunday), nosotros explored
Reykjavík, Iceland's uppercase together with biggest population centre (two thirds of Iceland's 332,000 people alive there). Reykjavík agency "Smoky Bay" inward Icelandic, alluding to the mist oftentimes ascent over the ocean. It was the start village inward Republic of Iceland (874 CE) but at that spot was no urban evolution hither until the 19th century.
Today, Reykjavík is a modern urban amount amongst a relaxed, easy-going vibe amongst all the conveniences you lot could inquire for--and surprisingly fiddling traffic. After all the crazy driving we'd encountered inward Germany, that inward itself was a huge boon.
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| Hallgrímskirkja inward Reykjavík |
We started out at Reykjavík's best-known landmark:
Hallgrímskirkja, the Church of Hallgrímur. You tin reckon the church building from pretty much anywhere inward the urban amount center, together with if you lot common unopen to it (like nosotros did), you'll ever know where your automobile is. The church building is named subsequently Hallgrímur Pétursson (1614-1674), a dearest poet together with hymn writer, together with was designed by
Guðjón Samúelsson, Iceland's province architect at the time. Samúelsson created a uniquely Icelandic vogue of architecture that mirrored the geology of the country. His pattern for Hallgrímskirkja was inspired past times the basalt columns that are shape when lava cools. Construction of the church building started inward 1945 together with the signature tower was completed fairly quickly. However, it took some other 41 years earlier the residue of the church building was finished: the nave wasn't consecrated until 1986.
In forepart of the church building is a statue of
Leifur Eiríksson (aka Leif Erikson), the intrepid Icelandic explorer who is said to cause got discovered Continental North America somewhere around 1000--almost 500 years earlier Columbus.
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| Statue of Leif Erikson inward forepart of Hallgrímskirkja |
The interior of the church building is beautifully simple, amongst potent lines together with fiddling ornamentation:
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| Interior of Hallgrímskirkja |
For a fee of 900 Icelandic kroner (about $8.50) you lot tin accept the elevate to a viewing deck which offers 360° views of Reykjavík. It's definitely worth it, every bit you lot tin reckon below.
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| Leif Erikson statue from the viewing deck. I love the guy inward cherry posing for a photo! |
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| Icelanders sure don't shy away from color! |
Just across Hallgrímskirkja is the
Einar Jónsson Museum together with Sculpture Garden. Jónsson (1874-1954) is Iceland's best-known sculptor. We skipped the museum but enjoyed a walk through the sculpture garden, which is opened upwards to the public.
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| The tallest together with lushest astilbe I've ever seen! |
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| Einar Jónsson sculptures. LEFT: The Crucible (1913-1914) RIGHT: The Wave of the Ages (1894-1905) |
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| Einar Jónsson sculptures. LEFT: globe (1904-1908) RIGHT: Monument to Hallgrímur Pétursson (1914-1922) |
While I didn't reckon "real" gardens on our walk through Reykjavík, hither are some constitute shots:
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| Icelanders love cactus, too! |
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| The largest dandelion I've ever seen! |
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| Lobelia erinus |
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| NOID sedum |
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| Another violet white astilbe |
We spent a lovely duet of hours wandering through Reykjavík. There was fiddling traffic on Dominicus forenoon together with nobody seemed to locomote a hurry.
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| Hallgrímskirkja from 1 of the downtown shopping streets |
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| Beautiful rock house |
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| Entrance to the pedestrian zone |
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| It's ever Caturday somewhere! |
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| Is the polar send supposed to attract tourists or scare them off? |
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| Try to memorize the advert of this street! |
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| Outdoor photographic present ("Basking" past times Icelandic photographer Björn Árnason). I yell upwards this is a wonderful concept but I'm non sure it would function inward the U.S. The pieces would locomote defaced or destroyed inward no time. |
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| Love those dye-tied pants! |
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| I know people love puffins but I yell upwards this is a flake much |
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| Bjarni Fel Sportbar has a feel of humor... |
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| ...as you lot tin reckon here... |
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| ...and here |
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| Feeling adventurous? Try puffin together with minke whale at Apotek! |
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| I don't similar shopping, but this is my form of place |
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| String of pearls (Senecio rowleyanus) inward a store |
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| Sansevieria sighting inward a café |
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| Jade constitute (Crassula ovata) at Kaffi Vinyl where nosotros had lunch |
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| Mistletoe cactus (Rhipsalis baccifera) at Kaffi Vinyl. They were for sale for the equivalent of $95 each, java tin together with all. Yes, Republic of Iceland is expensive! |
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| Lady's drape (Alchemilla mollis), inward abundant blossom all over the city |
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| Reykjavík has many murals. This one, nigh Hallgrímskirkja, was the creepiest I saw. |
In the evening, my married adult woman together with I drove to
Perlan, some other landmark edifice inward Reykjavík. It's a complex of 6 enormous tanks that store geothermal hot H2O for the urban amount of Reykjavík, each tank asset 1 1 one m thousand gallons. On overstep of the tanks sits a drinking glass dome amongst an observation deck, a café together with a fine-dining restaurant. To fully appreciate the beauty of this structure, accept a hold off at this
aerial image.
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| Entrance to Perlan |
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| Two of the 6 hot-water storage tanks |
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| Observation deck |
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| Selfie time! |
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| Hallgrímskirkja from Perlan |
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| View towards downtown Reykjavík from Perlan |
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| Interior |
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| Top floor, looking upwards together with down |
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| Café |
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| Glass dome |
Even though the summertime solstice was a calendar month ago, it nonetheless stays low-cal until past times 11pm together with never gets fully dark. I woke upwards at 4am this forenoon together with I could cause got read inward bed without a light. Our landlord says that inward the summertime he never sleeps to a greater extent than than five hours. If I lived here, I'd definitely install blackout shades!
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