The Sun Voyager is an apt symbol for Reykjavik, a city where much is waiting to be discovered. Historic, yet new construction everywhere; cultured and quirky; a stopover to Europe or a jumping-off point to a treasure-trove of outdoor adventures.
We walked and walked, enjoying city sights, sounds, and food. Using Rick Steves’ walking tour as a guide, we headed up Skolarvoroustigur Street, busy with shops and cafes, and its colorful striped pedestrian path leading towards the famous Hallgrimskirkja Lutheran Church. In the largest church in Iceland, we paid our 1000 ISK senior fee (<$8 US pp) to take the elevator and 33 steps up to the bell tower for city views. The church was built between 1945 – 1986 to resemble the basalt cliffs resulting from Iceland’s volcanic birth. A statue of Leifur Eiriksson (of discovered-the-Americas fame) graces the grounds in front of the church, and a sculpture installation by Steinum Thorarinsdottir juxtaposes life-sized armored men and naked androgynous figures. Interesting. But the 360 views from the top of the church tower were the stars of the show.
I failed to mention we had already found a delicious bakery for breakfast and tried one of the famous Icelandic hotdogs at Baejarins Beztu Pylsur’s bright red stand. Made with lamb, beef, and pork, the local fav is served with onion, crunchy fried onion, ketchup, sweet mustard, and remoulade sauce. It actually wasn’t bad, but we will stick with our American classics.
After our trek around the harbor and town, we sampled some traditional Icelandic foods at the Cafe Loki near the church. Our guide Dofri, from the day prior, had recommended the spot and had urged us to be more open-minded about trying the fermented shark, which has apparently been a nutritious food source through the years. It wasn’t actually that bad. It’s best eaten on brown rye bread with butter accompanied by a shot of Icelandic vodka. We also tried the smoked lamb, smoked trout, mashed fish, and dried cod. It was only the dried cod that we left on the plate-it tasted like cardboard packaging! We seem to move from snack to snack, having also tried all the famous varieties of chocolates (including the licorice-covered variety) at this point.
Many of the houses here use corrugated iron as siding due to the harsh weather conditions, and we saw many examples as well as lovely townhomes, embassies, government buildings, and as always, we somehow ended up by a hospital complex.
It was fun to spot the private gardens and artwork tucked around corners and in surprising places throughout local neighborhoods. We also looked for the cat doors that I read were creatively utilized, but never spotted any, even though we found three friendly cats. Pets here are very controlled, and we didn’t see any feral animals. In some communities, cats are banned, and you need permission from your neighbors to own a dog, banned in Reykjavik until 1984.
After a long day and many miles of walking, we enjoyed a lovely dinner where I tried the best new dish of the day, Ling. Delicious. Tired but content, we prepped to get our car and hit the road the next morning.
Iceland. We finally made it. Two years later after a pandemic pause and a few other assorted road blocks, we landed at about 6 AM and set off with private guide Dofri Hermannsson for our first adventure of the trip. Iceland did not disappoint.
Since we would not be checking into our Reykjavik hotel until later in the day, we headed for the famous Golden Circle with its three iconic destinations: Pingvellir National Park, Geysir, and Gullfoss Falls.
We beat the crowds with our early arrival at Pingvellir (Thingvellir in English) National Park, the site of the Viking Chiefs’ General Assembly dating from 930. Its striking geological features are a result of being on the Atlantic Ridge where the North American and European continental plates meet. The dramatic results were also why it was selected as the location for many scenes from the Game of Thrones.
During the 4th season of The Games of Thrones, characters made their way through this part of the Oxararfoss Trail through a rough, narrow passage to reach The Bloody Gate. The Gate itself was an added effect at the end of the passage. We really had to watch our footing as we carefully navigated the steep, rocky trail.
Dofri kept us entertained and educated us about Iceland’s history, language, and lore, sharing sagas and interesting facts along with way. He was quick to pick up on my fascination with Game of Thrones sites as well as my husband’s interest in volcanoes and geology. At one point, Dofri led me across a rocky stream and moss-covered field to Porufoss waterfall, the site where the dragon grabbed a sheep and torched the rest of the flock, also in season 4.
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We landed at the Aeropuerto Internacional Cataratas Del Iguazú for a short overnight visit to the falls. You take a small train into the national park (that’s the easy part), and then head off on the boardwalk towards the Garganta del Diablo (Devil’s Throat) trail to see the highest falls. They said it was the season for low water while we were there; but in any case, the falls were spectacular. These are not the highest falls in the world but are the widest with a flow rate similar to Niagara. There are 275 falls that are part of this magnificent system. The trail system is very well laid-out and easy to walk. We saw Dos Hermanos, Mbigua, Chico, and Ramirez, each with its own unique beauty.
There were wonderful vistas and plenty of spots for great photos. I wish I had brought along a better camera, although feel sure no pictures ever really do it justice. The areas to sit and rest or just contemplate the beauty of the falls were very welcome, particularly for my senior mother. We saw coatis (a member of the raccoon family) everywhere; the scamps grab any available food they can find. Of course, we saw birds of all types, including thrush-crested jays and flocks of parakeets, as well as butterflies, lizards, and fish.
I arranged a guide so we would be as efficient as possible, and due to the limited time we had and my Mother’s age, I would recommend the same. The park is between Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay, and our guide, Clarice, was Brazilian. It was very easy for me to leave Mom resting at a scenic overlook and then head off on another trail myself. The boardwalk system is great, but there are stairs everywhere, and I give my Mom a lot of credit for managing hours of trails and stairs.
We stayed at the Sheraton Iguazú and it was delightful in the late afternoon to relax on our balcony and watch a pair of toucans playing, flitting from tree to tree, all with the backdrop of the spectacular falls. We even had a rainbow – it was perfect.
While in Argentina, we could not pass up the chance to visit the famous gaucho country. San Antonio de Areco is considered the center of this expansive part of the country filled with ranches.
I was contemplating renting a car for the approximately 2-hour trip from Buenos Aires, but thankfully, I had a moment of clarity and hired a driver. At least I wasn’t behind the wheel stressing, but our guide/driver, Mari was completely insane, and we held our breath and prayed as she weaved in and out of the dense traffic leaving the city. From the interstate you really get a good look at all the slums around Buenos Aires; they are extensive. This is a poor country, yet full of riches, and a magnificent city that has been roiled by economic hardship, petty crime, and ugly politics for generations. It’s a shame because you get the feeling this beautiful city, once known as the Paris of South America, could be on the brink of greatness on the world stage.
We finally broke free of the city’s constraints and were soon blazing through some very lovely, tranquil landscapes. Many visitors to the area take in a gaucho show and meal, but we were not the least bit interested in seeing such a spectacle. If that’s your thing, there are plenty of options. Instead, we visited the small gaucho museum, walked around the charming town, spent some time at the Draghi silver factory/museum housed in a mansion that was part hotel, and enjoyed a wonderful lunch. We ate at Almacen de Rimas Generales on Zapiola, serving typical Parilla fare in an old general store setting. Our guide Mari was not only a frenetic driver but a real character, a flaky, blond, extrovert who kept us well entertained with stories and information.
After we recovered from the driving, it was a wonderful, cool, and tranquil visit to beautiful horse country.
