Reykjavik Day One

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Our first day in Reykjavik certainly fulfilled our expectations: Cloudy, 45 degrees, rainy and winds gusting to 25 mpg! One can understand why the hardy Vikings loved it here. Travel went well and we arrived on schedule at KEF airport on schedule at 6:30am. Customs and immigration went smoothly and we took the "FlyBus" into town. First impression is gray and bleak (see photo from bus). The airport is about an hour from the city center on this bus. They drop off at specified hotels and the closest one to our VRBO was about a ten minute walk. We couldn't check in at our VRBO but the owner was kind enough to let us store our bags in the garage. So, we headed out on our adventure about 10:00am. First stop was a major Reykjavik landmark called Hallgrimskirkja, (Hallgrims Church). It is the tallest structure in Iceland and sits on a major hill overlooking the city. We happened to hit it on a day when it was overrun by Icelandic schoolchildren but it was still impressive. It is named after a famous 15th century poet and clergyman but was built in the 20th century and completed in 1984. in front of the church is an impressive statue of Leif Erickson who is a national hero in Iceland.

We then walked in the city center the older buildings have a definite Danish flavor (like many of the buildings in the Virgin Islands!). We then took a "hop on hop off" double decker tour bus that gave us a good general feel for the city. According to Lynn's Fitbit we took over 18,000 steps and walked 7.8 miles!

It was a great first day in spite of the weather.

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Photos

Hallgrimskirkja
Leif Erickson in foreground.

HARPA
Arts center right on the waterfront.