Home Sweet Home

After a long and exhausting day of travel, I have made it back home. I just walked into my house about 10min ago and now face the daunting task of unpacking. Perhaps that will wait until tomorrow.

Thank you to everyone who followed along on my journey. This trip was an amazing experience that I will never forget. I wish I could have shared more stories and pictures as the trip was in progress, but sadly there just wasn't enough time. Most of you, though, will have the pleasure of seeing the picture and hearing the stories in person (some sooner than others). And I look forward to being able to share my memories with you.

Once all of my pictures are uploaded online somewhere I'll post the link here as well.

And now...some much needed sleep.

Love you all,
Meg

The End Is Near...

So sad - I believe this will be my last entry. Tomorrow evening I head back to the states. But that still leaves one night and one morning, and I'm hoping to make the most of them!

Today we had a great day despite the cloudy skies and intensely cold winds. To start off our day, we took an hour horseback ride through lava fields. It was awesome. Having never been horseback riding and always wanting to, this was a particular treat. My horse's name was Perdy (I'm guessing on the spelling here) and she (or maybe he) was a great horse. I had so much fun that I didn't even mind the bitter cold gale force winds that kept sweeping through. And it was a great way to see the gorgeous landscape!

After that, we headed to a nearby coffee shop for soup and lattes to warm our extremely cold hands. Then it was back to Reykjavik for a little shopping and of course a trip to another public city pool. Given the weather we decided to try out the indoor pool, though we still enjoyed the outdoor hot tubs on the balcony. There was even a 3meter diving board inside, so I was able to whip out my diving skills. I was only brave enough to throw a 1 and a half, but it felt good all the same.

Now we're back at the hostel showering and getting ready for a night on the town. We're starting with a nice farewell dinner for me and then hitting the bars as Fridays in Reykjavik are supposed to be quite an affair and most people stay out until 6am! I don't think that's in the cards for us, especially since we're hoping to head out early tomorrow to check out the Blue Lagoon before James drops me off at the airport. But we'll see what we can do.

If I get very bored at the airport tomorrow, I may post one more time. But most likely this will be my last post abroad. Look forward to a big update with lots of pictures and maybe some more stories on Sunday or early next week. Or if you're really lucky, maybe you'll get to see some pictures in person. (And yes, mom, I'll call you when I land :) )

Here's a sign-off from James:

I left Meghan at the airport on Saturday (after a quite relaxing few hours in the famous/infamous Blue Lagoon geothermal spa, set in a lunar like lava-scape), so I have officially returned to my solo travels. (I miss her already!)  

Love from Iceland,
Meg

The Beauty of Iceland

So over the last two days I have found out that Iceland is a gorgeous country! Especially since yesterday and today have been absolute gorgeous sunshine - barely a cloud in the sky. Yesterday we spent the day touring all around downtown Reykjavik, visiting many museums including the National Gallery and the Photography Museum (of course I thought of you, Stef). They have some absolutely amazing artists here. We also saw the Settlement museum and the National Museum, where I learned a lot about the history of Iceland.

Reykajavik

Today we rented a car and our major event was the well known "Golden Triangle", so called I think just because it's a collection of three major tourists sites all in the same general area. One is a historical site (which James really enjoyed I think) that had breathtaking views of a giant canyon and small ponds. The second was a giant waterfall, probably the largest I've ever seen. And the third was a my favorite, a geyser park (in a town called Geysir actually) that has a ton of little dormant geysers and one big active one that shoots off about every 6 min or so. We were lucky and saw a whole bunch of great geysering in the time we were there. I got some super pictures and also a video clip. Sadly I don't think these computers here at the hostel allow photo uploading, so you'll just have to wait till I get home and can get all of my pictures up. But it was pretty spectacular.

Gulfoss

James and our car

Sheep in the road!

Me near Gulfoss

Here's James' recap of our Golden Triangle adventure:

Having tasted the freedom of our own set of wheels in the Faroes, we rented a car to see some of the country outside of Reykjavik. The classic day trip tour is called the Golden Triangle, the three points of which are: Þingvellir National Park, Geysir (which obviously gives us the word "geysir"), and Gulfoss (major waterfall). We put these on our itinerary but in our own order and at our own pace - and with a couple extras thrown in. On the way to Þingvellir, there is a museum in honor of the most famous of Icelandic authors, Hálldor Laxness, this small country´s Nobel Prize winning writer. Admittedly, he was not on my radar before I began planning this trip, but once I read _Independent People_ I was hooked. So I wanted to make this pilgrimage, to see the house he called home for much of his life (right across from the farm on which he grew up). Meghan and I had the tour to ourselves, which allowed us to savor the fascinating tale of this man - and of his oh-so patient wife. I recommend his work to anyone.

Þingvellir was another pilgrimage site for me, as this is where the original Icelandic Alþing, or "parliament" was gathered from the earliest days of the settlement of the island. It is enormously important, symbolically, to Icelanders, as for them it is a sign of their independence and early "democratic" Viking society - before Christianity stole some of the fire and before the Norwegian, then Danish, monarchies imposed their rule. The place itself is also quite beautiful, and provides one of the clearest signs of the continental divide one can see. The rift forms a narrow canyon, the sides of which are moving in opposite directions.

Gulfoss and Geysir provided even more natural beauty, enhanced by the stunningly sunny, warm weather (it was, at times, even comfortable to wear short sleeves). Gulfoss is a roaring glacier fed waterfall, resplendent with dazzling rainbows. An enormous icefield can be seen in the distance. Geysir brought out the kid in us, as we watched the regular eruption of one and turned our noses at the eggy smell of sulpher permeating the air.

We rounded off the day with one more pilgrimage, a visit to the former seat of the church in Iceland, Skáholt. Although the present church is twentieth-century, there has been a church on the site for almost a thousand years. It is hard to imagine the importance it once held, not only religiously but politically, for this island country. Then on to a hot pot! 

Me and James at Gulfoss

A geyser at Geysir

Of course we have also been taken advantage of the many outdoor public swimming pools and hot tubs. We have gotten in the habit of taking our swimsuits and towels with us everywhere you go because you never know when you'll run into a pool and feel like a dip. Yesterday we ventured into the one closest to down town and whittled away two hours in the sunshine sitting in a hot tub or heated pool while the chilly 55 degree wind swept above it. Simply luxurious. Today we stopped a pool in one of the suburbs we were driving through and to my great delight they had a real 1m diving board. So though extremely rusty, I managed to try out a couple easy dives. It was quite fun.

But after a nearly 12hr day of site seeing and swimming, I'm exhausted. Tomorrow we're hoping to go horseback riding through a lava field (fingers crossed that the weather holds out) and check out a town that claims to be the hidden entrance the elves parallel universe. Should be interesting. I should get a change for one more entry tomorrow to tell you all about it before I fly home on Saturday. Miss you all and can't wait to see you!

Happy Thursday!
Meg

Hello from Iceland!

So we landed safely in Iceland this afternoon and have settled in quite nicely. So now I'm not only closer to home location-wise, but also time wise - I'm now only 4hrs ahead of East Coast US time. Thankfully, I think that will make my transition back to the states a little easier on Saturday. Wow...Saturday. I can't believe I come home so soon! It feels like I've been gone forever and barely at all, all at the same time.

After landing in Reykjavik's city airport (possibly the smallest airport of all time), we grabbed a taxi and headed to the hostel. Since Iceland is crazy expensive (think $20 for a beer) we're in a 4-person dorm style room. There are two guys staying with us a the moment - one from CT and one from England - but both of them leave tomorrow. So we'll see what kind of roommates tomorrow brings. (Fingers crossed for non-snorers!).

After settling into the hostel, we bought a 48-hour Tourist card at the front desk which gives us free admission to museums, pools and buses. This works out really well because it turns out that Reykjavik is a pretty big city. This way can explore at will without worrying about having exact change on buses or entrance fees for museums. Plus it saves us some money, which is always nice. We jumped on the bus that stops right outside the hostel and headed into town to visit the Cultural House which right now has a great exhibit on original saga manuscripts (James was quite excited). Then we saw the large cathedral church, which was breath taking inside. Especially since there was an impromptu concert being played on the giant organ. The other great thing about this church is that you can ride up the elevator 8 stories to the top of the bell tower to get a great view of the whole city.

Reykjavik from above

Halgrimskirkja

We grabbed dinner at a delicious vegetarian restaurant (there are a ton here surprisingly!) before heading back to the hostel to grab our swimsuits. One of the seven huge public swimming pools is right next door and since our tourist card gives us free admission we decided to check it out. We definitely weren't disappointed. There is one giant outdoor pool that is heated by geothermic energy (complete with water slide) and then several "hot pots", which are basically jacuzzis of varying temperature - including one that's sea water. It was such a relaxing experience. The perfect way to wrap up our first day in Iceland.

Now it's off to bed so we can head out to explore this city properly tomorrow. Hope all is well with everyone!

Here's James' recap of our time in Reykjavik:

It is rare that I have to warm to a place - usually I know very quickly whether or not I like a city when I arrive. If I don´t have an immediate, positive response, I am unlikely to develop one. But Reykjavik was a surprise, slowly seducing me rather than making a fast move. I have to admit that I was, at first, a little surprised by how drab much of the the city is architecturally, at least much of the earlier homes and housing blocks which are often dark gray stucco. Then there was the gritty feel of the graffiti on many walls. Even now, after having a chance to see the more cutting edge parts of the city, or the prettier leafy environs of the lake Tjörnin, I would not classify Reykjavik as one of the lovelier European cities I have seen (dramatic, gorgeous setting, yes; as a city, no). But Reykjavik is a city of often hidden charms, where behind that gray stucco exterior one will find a bright, cheerful interior. It is a city where hip Icelanders drink in cozy cafes or chic bars. Where some of the best modern art I have seen of late is displayed in abundance. Where the museums are as high tech as I have experienced. Where people hang out in "hot pots" and geothermal pools on a regular basis. There is a vibe to this city unlike any other. And I am thoroughly hooked.  

We spent our first couple of days getting acquainted with all that Reykjavik has to offer (after the Faroes, Reykjavik at 115,000 seemed a veritable metropolis - and it does have more restaurants and cultural institutions per capita than almost any city of comparable size). Of course, since my trip is Viking themed, the very first thing I did after we settled in to our hostel was to visit the Þjóðmenningarhúsið (Culture House) to see the dimly lit saga manuscripts that are, without a doubt, the "crown jewels" of Iceland. I have been reading many of the sagas as I have traveled, providing both a literary and historical texture to the landscapes I see. I was strangely humbled to see these products of the early Christian era of Iceland, books written by monks, often about the often brutal days of the settlement - and writing them in Old Norse, not in Latin. They were the first major corpus of vernacular prose literature produced in "Europe". We also saw the excellent Reykjavik 871+/-2 Settlement Exhibition, an innovative, interactive museum built around a Viking long house discovered beneath the city.  

Outside of our more high-brow endeavors, both Meghan and I became hooked on the geothermal baths dotted around the city. We actually had one of the biggest right next door to our hostel. Since arriving in Iceland, we have not missed a day soaking and relaxing at least once in a "hot pot".

 

Lots of love from Iceland!
Meg

Góða Ólavsøku

Hello everyone! Góða Ólavsøku!! Or as you may understand it better...Happy St. Olav's Festival! Ólavsøku is the national holiday here in the Faroe islands, and what a festival it is! Though today is sadly our last day in the Faroes - we fly to Iceland tomorrow - I couldn't have asked for a better ending to our stay here. Ólavsøku is quite an experience - definitely one I will never forget!

The festivities started on Saturday with a big parade through town and many of the local people dressed in traditional Faroese dress. It was amazing. It seemed like the whole country turned out to watch. Then it was just partying all day! People young and old were out drinking in the streets, and there were events all day. From choirs and traditional dancers to a hip hop routine by some local teenagers (you would have loved it Liz!). There was also carnival like games set up all over the place and little shacks selling popcorn, hot dogs and cotton candy (or as they call it, candy floss). We had a great time walking through the streets and checking out all the events.

Then came Sunday, which is the real holiday. Everything started with a march from parliament to the cathedral of all the ministers and parliament members. Then there was a service in the

cathedral followed by a huge choir singing in front of parliament. Everyone was there and loads of people where dressed in Faroese national dress. It was quite a sight to behold. As luck would have it, right after the choir finished singing we ran into the kind Faroese family that had invited us for dessert and coffee while we were in Suðuroy. We were chatting about the day and the invited us over to their house for an evening brunch/open house. What a fortuitous meeting! After another day of festivities we did indeed join this kind family for an evening in their home, full of good food, drinks and singing. Then at 11pm we walked back into town for the big event. At midnight there was a huge singalong in the town square. They estimate about 10,000 people were there in the little town singing their hearts out. There were song books passed around, so even James and I did our best with pronunciation and sang along (I think the drinks helped). After the singing, everyone joined hands and began the traditional Faroese chain dance - even us. It was an amazing experience to see thousands of people all doing the same steps in time together. I can't even explain it. Sadly I was so enthralled by the events that I didn't even think to take pictures. But I think James was able to snap a few, so tune into his blog for some views!

Here's what James wrote about our time at the festival:

Standing in the midst of some 8000-1000 inebriated Faroese at midnight last night, all of us belting out Faroese songs (me included), I realized I would have a very hard time explaining Olavsøka -- or St. Olaf's Day -- to anyone who had not witnessed it first hand. It is perhaps the most important festival in the Faroes, though only celebrated in Torshavn, the capital. What limited hotel and hostel space is available fills up months in advance, both with tourists and with Faroese traveling from other islands. Although St. Olaf's Day is technically just that, one day (July 29), the party started on Friday night and didn't really wrap up to the wee hours of today. It is a combination religious holiday (celebrating the arrival of Christianity to the islands) and political affair (politicians marching from the parliament to service at the "cathedral"); it is an assertion of the unique Faroese culture, with a large percentage of the population dressed in beautiful national dress (even when sporting punk hairstyles and piercings); it is a fair with games and junk food; it is a weekend of drunken debauchery; it is a sporting competition (rowing and horseback riding); it is a showcase for the musicality of the Faroese, with its many choirs and bands, and a time to dance and sing at random; it is a time for family and friends to be together. Basically, it is a complete celebration that encompasses anything and everything Faroese. And at midnight of Olavsøka proper, all is distilled into an absolutely moving experience of singing followed by the famous Faroese chain dance. Everyone links hands and begins the simple two steps to the left, one to the right, movement and singing out the ballads that chronicle the history of the islands. Indeed, the dance and the ballads were one of the major ways the Faroese maintained their history and language when under Norwegian and Danish rule. It was fascinating and a whole lot of fun.

But perhaps the best part of all is that Meghan and I got to share the experience with a Faroese family. The islands are special for many reasons, but one of the most important is the warm hospitality we have experienced. Through a random connection with a Swiss man we met in Suduroy, we had been invited into a home there for coffee and conversation. The Faroes being the Faroes, we ran into this family (along with the Swiss) at the morning processional of Olavsøka. We were then invited to their home just outside of Torshavn for a buffet dinner (including dried whale with blubber and air-dried leg of lamb, uncooked). We sat for hours laughing and discussing the world, also getting to know their friends. It made Olavsøka a much more meaningful experience.

It is with real sadness that I am leaving these far away islands tomorrow morning. But it is on to Iceland, with warm memories of Olavsøka and the friendships we have made here to carry us forward.

Ok...I best be off, my time here at the library is running short. I uploaded a couple photos from our trip to Mykines onto Flickr. Hopefully I'll be able to update again once I reach Iceland tomorrow!

Miss and love you all!

Meg