June 8, 2024
Reychavek, Iceland
Iceland’s public bus system is fantastic for getting around town, but it has a limited range. Travel outside major cities requires a car or tour bus. Taxis are unbelievably expensive, there is no Uber, and unless you can drive a stick shift ($20 per day), an automatic tiny car will run you over $120 a day. And that does not include gas. As much as I love lone travel, I opted for the tour buses that run about $100 per tour, and usually include the price of admission. I have been looking forward to the Golden Circle tour. To stand in the grandeur of Thingvellir National Park, to watch the Great Geyser explode, witness Strokkur Geiser, & feel the mist from Gullfoss waterfall, sounded like heaven to me.SO, you can imagine my disappointment when I realized that, while the bus was loading everyone up at 8:30 AM, I was looking at the back of my eyelids. At10:00, my eyes fluttered open to realize I had missed the tour. Sometimes, I wish I could be a giraffe. They only need 1.9 hours of sleep a day. But lately, I think I'm more like a bat, requiring 20 hours a day. I need to create time for rest. But here lies the conundrum: how do you sleep when there is so much to see and do? I know my circadian rhythm has been disrupted by the lack of dark skies and the time change. My brain is desperate for some good old rapid eye movement time. I could use a boost in concentration, stay healthy, and lower stress by getting REM sleep; But we spend 1/3 of our lives sleeping and I just keep thinking about all I could experience with that extra 1/3 of time.
So, I got out of bed, promised my brain that I would start a bedtime routine, dressed and headed next door to Loki to make a new plan. This time I ordered “Pancakes” (which are like crepes) with skyr, sheep head jelly, eggs, and herring. Let’s not talk about sheep head jelly. Ever. My stomach is lurching. During my research I found out that there was a penis museum founded by an ex- teacher. For $22 you can stand next to a whale dick taller than you. Giraffes have it all, big ** and 1 ½ hours of sleep. I am jealous. But as a lesbian, the Phallological Museum didn't excite. So, I crossed the street to the Hallgrimskirkja Church. Churches are also not my thing. After you see 200 churches dripping in gold you begin to question the forced labor and resources it took from the enslaved and poor and it really forces you to question the ethics and human cost of building something that most Gods don't value- wealth, gold, you have to ask why. But the architecture here is really unique. When you climb to the top, you'll be rewarded with a breathtaking view of the city. It really is a beautiful sight. The architect received inspiration from the Basalt columns at Svartifoss. As a sidenote, you can hide in the columns to protect yourself from the wind while waiting for the bus! Aboard the city bus, I made my way to Harpn Concert Hall with its honeycomb shaped windows and gorgeous hall of chess tables. I got to meet all sorts of funny kind folks on my way to Thingvellir National Park. Again, there is not direct transit to the park unless you get creative with walking, buss, and taxi... unless you just get a tour. Reykjavik is a genuinely funny town. In fact, its ex-mayor is a comedian, Jon Gnarr. The shops are full of funny local comic books and knickknacks. For only 1500 ISK, I grabbed some delicious and chunky lobster soup at Sea Baron. And for my sweet tooth, I found a delicious doughnut shop that stuffs their doughnuts with goodness. The chocolate on chocolate was to die for! I went to the Perlan Museum and explored an ice cave and played bartender at a bar made entirely of ice. But perhaps the highlight of the afternoon was being invited to play ice hockey in an ice cave! People are delightful, joyful, and happy to strike up conversation. Judgements are almost nonexistent. Human kindness is flowing. When I got on the wrong bus, there was always someone to help me get to where I was going and refused payment for doing so. On the bus, I saw Shetland ponies and green fields. I walked through forest areas. The further into the countryside I traveled, the more impressed I became with how old things were and the effort to keep Iceland wild. The park was delightful. I saw remnants of a 10th to 18th century parliament building and fissure walls. It’s cold, yet everyone I met seemed warm, open to new ideas and having a good time. I fell asleep on the bus ride home and when I got back to the Stein Erikson Hotel, I stopped to read the mural they had painted on the wall. It said “If change is all you require, dwell not on the present or prior. Imagine a view where everything’s new and make that your only desire’. My life is changing. My health, my energy, my viewpoint, my values are changing. And all that is required is to be open to what is new. I ate some Plokkfiskur for dinner and I’m heading to bed like I promised my brain. Rest before the next adventure…Sweden!
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