Iceland – Day 6

We had a great night’s sleep. The night before, the staff had asked us when we wanted breakfast because, with only 2 rooms booked, they did not want to set up a full buffet. So we told them we would be down at 9:00, and they brought a smorgasbord of food to our table. Eggs, beans, cold cuts, cheeses, bread, croissants, fruit, etc. 

I eat more cold cuts and cucumber for breakfast whenever I am in Europe.   I really like that?  Why don’t I eat cold cuts for breakfast in the USA? It was enough food for an army and was all quite good. The sun was rising, so the fjord sparkled in the light. The white backdrop of the snow-covered landscape framed the fjord’s beauty like a painting. It was stunning to watch it all light up from the front room of the hotel.

Once we got on the road, we went to our second thermal pool. The Hvammsvik Hot Springs was different from the Secret Lagoon. This was a high-end luxury spa, and it made you feel like it. We were the first customers there, so we had the entire complex to ourselves. The pools sit on the fjord’s edge, so while you enjoy the hot water, you enjoy the scenery.    There is a pool that fills with seawater when the tide is up and then eventually heats up after the tide recedes.   We considered going in it, but it was still frigid while we were there.   After enjoying the pools and the steam room, we had a drink in the restaurant.    We loved the soap in the showers and bought some to bring home.    I loved the Hvammsvik Hot Springs.

This ends the road trip.   We drove south into Reykjavík and stayed at the Reykjavik Residence Apartment Hotel.  The property was called The Prime Minister’s Residence at Hverfisgata 21.   We splurged on this hotel, but it was really nice. It felt a bit like an AirBNB-Hotel hybrid.   The apartment was gorgeous, with beautiful big windows and good amenities. 

For dinner that night, we signed up to take a food tour with the Funky Food and Beer Walk.  Our guide’s name was ​​Lalli, and he is the company’s founder.   We don’t usually do food tours, but I recommend this one.   I thought it was quite good.  There is a ton of food, and no one will leave hungry, but it starts with old Icelandic food.  This is how I tasted the infamous Hákarl, Iceland’s fermented shark.   I did not need to eat it again, but it was not as bad as I had imagined.  It had a blue cheese funk to it.  You end up eating a lot of food on the tour and end a craft beer bar.   The food is far more memorable than the Icelandic craft beer scene.  We had a hotdog from the Bæjarins beztu hot dog stand, and I loved it.   Even Samer, a man who hates hot dogs, liked it.

Lalli is a nice guy. His tour is very good, and he is happy to discuss various subjects with you. We talked about politics, and he told us he was close to an Icelandic activist named Haukur Hilmarsson. Hilmarsson fought as a team commander with Kurdish militants and was killed by the Turkish military. That story really sticks with me, and there is a tangible sense of solidarity for a comrade who lost a comrade. Presente Hilmarsson!

On our way back to the house, we stopped by a bookstore/music venue bar called Hús máls og menningar and listened to a cover band.   It was fun and a nice wind-down.

Next Day: Iceland – Day 7

One thought on “Iceland – Day 6

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *