Let’s explore together, shall we?

After a lovely and filling breakfast, we headed out to greet the day and Copenhagen. The streets are so pretty to walk down and admired and wonder at. Do you see the halo over the building? We thought it was cool too!

Our first stop was the Rundetaarn, or Rundetårn (Round Tower in English), is a 17th-century tower located in central Copenhagen, Denmark. One of the many architectural projects of Christian IV, it was built as an astronomical observatory.

One of the cool parts of the tower is the equestrian staircase,  so if you wanted to, you could ride your horse all e way up…and who wouldn’t want to do that?

There was also a toilet in the tower.  The toilet was used by the researchers and astronomers working in the tower and consisting of a seat almost at the top and a shaft leading down to the bottom floor built into the hollow core. This shaft has no way of emptying it nor any ventilation to the outside, making it arguably one of the world’s largest and earliest septic tanks. Um…can you say ewe?

One of my favorite features of the observatory of the tower was wrought iron fence. Each panel was different, aren’t they awesome?!

After the tower…history! This was our walk to the National Museum of Denmark. 

On our way to the museum we passed by the Synagogue, which was closed, but we saw the tribute to Dan Uzan who was murdered on February 15, 2015. He was part of the volunteer security for a bat mitzvah that night. 

On 14–15 February 2015, two separate shootings occurred in Copenhagen, Denmark. Two victims and the Islamic terrorist were killed, while five police officers were wounded.

The National Museum of Denmark (Nationalmuseet) is Denmark’s largest museum of cultural history, comprising the histories of Danish and foreign cultures, alike.
It was interesting, Danish history, vikings, cultures from around the world. it was bigger than we realized and we enjoyed several hours touring. 

After history, we wanted to see some art, so off to the National Gallery of Denmark (Danish: Statens Museum for Kunst, also known as “SMK”).

The museum collects, registers, maintains, researches and handles Danish and foreign art dating from the 14th century to the present day.
The first thing we saw were a bunch of installation art pieces…um. Then we moved on to surrealism, yup surreal. Then some French, impressionists, Danish, the gamut. We both really enjoyed it. 

By now, everything is closing, it’s ‘suppah-time’! We walked to the Copenhagen Street Food Market. This is basically a waterside marketplace featuring independent food stalls & trucks selling snacks, meals & drinks.

We crossed a bridge over the canal, walked a bit and there it was. There was an installation art piece by Yoko Ono, very cool actually, a forest of wishing trees. Take a piece of paper, write your wish on it and hang it on one of the trees. Unfortunately for us…no more wishes available. It was neat to see all the wishes in different languages.

Walking into the Stree Food Market was great, all these food trucks,  sights, sounds, smells. It was noisy, but warm, cozy and inviting. You took a seat where there was one available and the food didn’t  seem overpriced, I would say just like any food trucks anywhere, but we know that’s not true! it really was a great experience.

Then it was back to the hotel, up to the executive lounge to relax, have some beverages and talk about the day. 

Who knows what tomorrow has in store for us! I’ll keep you posted!

We started the morning in Vik, checked out and went across the street for breakfast. 

Catch…they weren’t open for breakfast! We got some tea and what we thought we buttered croissants, but turned out to be ham and cheese. Improvise, eat around that stuff!

The weather today? Rain, rain and more rain and not just rain, RAIN…sideways, front ways, just rain! First stop, before our first stop…Icelandic Wear for some rain gear for me! I am now the proud owner of rain pants and a snazzy waterproof jacket, score!

Now, in the car and first stop, black sand beach. This was spectacular! The black sand, still larger rocks for part of the beach, silt in others and small rocks the rest. 

This is not a beach for swimming or bathing, as it were. They have what are called “deadly sneaker waves”. These will sneak up on you, literally and can draw you under and that’s that…to be blunt.

The depth of the ocean, the intensity of the waves, the amazing natural splendor, the rock formations, the view, the wind, even the rain couldn’t dampen, ha ha, our experience!

After a thorough soaking, well, but thorough thanks to my new reason gear, which, by the way, will now be a part of my trip essentials, we went to the Black Sand Beach Restaurant. We had turnip soup, sandwiches and some bar like thing for dessert. Oh and hot tea, of course to warm our cold hands. 

It is one of the ten most beautiful beaches on Earth. Its stretch of black basalt sand is one of the wettest places in Iceland. The cliffs west of the beach are home to many seabirds, most notably puffinswhich burrow into the shallow soils during the nesting season. Offshore lie stacks of basalt rock, remnants of a once more extensive cliffline Reynisfjall, now battered by the sea. There is no landmass between here and Antarctica and the Atlantic rollers can attack with full force. 

According to folklore, they are former trolls who tried to drag their boats out to sea only to be caught by the rising dawn. The sea around them is rather wild and stormy, so travelers will not be surprised to discover a monument to the memory of drowned seamen on the beach.

After the black sand beach we got back in the car to head back to Reykjavik, the rain determined what we could and couldn’t do today, and a lot of outdoor stuff was not in the cards.

Fear not friends, we found things to do. We had lunch in a greenhouse! Victor, do you remember him from the other day? He told us about Fridheimer, off, way off the beaten path, is one of the many greenhouses in Iceland and the unique thing about this was you get to eat in the greenhouse, among the tomatoes and the bees. We couldn’t see the bees, they were doing their thing away from the tables. [The video is the bees in a box]

They had fresh tomatoe soup, bread, pasta and flat breads, different “Mary” drinks [bloody, Christmas, virgin, healthy], tomatoe shots, this was Brennivin in a tomatoe, tomatoe ice cream, tomatoe cheesecake and apple and tomatoe piece.

It was warm, not just because we were in a greenhouse, it was warm and inviting and a unique experience. 

From their website: Have you gone out to dinner in a greenhouse? The unique food experience at the restaurant, where the tomatoes grow all around! Tomato soup and freshly baked bread along with other delicacies in the cozy environment within the plant.

The common thread in the kitchen Friðheimar the tomatoes in various forms. And no wonder, for four types of tomatoes are grown in greenhouses where meal are brought forward within the tomato plants.Food experience that has few parallels. Come and enjoy!

And we did enjoy! Even chatted with some girls from the States, three were from NYC and one who’s mom grew up where I did. We shared some stories and gave them suggestions on places and things to eat, like the reindeer at the Blue Lagoon and the fermented shark bites at Cafe Loki.

Last stop…Harpa Theatre to see Icelandic Saga. Basically, the biggest hits, as they called them, in 75 minutes. 

We learned about Hallgerda Long-Pants, Gunnlaug Serpent Tongue, Killer-Glum, Harald with the great hair-do, Mjoll the-biggest-of-all-women-who-were-not-giants and Leif the Lucky who found America… and lost it again.

The show was funny and fabulous and we laughed and learned. We also heard one of the sagas or tales we learned on the Golden Circle Tour, hell truly hath no fury like a woman scorned!

Presented by two of Icelands finest actors Icelandic Sagas – The Greatest hits is a 75 minute theatrical comedy roller coaster ride through Iceland’s literary heritage.

The Icelandic Sagas are the 40 true stories of the first settlers of Iceland – Well, Icelanders say they’re true. Everyone else says: Get out of here!

Another fabulous day in Iceland, but sadly, this part of our adventure has come to an end, awe…
But not to fear friends and family! our next great adventure begins tomorrow…very early tomorrow. As we speak, we are in a hotel near the airport, getting a few hours of sleep before our 630 am flight to…

Ha, you thought it was that easy? Nope, you’ll just have to wait! 

Goodnight frá Íslandi