REYKJAVIK
The captain’s loud voice on the PA system “Please fasten your seat belts as we have started our descent” woke me up from my uncomfortable sleep. Groggily I opened the window to glance out and I was jolted out of my lethargy. I had envisioned seeing a lush land, green and beautiful. I had heard that Greenland is icy and barren, and Iceland is green and fertile. But below me was an endless stretch of lava fields – brown, jagged, unwelcome terrain as far as the eye could see. It truly looked like a landscape from another planet. Nothing grew on the rough surface- no trees or vegetation. It was a sight I was certainly not expecting to see as I pulled up the window shade.
We were picked up in a van with a makeshift extra trunk!
As we drove away it seemed like we were driving towards nowhere. The lava belt on either side of us was just as somber and vacant as the first sight from the sky. The landscape was flat and undisturbed and fringed by shadowy mountains far back. The horizon was pale and all encompassing. It was unusual but somehow not overwhelming in its beauty.
The main area of Reykjavik lacked the hum of activity. Maybe it was still too early in the morning. Maybe I was expecting too much from this quaint northernmost capital of the world where the entire country’s population was only 320,000.
We set out towards the main street called Laugavegur. It was dotted with cafes and shops on either side and it was very pleasant ambling down the lane browsing and visiting the shops.
The largest church in Iceland is the iconic national monument of Hallgrimskirkja. It is designed to resemble basalt lava flows of the Icelandic topography.
In fact it really reminded me of the columnar shapes of the basalt rocks of Reynisfjara on the black sand beach of Vik.
This Lutheran church is beautiful in its austerity and clean lines. A ride up to the top on the elevator to enjoy the views of the city was a popular attraction. Most of Reykjavik is flat and low-lying and so this church with its pale, angular architecture is easily recognizable and appreciated.
Another iconic landmark is the new concert hall, Harpa. It was a large angular building with geometric glass panels reflecting colors of glittering jewels. The gleaming polygons reflect the sea and the sky, and resemble the glistening scales of a fish.
Near the old harbor we climbed up Thufa, a huge circular mound of hay covered with young grass. We climbed up to the top by a circular pathway going around the mound to enjoy some beautiful views. This work of art translates ‘mound’.
The most memorable part of our day was the night! It may sound strange but it was true. Way past midnight and almost approaching 1AM when we were back in our hotel rooms, the clear bright skies were a pleasant and unique sight. The sun was still out there somewhere just ducking behind the horizon and still illuminating the sky with streaks of lavender and pink.
