Podcasts

Woman Around Town’s Editor Charlene Giannetti and writers for the website talk with the women and men making news in New York, Washington, D.C., and other cities around the world. Thanks to Ian Herman for his wonderful piano introduction.

Northern Lights

How Hot Is Iceland?

01/15/2018

The best thing in my suitcase as I arrived in Iceland was the stretchy cleats that attached to the bottom of my boots. Even though temperatures this past week in a country far out in the North Atlantic were in the 30’s, the nights are colder, precipitation came and went, hence lots of icy spots. If there is one thing you don’t want to do on vacation is slip and tumble, not so much to avoid breaking a bone, but you don’t want to ruin a vacation to one of the trendiest places on the planet right now.  When I say, “how hot is Iceland?” I’m not referring to global warming, but to Iceland’s crazy popularity right now with discounts all over the internet. It’s a mere five hours from New York, three from England, so very easy to get to from points east and west. My daughter and I took advantage of a Groupon discount, and just returned from the country that is roughly the same size as Kentucky, with a population of around 330,000, equal to some of our smaller U.S. cities.

View of Reykjavik from the tower at Hallgrimskikja, the Lutheran Cathedral, and at 74.5 meters high, one of the tallest structures in Iceland.

The intent was to check off another item on our bucket lists: the elusive Northern Lights.  Surely, I thought, we’d see them one night during our three-day stay. However, clouds ruled the skies, with on and off light rain, sleet, hail and snow, with patches of clearing. Did that stop us from enjoying this unique and magical country at a time of year with the least amount of daylight? Six hours. Not in the least. Since tourism and fishing are its two biggest income producers, it was the number of travelers arriving on its shores during the 2008 crash that kept the island on its feet.

Reykjavik, its capital city, is where most of the tourists are heading. It’s also a quick ride from the airport with a very organized and timely bus transit system. We opted for two of the most popular day trips: The Blue Lagoon Spa, and The Golden Circle Tour of Thingvellir, a world heritage site; the Gullfoss waterfall; and two geysers: Strokkur and Geysir, which included distant snow-covered mountain vistas that were truly picturesque.

There is a great sense of humor in the city, and the Big Lebowski Bar, that pays homage to the cult classic. 

Words sometimes fail when trying to describe experiences that are, frankly, out of this world. The Blue Lagoon Spa is one of those times. After a 45-minute bus ride, we arrived for a 5 p.m. entry (times are staggered for crowd control), and in the dark with pelting sleet hitting our faces, we headed towards the warm and dry entrance. Inside, we were given a plush robe, towel, slippers and wrist band with multiple purposes: to click shut the locker, and to make purchases – smart. We showered, pulled on bathing suits, and followed the line through the door, and out into the wintry night, slowing sinking into soothing 100-degree blue mineral waters.  The pool, at its deepest, couldn’t have been more than three to four feet, so very comfortable for swimmers and non-swimmers alike; little ones are allowed, and we saw a few wearing life vests. The lagoon is a mix of freshwater and seawater sent up from 2,000 meters below the surface via a geothermal power plant and along the way the waters pick up silica and minerals. However, for those not into earth science, just know that this is the most heavenly experience one can have on earth.

We stayed in the comforting waters for a good hour, sipping Icelandic drinks, and letting the complimentary mud facial mask do its work. Hesitant to leave, we knew we’d gotten pruney enough, and had worked up an appetite.  So, it was back to the locker rooms, and back to reality while blow-drying our hair.  While there is an on-site restaurant and snack bar, we choose to pace our expenses by getting dinner back in Reykjavik.

Northern Lights Exhibition – The Northern Lights Center

Prices for eating out are on par with fine Manhattan restaurants as many supplies need to be imported, but all of our meals were four stars.  All sorts of fish are available, like tusk and char, with other local favorites like whale meat and ram’s testicles (you heard me right.) While my daughter went for everything fish-related, I went for burgers and pasta, and was never disappointed with price, taste or presentation. Every restaurant is unique, and there’s an old-world charm and graciousness, with every meal.

Each day we eagerly awaited word about that evening’s Northern Lights bus tour, and each day we were disappointed that it had to cancelled due to clouds, and impassable roads. (Note: to avoid this, you may wish to take a boat excursion to the Northern Lights, or with a private guide so that more options of destinations are possible.) To save the day, the Northern Lights Center, about a five-minute walk from our Center Plaza hotel, offered a permanent exhibition on the lights as well as a seven-meter-wide screen showing a 25-minute film loop of the lights. We learned how the lights form, and why they show up at earth’s north and south poles, and the myths and legends that sprang up over the centuries. At a very reasonable $16 per person, it was a very enjoyable alternative since viewing the real thing was not going to happen.

Even Iceland’s city streets can’t escape artful graffiti. 

Speaking of myths, a story about Iceland would not be complete without a mention of the hidden people, elf-like creatures that have been dwelling in the mountains since time began.   The story goes that Adam and Eve were hiding their unwashed children from God, and so God said something like, “if man hides something from God, God will hide something from man.” If you think it’s just myth, there is a story on Iceland’s news blog about how just recently, the hidden people, in protest of a drilling project, caused mishap after mishap for the crew. A representative from the company mediated with the people, forged a peace, and the drilling resumed without any further delays. (If you think I am kidding, check out the link below.)

With our trip ending, my daughter and I were already making a list of what we would do on our next Icelandic visit.  For such a little country, there’s great big charm, beauty, and experiences left to explore.

Construction disrupted by elves or hidden people in Iceland

Iceland: A Land for All Seasons

02/28/2017

Mention that you are going to Iceland for a vacation and you get quizzical looks or bombarded with questions of why there, of all places.  But travelers have discovered Iceland and are flocking there in ever-increasing numbers, and from all parts of the globe.

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Sea stacks at Vik

My wife, Niki, and I actually discovered Iceland about seven years ago, when we met our son half way between Maryland and Israel, where he was living. On that trip, we went in August. For each of our days there, we participated in two-a-day adventure tours. Among the activities that we joined were kayaking, horseback riding, white water rafting, glacier climbing, hiking among hot springs, and snorkeling. In addition, we crawled through a lava tube, went whale watching, and dipped in the infamous and crowded Blue Lagoon, known for the medicinal benefits of its mineral waters. For bird lovers, Iceland has many species, including puffins.

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Urrioafoss Waterfall

In spite of the weather (there were a couple of sunny days), we managed to find more than enough to keep us busy, entertained, enriched, and fulfilled. This trip, unlike the first, had a heavy emphasis on photography. Iceland is a landscape photographer’s paradise, and it did not disappoint us. To maximize our time there, we hired a guide, who happened to be one of the top photographers in Iceland.  Although we didn’t get to see the aurora, we witnessed many other wondrous acts of nature.

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Flowing Ice at Jokulsarlon Glacial Lagoon

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Rising Sun at Black Sand Beach

Perhaps our highlight was spending hours on the black sand beaches of Glacier Lagoon, where large and small chunks of ice, many as clear as diamonds, others blackened by volcanic ash, washed ashore for us, and others, to play in and explore.

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View of Valley and Coast from Cave Interior

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Water Melt Roars Through Ice Cave

Because of the high temperatures and the constant rains, all of the glacial caves were closed for normal tours. Yet our guide was able to arrange entrance to a small part of one of the caves. Unlike the more popular caves in which the ice was fairly transparent, ours was more black and gold, due to the amount of volcanic ash that had been absorbed by the ice in that area. The rains also made sure that the waterfalls were fully flowing.

During a normal winter, Iceland would also offer visitors a variety of other seasonal activities, such as skiing, and snowmobiling.  The colder weather often finds reindeer grazing at lower elevations. Our last night was spent in Reykjavik, where most of the island’s population lives. Reykjavik is the capital of Iceland, where you can find shopping, dining, and entertainment until the wee hours of the morning.

We returned home feeling euphoric on the one hand, but cheated on the other. The inability to see the aurora borealis was very disappointing to us, but we promised ourselves to return when conditions, measured by a variety of apps and websites, give us greater odds.

So, do your research, then go to Iceland. If you like adventure tours, amazing landscapes, a variety of geological conditions that lend to the island nation’s mystique, its relatively close proximity, then Iceland is the place for you.

Top Photo: Moonrise at Strokkur Geisir

Click to view my website for more photos from our trip.