A traveller's reflection: Iceland 2018: 04 Reykjavik Urban Exploration...

"No matter how far you go in the wrong direction, there's always a chance to turn your life around..."

(Ice Cave Exploration Adventure)

Day 04: 15 February 2018 (Thursday)
Route: Dublin, Ireland – Keflavik, Iceland
Hotel: Ork Hotel, Hveragerdi

(Check-in counter for WOW flight to Iceland)

(Keeping warm in chilly weather)

We were supposed to board the 10.45 am flight WW853 from Dublin to Keflavik in Iceland but the flight was delayed for an hour. Arrived in Keflavik International Airport, 50 km from Capital City of Reykjavik and were met by our ground tour agent Mr. Kelly and Mr. Khalil, the driver.

(Mural on the wall at Arrival Hall in Keflavik Airport)

(The welcoming Puffin at the baggage carousel)

(Statues of four men outside the arrival hall)

(The Jet Nest sculpture at Keflavik Airport)

(Rocks formation, on the way to Reykjavik)

Reykjavík is the capital and largest city of Iceland. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxa Bay. It is the world's northernmost capital city and is the heart of Iceland's cultural economic and governmental activity, and is a popular tourist destination.

(Cloudy sky at snow-covered Reykjavik)

(An Artist Street near the Muslim Restaurant)

It was snowing heavily earlier in the morning and the roads were thickly covered by snow. We had Lamb Bryani lunch at Mandi Syrian Restaurant in the old part of Reykjavik. After performing our prayers in the restaurant, we had a walking tour around the Old Street then later visited attractions in other parts of Reykjavik.

(A Syrian Mandi Restaurant)

(Popular among the locals too)

(Hubby with Kelly discussing the itinerary)

Aðalstræti is the oldest street in Reykjavík. Iceland's first permanent settler, is thought to have settled here around 870. The oldest house in Reykjavík from 1764, is at Aðalstræti. The Settlement Museum Exhibition is situated on this old street too.

(The oldest street in town)

(The oldest house is still standing strong)

(Taking at peek at the remains of the early settlements)

The Black Cone is a sculpture by Spanish artist Santiago Sierra, created as a monument to civil disobedience under inspiration from the mass protests on Austurvöllur square in front of the parliament in Reykjavík after the banking collapse in 2008.

(Monument to Civil Disobedience)

Statue of a famous hero at the center of the Austurvöllur park is a statue of Jón Sigurðsson, the leading hero of Iceland's independence movement from Denmark. His birthday, June 17, was designated the National Day after Icelandic independence in 1944.

(The statue of Jón Sigurðsson, a political leader)

(Skúli Magnússon Statue - The father of Reykjavik)

The Domkirkjan Church in the town is the oldest church standing right next to the parliament building. The architecture of this wooden building is nice and simple.

(A popular venue for weddings and functions)

(Walking on the snow-covered lawn)

The Althing is the national parliament of Iceland. It is the oldest parliament in the world. The Althing was founded in 930 at Tingvellir, situated approximately 45 km east of what later became the country's capital, Reykjavík.

(The Parliament House)

(The back of the Parliament House)

Reykjavík City Hall is an impressive building on the northern shore of the Lake Tjörnin, which was frozen when we were there. Bold and modern, this impressive building in the centre of Reykjavík, connects nature, water and is designed deliberately to attract bird-life to the centre of town.

(Reykjavik City Hall)

(Visiting the Visitor and Exhibition Centre)

(A water feature - frozen in situ)

(A sculpture of a cleaning lady)

(The frozen Lake Tjörnin next to the City Hall)

Perlan Glass Dome is Reykjavík’s most iconic building. The Perlan Museum offers unforgettable experiences of Iceland’s rare and astonishing natural wonders. Volcanoes, glaciers, geothermal marvels and more come alive through cutting-edge technology and ground breaking science. Visitors can see, feel, and live Iceland’s many natural wonders all in one place. Út í bláinn is a unique restaurant situated in a glass dome, an enchanting world where the woodlands meet the sky with an incredible view to all directions.

(The Perlan Museum at the Glass Dome)

(Museum show-casing Iceland wonders)

(The Glaciers and Ice Cave Exhibition)

(Interactive and entertaining exhibits)

(Exhibition of the Aurora, the elusive Northern Lights)

(360 viewpoint from upper deck of the dome)

(Panoramic view of Keykjavic city)

(The view of the mountain range)

(Sculpture of musicians outside the Perlan Dome)

Ice Cave Exploration in Perlan Glass Dome was a good experience in exploring a man-made ice cave 100 m long and made out of 350 tonnes of Ice and snow. Explorers will be provided with warm vests as the average temperature in the ice cave was -15 C. At the end of the ice cave tour, everyone ended up shivering to the bone and in dire need of a cup of steaming coffee.

(Admission tickets for the exploration)

(The beginning of the caving exploration)

(Narrow path of the ice cave)

(Not for the claustrophobic)

(Beautiful blue ice crystals towards the end of the cave)

Hofdi Summit House is best known as the location for the 1986 summit meeting of presidents Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev, a historical event that effectively marked the end of the Cold War. The sculpture in front of the house depicts pillars from the chieftain’s seat of the first Norwegian settler in Reykjavík.

(A meeting of two super powers)

(The house with remarkable history)

(Statue of Mikhail Gorbachev)

Sun Voyager is the gleaming steel sculpture on Reykjavik's splendid waterfront that resembles a Viking long-ship. It is a sculpture by Jón Gunnar Árnason. Sun Voyager is described as a dream boat, or an ode to the sun. The artist intended it to convey the promise of undiscovered territory, a dream of hope, progress and freedom.

(Solfar Sun Voyager sculpture)

(Reykjavík's scenic waterfront)

Hallgrimskirkja Church features, most notably, a gargantuan pipe organ designed and constructed by the German organ builder Johannes Klais of Bonn. Standing tall at an impressive 15m and weighing a remarkable 25 tons, this mechanical action organ is designed to reproduce powerful notes capable of filling the huge and holy space with a range of tones.

(The largest church in Iceland)

(A Lutheran parish church)

Islam in Iceland is a minority religion. It was estimated that roughly 0.2% of the country was Muslim. There are very few mosques in Iceland. We passed the Central Mosque of Iceland, located at the outskirt of Reykjavik. The Muslim Association of Iceland currently runs the Reykjavík Mosque. It offers daily prayers attended by a mix of local Icelanders and visiting Muslims.

(The Central Mosque of Iceland)

Tonight we overnight at Ork Hotel in Hvergerdi, 39 km from Reykjavik. The hotel is ideally located as there are shops and a supermarket nearby and a lot of nearby attractions to explore.