Where We Be
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| Skolavordustigur Street is rainbow-colored in summer. The popular tourist street connects Laugavegur Street with Hallsgrimskirkja. |
| Reykjavik, Iceland |
On Day 8 we finished our Ring Road adventure,
dropping the car off in Reykjavik. Despite the
fast pace of the road trip we both consider it a
huge success: we saw and experienced so
much of Iceland in such a short period of time.
After returning the car we did some touring in
Iceland's capital. We strolled down Laugavegur
Street, the most famous pedestrian shopping
street in Reykjavik. Think stuffed puffins, wool
sweaters, and gourmet restaurants. Next we
visited Hallsgrimskirkja -- Reykjavik's most
famous landmark and the largest church in
Iceland. Then we took Skolavordustigur Street,
another popular tourist street, towards home.
Home was Central Guesthouse Reykjavik which
lived up to its name and was super-central.
That evening we met up at Cafe Babalu with
fellow early retirees Kristy & Bryce, who run the
popular FIRE blog Millenial Revolution. They
just happened to be in Iceland the same time
we were. They're the youngest early retiree
couple in Canada! We shared coffee and
happily chatted up a storm with them before
heading off to pack for our upcoming hut stays.
dropping the car off in Reykjavik. Despite the
fast pace of the road trip we both consider it a
huge success: we saw and experienced so
much of Iceland in such a short period of time.
After returning the car we did some touring in
Iceland's capital. We strolled down Laugavegur
Street, the most famous pedestrian shopping
street in Reykjavik. Think stuffed puffins, wool
sweaters, and gourmet restaurants. Next we
visited Hallsgrimskirkja -- Reykjavik's most
famous landmark and the largest church in
Iceland. Then we took Skolavordustigur Street,
another popular tourist street, towards home.
Home was Central Guesthouse Reykjavik which
lived up to its name and was super-central.
That evening we met up at Cafe Babalu with
fellow early retirees Kristy & Bryce, who run the
popular FIRE blog Millenial Revolution. They
just happened to be in Iceland the same time
we were. They're the youngest early retiree
couple in Canada! We shared coffee and
happily chatted up a storm with them before
heading off to pack for our upcoming hut stays.
| That evening we met up with some new friends -- an early retiree couple -- at Cafe Babalu |
| Sharing a coffee with Kristy & Bryce of Millennial Revolution was a real pleasure -- we could have chatted a lot longer if we hadn't had to pack for our hut stays |
| Reykjavik buildings tend to be colorful -- perhaps as a way to brighten up the dreariness of a long winter |
| The rest rooms at Cafe Babalu have to be seen to be believed -- Luke & Leia & Han -- oh my! |
| We checked out City Hall -- where the Trex bus would be picking us up the next morning |
| At the center of the city is Tjornin Lake. It's small but unmissable as it's situated near City Hall and several museums. |
| Icelanders like to call the lake "the biggest bread soup in the world" |
| The lake is popular with locals who like to feed the birds -- including beautiful whooper swans |
| Hallsgrimskirkja was our one must-see sight in Reykjavik. It looks like a rocket ready to take off. |
| A statue of Leif Ericsson, discoverer of Vinland (aka the United States), stands outside the church |
| Laugavegur Street is Reykjavik's tourist central, home to expensive shops and restaurants |
| This is the place to come to get that stuffed puffin you've always secretly wanted |
| The drive to Reykjavik took us through a four-mile tunnel where we paid our one and only toll of about $10 (credit card or cash okay). Reykjavik entailed numerous roundabouts and slower speeds. We dropped our luggage off at Central Guesthouse Reykjavik then drove to City Car Rental's dropoff point in downtown Reykjavik (free and convenient). From there we walked back to our guesthouse. |
| This park is close to Central Guesthouse Reykjavik ($160 per night). We loved being right in the city center. |
| This statue of a faceless bureaucrat has become popular in Reykjavik |