Loading up the family truckster!
We had the morning to spend in Reykjavik before we had to head to the Keflavik airport which is about a 45 minute drive.
We stayed quite close to the Grotta Island Lighthouse. It is actually in Seltjarnanes town peninsula. Many people come here in the city to see the Northern Lights if the conditions are right as there is little light pollution here.
We found parking near the Old Reykjavik quarter. We didn't have a lot of time to spend looking at museums but did walk around which was fun. We first got some lunch to eat and then walled to Hallgrimskirkja which was towering and immense. The girls are standing in front of statue of Leif Erikson. Allie just learned about this Norse explorer in Humanities who was the first European explorer to have discovered North America.
Hallgrimskirkja is a Lutheran church. The church took 41 years to build and is designed after the natural features of Icelandic landscape (basalt columns, rocks and mountains).
The country of Iceland is predominantly Lutheran being around 70% of the population.
Appelsin was a favorite drink. It was like a spicy orange Fanta. The girls also loved the water here. You can drink it straight out of the faucet! We would often refill our water bottles and prefer the tap water over bottled.
Reykjavik is a bright, busy and vibrant city.
We strolled a bit down Laugavegur which is where the main shopping is located.
We walked back toward the car and saw "The Sun Voyager". It was to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the city in 1990.
As all great vacations that keep you wanting more have to end...we arrived in Chicago with an exciting adventure to tell. How lucky we are in this life to have such an opportunity. There is never a day that goes by that I am not filled with such overwhelming gratitude to be able to have these experiences.
Jules Verne said it best...
"I dream with my eyes open".
