Iceland - May 2019

Rejoicing in Reykjavik

The Guinness

I was genuinely surprised by the number of pubs in Reykjavík offering Guinness.  There's sometimes the need for hours of internet research and walking the streets before I stumble across the familiar Guinness logo but not here where I was spoilt for choice.  So why choose the Drunk Rabbit? More because of the appealing name I have to admit.  Are there rabbits lurking in Iceland?  It turns out there are and they are a bit like the purple lupines you see around everywhere i.e. not indigenous.  Anyway, I digress. 

On arrival I asked to see the management, not because I was throwing my weight around, but because in an exchange of messages before coming to Iceland they had promised to pour me the perfect pint but unfortunately were not at home.  Nevertheless, we had a warm welcome from the charming Jolanta who seemed somewhat thrown by having the responsibility heaped upon her but coped very well indeed.  

Jolanta concentrating on pouring the Guinness

So there it was, sat settling on the bar, a Guinness in my 52nd European capital city.  Mission achieved - or it would be once I'd drunk it.  Memories of previous visits came flooding back; places I'd visited, people I'd met and adventures I'd had.  There would be plenty of time for me to reminisce but for now it was time to savour the moment with my wife and good friends who had been kind enough to join me on the trip. Cheers.

Team make up

I was joined on this trip by five fellow adventurers.  My wife Margaret, who takes the credit for much of the organising.  As a veteran of some twenty of these Guinness excursions she deserves a hearty congratulations, not only for joining me on those trips but also deserves thanks for putting up with me going on the others.  Paul and Pete were veterans of the Faroe Islands trip all the way back in 2005.  Ian was a more recent convert and on his own challenge of visiting every European country and riding the trains. The sometimes frustrated look on his face at times was explained by the fact that there are no trains in Iceland.  Olwen was on her first trip and fully embraced the cause.    

Sightseeing

We felt we'd hit the jackpot in going on the iconic Golden Circle tour - an excellent day out.  More good homework by my wife had identified many tour operators on the Golden Circle route. Our guide Baldvin Pálsson was exceptional; highly knowledgeable, humorous, a good driver, clearly explained our responsibilities at each stage and even threw in a few extra stops for us for good behavior.   Minibuses are so much more comfortable than they used to be.   

Our excellent guide Baldvin

Food and Drink

Our bravery didn't extend to us trying the Hákarl, fermented and buried rotten shark with high ammonia content. Instead we treated ourselves to a delicious meal at Old Iceland where I had traditional Icelandic lamb tasting of the lush green meadows of Iceland, or was I imagining that bit. 

Another evening we ate in Cafe Babalu, a quirky place with friendly staff and a Star Wars themed toilet.  The vegetarian lasagne tasted just fine.  The local cafe, Emilie and the Cool Kids, near our accommodation is also worth a mention for its tasty savory scones. 

The spectacular Gullfoss waterfalls

Accommodation

I haven't mentioned this yet but Reykjavík is a charming capital city, full of individual colourful houses and independent shops. We were lucky enough to stay very centrally in Heida's Home Guesthouse.  Quiet, clean and processing a certain vintage charm, it was all we could ask for. 

Heida's Home Guesthouse

Getting there and around

One thing I won't miss about completing this challenge is the air travel.  I vow to take more trains.  The flight to Iceland may only be two and a half hours but with everything else added in effectively takes a day each way.  The crack-of-dawn easyJet flights from London Luton in fairness were relatively pain free.  It was just the need to be at the airport at 4am, necessitating overnight accommodation at the airport in a hot room and a rubbish meal in a Dunstable pub that provided the misery.   

Our pre-booked airport bus transfer into Reykjavík was hassle free for us but for one of our party arriving on a later flight proved more problematic. 

Without any Icelandic trains to ride Ian took to the public buses one day with a day-pass and reported everything ran smoothly.

Outside Reykjavík

Margaret and I took a boat over to the small island of Viðey.  It was idyllic.  The weather was warm and sunny and the birdlife plentiful.  The eider ducks and fulmars welcomed us with open wings. The boats to Viðey depart adjacent to where the cruise liners dock but for some reason a four hour stay on this tranquil island doesn't appeal to cruise goers.  It was just us, the birds and a Yoko Ono sculpture, giving peace a chance.

Freddie the Fulmar on Viðey

Quirky Moments

Very early on in this challenge, back in 2005 a group of us went to the Faroe Islands.  It was the closest I came to not having a pint of Guinness.  An Irish pub mentioned on the internet transpired to be fake news.  The hero of the day was Henrik who works for the Danish Royal Air Force and had flown some Guinness in especially. He welcomed us around his house to share the Guinness and pick out my next destination.  By sheer fluke, on the day I was having my final pint of Guinness in Reykjavík, Henrik flew into the nearby airport to refuel. The nearest I will ever come to being honoured by a Royal flypast.

The only train to be seen in was Minør, an old stream train withdrawn from service about a hundred years ago.  To make Ian jealous I clamoured on board to get a photo of me in the cab, shoving two little boys out of the way in the process. There weren't to be deterred.  As soon as they realised I didn't speak Icelandic that switched to perfect English and continued to tell me all bout how the train worked.  I couldn't work out how they were old enough to be allowed out without adults but then again if they were smart enough to learn English at their age I'm sure that were safe.

A sad quirky moment this one.  Many people go on a whale-watching trip whilst in Reykjavík.  In fact our travelling companion Ian did just that and was lucky too see two varieties of whale.  Margaret and I also saw a whale on an evening walk but unfortunately it was a deceased minke whale, washed ashore. 

Lasting memories

We were blessed with great weather and lots of daylight for this trip which combined with the stunning scenery makes for a memorable trip, but of course completing the Guinness challenge must be the highlight.

Hallgrímskirkja church