Akureyri

On Wednesday, Elina and  I hitchhiked to Akureyri from Reykjavik to stay for two nights. The hitchhiking proved very easy and the longest we had to wait for a car at any point was twenty minutes. I had been meaning to visit Akureyri for some time but had thought it would not be possible money wise, so the decision to hitchhike was a very good one, as we made it there in the same time as the bus anyway but without the bus stuffy-ness. The drive up was really spectacular and we had a really good Thai meal when we arrived. 

We rented a car and drove to Lake Myvatn and the surrounding area the next day with Claudia, a really nice girl from Switzerland who we met at the hostel. I has been my favourite area of Iceland that I have visited so far, with the most incredible landscapes. There are pseudo-craters surrounding the lake so it felt very moon-like driving around. In the evening we bathed in the Myvatn Nature Baths, which are similar to the Blue Lagoon but far more remote and peaceful.

We had a slight shock on the last day when we were supposed to be travelling home but were told the road back to Reykjavik was closed. We ate breakfast in this sweet little cafe while devising a plan. Luckily it re-opened and a really nice Icelandic couple with a big car drove us through a snow storm. They were also playing an Abba's greatest hits CD, really nice.

I am so so pleased that we just decided to try hitchhiking and go because it was so nice to have this mini holiday from Reykjavik and to see the Myvatn. I think it has the most magnificent landscapes that I have seen in Iceland (so far). 

The new 66 degrees north advert

The car drive to Akureyri

Pizza in the wild

This is Elina smoking behind the sign while I 
hitchhike in case potential drivers don't like smoking.

Elina and Claudia

Driving in Myvatn

Myvatn Nature Baths

Akureyri

Breakfast in Akureyri

Drinking Mix so we don't lose hope in the snow storm

Save the Icelandic Nature feat. Björk + Patti + more

Last night I attended the "Stopp - Gætum Garðsins" benefit concert in aid of the Icelandic Nature Protection Society. Following plans from the government to continue to build hydropower stations to power aluminium smelters that would essentially destroy vast areas of the Icelandic countryside, the concert aimed to raise the money to declare the Central Highlands a protected area. Olafur Arnalds wrote an emotive message on facebook this morning here which is worth a read. It is really heartbreaking to think that these plans could actually go ahead.
This was the flyer and lineup for the concert, and it was organised by Björk and Darren Aronofsky. I had never seen either Björk or Patti Smith live before so it was a very overwhelming and emotional experience. Björk opened the concert with Joga accompanied by a choir, string orchestra and the Joga video playing behind them which was just beautiful. Patti sang Because the Night, Pissing in a River and Power to the People. She told a very heartwarming story about the first time she visited Iceland when she was 22 and how she thought it was the most beautiful and holy place on earth. She then said that she had spoken to Lou Reed about how magnificent the country was a couple of months before he died and he had told of how the people of Reykjavik had gathered in the square and sang this song to him when he had visited Iceland himself. She dedicated the song to Lou and to the 22 year old girl who had been so in awe of the Iceland's wondrous untouched nature... and began singing Perfect Day. 

Holly

A few photos from Holly's visit.

Tjörnin

Gló

Bíó Paradís- Gracious Loser

Home at Hverfisgata

Listasafn

Slippbarinn

Charlotte

I have had such a nice long weekend with Charlotte visiting. On Friday we drove in to Hveragerði, the geothermal area, to bathe in the hot river called Reykjadalur. We stayed in the water for hours it was so pleasant.

Driving Queen

Fie and Lukas

Fie, Georgi and Lukas

In the evening it was the second night of the Winter Lights festival here in Reykjavik and all the museums were open til late. We visited the Einar Jónsson sculpture house. The house and gardens were illuminated for the festival and there was an eerie soundtrack playing. We were able to go all the way on to the roof of the building and just as we emerged on to the roof the northern lights became so strong and we watched them dance from the rooftop, it was so perfect. I think the northern lights come out especially for all my visitors, they have so far.

On Saturday we went glacier walking on Solheimajokull. 

On the way to the glacier at sunrise

Early morning bus

hihi

We had a slow Sunday in Reykjavik, eating nice food and walking around the flea market etc. In the evening we went to a theater production called S.A.D. that explored experiences of Seasonal Affective Disorder, which was part of the Winter Lights festival. The performance involved us all being given a number on entry and asked various questions as if we were being diagnosed. We were given our diagnoses during the performance, mine was "lack of self discipline" heh.. It was a really great production, quite disconcerting too.

Cafe Stofan

Such a wonderful time with Charlottie.

Fresh Winds

On Sunday we went to Fresh Winds, an arts festival in Garður. There were performances in the Lighthouses and things to look at around the place. We also had a harbour picnic with the car radio playing full volume with some glorious opera radio station on.