Hi, All. I'm finishing up stories of my visit to Iceland and hope to have them posted over the next few days. Until then ... some fond memories of the trip: The very pretty city of Reykjavik from the tippy-top of Hallgrimskirkja. The snowy Mount Esja seen from downtown Reykjavik. Note the construction cranes; Reykjavik will look very different the next time I visit. And my last dinner in Reykjavik (for this visit) in the super cozy KOL Kitchen Bar. Photo taken from my table … [Read more...]
Another sunny day in Iceland
I'm headed to Keflavik Airport shortly to fly back to the US. Stay tuned, though, as I still have some stories to wrap up over the next few days (and subscribe to my blog to catch the next trip!). But first, some interesting observations on weather, etc. Daylight. Since I arrived in Iceland a week ago, I've lost 49 minutes of daily daylight. The sun rises 28 minutes later today than it did this time last Saturday, and sets 21 minutes earlier. What a furious march to December 21 when the … [Read more...]
Cozy Rug
Someone asked a few days ago about what animal gave its life to be the cozy rug in the meditation room. I found a similar rug in the hotel lobby and asked about it. Icelandic horse. Which is a totally different breed than we're familiar with in North America. … [Read more...]
Icelandic Weather Travel Advisory
This travel advisory was taped to the reception desk at ION when I checked out this morning. When there's a NO TRAVEL advisory due to whiteout conditions and you have NO idea if it pertains to you ... #hireanicelandicspeakingdriver … [Read more...]
Exploring ION
Back in the Northern Lights lounge at the ION Hotel and again, I’ll be damned if I know where everyone is! See the wire chair to the right with the white sheepskin (sheep's wool?) skin on it. I'm curled up in it writing. The hotel is fully booked (albeit only 38 rooms), but here I am again in the lounge all by myself. I just got chased out of the hot tub by the wickedly blowing snow and I know they're not there. It is the “ION Adventure Hotel,” and they’re happy to book whoppingly … [Read more...]
Finding my inner peace at ION
I love Sunday mornings curled up with a good cup of coffee and the New York Times; my favorite part of the paper, unsurprisingly, is the Travel section. Every couple of weeks I rip out an article about a place I hope to visit (someday I've got to come up with a better filing system than a cardboard box). Sometimes an article gets snipped because of an idea or two about sightseeing in a certain city. In some cases, though, an article can be the impetus for an entire trip. Enter the ION Hotel. I … [Read more...]
Carbs vs. Miles
Bread, butter, skyr, ice cream, chocolate mousse, cheese, cinnamon buns, croissants, more bread, more butter ... thank goodness for my "Iceland Marathon." I'm glad I tallied some good numbers early in the week, because once I hit the ION Hotel in the middle of nowhere my major activity became turning my head to see the whole horizon and hauling myself out of the hot tub. More on that soon. First, another croissant. … [Read more...]
Happy Thanksgiving
This year, I am thankful for my family and friends who wish me "bon voyage," are concerned for my safety while I travel, listen to my tales with interest, and welcome me home with open arms. Thank you, all. Happy Thanksgiving to my American tribe; forever thanks to my Canadian. -- L … [Read more...]