Sun Voyager

On our last day in Iceland, we went downtown Reykjavik and walked along the waterfront to the Sun Voyager sculpture, depicting a Viking long ship and an ode to the sun.  It’s backdrop was snow covered mountains, after snowfall during the night.  A perfect place for our sendoff from an incredible week of firsts for all of us!  First time in Iceland, first time at Blue Lagoon, first time on the Golden Circle, and first time to see the Northern Lights... with family - the best part!

Thanksgiving in Iceland

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day in Reykjavik!  Most of us went swimming at a local geothermal pool before lunch.  It was refreshing and very nice, except for the 10 steps between the outside door and the pool.  Icelanders enjoy swimming, regardless of outdoor temperature and they are fortunate to have so many thermal water options.

We had lunch in downtown Reykjavik, at Reykjavik Street Food, enjoying fish and chips, various soups, and chocolate bars.  We went to Perlan after lunch, where we watched the planetarium show, Aurora - Northern Lights, and spent time in the hands on exhibits of Wonders of Iceland, including an ice cave.  We were home by 6:15 and put together a “Thanksgiving Dinner” of fruits and vegetables, cheeses, breads, and more.  We took turns talking about the things we are grateful for.  High on the list... family and friends.  We have much to be grateful for!

Pingvellir National Park And Northern Lights

Whitney arrived early Wednesday morning, with Greta and Toby.  Papa and I picked them up at the airport at 6.  After breakfast, we drove with Audrey’s family and Whitney’s family out to Pingvellir National Park, about one hour northeast of Reykjavik.  The views were incredible and we were all fascinated with the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates, that run through the Pingvellir region and are drifting in opposite directions at the rate of .8” annually.  We also hiked to Oxararfoss waterfall.  It was stunning - a mix of flowing water and ice.

We all had lunch together at a local diner, then went to Volcano House to watch a documentary film about two of the most recent volcano eruptions on Iceland.  Our day was topped off by a drive out to the Grótta Island Lighthouse, where we’ve gone every night to watch for the Northern Lights.  Papa, Audrey and I went out last night with just the kids, and it was the best night of our trip!  We loaded back in our little bus and went home to get everyone else.  We saw the Northern Lights!  Unfortunately, we don’t have any amazing photos, but we have the memory of the amazing experience!

Fly Over Iceland

Today is Dan’s birthday, so we’ve celebrated all day!  We got a late start to our day, so we went downtown Reykjavik for lunch of lobster soup.  We explored and shopped a bit, learning about the Christmas Cat story.  We walked along the waterfront.  We went to Fly Over Iceland - a state of the art experience, where we strapped into seats with feet dangling, and were whisked away on a journey across Iceland.  Special effects included wind, mist, and motion.  It was an unforgettable experience!

The Golden Circle

We left Reykjavik at 10 this morning, and drove on a circle trip through stunning countryside to see spouting geysers in the Geysir Geothermal Area area, and many tiered waterfalls including Gullfoss waterfall, and through the beautiful Pingvellir National Park.  We passed dozens of Icelandic horse farms, snow covered mountains, and enjoyed the magnificent scenery.

The Blue Lagoon

We flew to Reykjavik yesterday, with Audrey and Brian’s families joining us early this morning.  We expect Whitney’s family to join us later in the week.  First on our agenda was the Blue Lagoon.  Opened in 1992, the Blue Lagoon uses geothermal seawater in a spa experience unlike any we have ever known.  The Blue Lagoon was named one of 25 Wonders of the World by National Geographic in 2012.  The water was 100 degrees while the air temperature was in the 20’s.  The steam off the water made the whole experience surreal.  We had a great time!  It was a fun beginning to our week in Iceland.

Beautiful Day in Lisboa

We had lunch at Palacio Chiado, across the street from our hotel.  Built as a private palace in 1781, it was renovated in 2014-15 to be used as a restaurant and for private parties.  The food was delicious and the palacio was extraordinary!  After lunch we went on a walk down the hill to Time Out Market for a pasteis de natal, and then along the waterfront, through Praca do Comercio, then up Rue Aurea to the Rossio Train Station, and straight up the stairs to Igreja Sao Roque.  It was a beautiful afternoon and we took our time, enjoying the architecture and the views.  We took a siesta late afternoon, then went out again before sunset.  We walked down then up lots of staircases to Miradouro de Santa Catarina, to watch sunset with lots of other people.  We ended our day with a light dinner at Time Out Market, still one of favorite places in Lisboa.  We’ve had a great time!

National Azulejo Museum and Sunset along the Tejo

We walked down the hill and over to Praça do Comércio to catch a bus to the National Azulejo Museum.  Housed in the former Madre de Deus Convent, the museum’s collection os one of the largest of ceramics in the world.  The museum collection features azulejos from the second half of the 15th century to the present day.  We really enjoyed the chronological presentation of azulejos art and the 75’ long azulejo Panoramic View of Lisbon done prior to the earthquake of 1755.  It is the best picture of Lisbon at that time, on record.  We also enjoyed the richly ornamented Chapel of Saint Anthony, original to the Convent.

We walked to the Pantheon, then the Church of Sao Vicente of Fora.  We had lunch in the Alfama, then took the 28 tram back to our hotel neighborhood.  After a couple hours of siesta, we went out again for sunset.  We walked along the Tejo, along with thousands of others, up to Praça do Comércio, just as the sun was setting.  It was a beautiful end to our day.