Iceland

Iceland, a place too cold for me to ever wonder about...yet somehow I managed booking a last minute trip. I am glad I did, it was an incredible surprise. To be honest, I didn't do much research before coming to Iceland which made traveling more expensive but also quite fascinating, since I had no expectations. 

October 24, 2017

I landed around 7am local time and was immediately greeted by the crisp North Atlantic air. It was pitch dark outside. Much to my surprise, it was not as cold as I had anticipated, but the wind made it feel 10degrees colder. I took the bus straight to Reykjavik as soon as I landed, trying to fight off how jet lagged I was to try to take in the scenery. It was still dark out and quite foggy, but along the way the sun began to rise slowly, taking its time, revealing the open land. There were no signs of snow just yet but maybe winter had yet to approach, or maybe it was further inland.

The first thing I noticed was how flat the land was, there were barely any mountains in the far distance, so you could see the landscape for miles. I was staying in Reykjavik, the largest city as well as the capital of Iceland. Icelandic is the language of Iceland and I was quite fascinated every time I would hear it.  After quickly freshening up from the redeye flight, I was back on the road headed to The Blue Lagoon. The lagoon was the one thing I did know about Iceland, I think pretty much everyone knows about it, after all it is one of the 25 wonders of the world. It was definitely on the top of my list. When I got there I was in awe. Sure I had seen photos of the steamy and mysterious lagoon but it was something else to see and experience it for myself. The lagoon stays between 37-40°C(98-104°F) which was perfect for relaxing after a long day of travel. It was a lavish welcome into the foreign country I was about to explore.

The following days I spent exploring the capital and doing the Golden Circle tour. We stopped to see Þingvellir, Gullfoss Waterfall, Strokkur Geyser, and ended the day at Gamla Laugin also known as the secret lagoon. Þingvellir is a historical landmark where Iceland declared its independence. There was also a river there where they used to drown people as a form of punishment back in the day. Standing there looking into the river was almost scary, as the water was pretty clear and you could see down to the bottom. All I kept imagining was a ghost popping out at me. Gullfoss Waterfall was absolutely stunning, the mist from the massive waterfall kissed your face ever so gently. It was one of those places where you could just stand there taking it in for hours. Such a breathtaking sight.. The secret lagoon was the perfect way to end the day. There, I ran into two elder ladies, probably in their late 60s who were traveling together. I asked them if they were best friends, and they looked at each other and smiled, "We are sisters". This warmed my heart, they went on to tell me one of their sons had gifted them with the trip as a birthday gift. There was also a mother with her young daughter there, and I enjoyed seeing them play together and giggle uncontrollably. It reminded me of the relationship I have with my younger sister back home, although we are only 4 years apart. I also met a man who was there as a stopover on the way to visit his sister in Germany. He had recently made a self-realization that he had a greater calling and was pursuing the path of ministry. There I was alone but my heart was open to those around me. It was a beautiful feeling of pure contentment. 

The last day I woke up super early to explore the city. I walked all morning through the town going in and out of stores and churches. I came upon a pond full of swans and sat down feeling very thankful. My stay was too short and left me longing to know more. I barely got to see a small piece of Iceland and it's raw beauty. 

If you visit, I highly recommend renting a car. The roads are easy to follow and most of the landmarks have placards with descriptions. Parking was also free and open, bring snacks as  meals are a bit expensive. Iceland is the perfect country to travel alone, clear your mind in nature. The locals are very friendly and helpful and they do speak English. Oh, and Tak means thank you☺

xoxo,

Guadalupe♥