I’m counting the time from hanging out at the hostel as the start of day 2. Although I technically arrived this morning, I am considering the travel time a full day. Anywho I am sitting in the lounge waiting for my phone to charge and taking a nap before venturing out around downtown. My official check-in time isn’t until 3PM and it is 6AM now. I am still deciding if I want to o out tonight and do an activity or if I just want to go to sleep early and go from there. Tomorrow I will do something big, and I have a list of possibilities to go through, so we shall see.
Reykjavik is super easy to walk around, and also very safe. I don’t even feel this safe around my own apartment complex! There is little to no crime here, no homeless people anywhere, I can walk around by myself at 4AM and feel confident that nothing undesirable will ever happen. Not that I did that, but that’s the idea.
The view from walking around Reykjavik
My hostel is directly across from the world’s largest penis museum. Yes, you read that right! What better way to kick off my time in Iceland? Be wary that they don’t take credit cards for admission (everywhere else in Iceland does though)! They do take Icelandic and American cash, so either one works. Admission is $10 USD. I will make a separate post with more information about the penis museum but I will provide a picture here.
Nothing butt penises
I spent about an hour or so in the museum then explored some more of the city as I will be spending most of my time here in other places in Iceland. I went to go see the minimalist Viking boat sculpture, the Hallgrímskirkja Church, then went to the grocery store across the street from the hostel for snacks and relaxation.
Minimalist sculpture of a Viking boat, The Sun Voyager, by Jon Gunnar Arnason
The Halgrimskirkja Church stands tall through the gloomy day!
Coconut Skyr yogurt, sparkling blueberry water, and goji berry juice
Skyr yogurt is seriously by far the absolute best yogurt I have ever had in my entire life! It is so thick, and creamy, full of protein, full of flavor, full of life! This one was coconut flavor, but I had the vanilla, blueberry, strawberry, and chocolate flavors throughout my time in Iceland. I could not get enough. They really need to bring it over here to the States!
I had a conversation with a Ukrainian man who gave me toffee filled chocolate (never take candy from strangers? Eh, sorry Mom). We mostly talked about world history, particularly the Holocaust, and Jewish history and Hitler. Why? Well apparently that is all he talks about because a French guy came over to join us and the conversation started all over again. Aaaaand that is my cue for a nap…on the chair…in the middle of the lobby. I feel like this is normal for hostel life haha. No one ever asks questions. I checked in, went to my room, loosely planned the next few days (weather providing), and then took a nap.
Hlemmur Square gives you a free beer with meal ticket when you check in. I definitely took advantage of that. Arctic char fish (tasted kinda like salmon), mashed potatoes that tasted like a combo of potatoes and split pea soup (it was good!) and greens with a horseradish and/or gingery flavor. Everything was delicious including the Icelandic Christmas Beer.
Okay bed time, see you tomorrow Iceland!
The World Unfiltered 