What a charming little city is this northern town of Reykjavic! Iceland’s capital area is quite the beautiful land of spontaneously fluctuating weather—one moment its raining and the next the sun is peering through the blackened clouds—breathtaking vistas, and silent coves meant for reflecting upon and pondering one’s deepest, soulful questions and concerns.
I decided to take a few days to enjoy a new land, my 28th country visited, to transition from one chapter to the next. The city is fantastic for an avid walker like me. Clean streets, quaint storefronts, eclectic merchandise, and bike paths that interlace the city create an inviting atmosphere for the curious traveler. With map in hand, I conquered in three days what seemed to be every nook and cranny of the city.
When given a map of a new cityscape, I immediately seek out the green spaces, in which to get lost and seek serenity in the midst of urban chaos. On my first day in Reykjavic, I perused the botanic garden and some of the friendly paths of the outskirts of the city. Little did I know that I had but brushed the tip of the glacier; Iceland knows a lot about glaciers. I will have to check one out the next time I travel to this mysterious outpost 300,000 people call home.
On my last day in Reykjavic, I wandered the streets for nearly six hours, finally making it to the central city, which features many more lovely bits of architecture than the drab exhibitions of the rest of the city. Until I saw the center of the city, I contented myself in passing concrete building and edifice, one after the other, while my eyes sought the brilliant mountains that halfway encircle the city. I must say, however, the central quarter, as is true in almost all European cities, was something to behold from an architectural standpoint. I thoroughly amused myself as I swung my arms from side to side down the narrow streets of the heart of the city.
I even made it to a thermal bathing area. There are many pools around Reykjavic where one can pay and enjoy the spa-like atmosphere, but I did not want to pay, so I opted instead for the public area. Swerving through the city in a roundabout way as I simultaneously lost my way and found it again—this can be done easily when one has no particular agenda—I reached the thermal beach after about three hours.
How I love meandering and the way one’s senses are heightened simply because one allows herself/himself the time to process the infinite shapes, colors, gradations, and a myriad of other features that make up our world.
Videy: a most verdant landscape of wilderness
It’s amazing how one can process the past when nothing stands between you and your heart, when the silence is broken only by the sound of a bird or the tremulously blowing grasses. This is what I did with my one splurge of the trip: a $10 ferry ride across to the island of Videy. In about five minutes, the vintage-looking ferry transported me from an urban center to a veritable wasteland of beauty. I managed to dodge the crowds as I always do when I am alone—I look where they are going and I pursue the opposite direction—and spent four hours alone on a small island.
I considered this quite the feat until I realized that all the people were congregating in one small, easily accessible portion of the island and did not care to explore the wilds of bird nesting grounds, small hills and outstanding natural bouquets of wildflowers. The cragginess of the cliffs enthralled me and the barrenness beckoned my sense of curiosity. Many stories were hidden between the blades of grass and weeds as they melded together in an impenetrable account of lives and manmade endeavors consumed by unrelenting nature. For hours I permitted my mind to roll over the memories of the last year as I carefully filed each one away to make room for my new adventure.
Iceland is only the beginning, but as all authors and readers know, the beginning matters. I’d like to think that my auspicious beginning or my well-knit and carefully crafted beginning envisages an illuminating tale of experience with my own heart in relation to God and others.
Tip One for Traveling on 25 dollars a day: You must enjoy eating carbohydrates and doing lots of exercise.
Carbs are the least expensive food you can find in any country, whether they take the form of bread, rice, or pasta. If you want to eat cheaply, delve into those carbohydrates! Complex is better, of course ☺ Eating carbs must be followed by a lot of exercise. On a budget, you will discover that you are always walking, to save money on public transportation and to entertain yourself. In this way, you are saving your bottom line and your waistline!
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