Godan Daginn Reykjavik
Although I slept late the night before, I started my day early. Had breakfast at the hostel again, cause I bought some food-stuff previously from 10-11. Then I set off at 8 AM walking around Reykjavik. Alas, I realised not many shops were opened, and I was also waiting for the post office to open. So after exploring some unexplored parts of the city, I went to 10-11 again to get an orange juice and sat down by the window while reading the Reykjavik Grapevine newspaper which is basically news and happenings around Reykjavik (and Iceland). And watch people go by too.
Favourite drink over there which is orange, lime and ginger!
After that I went to the post office which is located beside 10-11 to send my postcards. Thankfully it was a very easy process of just getting the stamps and then giving it to the post office people and voila. I did some shopping at 10-11 before this and then I went back to my hostel to put it down because it's kinda heavy. Imagine carrying bags of liquorice and chocolates around Reykjavik! Haha. After that I went to Hallgrimskirkja again to go for my I Heart Reykjavik (IHR) walking tour!
Pretty red wall with flower pots
The lady behind IHR is actually Audur, an awesome Reykjavik-ian who is really passionate about her city and her country (check out her website here). So we met at Hallgrimskirkja, there were umm 10 of us in total I think. Audur began by sharing with us the history of the church and also a bit of Iceland history. She's very informative and she answers our questions about the country too. Then went to the Einar Jonsson sculpture park which is located near the church. It's a pretty serene park that has this inspiring vibe to it. The sculptures created by Einar Jonsson is pretty inspiring to look at too. And he also created several sculptures around Reykjavik!
Favourite sculpture in the park
After that we went around a few neighborhoods in Reykjavik and Audur gave us a bit of information about life in Reykjavik. I'm so enthralled by the colours and paintings and murals of the city. I wish my hometown can be filled with such beautiful murals too, instead of random graffiti and words that don't even make sense hah. I definitely learned a lot about Iceland and Reykjavik in particular in her tour. And all of my answers about this city were answered in the tour. Like I wondered why I see baby trolleys left outside cafes with the babies still inside! Well apparently it's a norm to do that in Iceland, a pretty eye-opener for me because here we're super protective of babies.
One of my favourite murals in the city!
The tour continues on down along Skolavordustigur and we arrived in Arnarholl hill for a stop, where Audur gave us a small Icelandic lesson. And the tour continued on to the old parts of Reykjavik where she gave us the history and how the city progresses. The tour ends at around 12:30 I think, it was a pretty awesome tour and the thing I love about it is that the tour is by a Reykjavik-ian and I get to know the life and culture of the city. Not just notes and facts about famous landmarks that the city has. So takk fyrir Audur for the awesome tour! I highly recommend IHR to everyone visiting Reykjavik. Gotta book to check for availability before your trip though! :)
And guess what I stupidly forgot to gave her an Indonesian postcard that I bought from here! And to take a photo with her arrgghhh. Oh well nevermind I guess.
After the walking tour my plan was to go to the famous Blue Lagoon! Since I had some spare time before the bus leaves, I went to get a sandwich before heading off. The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal pool that has sulphur and silica contents in it! Took a dip and went to swim around it, definitely a once in a lifetime experience I suppose. I thought the water is going to be hot but well uhh it's warm. Some parts of the lagoon is hotter than the other though.
The un-swimmable part of the Blue Lagoon haha
Although there's a debate I read on internet to whether the blue lagoon is a tourist trap or not. Hmm okay the entrance fee is not cheap I must say. In my opinion you go to the Blue Lagoon for the experience. Because well, when else can you swim around a geothermal pool right. Well maybe in Japan or New Zealand or something. Besides, the place is very beautiful too. But if you ask me if it's a must to go when visiting Iceland? I'm fifty-fifty about that.
I went back to Reykjavik from the Blue Lagoon. It was 6 PM when I arrived back and I went haaaaaard of Reykjavik hah. I walked around Reykjavik again, visiting some places I went before and so on. I went to a shop called Fotografi which sells a lot of awesome photographs of Iceland and Reykjavik! I think most of the works (or all, not sure) are by a photographer called Ari Sigvaldason. I bought a photo of this guy in an astronaut suit in front of Hallgrimskirkja. I don't know why I was so attracted to it. Actually I saw it on the day when I arrived in Reykjavik but I was contemplating to get it or not but since I got some spare money I decided to get it! :P
Awesome shop with awesome photographs
And in the shop there was a drawn-postcard of the same photo. I bought it as well, and when I was about to pay it, turned out it was the shop keeper, Julie, who drew that postcard! I was so amazed by it too because it looks awesome and almost similar to the photo (in an artistic way of course). Glad that she's happy that I bought it, she even took a photo of me with the postcard haha.
After that I walked along Laugavegur again, wandering to see what I'm going to have for dinner. While here, an old British lady stopped me and said hello. I was a bit shocked to know like omg someone knows me in this city haha. Turned out she was the same lady I shared a table with at the Sea Baron on Sunday! She remembered my face haha. She told me that she has retired and is exploring around Iceland. I'm so envious of her and at the same time admired her bravery. I told her I'm going home tomorrow, but gonna do the same as her when I retire heh. And she wished me safe travels and we parted ways. Man, she's like an inspiration to me!
Skolavordustigur. And the best record shop in the world 12 Tonar
For dinner I decided to eat at Prikid which is the oldest cafe in Reykjavik. I over-did my dinner seriously. Ordered this huge burger, but I didn't expect it to be thaaaat huge. Couldn't finish the bun and fries, but I washed it all off with a pint of beer. Which somehow I got a bit tipsy after that while walking around Reykjavik hah. I ended my day at a cafe nearby called Kaffitar. Pretty awesome cafe with a nice ambience. I was just writing my journal again, and feeling really sad that I'm about to leave this city in hours! But well I felt happy too, it's a dream come true.
Kaffitar
Months ago I was back at home watching the music video of Retro Stefson song "Glow", which is shot around Reykjavik. And I was wishing so bad to be there and to walk around the city listening to the song. Well to realised I was doing exactly that gave me a smile on my face really :') I went back to my hostel to pack my bags, bathe, and then with a lot of sadness I went to sleep. It was like 12 AM I think. And I had to wake up at 2:30 to catch my flight.
To realise that you're doing what you always dreamed off is just... Priceless
And I woke up late! I woke up at 2:50 instead. So I rushed like mad and then went off to check out and this and that. But I ended up early. Suppose to catch the 4:00 bus but I was at the terminal at like 3:10 I think. So I was just sitting down, enjoying my time of solitude in this city before I left. It was a pretty sad morning. Totally moodless. Didn't listen to music, I was just staring outside the bus window in emptiness. But well, all good things must come to an end.
My hostel dorm! Guess which one is my bed :P
Enjoying my last moments with the city in Solitude
So I went to the airport, checked one of my luggage and walked around the airport before I flew back to Helsinki and made my way home. That's the end of my adventure here!
I really love Reykjavik. I fell in love with it before I came here, and I fell in love with it more after. I just love everything about the city. The people, the culture, the colours and the architecture. Walking around Reykjavik was once a dream, but not it is no longer one. I feel extremely sad the day I left Reykjavik but I knew deep inside, how happy I was to know the dream you've been holding on to for years has now been realised by yourself.
Takk Fyrir Reykjavik and Iceland. Till we meet again :')
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