Land of Fire and Ice pt. 2

Well, first off, Greenland! It was amazing. No green anywhere over which we flew, just sea and ice and mountains and snow. It was all black and white and gold, which was quite beautiful. So stark and forbidding. The light was amazing too, as of course, the sun didn't set until well after midnight, by which time I was fast asleep.

Reykjavik was very nice, and I really wish we had had more time to look around properly and visit museums and such - not to mention I would have loved to visit other parts of the country. Maybe next time!

Hallgrímskirkja from the back (as we approached from our hotel)

A café near by with an excellent name

Halgrímskirkja from the front, sans statue of Leif Eriksson

Statue of Lief Eriksson

Inside Hallgrímskirkja from the back.

 There was a session meeting inside Hallgrímskirkja, so we couldn't go into the main part of the church, but we did go inside the back and get to peek in.

We also walked down to the water and gazed out to sea a bit, or at least, out over a harbour.

Hallgrímskirkja again

 We also went to Hateigskirkja, which was obviously much smaller than Hallgrímskirkja, but very pretty as well.

The name of this street made me smile!

The Saga Museum is the building with a dome

Around Reykjavik there were plenty of trees and gardens, but between Keflavik (where the airport was) and Reykjavik, here was nothing but black ground, and fields of grass, buttercups (or something similar) and lupins. It was almost otherworldly in those parts, and I definitely could picture the sagas playing out against such backdrops.

Anyhow, after we strolled around, we went back to the airport, had lunch, visited a shop or two, bought a few postcards, and got on the plane!

On to England!!

The Land of Fire and Ice

Or at least, that is what my brain has taken to referring to Iceland as. We didn't see any of either while we were there, but that is rather besides the point.


We didn't actually get to see that much since we arrived at midnight, slept till nine thirty and left at one. But we walked to Hallgrímskirkja which is the tallest church in Reykjavik. We also went to Háteigskirkja, which was also quite beautiful, but not quite as visually impressive as Hallgrímskirkja.


We ended up bailing on the National Museum, which had originally been part of the plan. We stayed at Hotel Floki, in a teeeeeeeeeeeeny tiny room in which two beds, a desk, a sink and a wardrobe took up so much space that there was barely room to get out of the door. But it was cute and the beds were comfortable, so it was all good.I took a bunch of pictures, including some from the plain window as we flew over Greenland (which was certainly NOT green...), but it's late, and I'm tired, so I'll post them tomorrow along with a bit more of a substantial post, maybe. 


We're heading to OXFORD IN THE MORNING. Pardon me while I go freak out.

AHHH!!!!!

I'll be sleeping in Iceland tonight!

ENGLAND TOMORROW

I leave for England TOMORROW. It's hard to believe that it is all really happening. I'm currently looking at the contents of my suitcase scattered all over the living-room and trying to find the energy to pack it all, so I'm procrastinating by giving you all the trip itinerary.  (Also, just as a warning, there will be many posts hereafter with an awful  lot of caps lock, so I apologise in advance.


June 26  New York to Iceland!
    11:40 PM Arrive Reykjevik and go to bed



June 27 Walk around Reykjavik, see the National Museum and Hallgrimskirkya.
Fly to London!

Thur June 28 - Mon July 2  Staying with friends in Gerrard’s Cross

Fri June 29       Cambridge Parker library
See old manuscripts!!!!!! (This is me preventing myself from keyboard smashing,  
just so you all know.)


Saturday June 30 See some of the following places:
Westminster, The Sherlock Holmes Museum, the Globe, the London Eye, the Tower of 
London, The Victoria and Albert, the Natural History Museum, the British Museum, etc... 
(not all of them at once, obviously)

Mon July 2 Visit Cambridge, view Anglo-Saxon Chronicle manuscript?! (If I'm very, insanely 
lucky...)

Tues July 3 Start driving west!
Visit Salisbury Cathedral, town
The Uffington White Horse.... (again, queue major freak-out time...)

Wed July 4 See Stonehenge Drive through Wiltshire, find Edington Arrive at Canon Grange, 
Cathedral Green, Somerset 

Thur - Sat Day trips and walks around Wells, Mendhip Hills, Glastonbury!!!! “Athelney”, Bath, and of 
course Salisbury Cathedral

Sun. July 8 Drive to Bath, look around, try to get to Cardiff by nightfall (!!!)

Mon July 9 Look around Cardiff - the castle, the Heritage Museum, town, etc...
I'm dragging my poor, unsuspecting mother to Roald Dahl Plass for Torchwood/Doctor 
Who purposes. Yes. I KNOW I'm a geek. Leave me alone to enjoy my geeky-ness. 
Leave for Aberdufi


Tues - Th Drive and hike around Gwynedd!
Borth, the Drowned Hundred, Cader Idris, Llangollyn etc... (If you've read The String on the 
Harp or The Grey King and The Silver on the Tree, you'll know why I want to visit half of 
these places)

Fri July 13 Start drive from Aberdufi


Ludlow? Offa's Dike?


Sat - Mon London day trip?  Oxford day trip! (Again, pardon while I GO FREAK OUT IN A 
CORNER BECAUSE OXFORD!!!!!!)


Somewhere during the London time, we'll also be seeing Canterbury. Not sure when, but I'M NOT LEAVING ENGLAND WITHOUT SEEING IT. SO THERE.


Yes. There will be lots of flailing, and probably more pictures than you care to see. You have been warned.


If you want a postcard from England/Wales, email/message me your address. I can't PROMISE that you'll get one, but I'll see what I can do!

ENGLAND SOON!

 I'll be heading home tomorrow, and then it's off to ENGLAND!!! I will hopefully take pictures and blog a bit while I'm there, depending on the internet situation!