Back in 2005 my smug self would chuckle at eager friends flocking to Iceland. Whether it was going to Iceland Airwaves or gazing at the Northern Lights, their outdoors selves were delighted at the prospect of baking bread in the earth and the incredibly accessible natural wonders they would behold in this tiny country (around five hours direct from NYC).
Fast forward to 2021. It feels bizarre writing here again. In fact, it has taken a really long time to get back here because I went from living in an Adidas tracksuit everyday to trotting around Europe as soon as we received the green light from the powers that be. I truly believed we would not travel for a very long time… and that it would never be the same… and that overall, it would take a long time to feel normal again. Much of that was and still remains a truth for many, and in 2021 I felt almost embarrassed to document my travels because everything seemed to revolve around so many scenarios, worries, and pre-departure test result stressors.
Iceland was one of the initial countries to welcome back U.S./U.K. tourists, and that was enough to plan our first translatlantic voyage, and meet our longlost friend Lucy for the first time in over a year. We arrived masked up, sitting in Reykjavik airport among hundreds of New Yorkers in athleisurewear awaiting tour buses. The acceptance of mask-free living was culture shock enough, but we settled into Icelandic life quickly, in the heart of Reykjavik with the Radisson Blu 1919 Hotel (Pósthússtræti 2) as a homebase. Modern and spacious rooms serve as the perfect compass to access touring meeting points for both land and sea. I am not going to lie – part of the allure of this hotel was its proximity to a pølsevogn [hot dog] stand Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur (Tryggvagata 1) – a little luxury that was open very late and served one of Scandinavia’s favorite street foods.
Barring the apparent traditional delights of whale or puffin meat, Icelandic comfort food was delightful, especially at the classic taverns Café Loki (Lokastígur 28) and the quieter and slightly more charming Þrír frakkar (Baldursgata 14). You cannot go wrong with a hearty, warming fish pie (plokkfiskur) or lamb soup (kjötsúpa). Another standout was Seabaron (Geirsgata 4a) – for freshly skewered and charred seafood, and a showstopping lobster soup, fresh from the waters you sit beside (accompanied by some violently hungry seagulls). While we enjoyed a few days of hearty meals, they soon became one hit wonders and some spice was needed. Reykjavik has a delectable offering of solid Thai spots further away from the town center, namely Krua (Skólavörðustígur 21) and Ban (Laugavegur 130).
While I was never a major Björk fan, being a 90s child she was always a fixture in my life’s soundtrack, and of course a style icon. It was cool being in the land of The Sugarcubes and Sigur Rós. The vibrant Icelandic music scene that tickled our ears in the early noughts remains, and its HQ is 12 Tónar (Skólavörðustígur 15) – home to a trifecta of secondhand + new music, and an all day cafe-bar. It became our base along with what would only qualify as an old man boozer, Den Danske Kro (Ingólfsstræti 3), a solid, no-nonsense spot for darts and occasional live music for the obligatory Oasis singalong. Icelandic folk like to drink and party you say? Oh, they really do. I don’t know if it was my quarantine-meets-nightlife shell-shock, but the aggressive party vibes were pretty intense, so keep in mind that you’ll be bumped into and shoved at many night spots (sans apology) …. many, many times. This was very much apparent at the Britpop-themed Kaffibarinn (Bergstaðastræti) [once apparently co-owned by 90s dreamboat Damon Albarn].
We crowned our trip with seeing the sites of this mystical land. After being housebound for so long, it felt surreal winding through a haze of muted colors. So many greys, lavenders, greens, and browns. Tread the tectonic plates, gaze at Gullfoss [Golden Falls], walk among the geysers [mind the sulfur smell!], board a boat for some puffin-watching [for such adorable little things they are quite territorial and bitchy – who knew?!], and finally, reward yourself with a lounge in a geothermal lagoon at the new-ish Sky Lagoon (Vesturvör 44-48 200, 200 Kópavogur). It was one of the best – and memorable moments of this trip. Descending into the warming, fresh water, sipping on champagne, and admiring the foggy grey coastline ahead, it was a healer for the body and mind after such a dreadful few years for everyone… and the perfect reset to begin traveling again.
elbows on the table 