moulesy replied on 19/07/2022 23:59
Posted on 19/07/2022 23:59
No, not the frozen food emporium, but the "Land of Fire and Ice"!
Might seem a bit of an extreme way to beat the baking temperatures at home, but this trip has actually been in the planning for the past 18 months. Dad was stationed here during the war and used to tell us all about it - frequently and at great length! When he died we had a little bit of money left over from the budget for his care home fees, so we thought it would be a fitting way to remember him by arranging this holiday.
Flew into Keflavik Airport where it was a balmy 14°C and what better way to start the holiday than a visit to the "blue lagoon", one of the most popular tourist spots on the island. The water is at 38°C, heated by the geothermal effect of the neighbouring volcano. The beer and face mask are not compulsory but it would have been rude to refuse, wouldn't it?
We are staying overnight at a very nice hotel in Reykjavik, right on the waterfront and near 2 noted landmarks - the Hofn House where Presidents Reagan and Gorbachev held there surprise summit which signalled the beginning of the end of the Cold War and the "yellow lighthouse" which looks out over the Atlantic and the mountains beyond.
We return here for 2 nights at the end of our trip, really looking forward to exploring the city and finding out more about what the RAF did back in the war.
Tomorrow we head north for the long drive to Akureyri, the second largest "city", just south of the Arctic Circle.
PS - it's approaching midnight and the sun is still shining brightly into our room, won't get dark until about 3am and then only "dusky" for a couple of hours!
It's been a long but totally memorable and enjoyable first day.
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moulesy
Caravanner from Wiltshire