ICELAND
“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page” -- St. Augustine

Reykjavik - Cruise #2 (Sept 2010)
 Name
About 63% of Iceland's inhabitants live in the Reykjavík metropolitan area

Name
Most Icelanders are descendants of Norwegian settlers and Celts from the British Isles

Name
Iceland is the least densely populated country in Europe. Its landscape is pure and unpolluted

Name
Iceland’s summers are surprisingly warm, lush and green. By midsummer the sun dips down to the horizon but never sets

Name
Iceland is a volcanic island. Homes are heated geothermally from hot underground springs. Notice there are no chimneys on the houses

Name
About 28% of the land is used for grazing and only 1% is cultivated

Name
We only saw the Icelandic horses from a distance
Traditionally the horses have been raised free range or in a herd

Name
Icelandic horses have long, thick manes and tails and the winter coat is double

Name
Icelandic horses are all colors except appaloosa. Chestnut is the most common but some are all white and there are pinto in all of the usual colors"

Name
Building this golf course in the lava fields of Reykjavík must have been a challange

Name
When you visit Iceland you can be assured the Icelanders’ will welcome you with their desire to share their culture and asure that your stay is a pleasant one

Name
Deloitte is the tallest building in Reykjavík
Yes, that is a T.G.I. Friday's on the left

Name
In Reykjavík, the average temperature is 52° F in July and 30° F in January

Name
The Icelandic language is closest to the Old Norse language and has remained relatively unchanged since the 12th century

Name
Tjörnin (The Pond) is a small lake that usually freezes over during the winter but hot geothermal waters are pumped in to defrost an area for water birds

Name
Tjörnin (The Pond) is situated in the city centre next to the Reykjavik City Hall, several museums and the nearby University of Iceland

Name
We did not get to the Hallgrimskirkja Church but the steeple is visible throughout the city. The church can seat over 1000 worshipers. It houses a large pipe organ that has 5,275 pipes, is 15 metres tall and weighs 25 tons

Name
Höfõi House is located at Félagstúni in northern Reykjavík. Built in 1909, it was the residence of the British Counsel from 1938 until after World war II

Name
Höfõi House was the setting of the famous summit meeting between Reagan and Gorbashev in October 1986

Name
Sólfar (Sun Voyager)
The Viking Ship Sculpture by Jon Gunnar Arnason is located by the sea and contains the promise of undiscovered territory, a dream of hope, progress and freedom

Name
By Sæbraut (By the Sea)
Stand here during sunrise or sunset, at any time of the year, and enjoy an unforgettable moment or maybe a rainbow

Name
By Sæbraut with a spectacular rainbow. Unforgettable!
The Blue Lagoon, Reykjavik
 Name
Blue Lagoon Iceland looks like something born from an otherworldly landscape but it is actually a man made geothermal spa

Name
Blue Lagoon Iceland is situated in the middle of a large lava field and created by geothermal seawater

Name
The Svartsengi power plant pumps up the geothermally heated water from holes as deep as 6,000 feet below the surface

Name
After being used to generate both heat and electricity, the completely clean excess is ejected into the lagoon

Name
The 100% clean run-off from the lagoon is used to fill the natural spa with warm and comfortable water

Name
Descriptions of the lagoon waters range everywhere from frosty blue. to the same color as the new Gatorade drink.

Name
The Blue Lagoon Spa is a supernatural looking body of water and the most photographed site in all of Iceland

Name
The Lagoon's soothing, mineral-rich water is rumored to have curative powers
br> Name
A swim in the Blue Lagoon is a must. We had decided not to go in but had some regrets after seeing it

Name
The temperature in the swimmable area of the Lagoon averages about 40ºC (104ºF)

Perlan, Reykjavik
 Name
Perlan (The Pearl)
This ten-story building is an architectural and engineering masterpiece.
Perlan provides water storage (4.3 million liters per tank) for the Geothermal heat used throughout greater Reykjavik

Name
Perlan
There is a revolving restaurant and cocktail lounge in the glass dome at the top. Art exhibitions and concerts are held in the exhibition space on the ground floor, known as the Winter Garden

Name
Perlan Viewing Deck
The deck has panoramic telescopes at each of its six corners with recorded descriptions in five different languages

Name
Perlan is situated on Öskjuhlíõ Hill where the elevation provides adequate pressure to force water up a 10-story high-rise (even when built at 38 meters above sea level)

Name
Excellent 360 degree views of Reykjavik can be had from the Viewing Deck on top of Perlan

Name
Skulpturen vor der Perlan
A sculpture of musicians outside Perlan

Name
Evidence of Iceland's geothermal activity is everywhere

Name
Panoramic view


Google Map Reykjavik, Iceland

©Copyright 2000   All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored, or transmitted in any form without my prior permission. Charles Tyrrell, Webmaster