A Chilly Winter in Reykjavik
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Snowy Streets of Reykjavik
Guest Author: Michal Kniec
A rather chilling breeze woke me at 7 in the morning. Looking out the window on the snowy mountaintops of Iceland, I knew that it would be cold but never dreams it would be THIS cold. It wasn’t the hotels fault but rather my own, I decided on traveling to Reykjavik in December, of all months. I know that you may be wondering why on earth I’d so such a thing, but I’ve always found myself to be quite the eccentric. Rather than doing the sensible thing and travel somewhere warm, I decided to go the other direction and do some exploring for myself and on my own terms.
After putting on layer after layer, I stepped outside and actually found it to be quite pleasurable. With a small population of 120,000 I wasn’t expecting to see much in Reykjavik…but I was greatly mistaken. My first stop was the Volcano House and it cost just over $3. This small museum exhibited a history of the major eruptions that have plagued the area. Remembering all too well the fiasco in 2010, I found the documentary shown in the museum quite enlightening.
Once back on the streets, I was on the hunt to find the next big thing and I quite literally found it. Raising up over the entire city the Hallgrimur church is a sight to behold. Completed in 1974, the church is cathedral in size, and situated on a gorgeous hill. Free to visit, the architecture styles inside is mixed, expressing a unique Icelandic feel. Not only a great feature to get your bearing’s from but also to visit, I’d highly recommend any traveler to take a look.
Gullfloss or the "Golden Waterfall"
Following the advice of a tourist centre guide, I traveled a little outside the city in order to see the Gullfloss. Translated to mean “Golden Waterfall,” this massive waterfall was located in a canyon in south western Iceland. With a 21 meter drop and a total height of 32 meters, I could hear and feel it from quite a distance away. Taking a few pictures by the falls, I noticed that there were several quaint restaurants about, with one providing me with a cup of coffee whilst I gazed at the momentous feat of nature that made the entire journey worthwhile.
A little tired out by travels to see the Gullfloss, I decided to take it easy and visit another recognizable landmark: The Pearl. The four large water storage tanks make it a sight to see and the many different restaurants surrounding it allow you to relax a little. Inside there was also a small Viking museum that I had a look through, all wrapped up in my numerous layers I was not only learning about the Vikings, but I also resembled one!
