Iceland: Snæfellsnes Peninsula

I had been looking forward to exploring the Snæfellsnes Peninsula the entire trip for reasons I am not entirely sure I can articulate. The limited images I had seen looked unreal (even more unreal than anything we’d seen previously) and I was sure that it would be a place I’d never forget. Sometimes it’s dangerous to put such high expectations on a location, but in this case they were well warranted.

The coastline of the peninsula is dotted with fishing villages and the area as a whole is dominated by the Snæfellsnes mountain, which is further topped by a massive glacier. On a clear day you can even see it from Reykjavik. And although you certainly will pass the wandering tourist, it’s much quieter than the other places we visited in Iceland. We loved the solitude.

 

We stayed at The Old Post Office Guesthouse in Grundarfjörður, which is on the north side of the peninsula. It was a comfortable place to stay but it’s important to note that there is no organized breakfast. There’s a grocery store a short walk down the street where you can pick up provisions, which we would recommend. The local cafe doesn’t open until later in the day so you’ll want to fix something yourself. There’s a saga museum close by where you can enjoy a small breakfast and good coffee; it opens at 9:00.

After hunting down our own morning meal we hit the road to explore the area. We had plans to go whale-watching in the afternoon but when we arrived in Ólafsvík where the boat was set to depart the captain told us that the weather would not be great and we’d probably only see a few dolphins and maybe a whale. Four hours on a rocky boat in the rain sounded less than ideal so we took a hard pass. I was disappointed because it was something I was really looking forward to, but it became clear very quickly that the weather would be perfect on land as opposed to out at sea.

From Ólafsvík we headed west toward the very end of the peninsula. Our guesthouse proprietress told us about a few sights that we should see, the first of which was a lighthouse.

It was at this point that I felt the furthest removed from anything and everything. It was just us out there for a while and we felt so isolated. It’s hard to visualize because there are no trees or shrubs or tall grasses so you can’t see the effects of how windy it was, but the wind was positively howling. Standing there bearing the winds (I can’t imagine if it had been raining…), you can almost grasp how hardy Icelanders are. The landscape is so desolate and barren and inhospitable. It’s really incredible.

I do want to note how rocky and rugged the road is out to the very tip of the peninsula. Our car, which you can see up there, did just fine, but you’ll want to take it slow and pay careful attention to the turns and drops. The view is definitely worth the drive.

From here we drove south and slightly east to get to Hellnar, which had also been recommended to us. We stopped for a coffee and cake and listened to the sea. I would have loved to spend the night here, as it’s so quiet and remote, but it was completely booked by the time we made reservations. You feel like you’re at the end of the earth.

There’s a footpath that connects Hellnar and Arnarstapi that’s especially beautiful in the summertime. We drove to Arnarstapi instead (it’s less than ten minutes by car) and walked along the coast there. We watched the seabirds nestle into the cliff sides and were mesmerized by the waves.

There’s a nice cafe here where you could have lunch or a snack and there’s even a guesthouse should you want to spend the night. we decided to head back toward the hotel since we had been on the road for almost 7 hours at this point. I know that sounds wild since the peninsula is so small but we really tried to cover it all and take our time. Adam made a good point earlier in the day when we were trying to force a few things (breakfast at the cafe, whale watching) that we should let the day come to us and I think it’s a great way to travel. We may start the day or the trip with an itinerary and some points of interest, but it’s important to let activities unfold as they may and be flexible to spontaneity. Once we let the day come to us we had the best time.

We found out shortly after we arrived in Iceland that hitchhiking is a popular way to get around the country. The people are friendly and the distances not too terribly far, so it seems like a natural option for the budget traveler. We agreed that while that may be good for them it was not for us and we would not be picking up any hitchhikers.

On our way back to Grundarfjörður from Arnarstapi we took the mountain pass that we had driven over earlier in the day. It’s a beautiful route that offers a gorgeous view from the top. Just as we started up we saw a girl standing on the side of the road waving her arms obviously looking for a lift. We drove right by, remembering our rule from above. But as we passed her we realized that she had no pack or gear and that this road is a long way up and over. We were worried that she was in trouble and needed help. We pulled over and stopped the car and she began excitedly jumping up and down and waved over her friend who was in a ditch with their packs. We had been duped! She and her friend were Slovenian college students on a shoestring budget, planning to hitchhike around the entire country in just under a month. We broke our own rule and gave them a ride over the pass, dropping them off about five kilometers from their final destination, which was in the opposite direction of where we were going. After telling this story to a friend who is well versed in the art of hitching a ride, apparently that’s Hitchhiking 101: look slightly helpless and alone, ensuring you pull on a few heartstrings.

 

That evening we had dinner at the local restaurant and ended the night playing cards and drinking wine in our room. There was a beautiful sun-shower that we ran outside for, but otherwise it was an uneventful evening. We stayed awake until the sunset at 12:14 and called it a night.

On Friday we left Grundarfjörður and made our way back toward Reykjavik. We stopped by Álafoss Wool Store in Mofellsbær to buy a wool blanket like we had seen at The Old Post Office Guesthouse. It’s a beautiful and cozy reminder of our time in Iceland and I love having the visual in our room of one of our favorite trips.

We then headed to the Blue Lagoon for the remainder of the afternoon. It was the perfect way to end the trip and we left there completely exhausted. It’s touristy and overpriced, sure, but it was a fun way to spend the day. We’d recommend getting there earlier in the afternoon and booking ahead of time so you are guaranteed admission.

We stayed at a hotel by the airport since our flight was so early on Saturday morning, but we drove back into Reykjavik for one last meal. We ate dinner at Matur og Drykkur and it was outstanding. Adam had an entire cod’s head and I had Arctic char for the millionth time. We loved it and would highly recommend a special dinner here.

Oh, Iceland, we love you! You are so beautiful and ethereal, kind and generous. We will be singing your praises for years and years to come.

If you’re interested in visiting Iceland (which you should be!) you can include it as a layover on your trip to Europe. If you fly over on Icelandic Air, you can include an up-to seven-day layover at no extra cost. Getting to and from Iceland, and then of course staying on the island, is very expensive so this is a cost-effective way to include it into your larger itinerary. Definitely worth a look if you’re considering a visit!

Have you been to Iceland? What did you think? It’s such a magical place, I hope you get a chance to see it for yourself someday. In case you’re interested here are the other days of our trip:

Reykjavik and the Golden Circle

Hella to Vík to Jökusárlón

Jökusárlón to Snæfellsnes Peninsula

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Welcome Friday

All week I have felt so flat. I’ve been sick, it’s been hot, and I’ve missed my family more than usual. The perfect trifecta for feeling low. Yesterday I had an “enough is enough” moment so I put on real clothes, plugged into a podcast and took a leisurely walk into town to pick up groceries and a few treats for the weekend.

Sometimes a costume change, warm sunshine, and a good breeze are enough to pull you out of a sticky funk. Still, thank goodness it’s Friday.

What are you up to this weekend? We might head back down to the river tomorrow to laze in the sun and cool off with a float, but we’d like to get in a hike on Sunday. The weather looks beautiful and I’m itching to get out of the city. I hope whatever you get up to this weekend is wonderful, and here a few links I’ve rounded up just for you.

A song for the weekend

This 5-4-3-2-1 packing guide is genius! Hoping to use it for my upcoming travels in August

How Nike turned sneakers into fashion

Great tips for storing wine, whether for days or years. (Note: I love the idea of buying a special bottle and saving it for your ten-year anniversary or your child’s 21st birthday)

“Because once you learn that the vast majority of the planet doesn’t care who you are or what you’re doing, you realize that there is no reason to not be who you want to be. There is no one to please. There is no one to impress. Most of the time, it’s just you, yourself and the stories you invent in your mind.” How liberating! I usually avoid articles in this vein, but this one about lessons learned while traveling is well written and insightful.

I’ve never made quinoa before but I think this will be the first recipe I try. Although everything will have to be fresh because we don’t have a microwave! Any tips on cooking quinoa?

I did this YouTube workout video yesterday and can really feel it in my legs (so many squats!) It was my first day working out in a week so maybe that has something to do with it… But that Ellen Barrett, she’s so sneaky.

I need this motivation

A PSA about bad wood finishes. Made me laugh

The J.Crew man brought me this jumpsuit this week. Yowza! Recommended : )

“It’s nearly impossible to detangle personal preference from social conditioning, our deepest desires from the codes we have been taught to follow. I am not foolish enough to think I have made a final decision about marriage. But it turns out that what I was waiting for was not the chance to marry but the chance to think about marriage on an even playing field, in a world where its relevance is a little harder to question and its essence a little harder to reject.” Lena Dunham’s musings on the impact of the Supreme Court’s recent decision to allow same-sex marriages.

A Movie Tip: Love & Mercy

You may know (either from my Instagram feed or actual news) that Europe has been experiencing a massive heat wave over the last week. This is uncomfortable enough in itself since there hasn’t been much of a breeze to speak of (not to mention the lack of air conditioning anywhere in Switzerland), but it’s been made much worse by the sinus infection/summer cold I came down with over the weekend. The word ‘lethargic’ comes to mind. As does ‘miserable.’

After hot, sleepless nights and a predicted temperature of 99 yesterday we decided to beat the heat by going to the movies. I called to confirm that this particular theater had air conditioning, which they blessedly do, and last night we went to see Love & Mercy, the Brian Wilson biopic.

I’m obviously too young to have experienced any of the Beach Boys mania firsthand, but I grew up listening to their tunes by way of my parents. I have always been oblivious to the private struggle of Brian Wilson, however. Love & Mercy is an accomplished feat that showcases both the mental illness and the creative genius that affected Wilson in equal measure. The movie shifts seamlessly back and forth between the 1960s and the 1980s showing us Wilson at the height of his career and at the lowest point of his life, shuffling around in a paranoid state thanks to the dangerous meddling of drugs by his “doctor” and legal guardian, Eugene Landy (Paul Giamotti). Young Brian Wilson (Paul Dano) is manic and inspired while aged Brian Wilson (John Cussack) is sluggish and frightened. It can be jarring at times to see the vast differences between the two selves, but it only helps to show how swift and merciless the rise and fall of success can be.

What Adam and I liked so much about the film, besides the incredible acting and groovy music, is that so much time and space is devoted to the creation of music, specifically the album Pet Sounds. We see Wilson climb into pianos and adjust the tune with bobby pins; we watch him pull the a staccato rhythm out of cellists for hours on end; we hear the improbable but beautiful layers of sound and instruments that point to a symphony-like complexity of melodies and layers. To see the creative process was a real treat.

If you haven’t seen it, I’d highly recommend it. The music is wonderful and the acting is superb. There’s a good chance it’s already out of theaters where you are, but look for it to rent in the near future.

What do you think? Have you seen it? Are you a fan of the Beach Boys?

Leftover Risotto

While leftover risotto may seem a bit like an oxymoron, it has happened a time or two around here. This is my all-time favorite risotto recipe* and it usually ends up providing 4-5 generous portions for Adam and I, but last week I decided to add in heaping cups of everything so I would have even more left over.

It’s easy enough to heat up risotto on the stovetop (we don’t have a microwave) by adding in a bit of water and gently bringing it up to temperature. But with this week’s leftovers I decided to make risotto cakes instead, and they are incredibly easy to do at home.

Simply divide your risotto cakes into palm-sized patties and mold them until they are about 1-inch thick. Stick them in the freezer for at least an hour, but preferably two or so. You don’t want them to completely freeze but they need to hold their shape while frying.

Once you are ready to fry heat 3-4 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat (I use non-stick here). In a shallow bowl or plate combine one and a half cups of bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning (or dried herbs of your choice). Coat either side of each risotto patty with the breadcrumbs and add to the skillet. Turn heat down to medium.

Let the patties cook for about 4-5 minutes on either side. I usually cook about four at a time, so keep the finished patties in a warm oven while you finish the rest.

Top with chives and a squeeze of lemon if you like. Serve alongside a protein of your choice or atop a salad full of summer’s best veggies. White wine optional, but encouraged : )

*This risotto recipe is incredibly versatile, part of the reason I like it so much. I like to sauté the mushrooms in a little butter in the pan first and then let them sit while I finish cooking the risotto. I add them back in when the original recipe calls for them, allowing them to warm through. You could also substitute in zucchini or summer squash right now since they are bursting with flavor.

 

 

 

Iceland: Jökusárlón to Snæfellsnes Peninsula

Looking through the pictures from Iceland this week has been so refreshing. Switzerland is experiencing a freak heat wave this week and remembering these cool days is a good reminder that things won’t always be this sweaty.

We woke up early for our third full day of the road trip to drive 10 minutes on Highway 1 to Jökusárlón. It’s an ice lagoon that began formed as the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier started receding from the ocean. As of today the glacier has receded 7 kilometers and it’s only moving further away. In another fifty years, they expect the glacier to have completely eroded. It’s incredible to think we are seeing something that our children’s children may never have a chance to see. It made our visit feel sacred. We booked a tour through Zodiac Boat Tours and I would highly recommend it. We left on the first tour of the day (8:45 arrival, 9:15 departure) and we would also recommend that, if you can, you go as early as possible. We were the only people out on the lagoon and it was truly magnificent. The water was so calm and the feeling of isolation really complemented the whole experience. This boat tour was our favorite part of the whole trip (I really mean it this time!) The blue color is the most recently exposed ice, meaning that all the icebergs you see with blue have fallen from the glacier (or broken off from an even larger iceberg) in the last 24 hours. As we sat out by the edge of the glacier we could hear what sounded like thunder but what was really icebergs breaking apart and crashing into the water. Furthermore, when we got closer to some of the larger icebergs we could hear the frantic drip-drip-drip of the icebergs melting. It sounded like rain! We didn’t see anything major but we heard the transformations happening all around us. The black is of course ash from the surrounding volcanoes. The layers and striations tell of a volatile and storied history.

In the picture directly above you can see where the ice changes from an icy blue into white. This berg had just flipped and was now exposing it’s underbelly more or less. The bergs are regularly breaking apart and shifting their center of gravity. It’s a very cool sight.

There were only 6 of us in the boat and we were allowed to walk around a bit (though the boats are really pretty small) and take as many pictures as we liked. Our driver was so knowledgeable and talked to us about the history of not only the lagoon, but of Iceland as a whole. Again, I cannot recommend this tour highly enough. We were out on the water for just over an hour and it was truly magical. Because of the shifting tide, many of the icebergs had clumped together at the mouth of the lagoon and were making their way out under the bridge. We went over to the beach to check out the remains of the icebergs that had recently made it out. What a morning! It was so invigorating to be out on the water and see such beauty. It was unlike anything we’d ever seen or done before. Isn’t that the best part about travel? Being exposed to so many extraordinary sights and experiences. It’s one of the best feelings. It was about 11:30 when we hit the road again, this time heading west. Unfortunately, unless you take the ring road around the entirety of the island, there’s no way to get back west without retracing your steps. So we covered much of the same ground that we had the day before, but we didn’t really mind. It’s about the journey, not just the destination.

We were headed to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, located just south of the Western Fjords and north of Reykjavik. I got the idea to visit this area based on this blog and I am so happy we did. It was beautiful and desolate and really made us feel like we were in another world. I loved it. More hot dogs for lunch and playlists on the go. We ran into some rain on this day, but nothing terrible. The drive from Jökusárlón to the peninsula took about 7 hours, and that includes a couple breaks for stretching our legs and taking pictures of sheep and waterfalls. It sounds like a long time and it did feel long at some points, but it was totally doable and especially pleasant after we passed Reykjavik and began seeing new scenery. Once you get onto the peninsula you can take a surrounding ring road, Highway 54, or take some mountain passes to cut across. These are relatively short, maybe a 10 minute drive, but they are wonderful! Glacial lakes, hidden waterfalls, gloomy clouds–take the mountain pass. We stayed at The Old Post Office Guesthouse in Grundarfjörður, which is a fishing village situated on the north side of the peninsula. It was a nice little town with one hotel, one guesthouse, one restaurant, one grocery store, you get the idea. We stayed there mostly because it was one of the only towns with any availability, and while sharing a bathroom with four other rooms (dorm style!) isn’t our first choice, it ended up being a nice place to stay. The local restaurant, which is right across the street from the hotel, served really good food. We ate their both nights and tried meat stew, fish pasta, fish and chips, and one more thing I can’t recall. It was filled with locals and tourists alike and made for a nice place to wind down after a long day of travel. I’ll share the final part of the road trip, exploring the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, later next week. If you’d like to see more of our trip to Iceland here are a few links:

Reykjavik and the Golden Circle

Hella to Vík to Jökusárlón

On Fear

My Engagement Ring

I don’t think I ever told you the funny story about my engagement ring.

After Adam and I decided together that we wanted to get married someday and spend forever with one another we went to a few jewelry stores around Charleston to find inspiration. One of our first stops was an over-stuffed antique jewelry shop with plenty of baubles to keep us busy for a while. What really stood out, however, was a ring that looked almost exactly like the one you see above. The one in the shop was much bigger though, too big for my slender fingers and we agreed it was over-the-top. But I loved the look and I couldn’t get the idea of a sapphire flanked with trillions out of my mind.

We perused other stores and ideas–I even entertained the thought of having a diamond as the center stone–but I kept coming back to my original idea. Adam and I talked about it a bit, but I was so preoccupied with finishing my master’s and studying for my comprehensive exam that it wasn’t something that dominated our conversations.

It was taking over Adam’s life, though. Rather than go back to the jewelry stores we had frequented in Charleston, Adam took to the internet and began ordering loose sapphires to his apartment for his inspection. Some were too dark and some were too light, some were not what they claimed to be, and others just weren’t the right fit. He ordered a healthy amount of sapphires, maxing out his credit card (imagine the miles he earned!) and worrying his roommate in the process (what are all these mysterious packages that keep showing up??). As he recalls, he was a mess.

I was oblivious to all of this.

Right before graduation and our scheduled trip to “Portland” we went back to a sweet jewelry shop on King Street and looked at rings yet again. This was about a week and a half before we were going on our trip so I was sure that we weren’t going to get engaged. But, we looked at rings, compared sapphire colors, and we left the store. I went back to finish a paper and Adam went back to the store to put together a custom ring with the jeweler. He received the completed ring the day before we flew to Zurich, two days before we actually got engaged. What a rush!

It’s funny looking back on it now, but Adam was feeling a lot of heat during those months. I was recently introduced to Invaluable, an online premier auction site for vintage goods and treasures. Their jewelry auction page is full of beautiful, one-of-a-kind jewels that are quick to become heirloom pieces. I imagine this would have been a great resource for Adam as he was looking for a special ring that spoke to our specific aesthetic. It certainly would have saved his sanity a bit.

I adore my engagement ring and know that it will be an heirloom that will be passed along through generations. I don’t wear a lot of jewelry but I like to know the pieces I do wear mean something to me. I’d encourage you to look through Invaluable’s auction jewelry page and see what lovely items you may find. They have bracelets, watches, rings, necklaces, pins, brooches, and even some loose stones for the cavalier among us ; )

What is your most special piece of jewelry? Does it have a great story?