Whaling ships laid up in Reykjavík harbour.
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Whaling ships laid up in Reykjavík harbour.
We arrived in Keflavík, Iceland via Icelandair at about 5:00 AM on August 5, after an overnight flight from Halifax. After a brief stop at the duty-free shop in the airport, which features the cheapest legal alcohol in Iceland, and a brief delay in order to leave a fly rod for sterilization, we waited for our transportation to Reykjavík. There was a problem getting the rental vans on time, so we wound up taking the shuttle bus to Reykjavík and throwing our excess luggage in Skulí's truck.
The ride into Reykjavík was our introduction to Iceland's scenery . . . and weather. There's a saying that Iceland has no climate, only examples of types of climate, and another saying that "if you don't like the weather, wait five minutes - it will change." Both are quite true.
After breakfast at the Reykjavík airport and a further short wait for the vans, we finally arrived at our downtown guesthouse. We were staying just across the street from the waterfront, and the window in our attic accommodations overlooked the harbour. We got a few hours' rest in our sleeping bags, then headed out to explore the immediate area before the reception and dinner organized by the University of Iceland. Among the sights in the harbour are four whaling ships, which have been tied up there since Iceland declared a whaling moratorium in the 1980s. There's also a replica Viking longship, which can be chartered for tours of the harbour.
Needless to say, we took advantage of our night in Reykjavík and went out to explore the city's bars, ably guided by some Icelandic students. It's a great city to go drinking in, but the prices are a little steep - we paid between $8 and $10 Canadian for a pint of beer. In any case, we didn't overdo things, because we had to be up bright and early the next morning for our trip north.
Iceland Trip
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Last updated 14 January 2006
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