Back in REK

Hey gang,

So we're back in Reykjavik now after a wonderful last few days around the country. So back to the night we slept in the car... yikes! It was awful and we decided that would never happen again. We were in Northern Iceland, near the Arctic circle, and it was much too cold. In the morning, at about 7 am, we started on our journey again, away from Myvatn and toward Akureyri, which is the second largest city in the country. Along the way we saw a beautiful waterfall, although it was cold and rainy out, so we didnt stop long. We stopped shortly at Akureyri, and ended up staying for a few hours because I had to make a trip to the hospital for something minor. I am totally fine now, but am on antibiotics. Yay!

Afterwards we travelled towards our hostel in Sæberg. We stopped at some old mud huts that served as houses for the earliest Icelandic settlers. They were very spooky, and anyone with claustrophobia would have hated the lack of windows and how deep they were in the ground. They were so cool and Adam and I had fun exploring all the rooms inside. We took a lot of pictures, and you will all not believe how people used to live in these little huts.

We tried to follow a gravel road for awhile to see a colloseum that no one knows if it is man-made or natural, and the vikings used it as a fortress, as well as a weird rock formation. We got too scared in our little car and turned back, and made good time to the hostel at dinner time.

Sæberg was amazing! We stayed on a farmhouse right on the water. There were other guests who were very friendly too. Adam and I went for a walk by the ocean and had a couple of beer. We met a German man who was picking up blue mussels along the water, and we decided that would be a delicious option for supper. We collected mussels for awhile, and on the way some some beautiful shells and even a jellyfish! We were a little disappointed we didnt see any seals, but I guess we will have to save that for the next trip to Iceland.

The German man and his wife asked us if we wanted to eat supper together with them, so we combined our mussels and made a delicious soup. The man was quite outdoorsy, and was a mushroom enthusiast who liked finding them in nature. We ate some that he found and put some in the soup. I think they were just the kind you find in the store, but they were so much tastier! We were so full after our feast.

After dinner, we took a little dip in the hottub in the backyard, and watched what was left of the sun go down. We had a great sleep, as the hostel was very clean and comfortable, and Adam and I had our own room.
Today, we woke up and went to a history museum that was also on the farm, and enjoyed looking at the shark boats that were used locally and are the only ones of their kind that were left in the country. Some had been made with wooden nails! It was incredible.

We continued on to the Snæfellsness Peninsula, which is right along the ocean and was very scenic. We stopped for a walk on the ocean, and visited a waterfall and a cliff, even though it started raining and the wind was fierce. We saw the Snæfell glacier where Jules Verne s novel "Journey to the Centre of the Earth" is set. It was really cool to see, and we had a great time on the drive. We arrived back in Reykjavik a short time ago (Sunday night) after having some fried chicken and fries at a truck stop (I know, I know... we were hungry). I hated driving in the city, because they have a zillion roundabouts, but anyways we are here safe and sound. We will be going to the Blue Lagoon Geothermal Spa tomorrow, which we are excited about, and we would like to try some lamb stew and possibly some lobster soup by the harbour if we have time.

We will be back Tuesday night, and cant wait to see our family. Love and more love,

Adam and Anne-Marie