Iceland

Ok - our enthusiasm may have been wanting a bit - our first day here was actually a bit of a blur. Neither one of us slept well the night before the alarm went off at 4A for our 7A flight to LA then NY, nor did we sleep well on the ensuing red-eye we took out of JFK to Keflavik airport. We arrived around 9:30A a bit bleary-eyed, but we had an itinerary to follow, so off we went!

Today's itinerary sent us directly from the airport to the southwestern corner of the island called the Reykjanes Peninsula, where we viewed the Reykjanes Lighthouse and volcanic coastal region before heading north to our hotel in the capital city of Reykjavik. We checked in and wandered the downtown area where we found a delightful locals-style seafood restaurant, where you set and bus your own table. Love it. Did you know that even in restaurants that provide table-side service, tipping is neither solicited not expected? No credit card processors that prompt you to tip 20-40%. Makes up, at least a little, for the extremely expensive cost of food here.

BTW - the famous Blue Lagoon, which was on our itinerary for today, has been closed due to a volcanic eruption at nearby Sundhnúkagígar. The Blue Lagoon is a man-made geothermal spa that is the most visited paid for attraction in Iceland. There are plenty of geothermal spas here and we're not big fans of crowded tourist attractions, so we'll happily go find another.Read more