Friday, July 19, 2019

Day 2: Reykjavik

Today we went to visit Hallgrimskirka - a massive concrete church which towers over Reykjavik. https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=13jcIi6qCTPNnlwae_UoIPyjo-fMFWs_S
There is a lift up to the top  and you can look out of the three windows with great views over the city (the first is down towards the harbour and the second is towards the lake)
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1jfXND_jDEbaBSAxUK8pqMebS5GAebtII
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1JqjUAiC5gqNoG444iXRW2GkXXdlFLOMu
The interior is beautifully minimal
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1I6BCgCGbjyEUfu0ns_r3udvVvW2yoDK6
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1MciNKHsnaK3ifd1C-9Nnkp8UqQgHUEe0
... aside from this insane 5275 pipe organ
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1XFt_MzVeTpq0LURGMpCWjaxG3-8jg7sp
...casually played by this guy in his jeans and socks
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1dzC6mXve0-tnk-M_EPldqgcx8H2wRkdd

After purchasing some Icelandic confectionary I thrilled Eve and Leo by taking them here:
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1tCMGOSX-6QrXS493L3JRDpWiUZhAancx
But look at these cardigans, they are stunners:
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1NFr0u9ReTUvkKTvoH6R9aW1VVozm34dM

We stopped by the Icelandic parliament buildingand strolled round the central lake and park
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1fCdmGkW2EyMqoAjXIZqFibI7fPYnYow2
 
Eve shared her existential crisis with this guy regarding the tall thin Coke can format.  
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1aBxR0ngdbkuayud0eO7qE0ty1oRTP_AE
We went to the National Museum of Iceland.  There was a mock up of a traditional peat house and loads of beautiful wooden carvings. Eve and Leo found a chessboard.  Leo won 2-1.
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1rVQ_JYabRxN6lPnAOLt0PeO3q2r6TlgN

We went past the Frikirkjan church, which is a typical example of architecture here.
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=12mXp6GcBZWa9JgLOH9xXZuu4cH7eRksR

The Culture House was the final stop and one ofthe highlights for me was the reading room
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1RJYAWyidapfE3E_uzP3hYLsP69B_uwMI
Beautiful chairs and that amazing library old book smell.  On the way back to our apartment we went to Icelands most chaotic bookshop, established in 1964.  Chess grandmaster Bobby Fischer was a regular there and had his own chessboard set up in a corner.  
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1dB7rkrvGt_YQBRw6fLsHrRHnXxuEwFlX
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1adoPCbLY-uKAh4VVA4Qm_-4WAPKqrt2J
Today’s unexpected themes: church organs, chess and old book smells.  

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Day 14: Reykjavik

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