7 minute read
INCREDIBLE ICELAND IF YOU HAVEN’T BEEN, GO!
IF YOU HAVEN’T BEEN, GO!
From Icelands’ largest airport Keflavík on the way to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, the landscape was immediately captivating. Salmon were swimming in the rivers beside the road and a local tells me it’s tradition that the mayor is the first to fish, to officially begin fishing season. Snow caped mountains in the distance, I felt a sense of adventure within...
INCREDIBLE
Yasemen Kaner-White
ICELAND
First stop was the Settlement Center in Borgarnes to peruse exhibitions of Iceland’s past and to have my first taste of local cuisine. Snacks being served included bijou samples of local staples such as mashed fish, usually haddock or cod on top of delicious dark rye bread, a hearty fish soup, lamb in a slightly sweet sauce and horse, again with a sauce. I found out that the Snaefellsnes peninsula is known as the food cornucopia of Iceland, offering fresh fish, seal, herbs, berries and more, it’s historically been the best place to settle. We set off again passing pretty, timber houses covered with sheet metal to protect them from the elements, painted in various muted colours. Wild Icelandic horses were dotted around the mountainous in the distance, which are special because they have five gaits, the last in which their feet are entirely off the ground, as they ‘fly’ through the air. These gentle creatures come from the original Viking horses and able to live in all elements. After a good night sleep at Hotel Búðir, breakfast included the famous Icelandic thick, creamy Skyr yogurt, cereals, buttermilk, fruit, smoked salmon, seeded dark rye bread, eggs, mini pancakes and cod liver oil to have a shot of, as locals do. We walked to the iconic Búðakirkja church so often seen in photographers’ repertoire,
built in1848, its stark silhouette against the natural beauty of the landscape is striking. First stop was coffee and traditional plain pancakes sprinkled with sugar, at Hellnar, what used to be one of the largest fishing villages beneath the Snaefellsjokull ice cap, sipping coffee with views of the sea and volcanic rocks whilst the noisy cormorants were nesting, was magical. We then headed to Djupalonssandur, a gorgeous, pebbled beach featuring enigmatic rocks creeping out from the ocean and remains of a shipwreck on the beach. Lunch was the most amazing fresh scallops with dill oil, mustard seeds, fresh dill and langoustine sauce, followed by Icelandic cod, barley laced with mushrooms and cream and dill oil, followed by a scrumptious intriguing liquorice creme caramel at Viðvik restaurant. For some contextual history we visited The Maritime Museum in the Fishermen´s Park, with a snow-capped glacier as the backdrop, where an interesting selection of fish sculptures could be seen, showcasing local sea life. We stopped off for photo opportunities at ‘Kirkjufell’ AKA “Church Mountain,” known for its unique shape - it is the most photographed mountain in Iceland, nearby waterfall Kirkjufellsfoss and then on to dinner at Bjargarsteinn in Grundarfjörður for more local delicacies. In the quaint restaurant with views of Kirkjufell and mountains which featured in The Game of Thrones, you’ll find some outstanding food, we had dried crispy redfish skin, kelp and a dip of skyr with pickled seaweed, followed by fish soup starring scallops and prawns, with dried dulse to sprinkle on top, then snapper, pickled garlic, oyster mushroom, potato gratin, cottage cheese, bean purée and red wine sauce, ending with Skyr yogurt blended with white chocolate, wild blueberries and a ginger biscuit. All served with small batch rhubarb beer and a memorable dulse wine, infused with apples, cloves and lemon to disguise the salty dulse. The restaurant resembles a typical Icelandic house in days gone by and is worth having a look upstairs for retro furniture and stunning views. After a good night sleep in Hotel Egilsen, an 1867 boutique hotel in the small fishing town of Stykkishólmur, a stone’s throw from the harbour with an eyecatching cherry red exterior, we explored the bijou town picking up some popular liquorice sweets from the supermarket, then headed to lunch at Sjávarpakkhúsið. We kick started
with lumpfish roe and fresh bread, delicate halibut ceviche, pickled cucumber and sorrel leaves, then delectable cod cheek fritters and rhubarb sauce and huge local mussels, followed by meaty wolffish steaks with creamy celeriac foam and dill. Pudding was stewed rhubarb, foam yogurt and candied almonds. To wash it down we had local gin which is filtered through local lava. A cultural visit to the Library of Water overlooking the harbour which houses an exhibition reflecting Roni Horn’s intimate involvement with the singular geography, geology, climate and culture of Iceland and then it was time for more Icelandic food. Dinner was at Narfeyrarstofa and started with an impressive two-tiered stand of local seafood, including cod tongues, black seagull eggs, seaweed, sea truffles, scallops, sea snails, crab and sea urchin. The next day it was time to try one of Icelands’ traditional pastimes, bathing in a natural spring, we headed to the Guðlaug Baths, essentially hot pools in Langisandur‘s rock garden and opposite the sea, so you can be immersed in warm steamy water, arms flung over the edge, as you gaze out on the wonderous sea waves just beyond the beach you are overlooking. I couldn’t visit Iceland without exploring the compact capital that I now know packs a punch, Reykjavík. I stayed two nights, the first in Sand Hotel, which is fantastically centrally located within easy reach of the best spots in Reykjavik, including the locally famous café Brauð & Co, which is best to walk to at 7.30am to grab a warm cinnamon roll out the oven and coffee, which I did. I then went on a fantastic walking tour with a culinary slant, with Addý from ‘Your Friend In Reykjavik’, she took us to the City’s best dining destinations
and we even tried the famed fermented shark, washed down with a sip of powerful Brennivin original, Icelandic schnapps. The next night I stayed at the beautiful Art décor themed Hotel Borg, the rooms are lovely with some overlooking Parliament Square and the spa is a serene, secluded space, to refresh and retreat. Mid-morning I walked to famed hotdog stand ‘Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur’, moments from the hotel, I’d recommend you have it as it comes, with all the trimmings. I then visited the food market to catch a glimpse of local life and bought some delicious dense Icelandic rye bread to take home. Reykjavík roasters serves fantastic craft coffee, I sipped one on the way to buy a typical handknitted Icelandic wool jumper from the one of the many stores that sell them in the City. I also popped into the fragrant perfume shop Fischersund, to sample their sultry scents made from nature, as it was recommended to me. The oldest bookshop in Iceland; Eymundsson established in 1872, was lovely to browse and they serve cake and drinks too. Before heading home, it was time for some spa indulgence and so I went to The Blue Lagoon which is a bucketlist, futuristic, luxury hotel, offering unique experiences including surreal volcanic landscape, a crater wine cellar and geothermal seawater to swim and relax, benefitting body and mind and such an uplifting note to end the trip on, leaving me looking forward to returning.
