Reykjavík Favorites

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Favorite thing: On Menningarnótt "Culture night", the third weekend in August 2010, our mayor elected the Reykjavík tree of 2010. The tree that was elected is a Swedish whitebeam (silfurreynir) and is believed to be the oldest tree in Reykjavík, planted in 1884 by Schierbeck, Director General of public health back then. The tree is 10,9 m high, which is a lot for trees here in Iceland :)

The tree stands in Fógetagarður or Governor's park (see my tip on the park), which is also called Víkurgarður cemetery, on the corner of Aðalstræti and Kirkjustræti.

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Favorite thing: One of Iceland's main industries has always been the fishing industry seeing that we live on an island. The fish (along with the sheep) has kept Icelanders alive through the centuries. It counts for more than half of Iceland's exports with 26,3% of our foreign currency coming from the fishing industry.

Now heavy industry has reached the first place of Iceland's industries, 29,7%. Tourism is in the 3rd place with 500.000 tourists visiting Iceland each year. 16,9% of our foreign currency earning comes from tourism.

For two summers I worked in a fish processing factory cleaning, weighing and packing fish for export. I was 13 and 14 years old and sometimes we worked from 7-19. This was a popular job due to the long hours and more pay than in other jobs. Most of Iceland's inhabitants have worked in the fishing industry in some regard, especially people living in the country side by the sea-shore. In Reykjavík there are many fish processing facories and some days you can smell the fish in the air, when they are making fish-oil.

Before the crizis hit us there was not a news program without a least one news on the fishing industry.

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Favorite thing: My ancestors were the vikings and I have a straight blood-line to the first viking settlers here in Iceland. The first settler was Ingólfur Arnarson. He is the father of Reykjavík so to speak as he settled here in this then unspoilt place.

I have added more photos and information on my Viking and Irish ancestry in an album on my homepage.

Ingólfur Arnarson (844) Hallveig Fróðadóttir (850)

Þorsteinn Ingólfsson 890
Þórhildur Þorsteinsdóttir 920
Þorkell Þórhildarson 945
Ketill Þorkelsson 965
Haukur Ketilsson 1020
Yngveldur Hauksdóttir 1060
Snorri Húnbogason 1100 - 1170
Narfi Snorrason 1135 - 1202
Snorri Narfason 1175 - 1260
Narfi Snorrason 1210 - 1284
Snorri Narfason 1260 - 1332
Ormur Snorrason 1320 - 1401
Guttormur Ormsson 1345 - 1381
Loftur "ríki" Guttormsson 1375 - 1432
Ólöf Loftsdóttir 1410 - 1479
Þorleifur Björnsson 1430 - 1486
Björn Þorleifsson 1480 - 1548
Jón Björnsson 1520 - 1600
Árni Jónsson 1560 - 1655
Sveinbjörn Árnason 1610 - 1681
Gísli Sveinbjörnsson 1650 - 1703
Sveinbjörn Gíslason 1694 - 1762
Einar "yngri" Sveinbjarnarson 1727 - 1814
Ragnheiður Einarsdóttir 1789 - 1855
Soffía Vernharðsdóttir 1829 - 1869
Ragnheiður Helgadóttir 1855 - 1946
Þórdís Ásgeirsdóttir 1889 - 1965
My grandmother 1920 - 1995
My father 1942 - 2008
Regína 1965

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Fondest memory: Björk Guðmundsdóttir is Iceland's most famous international singers. She had an outside concert here in Reykjavík in Laugardalur walley in June 2008 for the conservation of the environment. It was very well attended as you can see from the photos. At least two VT-members attended, that I know of, myself and Ove who was in Reykjavík for a visit.

Björk and I went to school together from the age of 8-15 as we are born in the same year 1965.

Her official site is Björk.

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Favorite thing: I just got back from Reykjavik (June 2009) and the church is still under renovation (Hallgrimskirkja restoration project) and it is all covered with green net.

I asked my cab driver when it is going to be done and he said it started last summer and was (as has been posted) supposed to be done by fall 2009...but due to the economic recession, it seems to have been delayed more. Hopefully, they will get it done soon...it really is a magnificent building and a great landmark for Reykjavik since you can see it from a lot of points in the city.

But not to worry, even if you do not go up the Church, Iceland has so many more intersting places. They have the PERLAN (the Pearl) which has breathtaking views of the city and even a a cafeteria on the 4th floor and excellent dining...Enjoy Iceland!

Update: VTer sigur_ros wrote on Sun Oct 25, 2009 18:30 MST
Hi. I live close by the church and the scaffolding has been taken away in the last 2 weeks. Tower looks almost white, looks like they did a nice job.

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Favorite thing: After arriving at Keflavik International Airport and you just want a short visit to the city center, you will probably ride the Fly Bus and then you might want to store your luggage somewhere…
don’t fret!

There is Baggage Storage available at the BSI Coach terminal where you will be dropped off. The BSI is at Vatnsmyrarvegur 10 and you can call them at 591-1000 but they are open only from 0730 to 1900. If I were young and backpacking and in Iceland overnight during the bright nights of summer, I would consider leaving my bags there and still go out and explore the city center before my flight the next day…

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Favorite thing: I just got back from Blue Lagoon and it was so relaxing and very very nice. What I did was I had Reykjavik Excursions pick me up from the airport at 0630 AM when my plane arrived from NY, and the bus leaves from KEF at about 830 AM (Blue Lagoon is closer to airport than the city center) then the first bus that leaves Blue Lagoon is at 1115 AM and they dropped me off to my Reykjavik hotel which is about 40 minutes away. So since my hotel room would probably not be ready yet, it also saved time by me visiting Blue Lagoon immediately when I got in and relaxing my tired body after the plane travel! Your mother would love this…the water is so clean and naturally warm…The entrance to Blue Lagoon was already in my ticket. If you buy Blue Lagoon tickets, makes sure it is not transpo ONLY. The total for the airport pickup, Blue Lagoon Entrance and Drop-off on return to your hotel was US$77. But I did not bring a towel, and they charged ISK 680 for that (about ISK123 to US$1)…they only gave me a wrist key where I was able to put my big luggage in lockers at the first level and my clothes in the Men’s Locker.

The lockers do have hair dryers, but they do not provide slippers. They do have arm floaters before the entrance to the lagoon – so you can float on the waters…it is only about 4 feet deep all throughout in the spot available for the public.

Somebody watches over the people in the pool. But I noticed the Blue Lagoon stuff (lotions) were expensive. They do have the free silica dust for your face to get smoother in wooden boxes around the pool…make sure you dab this white pasty on your face for a few minutes (5-10)…my face still looks the same though, hehehe…

I spent about 2-3 hours there and it was adequate time to enjoy the pools and lava sauna and the waterfountain massage...Unless you go for the intensive spa where someone rubs your back and floats you with your eyes closed on the pool...so much pampering but worth it. They have been voted Best Spa consistently and is TOP TEN in the world according to Conde Nast....

And you can also have the Bus bring you to the Blue Lagoon hours before your flight and then just make sure to be in the airport in time for check-in for your flight

Fondest memory: Blue Lagoon

Favorite thing: * Tourism Offices:
- Regional Information Center
Address: Aðalstræti 2
Location: 101 Reykjavík
Phone: (+354) 590 15 50
E-mail: info@visitreykjavik.is

- District Information Office
Address: Strandgata 6
Location: 220 Hafnarfjörður
Phone: (+354) 585 55 00
E-mail: info@hafnarfjordur.is
Sector: Reykjavik

* Some useful websites:
- www.visitreykjavik.is
- www.visiticeland.com/displayer.asp?cat_id=126 (Spanish/English)
- http://guides.travelchannel.com/reykjavik