- Joined
- Jul 7, 2010
July 22nd: All good things come to an end...
So too must my trip report (finally). We had a late-ish flight, departing at 4:50pm but had a long drive back to Reykavik as well, so had just enough time for one more thing...
Our one more thing turned out to be a popular choice, as we ran into several other people who were flying out that day too. A mere 16 minute drive away (you can get anywhere in Iceland that fast?) was the Viking Longhouse Eiríksstaðir. This is billed as a living museum, much like the fake colonies you can go to in the eastern US. Our host was a Viking woman who unlocked the door with an ancient (looking) set of keys and lit the fire in the hearth before telling us what life was like.
They had a lot of props inside as well to go along with the story, and we were able to wander into the back area where the storehouse would have been too. It is very much a wander in and out as you please activity. We'd gotten there right when they opened so we stayed for quite awhile before wandering off as more folk arrived and the stories began to repeat.
The inside is larger than you'd think from the out as it is dug into the ground a bit too, either by design or by settling. The walls are starting to crumble in on this replica though it was built not too long ago... they'll likely need to shore it up soon.
Outside they had displays of a game and a few placards with info on how this house is a recreation and the original is further up the hill. We wandered over that way and found...
Not much... time has definitely reclaimed all but a hint of where the house used to be. We wandered back down and grabbed a couple small things from the giftshop here as well before admitting defeat and heading back towards the airport. We had planned to get hotdogs one last time on the drive, but in the end did not as they supposedly had a shop in the airport.
They did not. But, thankfully, we were once again in business class and had access to the lounge, so we had a light lunch there. I really like this lounge; its open, the offerings are varied and good quality, and they have a few different automatic espresso machines around as well that are self serve and have milk. Hot chocolate on tap? Yes please!
All too soon we were in the air without any delays, and finally could say adieu to the volcano smoke which had been worse the last few days. We did not get to see any part of the eruption on the way out as we were on the wrong side of the plane, and I'm pretty sure the smoke cover would have blocked it anyway.
At some point during the flight we were given our meal choices and we got one of each as is our norm. I'd wanted the salmon more and Kyle beef, anyway, and we each thought ours was the best.
On the way we flew past Greenland and had another reminder of how fleeting arctic ice could be...
Then landed on time at home only an hour after we'd left. Talk about 8 hours of purgatory...!
Overall after the excitement around Greece and then of course the actual ABD the Iceland portion was grossly overshadowed but I'm glad we took the time to go further afield and see something we had not yet. I'd underestimated how very little there is out there as far as amenities and overestimated their willingness to pave as far as we'd wanted to go, but otherwise everything was enjoyable.
I'm not sure under what circumstances we would return to the Arctic but I am very glad we went, glad we went when we did, and went under the circumstances we did as well. Being able to add on Greece to the beginning with my free week off from work was a stroke of luck and timing as well for me with my brother willing and able to join with his partner. Joe Rhode showing up was a blessing as well.. I believe we booked the trip before it was known he was retiring from the company, though I may be misremembering the timing. It had always been in the back of my mind he was not guaranteed though, so I was ready to go regardless but what a joy it was traveling with them! Thank you for letting me be selfish and tag on my own pre and post days to this trip... its been very nice having a record of the whole thing, and I've shared it with relatives so they could read along as well, and they naturally wanted every day of it. ; )
So too must my trip report (finally). We had a late-ish flight, departing at 4:50pm but had a long drive back to Reykavik as well, so had just enough time for one more thing...
Our one more thing turned out to be a popular choice, as we ran into several other people who were flying out that day too. A mere 16 minute drive away (you can get anywhere in Iceland that fast?) was the Viking Longhouse Eiríksstaðir. This is billed as a living museum, much like the fake colonies you can go to in the eastern US. Our host was a Viking woman who unlocked the door with an ancient (looking) set of keys and lit the fire in the hearth before telling us what life was like.
They had a lot of props inside as well to go along with the story, and we were able to wander into the back area where the storehouse would have been too. It is very much a wander in and out as you please activity. We'd gotten there right when they opened so we stayed for quite awhile before wandering off as more folk arrived and the stories began to repeat.
The inside is larger than you'd think from the out as it is dug into the ground a bit too, either by design or by settling. The walls are starting to crumble in on this replica though it was built not too long ago... they'll likely need to shore it up soon.
Outside they had displays of a game and a few placards with info on how this house is a recreation and the original is further up the hill. We wandered over that way and found...
Not much... time has definitely reclaimed all but a hint of where the house used to be. We wandered back down and grabbed a couple small things from the giftshop here as well before admitting defeat and heading back towards the airport. We had planned to get hotdogs one last time on the drive, but in the end did not as they supposedly had a shop in the airport.
They did not. But, thankfully, we were once again in business class and had access to the lounge, so we had a light lunch there. I really like this lounge; its open, the offerings are varied and good quality, and they have a few different automatic espresso machines around as well that are self serve and have milk. Hot chocolate on tap? Yes please!
All too soon we were in the air without any delays, and finally could say adieu to the volcano smoke which had been worse the last few days. We did not get to see any part of the eruption on the way out as we were on the wrong side of the plane, and I'm pretty sure the smoke cover would have blocked it anyway.
At some point during the flight we were given our meal choices and we got one of each as is our norm. I'd wanted the salmon more and Kyle beef, anyway, and we each thought ours was the best.
On the way we flew past Greenland and had another reminder of how fleeting arctic ice could be...
Then landed on time at home only an hour after we'd left. Talk about 8 hours of purgatory...!
Overall after the excitement around Greece and then of course the actual ABD the Iceland portion was grossly overshadowed but I'm glad we took the time to go further afield and see something we had not yet. I'd underestimated how very little there is out there as far as amenities and overestimated their willingness to pave as far as we'd wanted to go, but otherwise everything was enjoyable.
I'm not sure under what circumstances we would return to the Arctic but I am very glad we went, glad we went when we did, and went under the circumstances we did as well. Being able to add on Greece to the beginning with my free week off from work was a stroke of luck and timing as well for me with my brother willing and able to join with his partner. Joe Rhode showing up was a blessing as well.. I believe we booked the trip before it was known he was retiring from the company, though I may be misremembering the timing. It had always been in the back of my mind he was not guaranteed though, so I was ready to go regardless but what a joy it was traveling with them! Thank you for letting me be selfish and tag on my own pre and post days to this trip... its been very nice having a record of the whole thing, and I've shared it with relatives so they could read along as well, and they naturally wanted every day of it. ; )
