If you have nerves of steel, you can find last-minute deals from Chicago (or ten other cities, pretty much any time, you really don't need nerves of steel) to Paris for $175 one-way. $175!
Only catch, you either spend one hour or 20 hours in Reykjavik. Putting it plainly, you either get to enjoy the city in this mystical land or you don't. Allow me to explain how you can pull this off for a lot less money and nonsense than I burned through.
Despite anything you're about to read, all of the people were just lovely.
First and foremost, they want you to spend your money then leave and they're blatant and unapologetic about this fact. You've always wanted that Icelandic sweater for $300, I know a place. Care to pop into a bad ass bar for a $12 beer? I know several joints. But it's not all bad, you can buy food and drinks at the corner store and enjoy them in a park or a hostel like a hobo. Or splurge on a hotel room, they're not that expensive, really. Then again, check your flight to Paris, because it might leave at 3am, might leave at 5am. Now check the bus/car schedule to the airport, because they might not line up with your departure time and you'll be camping out in the Reykjavik airport with dozens of others.
It was, literally, cool though. 55-degrees in July. And I still managed to sweat, somehow. Oh, because it's 300% humidity. "Not possible," you say? Because you have no social skills or sense of humor because you actually died years ago due to an unloving marriage or shitty job? Well bite me, because it is possible - I can prove it.
Back to beautiful Iceland, before we ruin it with development and commerce. Even the 45-minute ride from the airport is enchanting, a commercial, a scene from a viking movie. The land before time. Even modern-looking Reykjavik is riveting. Very unique architecture, seemingly perfectly placed to fit into the topography. You'll see the Hgkhsidnugsrheing, cathedral thing. The Perlan, which is very cool. The big night light and everything else - it's all reasonably close by.
Whether you take one of the cheap WOW airline flights or not, rent a car. And do it on the cheap, because you're going to pay $75 a litre for gas. But you'll be able to drive just ten minutes out of town in any direction and see true once-in-a-lifetime scenery. And other than the handful of unique sculptures and landmarks in and around Reykjavik, the town itself sucks. Other than the Dillon Whiskey Bar. That place is fantastic.
Fun Fact: A small group of super wealthy (got rich off the 2008 global crash) investors said, "how can we literally trap tourists here and make them spend money?" What they came up with was, turn Reykjavik into what the Iceland exhibit at Epcot Center would look like. Play up the "Viking" thing, focus on polar bears, whales, puffins and the Northern Lights, serve "food" and drinks at Norwegian prices and make sure all the service industry kids speak some rendition of English. Now, make Reykjavik a stopover from Europe to the U.S. and vice versa, make those layovers long enough that they'll need lodging and food.
It's actually brilliant. But like the atmosphere, it's a bit cold. There's a place in Reykjavik, Jesus, this town needs a nickname, called The Lebwoski Bar. Made for me. The interior is all Lebwoski, save a smattering of King Pin photos for some reason. The menu is all Lebowski, hell, when I was there it was Lebowski trivia night. 20 tables of kids cheating with their phones and I whooped their ass, alone. But something was missing. There's no connection with the patrons. Unless you live there, and very few people who live there go near "downtown."
You're a number. You are the amount of drinks you order, the size of your meal and whether or not you order wine and any small tip you feel like giving them after being charged the equivalent of $12(US) for one 12-once beer. It's kind of a bummer but they have to make a living I guess, those poor investors and their summer homes and turning their homeland into a museum with a very expensive and expansive gift shop.
When you invite the world into your backyard and they come, you no longer have time to get to know them. "Where you from?" turns into, "What do you want?" turns into, "Jesus, Mary and Joseph, how long is this shift?" And this isn't just my perspective. I watched couple after couple, solo backpacker after solo backpacker, group after group enter bars, restaurants, hotels, shops and grocery stores. They've just become too many, I actually felt bad for the people of Reykjavik, it's as if this were thrust on them.
But the Dillon Whiskey Bar was cool. Great back patio, open late, excellent and affordable drinks.
But by all means, go. Experience it for yourself, rent that car and get out of town. Or wander the streets and pick up that sweater you've always wanted that you'll never wear. Just watch out for the 30-year-old kid hauling ass down the sidewalk on a Rascal scooter, chain smoking while he does it. He'll run your ass right over.
You'd think they'd play up the GoT thing, but I didn't see a damn reference to it.
REYKJAVIK IN PICTURES:
Only catch, you either spend one hour or 20 hours in Reykjavik. Putting it plainly, you either get to enjoy the city in this mystical land or you don't. Allow me to explain how you can pull this off for a lot less money and nonsense than I burned through.
Despite anything you're about to read, all of the people were just lovely.
First and foremost, they want you to spend your money then leave and they're blatant and unapologetic about this fact. You've always wanted that Icelandic sweater for $300, I know a place. Care to pop into a bad ass bar for a $12 beer? I know several joints. But it's not all bad, you can buy food and drinks at the corner store and enjoy them in a park or a hostel like a hobo. Or splurge on a hotel room, they're not that expensive, really. Then again, check your flight to Paris, because it might leave at 3am, might leave at 5am. Now check the bus/car schedule to the airport, because they might not line up with your departure time and you'll be camping out in the Reykjavik airport with dozens of others.
It was, literally, cool though. 55-degrees in July. And I still managed to sweat, somehow. Oh, because it's 300% humidity. "Not possible," you say? Because you have no social skills or sense of humor because you actually died years ago due to an unloving marriage or shitty job? Well bite me, because it is possible - I can prove it.
Back to beautiful Iceland, before we ruin it with development and commerce. Even the 45-minute ride from the airport is enchanting, a commercial, a scene from a viking movie. The land before time. Even modern-looking Reykjavik is riveting. Very unique architecture, seemingly perfectly placed to fit into the topography. You'll see the Hgkhsidnugsrheing, cathedral thing. The Perlan, which is very cool. The big night light and everything else - it's all reasonably close by.
FUN FACT: Björk is pronounced "Byeh-rrk."
Whether you take one of the cheap WOW airline flights or not, rent a car. And do it on the cheap, because you're going to pay $75 a litre for gas. But you'll be able to drive just ten minutes out of town in any direction and see true once-in-a-lifetime scenery. And other than the handful of unique sculptures and landmarks in and around Reykjavik, the town itself sucks. Other than the Dillon Whiskey Bar. That place is fantastic.
Fun Fact: A small group of super wealthy (got rich off the 2008 global crash) investors said, "how can we literally trap tourists here and make them spend money?" What they came up with was, turn Reykjavik into what the Iceland exhibit at Epcot Center would look like. Play up the "Viking" thing, focus on polar bears, whales, puffins and the Northern Lights, serve "food" and drinks at Norwegian prices and make sure all the service industry kids speak some rendition of English. Now, make Reykjavik a stopover from Europe to the U.S. and vice versa, make those layovers long enough that they'll need lodging and food.
It's actually brilliant. But like the atmosphere, it's a bit cold. There's a place in Reykjavik, Jesus, this town needs a nickname, called The Lebwoski Bar. Made for me. The interior is all Lebwoski, save a smattering of King Pin photos for some reason. The menu is all Lebowski, hell, when I was there it was Lebowski trivia night. 20 tables of kids cheating with their phones and I whooped their ass, alone. But something was missing. There's no connection with the patrons. Unless you live there, and very few people who live there go near "downtown."
You're a number. You are the amount of drinks you order, the size of your meal and whether or not you order wine and any small tip you feel like giving them after being charged the equivalent of $12(US) for one 12-once beer. It's kind of a bummer but they have to make a living I guess, those poor investors and their summer homes and turning their homeland into a museum with a very expensive and expansive gift shop.
When you invite the world into your backyard and they come, you no longer have time to get to know them. "Where you from?" turns into, "What do you want?" turns into, "Jesus, Mary and Joseph, how long is this shift?" And this isn't just my perspective. I watched couple after couple, solo backpacker after solo backpacker, group after group enter bars, restaurants, hotels, shops and grocery stores. They've just become too many, I actually felt bad for the people of Reykjavik, it's as if this were thrust on them.
But the Dillon Whiskey Bar was cool. Great back patio, open late, excellent and affordable drinks.
But by all means, go. Experience it for yourself, rent that car and get out of town. Or wander the streets and pick up that sweater you've always wanted that you'll never wear. Just watch out for the 30-year-old kid hauling ass down the sidewalk on a Rascal scooter, chain smoking while he does it. He'll run your ass right over.
You'd think they'd play up the GoT thing, but I didn't see a damn reference to it.
REYKJAVIK IN PICTURES:
No caption needed.
The cathedral thing with a built-in frame thing.
Lebwoski Bar.
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