Downtown Reykjavik: December 1, 2017

Why does the guy on the right have no head???

Icelanders are very serious about good coffee. Was wonderful to hang out in this warm coffee shop on the drizzly, cold morning.

Statue of Leif Eiricsson (Icelandic spelling), who explored the coastline of northeast America in 1000 A.D., naming the new country Vinland (Wineland).  Permanent settlement was thwarted by the skraelings (Native Americans), who were anything but welcoming.  INTERESTING SIDE NOTE:  Icelandic tradition credits the Norse settlement of Iceland to tyrannical Harold Fairhair, a Norwegian king who won a significant naval victory over other chieftains at Hafrsfjord in Stavanger in 890.  The deposed chieftains fled to Iceland.  My family lived in Stavanger on Hafrsfjord from about 1973-1975 when my Dad worked for ODECO, an offshore oil drilling and exploration company, that was involved in the North Sea oil boom.

Iceland's first parliament, the Alpingi (there's an Icelandic letter that I don't have on my laptop), was created in 930 A.D.  After losing its independence in the 13th century, the country gradually won back its independence and the Alpingi moved to its current building in Reykjavik in 1881.  (See the Law Rock photos from November 29; that's where the Alpingi met before moving to Reykjavik).

Hallgrimskirkja, the white concrete church built between 1945-1986, is visible from up to 20 km away.  You can view the city by taking an elevator up the 74.5 meter high tower. (We didn't because it was so foggy out).  The most eye-catching feature inside is the 5,275-pipe organ.

 I was surprised visitors could walk right up to the boats in the harbor.

Thank goodness for international symbols!