As many of you already know, I have been studying abroad this semester in London. Europe is a very easy and cheap continent to travel across because the countries are so small and close together. Thankfully, my roommate Catie and I took great advantage of this last weekend and planned a spontaneous trip to Reykjavik, Iceland. I’ve been in London since January and have taken other trips to Paris, France and Florence, Italy, but this little excursion was by far my favorite trip. Here is why:
The people were so kind and welcoming. In every shop, restaurant, cafe, or tourist attraction they are helpful and kind people. Everyone speaks English in Reykjavik as well, so it was very easy to communicate. I will never forget the encounter with our taxi driver the first night we arrived. He realized we were pretty confused about how to get around the city, so he kindly offered to send us any information we might need to get around, and gave us his email. I was just blown away because most American taxi drivers don’t even ask your name.
The cinnamon rolls were phenomenal. Braud & Co is the popular bakery in the center of Reykjavik. One cinnamon roll was enough to fill me up for the afternoon. It was so warm and baked just right.
The views were breathtaking. On every bus ride, I made sure to look out the window because I never got tired of seeing snowy mountain-tops. I have always been fond of places with mountains. The houses around the city were so cute and colorful. The whole city felt so safe and welcoming. We went to the Blue Lagoon, a natural spa, on Saturday. We took many pictures while also relaxing and taking it all in. That afternoon, we explored Reykjavik and loved walking down by the water, getting a closer look at the mountains out in the distance. While we explored, we grabbed a hot dog at the world famous Baejarins Beztu Pylsur. I don’t know how to pronounce it, but I do know that Bill Clinton visited there in 2004, as well as Kim K and Kanye in 2016. On Sunday, we went to the Hallgrímskirkja, a church that you can take a lift to the top of and see Reykjavik from 75 meters up. It was a great way to end the trip on a high note if you will.
My trip to Reykjavik was so unique compared to any other travel experience because it was so relaxing even though I was immersed in an entirely different culture. Catie and I didn’t plan a strict itinerary, we just went with the flow of what we were feeling. We saw so much of Reykjavik and even got to relax on Saturday night. I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better weekend. Although I hate the cold, Reykjavik made me forget about the temperature for a while, because I was too caught up in the beauty of it. Reykjavik is a city I hope to return to one day because I would love for my friends and family to get to experience it.