Reykjavik

Our flight landed in Iceland at 1 am. I knew that the days here would be very long. I was not prepared, however, for no darkness. Traveling from the airport to our hotel, it seemed more like 7 in the morning than 2 at night. Although the streets were fairly quiet, there were still occasional cyclists, joggers and walkers, so I guess others felt the same. We decided our first day in Reykjavik would be low-key (in preparation for a number of excursion filled days). We wandered around the downtown, visited the famous church and newly completed opera house. The weather is cool - more like a day in late October - yet the flowers are in bloom. The streets are pedestrian-friendly and lined with shops selling souvenirs, clothing and wool knits made in Iceland. Many locals speak English so getting around is easy. Already, from the little landscape we've seen, it's clear this is going to be a very interesting trip. And at this point in the year, that's saying a lot!