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Planes are full and people are flocking to…
Reykjavik!
A few years ago, my airline starting flying to Iceland. Though our flights were heavy, it seemed like a place that only those seeking extreme adventure traveled to. Waterfalls, rock climbing, glacier hiking, geysers, volcanoes, horseback riding, whales, geothermal spas, northern lights…you can find it all in Iceland.
Today, our planes are continually full, even in winter, and Iceland seems to be the new travel hotspot. Everyone wants to go!
The first time I ever traveled to Reykjavik, we hit the ground running. With only twenty-four hours, we quickly changed clothes, grabbed a rental car and drove the entire Golden Circle (the popular tourist route that includes stops at the Strokkur Geyser and the Gullfoss waterfall) and visited the Blue Lagoon, the famous, geothermal spa. On my other two visits, whale watching and Icelandic horseback riding were on the agenda.
What I especially love, however, is just walking around the town and appreciating the cleans lines of the architecture, the random sculpture scattered throughout, how tidy everything is and how friendly the Icelandic people are.
Recently while visiting, I took the afternoon to wander around the during the clear winter day, stopping to marvel at the lake near Town Hall. Frozen solid, it reflected the colorful buildings that surrounded it, and I wished that I had brought my ice skates to join the locals enjoying themselves on the beautiful, sunny afternoon.
The Church of Hallgrímur, my next stop, is located near the center of the city and is an absolute must-see. A Lutheran church, Hallgrímskirkja was completed in 1940, and is the largest church in Iceland, as well as the tallest structure in the country. The unique building was designed by Architect Guðjón Samúelsson and is said to have been designed to resemble the trap rocks, mountains and glaciers of the Icelandic landscape. At the forefront of the building is a statue of explorer Leif Eriksson which predates its construction. A gift from the United States in 1930, it commemorated the 1000 anniversary of Iceland’s parliament at Þingvellir in 930 A.D.
Having visited the church once before, I took more time to inspect the interior of the church as well as the large pipe organ, constructed by German organ builder Johannes Klais of Bonn. The massive organ is 15 meters tall and weighs a whopping 25 tons.
The church also serves as an observation tower and I decided to brave the interminable line to ascend the elevator to the viewing deck. With such a clear and sunny day, I was able to view the entire city as well as the harbor and surrounding mountains.
There are many restaurants and bars throughout the city center. Many first time visitors, however, are shocked at the costs of dining out and of alcoholic beverages. Since Reykjavik is an island, of course everything must be shipped in adding to the overall price. On one of my previous visits, a pizza, half a salad and a beer totaled up to about $45. There are some cheaper options out there, just ask around. And, keep an eye open for Happy Hour specials in many of the hotels and watering holes.
Whenever you decide to visit this amazing country, summer or winter, be prepared for many things to occupy your time…so many that you may have to pick and choose and save some for a later visit. But, no matter what time of year you decide to visit, be prepared for the large number of visitors also checking out what this fascinating country has to offer!
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Church of Hallgrímur (Hallgrimskirkja)
- http://www.hallgrimskirkja.is/
- Address: Hallgrímstorg 101, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
- Hours: Winter (October-April): 09:00-17:00. Tower closes 16:30. Summer (May-September): 09:00-21:00. Tower closes 20:30. The tower is closed on Sundays from 10:30-12:15 for mass at 11:00.
- Tower Admission: Adults, ISK 900, Children (ages 7-14) ISK 100, Under 7, free. Tickets are sold in the church shop.
Entering through the main Famedio, a Neo Medieval style memorial chapel made of marble and stone, I first stopped to gaze upon the beautiful blue ceiling and the tomb of novelist, Alessandro Manzoni before making my way through each of the hallways. I particularly loved walking along the outer edges of the open-aired corridors so that I could admire the building’s architecture, the courtyard and the ornate tombs that line the area.
Before making my way into the cemetery’s immaculately groomed grounds, I then walked the full length of the building’s lower level, exiting at the center, where I could examine the map and the locations of the cemetery’s famous occupants. In this area is also a structure comprised of metal tubes and black and white stones centered with a small clay bowl placed inside the main formation. Surrounded by memorial plaques, I was informed by a fellow bystander that it is a monument to the 800 Italians who perished in Nazi concentration camps and the bowl was filled with soil from the Mauthausen concentration camp.
Wandering the grounds, through the avenues of trees, should be reserved for an unhurried pace as to absorb entire beauty of the surroundings and that’s just what I did. It was impossible not to want to stop and inspect each monument, so detailed and individualized were they. Many of the tombs and funerary monuments are of such an extravagant size, it is almost as through you are walking through a neighborhood of homes.
Opened in 1952, the park is named for George Maduro, a Jewish law student from Curaçao. After fighting the Nazi occupations forces as a member of the Dutch resistance, he died at Dachau concentration camp and was the only person of Antillean descent to be awarded the Knight 4th-class of the Military Order of William. After World War II, his parents donated the necessary capital to build the park in honor of their only son and a replica of his birthplace in Curaçao was added to the park in his honor.
Having traveled throughout the Netherlands, I have seen much of its beauty and many of its municipalities. As I moved to the rear of the property with reproductions of many of the Netherlands’ cities, I developed a game to check out each city exhibit before reading the accompanying signs and identify it by its buildings and landmarks. As an avid photographer, I especially enjoyed positioning my camera to get the best shots of these tiny cities…with the results, in some cases, you have no idea that you are looking at a photo of a model, so detailed are the displays.
Another attraction, explains the beginning of the Netherlands in 1572. Hof van Nederland (Dutch Court) is located at the rear of the property and unlike the small-scale displays, is life sized. The best part of the entire park, however, is that the entirety of the net proceeds from the park go towards various charities in the Netherlands!
As a flight attendant and avid traveler, my most valued possession is my passport. I love looking through my stamps and visas and remembering all of the places and experiences I have had over the years.
Originally a Catholic cathedral consecrated in 1559, St-Bavokerk was converted to Protestantism in 1958. Walking through the interior of the church, it is hard to fathom that this expansive church was once a Catholic cathedral. Lacking the embellished ornamentation that you usually find in most cathedrals, the only commonality would be the stained glass windows, however, the lack thereof is a source of interest. Haarlem was once an important center for stained glass in the 16th century, however, many of the original windows, have been lost to neglect. Today, the lack of historic, colorful windows has been remedied by installing windows from other, demolished or defunct churches. In addition, modern artists have created new pieces…a beautiful, large blue window hangs on the northern side and can be seen when entering the double doors on the Groenmarkt and was created by local glass artist Michel van Overbeeke.
Throughout the church’s floor, a large number of carvings can be seen marking the graves of many illustrious Haarlemers. Until 1831, graves were allowed within the church and many plaques hanging on the walls represent the shields of illustrious families and mark the family’s graves below them. Many famous people are buried in individual graves within the church such as Pieter Teyler van der Hulst and Willen van Heythuisen. Other notorious burials include painters Frans Hals and Maarten van Heemskerck and two circus curiosities, the giant Danial Cajanus and his midget friend Jan Paap.
During World War II, many Jews knew of a hiding place in Haarlem…19 Barteljorisstraat, the site of the Ten Boom family’s watchmaking business. With the comings and goings of the business’ many customers, it was the perfect hiding place since it did not arouse suspicion.
Setting up a rehabilitation center in Bloemendaal for concentration camp survivors and the jobless Dutch who had previously collaborated with the Germans, she continued to assist those in need. Returning to Germany in 1946, she then traveled the world as a public speaker, appearing in more than 60 countries, wrote many books and finally emigrated to Placentia, California before her death at 91 years of age.
One of the most notable items in the church is the memorial shield on the left nave wall, which is a symbolic mark of the grave of the famous Dutch painter, Rembrandt. Living nearby at Rozengracht 184 in extreme poverty, he was buried in an unmarked church grave with several other people in the church. The exact location of his grave remains unknown.
Other things that you can check out in the immediate area are the Anne Frank statue located on the Westermarkt and the entrance to the Prinsenhuis, which once served as the entrance to the Westerkerk. The Lord Mayor’s gate is still visible on the Westermarkt side of the church and was once used as a shortcut for the mayors of the city to reach their private stall inside the church (directly opposite the pulpit). The Homomonument is also a popular tourist attraction, commemorating all gay men and lesbians who have been subjected to persecution because of their homosexuality and is located behind the church, at the corner of the Westermarkt and Keizergracht.
Paying our entrance fees, we began the arduous climb (over 300 steps) to the top of the Dome. Though I had to stop a few times and my legs were quite shaky, we reached the top and Oh! What a view!
Deciding on a boat ride down the Seine, we were on our return when I noticed that we were approaching the Pont D’Alma bridge. Taking to the top deck, I watched for the Musée des Égouts’ kiosk…the window was open and there was a small line!
