Iceland

The boys now know what jet lag is.  Monday morning is the first day up prior to 10 am.  But we are getting our internal clocks adjusted.
After landing on Friday morning and spending several hours driving the streets of Reykjavik trying to find our apartment, we finally got settled and had a nice walk around the city, checking out the Hallgrimskirkja and eating cinnamon buns.   Saturday was more eventful.  Luke went out for his first international run, and Cindy ran as well, logging in 6 miles due to getting lost in the streets.  Saturday afternoon we went to the Harpa and the boys got to check out some tech toys at a convention show.  We then travelled to Vogar to check out Cindy's hometown roots.  This Vogar has way fewer trees, but looks much more prosperous than the Manitoba version.  That evening was the festival of dark and light.  There was a 5 km run through the streets of Reykjavik that Cindy, Luke and Nate took part in.  Although not timed, it is always a race and our three runners did fine.  We then did was all people do in February in the most Northern capital city in the world (64 N), we headed to the outdoor pool and spent a couple of hours swimming.  Little different seeing lifeguards in parkas.

On Sunday, we headed out on the Golden Circle.  First stop was Pingvellir National Park.  A nation divided, or more accurately the dividing point of North America and Europe.  This is also a sacred place to the Icelandicers.  We then hit Strokkur Geysir, Gulfoss, the golden waterfall, and closed our evening off at Fludir for another outdoor swim.  It had to be a short swim due to the hot temperature of the waters, and the heavy snow concerned us for our drive home.

Pingvellir National Park

And the drive did prove to be the most eventful (or maybe stressful would be a more accurate description) part of the day.  Our budget rent a car we have discovered is budget for a reason.  Besides lots of warning lights that do work, we discover the dims are the same as day running lights, which in a heavy snow storm do very little.  I also discovered that the Icelandic people do not appreciate brights on all the time.  Eventually made it home safely.  One more day in Iceland and then we are off to Amsterdam.