10 Things under $20 in Reykjavik

Usually, I do my research before I go somewhere. You know, exchange rate, tour fees, etc. Well, I did that and still I was blindsided by how expensive everything was in Reykjavik! When a Subway sandwich costs you $12, it's bad. Obviously I didn't do enough research.

So before you jump on a plane to Iceland's Capital city, I thought I would offer you a list of things you can do for $20 or less.

1.Reykjavik City Hall

There is a lovely little city pond in the city center. At the North side of this pond is a partially moss covered building, it is the  Reykjavik City Hall. After you have strolled around the pond stop by the City Hall to check out a 3-D map of Iceland and several art displays. An extra plus is the great view of the pond from the inside of the building.

Cost: $0

2. Art Walk

Get yourself lost in Reykjavik's city center and you will find that there is art everywhere (everywhere!). Most of the works have no official marking and to be honest there were a few I couldn't tell were sculptures. Walking around city center to see many of these lovely works should take you between 1-3 hours, depending on how much you want to see. plus this is a great way to get a feel for the city. So I recommend taking your time strolling through the streets, you will see sculptures, paintings  and several interesting art structures.

Cost: $0

3. Free Walking Tour

Almost every major city has a free walking tour, and Reykjavik is no exception. Meeting at Leakjartorg Square, Reykjavik's walking tour departs at 12:00 and 14:00 in summer and just 12:00 in winter. The tour takes you around the city center offering interesting facts about the city and giving you a quick modern history of Iceland. Even though the tour is technically free you still want to tip your guide.

Cost: 500-1000 ISK ($5-$10) tip

4. Bæjarins Hotdogs

Visited by Presidents and movie stars alike Bæjarins Hotdogs are a necessary stop. Nestled on the corner of Tryggvagata in the city center all your looking for is a tiny Hotdog stand. Open since 1937 Bæjarins has been a staple of Reykjavik fast food. The standard Icelandic Hotdog comes with fried onions, fresh onions, sweet mustard, herb mayonnaise and ketchup. I know, right? If your ready to try this local favorite be prepared to wait in line. The lunch rush is especially crazy. 

Cost: 420 ISK ($4.20)

 5. Dessert

 
I found more than one place to satisfy my chocolate craving in Reykjavik but my favorite was Sandholt. Situated on Laugavegur, Reykjavik's main shopping street, Sandholt has everything from pastries to truffles. You can stop by for a quick togo snack or sit and enjoy yourself in their little café. It's perfect stop after walking all day and the café has a huge window for a wall where you can an sit and watch the activity on the street while you enjoy your sweets.

Cost: 150 ISK (truffles)- 950 ISK (pastries) 

          ($1.50-$9.50)

6. Laugavegur

The main shopping/drinking/eating street in the city center is
Laugavegur. The street is always lively but visit on a Saturday night after 22:30 and your in for a treat. The cheerful crowds, the street musicians and the food trucks are a just a few of the things you will enjoy. You will find several places to stop in for a drink most of the bars have live music on the weekends.

Cost: 1200ISK+ (beer) $12+
          1700ISK+ (food truck)$17+

7. Hallgrímskirkja Church

Designed in 1937 and completed in 1986 Hallgrímskirkja Church is one of Reykjaviks most noticeable landmarks. It's free to go visit the church. There is often local art hanging inside or you can even catch an organ concert. The organ is the centerpiece of the church with 5275 pipes. But, please remember you are in a functioning church.
For a small fee you can take and elevator (or take the stairs, you have to pay either way) to the clock tower of the church.

At the top of the tower there are two levels an enclosed and an open air viewing platform.

The tower give you an enchanting view of Reykjavik. With 360° views of the city it is one of the best ways to see Reykjavik.

Cost: 900ISK ($9) Tower

8.The National Museum of Iceland.

If you would like to know a little more history about Iceland what better place than the National Museum. Small by the standards of the Louvre and Smithsonian, the Iceland National Museum is three floors. The first floor houses the Ticket counter, café, giftshop, lecture hall and photo gallery. The second floor presents Icelandic history 800-1600 AD. With artifacts, diagrams and several audio narrations the history of Iceland comes alive. The third floor brings us to the modern age covering Iceland's history from 1600 to today. It's reasonable to say you could spend 2-3 hours walking around the museum.

Cost: 1500ISK ($15)

9. Dark Deeds Walking tour

Touted as a way to learn about Icelands crime fiction, ghosts and ghouls this free walking tour is put together by the Reykjavik City Library. Unfortunately this tour is held only in June, July and August at 15:00. So, I did not get to experience this one for myself. The tour starts from the City Library and lasts about 90 minutes. Just remember, the tour maybe free but remember to tip your guide.

Cost: 500-1000ISK ($5-10) Tip

10. Volcano House

Did you know Iceland is waiting for a Volcano to erupt any minute now? Of course with around 150 volcanoes on the island waiting for one to erupt is just a way of life in Iceland. If you want to learn more about the Volcanoes in the island the volcano House is the place to go. It features a free mini museum of the local minerals and, the types of Lava and ash. It will also give you a quick history on the most recent volcano eruptions including the Eyjafjallajökull in 2010 which stranded close to millions people at European airports.

Cost: $0

Before planning your trip, remember! Currency exchange rates change often and prices and times of attractions may change. So make sure to double check before you jump on a plane. AND have fun!

Iceland

So, while perusing through Facebook a few months I came across a delightful little post from Travelzoo, one of my favorite travel deal finders. It was a ridiculously low price for a trip to Reykjavik, Iceland.
I sent it to my aunt, having just retired she is always looking for new adventures. Her response? "Let's go!"

So with a few months of planning we finally made it to LAX. We sat and waited for our flight. The tour was going to be 8 days in Iceland. Hotel, flights, breakfast and northern lights tour all included. My Aunt decided that we needed a few more tours though so we were signed up for the Golden Circle, Game of Thrones, Blue Lagoon and she added the Glacier Lagoon when we got to the hotel. I can't take any credit for picking the tours, my aunt did all that, but I can write about them! She picked all great tours, we saw beautiful things and places and took way too many pictures.

Reykjavik was a great city. We had a blast. And I will tell you more! But you will have to wait for my other blog posts.

However, if you want to book your Iceland adventure in the meantime, check Travelzoo's Iceland deals out:

https://www.travelzoo.com/deals/vacations-iceland/?ctfId=3&locationId=1115&pageType=ResultsList&ga_s=Vacations%3B%20Iceland&search_type=destination

I Got Tired of It

I got home a few days ago from spending 4 months working in Skagway, Alaska. Driving down familiar streets makes me think of why I left 7 months ago . I got tired of it. Not the place, California is my home. The weather, the scenery and culture of California is something I love. My family is here and it is so important to be close to them, over the time I was gone I often had hour long phone calls with them but it was so nice to see them again. I got tired of who I was and the life I was living. I was working a job I hated and in a relationship that was not beneficial to either of us. I went to work, went home slept, and occasionally shared a meal. I could just bearly pay my bills, but hey, it was a consistent pay check.  I was in a position where I could survive but not thrive. I was living at home with family with no hope of every moving out. Now I know that a lot of people would be thankful to be in the position I was in and the privileges and blessing that I enjoyed have not gone unrecognized. But I was ready for more, for a change.

Que my little sister calling and saying that she could "use some help" in Texas. Her request was kind of true, but mostly a lie. She just wanted me to get out of the hamster wheel I was living in. I put in my two weeks and made a plan to roadtrip to Texas. I spent about 6 weeks with my sis, I got a part-time job, used my days off to explore Dallas and take little roadtrips. I spent more time with my sister than I had in a long time and we had fun. When it was time to go home I detoured to New Orleans. Three days in the Cresent City was great then the Long trip home. Over the two days driving home I had more energy drinks than I have ever had but it was great to get home.
After two weeks home to pack and celebrate my dad's birthday, I was off to Skagway. Flight,  taxi, ferry, Skagway. I was home, watching the little city that I have missed to much get closer, I felt an amazing mixture of peace and happiness. The summer was amazing. I met new friends, met up with old friends and explored as much as I could. The job I came to town for was fun, engaging, stressful and I loved it. Campfires, camping, northern lights and some great friends are what defined my summer.
Now that I'm home I'm not ready to settle yet. I have no job, very little savings, plenty of bills but I am happy. I don't know where or when my next job will be but it will be an adventure and adventure is what I seek. This summer was mine, for my soul to recover and grow but I'll make sure I keep you in the loop for my next adventure.

Dogsledding

So, when you come to Alaska to see the start of the Iditarod  (more on that later), what is the one thing you absolutely, positively, must do? DOGSLEDDING.

Let the tour begin with another 2 hour drive from Anchorage. Oh! Look a Moose!

Jane and I were part of tour of about 20 people. Run by the lovely folks at Salmon Berry tours (same people that did the Glacier tour FYI). The long bus ride took us to Willow and the home of Dallas Seavey, lifelong musher, youngest person ever to compete in the iditarod and three time Iditarod champion.

Once we got there we were welcomed by roughly 90 dogs barking their pleasure at our arrival.

Each dog sat with their own little house, feeder and yard. We all gathered at a patio over looking the kennel. The organization was, honestly, minimal but after a little shuffling we were split into groups. My group headed down the hill over to a frozen lake. The entire lake was frozen and covered in snow. It was frozen so thick it was possible to drive a snowmobile across it. Wow, seriously wow.

After a little coxing the bonfire was lit and we had some time to make s'mores. There was also a bucket of snowshoes for anyone who wanted to trek across the lake. Of course I've never been snowshoeing before so I had to try it. As it turns out, I am not very good at snowshoeing or even putting snowshoes on. But, been there, done that. Standing on the lake in direct sunlight and full snow gear was beginning to make me sweat. Jane was over heating too. So what do you do when you are overheating and surrounded by snow? Find a fresh patch of snow, firmly plant your feet shoulders width apart, stick your arms strait out to the side, put on your hood and falllllllll back. Snow angel!

All of these shinanagins were great but what we were really doing was killing time until it was our turn for a dogsled ride. Our time finally came.

Jane sat down in the front and I stood in the back and our delightful guide Sam stood between us. Trust me, it doesn't look as weird as it sounds.

After standing in the sun the crisp cold air felt amazing. The dogs were quiet and happy running along the trail. They were a team of pups who were still in training.

We cruised around the edge of the lake and disappeared into the treeline. We sailed through the birch and pine trees following a winding trail though the snow.

Standing on the back of a dog sled, surrounded by snow, with cold air numbing your nose, your fingers grasping the sled, your looking off into the distance and seeing Denali Mountain, it's one of those moments when reality changes. Take a deep breath, soak it in because your world will never again be the same.

Would I do it again? Yes. Should you? Yes.

Sincerely yours, Lady of Adventure

Glacier

When the tour company told us the tour was a "Glacier Walk" I imagined a worn out trail that would get us close to the glacier. Maybe we would get to walk on it but even then it would just be flat and  boring.

I was wrong.

Coming to Alaska during a warm winter with little snow looking out over the sparkling white glacier was amazing (I'm going to try not to use this word a lot but it will be hard.)

We drove from Anchorage, about 2 hours, and were now inching our way down a long, winding, snow covered drive that would take us to the Matanuska Glacier.

We made a quick pit stop to buy tickets and sign our life away on a liability waiver. Everyone jumped back into the bus to drive just a little bit further to a small building overlooking the Glacier where we would meet our guide.

After a few safety tips, like stay on the trail, and a few fun facts, like how glaciers form, we were fitted with micro cleats to keep us from slipping in the snow. We started out on the trail. Yes, the trail was well worn but that worked in our favor. The first 15 minutes were delightful. We walked along the trail ooing and aweing at the beautiful snow we were being deprived of on the other part of our trip. We walked across little rolling hills of snow that brought us closer to the glacier.

Soon the guide stopped us in front of one of the little hills that looked like one side had been cut off. The bare side revealed solid ice. This where our guide informed us we had been walking on the Glacier for several hundred feet now.

Over the next hour and a half we visited breathtaking examples of mother nature's ice sculpting skills. Small caves fortified by icicles, giant spikes of ice reaching into the sky and crevasses carved deep into the ice.

We climbed more little hills that got higher and steeper as we went. We were rewarded for our efforts on our return trip by getting to slide down the hills. Let that sink in for a minute, we got to slide down a snow covered ice hill, on a glacier. Wow.

The views were otherworldly and the colors were beautiful, white, baby blue, deep blue, turquoise and grey all running through the ice. Placing your hand on the ice it felt like nothing, it was bearly cold and the heat from your hand wasn't enough to melt the ice unless you held it there for several seconds.

Amazing, just amazing. It defied my expectations and expanded my imagination  (and I have a pretty good imagination). I would do it again in a second and drag along anyone that would be willing.

Sincerely yours, Lady of Adventure

Just off the Coast

To My fellow Californians:

If you’re ready for a short trip that gives you a chance to get away from it all then Catalina Island is for you. Santa Catalina Island is great place to spend a weekend or just enjoy for a day. Catalina Island is just off the coast of southern California and can be easily reached by the ferry.

View from the Island

 

There are several ferries that you can take to Catalina Island and they take out of several different ports, Long Beach, Dana Point and Newport Beach are just a few options. My personal favorite is the Catalina Express. I have used Catalina Express several times and each time it has been a great experience. After about an hour and a half ride the ferry will dock in Avalon, which is the main city on Catalina Island. 

·         Cost: A roundtrip to Catalina Island will cost you around $72.

·         Tip: Before you book your trip look for coupons and specials to find a better deal. Sometimes the specific websites like Catalina Express will run specials or gives away free tickets. Another great place to find ticket deals is Groupon.

Once you are on the Island there are a variety of things to do. If you’re an avid hiker there are plenty of places to explore. If you’re a more moderate hiker you may like to check out the Wrigley garden which is just a short walk from downtown Avalon. Pretty much everything in Catalina Island is within walking distance but if you don’t feel like walking there are plenty of places to rent bikes or golf carts.

My favorite thing to do when I visit the Island is to go kayaking. If you have never been kayaking before don’t worry its easy. The water around the island is usually crystal clear which makes it easy to see the sea life underneath your kayak. The last time I went kayaking, in March, I saw leopard sharks, dolphins and a very playful seal so your chances of viewing sea life are pretty good.

·         Cost: An hour of kayaking should cost you about $25 per person

·         Tip: Make sure to ask the attendant where a good area to kayak would be. They will probably know the best areas to go and discover some sea creatures and some beautiful views.

If kayaking isn’t for you check out the zip line or spend some time on the beach. To find out more about the history of the island and is famous inhabitants take a tour of the Casino. You can’t miss the Casino; it’s the big round building. Built in the 1920s the Casino on Catalina Islands was seen as its crowning jewel. Filled with intricate artwork and stunning views for those lucky enough to get inside the casino is a great place to learn about Catalina’s history.

View From the Casino Balcony

 

·         Cost: The 1/2 hour version of the tour will cost you only about $10

·         Tip: Check the times of the tours as soon as you get to the Island. Sometime the Casino has only one or two tours a day so finding out the tour times will help you plan your day better.

Catalina Island is a great place to visit with the family, as a date or just for the fun of it. After all your adventures on the Island make sure you save some time to explore the shops and restaurants in Avalon. Catalina Island is a great place to get away from it all without actually going too far. Some tips to remember when you visit the Island:

·         Bring sunscreen. That beautiful California sun shines down on the island and your skin will thank you for some sunscreen.

·         Flip-flops. Some of the beaches on Catalina can be kind of rocky so a pair of flip-flops will help protect your feet.

·         Roaming. If you bring your cell phone be careful, if you get signal, it will probably be on roaming. Make sure you adjust the settings on your phone accordingly.

And my last tip, as with any trip you take, remember that you are visiting someone’s home,  you are a tourist, be curious but also be kind an courteous wherever you go.

Sincerely Yours, Lady of Adventure

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Party in Budapest

When I booked my stay in Budapest I was thinking about the history and beauty of the city, not the party scene. Which as it turns out, is awesome.
Even though I was unaware of the party scene, I chose to stay at a party hostel and it was a good decision.  Every night there was a planned activity that allowed me to explore the bars and events around the city while having some sort of group safety.
 

So what did I do my first night in Budapest? Go on a Pub Crawl! It was a great way to get a sample of the nightlife. The guys that lead the crawl took the group to local places. So we avoided most of the tourist junk. But, whether you book a pub crawl through a tour company or join the hostel crawl make sure you get to see a ruin pub. They are basically building ruins that have lights, tables, and a bar. They can be great lively places to visit and a unique piece of Budapest. 

 

Taken in what might have been mistaken for a dungeon had it not been for the mind-numbingly loud music or the awesome party lights, this pic is from the basement of one of the clubs in Budapest. Yes, I said basement. There were at least three floors to this maze of a club, at one point I wasn't sure if I was above ground or even in the same building. It could have been the confusing floor plan or the many drinks I consumed before we got there. I would love to give you a name for this place but...yeah.

 

On another note there was a whale hanging from the ceiling in this bar. Its not the best picture I've ever taken in a bar but its certainly not the worst. The bars in Budapest are plentiful and very unique. I can't wait to go back and explore some more, and maybe next time I will write down a few of the places I visited so I can find them again.
 

But in Budapest even the unique is traditional want something a little more interesting? Than go to a spa party. What could be better than going to thermal baths and a bar? Well that is exactly what a Spa Party is. Relax in the delicious waters, ride a blow up Dolphin to the bar or just party in the pool. Anything you choose leads to a unique Budapest Party. I'll be honest, I chickened out on this one, and I quickly regretted it. Don't make my mistake! 

There are a number of other options for enjoying the nightlife in Budapest but these are just a few of the more unique options.

 

The number one rule? Make sure you know how to get back to the hostel/hotel. In the dark the city can be a labyrinth of stone buildings so be aware of where you are. Wandering around the dark streets at 5am is not a good idea (trust me, I know). But, in my personal experience the streets in the city center seem pretty safe. But by no means take chances. Use basic safety rules.

That being said,  go get your party on in Budapest!

 

Sincerely yours,  Lady of Adventure

 

 

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