It’s an Ill Wind...

(If you don’t have time to read all of this, do take a few moments to see several of the highlights described below by clicking here. If you do have time to read, there are a few direct links below, but I hope you'll also click on the link in the previous sentence to see more!)

We were supposed to leave on a 2:10pm flight from Akureyri to Reykjavik today, but the major storm that began late Wednesday night disrupted air traffic all around the country, and our flight was rescheduled for early evening.

Our kind friends Berglind and Agnes offered to give us a tour of their city to help fill the time between dropping off our rental car at the airport and when our rescheduled flight would depart, and once again, they outdid themselves.

The tour began with Akureyri’s amazing Botanical Garden, Lystigarður Akureyrar. Begun by the city’s women in 1957, and located about 50 miles south of the Arctic Circle, this garden is a delight to stroll in, and a wonderful place to become more familiar with Icelandic and other Arctic flora, as well as to marvel at how well more than 6000 non-native plants grow there. We were fortunate to see an exhibit of photos near the garden’s Bjork Cafe from the women’s photography club that Agnes and Berglind belong to, just a few days before it was to close.

I hope to return to the Botanical Garden sometime, because the cafe there was closed, and I’m eager to try it out, but mainly to have more time in this lovely spot!

Next we went to Akureyrarkirkja -- the Church of Akureyri. Like Reykjavik’s Hallgrimskirkja, this impressive building was designed by State Architect Guðjón Samúelsson, and sits on a hill overlooking the city.

Phil noted the interesting connection between this church and England’s Coventry Cathedral in his blip for this date. My favorite things in the church were the smaller stained glass inserts about Icelandic church history in the nave windows depicting events in the life of Jesus, and the unusual baptismal font.

We had an amazing lunch at Múlaberg Bistro and Bar, very near the church -- Atlantic wolffish, perfectly cooked and presented with flair, delicious bread and Icelandic butter, and the gorgeous cup of hot chocolate featured above, replete with local cream.

Berglind and Agnes then drove us by both old and new sections of town, with interesting contrasts in house styles, as well as the university, the most northernmost 18-hole golf course in the world, the fine library, the junior college, the vocational college, the ski resort, and many other things.

Akureyri has fewer than 18,000 residents, yet has museums honoring local writers, an art museum, a museum of industry, a motorcycle museum, an aviation museum, one of the largest libraries in Iceland, a professional theatre company, loads of youth and adult sports opportunities, two movie theatres, a bowling alley, art galleries, whale watching trips, horse riding, Hof Cultural and Conference Centre, the North Iceland Symphony Orchestra, and much more -- and you can ride for free on the city buses!

In case you can’t tell, I’m in love with Akureyri!