We are in the spectacular City of Reykjavik, Iceland

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Hail to the Flag of Iceland

Yes, it is May and between the warm weather and the Gulf Steam of warm water, the flowers are spectacular.

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We saw fields and fields of Dandelions. Here they are very colorful and quite pretty. But at home we still call them noxious weeds.

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Reykjavik is the capital of Iceland, and its metro area is home to 2/3rds of all Icelanders. The total population of Iceland being 370,000. To put this in prospective this is about half the population of our least populated state, Wyoming. The size of Iceland is 40,000 sq miles, just about the size of the state of Kentucky.

We were able to rent an AirBnb apartment just behind us and only three blocks from the Cathedral. The red metal building over James and Garrett is our apartment. Extremely clean, chick and with the most modern of modern appliances.

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The School system is mandatory through the 12th grade. I found it particularly interesting through K3 thechildren learn the national Icelandic language. Then K4 ~ K9 they must take a second language. Normally this would be Norwegian, Swedish or Danish, and then at K10 they take up a third language, the most popular being English.

Soccer is the summer sport.

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This is a downtown gas station and note that it s incorporated into the median between two boulevards. Fuel is quite expensive here, i.e. gasoline $6.50 per gallon. Petroleum products are the only forms of energy that Iceland imports.

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Harpa

Located by the old harbor between Reykjavik city center and the North Atlantic, the new Harpa Concert Hall and Center stands out as a unique landmark in continuous interplay with its surroundings between the City and the Sea.

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Note the electrical plug-in and a City automobile hooked up for an electrical charge. Hydro generated electricity accounts for 60% of its electrical energy with Geothermal produced electricity making up the other 40%. Geothermal is the growing electrical energy source, and soon be equal to that of Hydro generated electricity.

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James and Renee are my models for a shot of Reykjavik Bay.

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What a beautiful work of art, and one of the most popular photo stops in the City. It was not a problem getting our turn but finding a time when we didn't have others wanting to be in our family photo was the challenge. Wow! What a handsome looking bunch of tourists. In fact they are the best looking bunch in Reykjavik on this day!

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Bright and oh so colorful.

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Yes, there are lots of bicycles, and they have found an ingenious way of using the worn-out bikes. Why just make them into an artful gate.

Color, Color, Color everywhere!

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All the heat on the island is thermo heat. I first noticed the piping for radiant heat at the Cathedral, where they were repairing a walkway. But look at this in the middle of the street. My assumption is that the city streets are heated by thermo heat. Wow, what a great idea of using what is abundant, cheap and readily available. No slick ice for the Reykjavik's in the depth of cold cold winter.

This leads me to explain that they process Thermo steam and very hot water for their radiant heating. The Thermo Steam is delivered to residents and commercial customers free of cost. There is a charge for that consummation of electricity.

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BBP is the name for the "World's Best Hot dog". Well, why not? One might think they were at Costco's. It was lunch time and we were ready, and at that monument we agreed this was the World's Best Hot dog.

Hallgrímskirkja The Lutheran Parish Church

Leifr Ericsson, the Son of Iceland, the Viking who discovered America in Newfoundland in 930AD.

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If you look closely at the seating benches in the Cathedral, you'll observe that the backs can be flipped to look to the front and the Alter, or in this case face the rear of the church where the organist is playing.

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Whales of Iceland Museum

Whales are abundant in the waters around Iceland and the Gulf Stream's warm water . The whales have a choice of North Atlantic, the Norwegian Sea or the Arctic Ocean creating a great habitat for most species of whales. This display was most interesting, not only because of the gigantic models displayed, but we were amazed at the number of different species that exist in Iceland's ocean waters.

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We were on the Hop On Hop Off Bus so our stay was at our leisure, and this was not a 30 minute stop. We were here for over 2 hours, the museum being that informative.

We, too, went Whale Searching thinking we were going Whale Watching. My problem was that when for the few seconds we'd see a whale surface I couldn't get a camera on him. So I started shooting from the hip, and now have a hundred photos of the Iceland Bay blue waters. If you really want to see them, privately email me and I share them with you, and we'll not bore the others.

But wait a minute we did catch one and would be remiss if we didn't share this one. Look closely over the left antenna and My Friends you have seen my capture of Mr. Whale. (the only successful shot)

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Wow! What a view from the bay of Reykjavik!

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The Blue Lagoon geothermal waters originate more than 6,000 feet below ground and usually range from 98 º to 104º.

Dottie joined the younger set for the Blue Lagoon Hot Mineral Bath experience, and of course complete with the mud mask. My cracked ribs from my Amsterdam fall were not up to the soaking, but I had wished they were.

The bathing lagoon is quite large, as these photos show. Hi James and Renee.

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Dottie, Kyle, Robin and James enjoying the mineral bath.

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Raulin and Garrett, and I'm glad she is using her cell phone for these photos and not my Canon.

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Oh, Oh here come the facial mud treatment. They could pass as Agronomies from down under in their War Paint.

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Look See how refreshed these tourists are after their Hot Soak. Their smiles are sparking. That is the benefit of playing in the mud and thehot mineral baths.

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OH! The sun at the Mineral Baths can be hot, too. How about our Red Inguins

Perlan

Be prepared to be amazed. The photography that is displayed within will absolutely be amazing.

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This is ingenuity at its best. Might you have any idea what the 6 large round structures might be?

They appear to be water tanks and if you guess that you are correct. Each tank holds 1,000,000 gallons of hot water. This is the hot water storage system for the City of Reykjavik. The hill on which this storage complex is located on hight enough ground that,by gravity sufficient pressure is created to operate the entire City, including pressure for a 10-story building.

The first of these tanks was constructed in 1939 and now there are 6. After the tank complex was completed they said what the heck let's use the inside area between the tanks and now they have the fascinating Perlan, which you are about to enjoy.

The Perlan tank photo is courtesy of Google, and the City of Reykjavik.

I shot the following photographs from a marvelous photo on display. These professional works are an accumulation of several photographers and over a number of years. Each was taken at that time is history that only existed for that monument. They are works of art. They were black lit negatives and about 4' X 6' in size.

There were explanations given on each of the large photos, and the details were very complex. Let me sum it up by saying this is a collection of Artists behind the camera/s that composed each shot. Photography professionalism at its very best. I would love to give each artist credit for his or her contribution in the following photographs, but the Internet does not show them listed. Regardless our complements is extended to each.

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The elusive Northern Lights. These Lights are on our Bucket List for 2020, either here in Iceland, Canada or Alaska.

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Winter time lapse photography

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There are 31 active volcanos in Iceland and 16 of these have erupted within the last 100 years. Bárðarbunga located under Vantnajokull, Iceland's most extensive glacier. Holuhraun is a large lava field just north of the Vantnajokul ice cap. Both of these erupted in 2014. They know to expect the unexpectable.

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Note the single engine airplane in the lower center of this photograph. That plane gives one the prospective of the magnitude of this work of nature.

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We circled and climbed our way up and through the photographic displays, and then it was time for a breath of fresh air. This is looking north from the Perlan toward the International Airport of Reykjavik. The air field you see in this photo is the old field and is local use only; the International being some 20 miles north of the City across the waters you observe.

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Reykjavik is pristine clean and located in such a romantic setting.

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Renee working her skill with these professional models.

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The Art Scupture at the Perlan

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Now with live models.

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Reykjavik is a wonderful city to visit and we have been enriched in the week we have been allowed. Tomorrow we are off on a two-day tour of the southern coast of Iceland. Now we'll be out of the City and into the heart of Iceland's natural wonders.

Adios and as we do in New Mexico, when we pass .......................... We wave.

ADIOUS ~ Amigos

 

Use Wisely your QTR!

 

QTR - Quality Time Remaining

 

 

Come on Willie sing us another verse, and we’ll move on down the road.