We’ve arrived at our last day in the Land of Fire and Ice, but we won’t be saying goodbye just yet. We were gifted a gorgeous day to wander around and catch some last views and vistas of this extraordinary place.
Our last glimpse of the sunrise.
We had been thoroughly enjoying (horking down) the included hotel buffet breakfast during our stay. On this day, we decided to go a bit lighter on the gratis meal and save some room for some sweets at a local bakery which we had passed several times during the week.
We took our time enjoying our treats and coffee. It was at this point that the reality was setting in that the end was nigh. Let’s not think about it. How about a walk then?
Statuary and art is dotted all around the city of Reykjavik. You may recall that I highlighted some murals in my first installment. This piece is right by the fishing docks at the Harbor.
This is called “Two Lil’ Fishermen”
Just kidding. It’s titled: Horft Til Hafs(looking Out to Sea). Seriously, why are they so short?
Across the Harbor you’ll find the Majestic Mount Esja .
Deb is more dedicated to her photography craft than I. Scott contributes in his own way.
A little further down you’ll find an iconic piece of art “The Sun Voyager”. This striking landmark was created by Icelandic sculptor Jon Gunnar Arnason to celebrate Reykjavik‘s 200 year anniversary.
Solfarid – An ode to the sun
This is how it looks with four Doofy Americans standing in front of it.
And without.
None of us had yet done any sort of souvenir shopping. Deb was on the hunt for an authentic Icelandic sweater. We dipped in to a few shops and found our treasures in this place.
Puffins are a thing in Iceland. I don’t think we covered that.
Deb found the perfect sweater. I don’t have a picture of her modeling it so I’ll use this one from the internet.
It works because she’s also an angry looking red head.
I chose a map of Iceland as my souvenir. I’ll update you if I ever get it framed.
We grabbed a drink at the place where we started on the first day.
This next statue we happened upon is called “Vatnsberinn” (“The Water Carrier”) by sculptor Ásmundur Sveinsson.
Vatnsberinn (Water Carrier)
This one sparked heated debates back in 1937 when it was first installed. It was meant to represent the hardships of the public at the turn of the century. People called it ugly and weird and said it was not considered beautiful enough to be placed in the heart of the capital, so it was relegated to the far reaches of the city…until 2011 when it finally arrived to the location originally reserved for it, on the corner of Bankastraeti and Laekjargata in central Reykjavík. I had no horse in this race but, finally, justice!
Another look at the Rainbow on Skólavörðustígur Street.
Looks like they switched out the abandoned Brafor some fall plantings.
We’ve ended the cultural portion of this tour, now on to the culinary. I did no research on what the “must try ” foods are in Iceland, but we inadvertently happened upon most everything on the top ten list I looked up for this here blog. We had the Skyr, the Rye Bread cooked in a hot spring, Rancid Shark… all the hits! What I wouldn’t have ever guessed was an essential Icelandic food would be the Hot Dog.
The Pylsur, or Icelandic hot dog
Hot dogs are so ubiquitous and beloved in Iceland, they’re practically the national dish. They’re sold at every gas station and most convenience stores, at hot dog stands inside malls and at ferry landings, and even at the airport, but the most popular place to get one is in Reykjavik at Bæjarins BeztuPylsur.
“Best hot dogs in town”
Seventy percent of the country’s 300,000 residents have eaten at this particular hot dog stand.
It’s been open in all sorts weather and crazy storms every single day of the year for almost 85 years!
These tables do look 85 years old.
It comes highly recommended that you get your dog with everything. That’s raw white onions, crispy fried onions, ketchup, sweet brown mustard called pylsusinnep, and remoulade. If you want to amuse the person behind the counter you may attempt the Icelandic for “everything” “ein með öllu” . Good luck.
Mustard and remoulade on the top, onions on the bottom.
I mentioned at the start of this blog that we were traveling during the Pandemic. I believe that this place was the perfect destination to get some perspective. The unofficial motto here is ‘Þetta Reddast‘ (pronounced thet-ta re-dust, if you care to try). This phrase roughly translates to the idea that everything will work out all right in the end.
This would make sense in some tropical, trouble free paradise, but this is freakin’ Iceland, a place of constant uncertainty. A small, isolated island with perpetual threats of erupting volcanoes, avalanches and brutally unforgiving weather. The country sits on the rift between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates, and those plates are slowly moving apart, widening Iceland by about 3cm per year and causing an average of 500 small earthquakes every week.
One would think that anxiety would rule the people here, but it doesn’t. One of our guides said as much. To paraphrase “There are a lot scary unknowns here, but just look around. We enjoy the beauty of this place everyday and we are just thankful to be here.”.
When we planned this tripped waaaay back in December of 2020 we had no way of knowing that there would soon be a seismic event. Yes friends, we have an active volcano here!
Would you look at that!
Unfortunately, the lava stopped emerging just a few weeks before we arrived. Womp, Womp. The above photo is from the interwebs. No matter. We still took an excursion to the valleys of Geldingadalur to check out the smoking remains of the event.
Wizzing by the lush landscape.
En route to the Volcano site, our driver pulled over by a couple scenic spots where we could snap some pictures. Despite the steely skies, the vistas were just gorgeous.
Black lava shores
Mr. Jones was moved by the majesty of this place. Obviously.
The contrast of the sulfur rich soil, the lava rock and the deep green was just stunning. Life finds a way. Sigh…
Our next stop included a trip to a lil’ lavatory which was located at a hot springs. This was far stinkier than the Geyser park that we visited previously. This smelled like hardboiled eggs and toots.
Got it.
Stinky, yet still beautiful.
It feels like being on a planet from a Star Trek episode.
Stick to the walkways, if you don’t want to be soft boiled.
Back on the bus
We arrived at the volcano site. I guess I expected it to be more like the other parks we visited with a cafe and visitor center. Not so.
A very temporary sign for a temporary tourist site.
Looks a wee bit different now, but OMG there’s the lava stream!
I’m not a hiker in the least. When we arrived here I could see tiny figures aaaall the way at the top of this mountain. I thought “Hey, look at those go getters! We’re surely not going to climb this beast!” You can put this in the “times that I was totally wrong” column.
We suited up and started climbing.
Fast forward to the top of the mountain. Sorry I didn’t take any picks of the ascension. I was too busy trying not to fall to my death.
We made it to the top. It’s hard to see with the fog, but we are looking across to the volcano and down over the lava field.
My travel mates standing at the edge of the cliff. I’ll just stand back here and snap a pic. We made our way back down the mountain, off the sanctioned path.
I may have taken a wee slide down the hill .
Now we get to have a close up look at the steaming lava field. It may not look that dangerous, but just under this crust is 2000 degree lava. Our guide keep stressing this point due to the fact that some other tourists still insisted on walking on the lava, despite the various leaders shouting as much.
Guys!!! Get off of there!!!
Here’s a badly filmed video I took. Sorry, I don’t know how to use my camera properly after all these years.
If you turn up your volume, you can hear a guide chastising people.
An example of a collapse that could befall our friends above.
The formations were fascinating.
A last look at Geldingadalur Valley.
Time for lunch!
Our guide basically said we would be total dum-dums if we didn’t get Fish and Chips.
I got the Fish and Chips. I’m no dummy. Look at those salt flakes nestled on this perfectly fried piece of fresh cod!
With lunch on board, it was time to roll on. I haven’t really gone on about the weather being poor. Honestly, the gloomy skies over the volcano seemed appropriate. However, this is where things took a turn for the worse. It started to rain sideways. Despite the deluge, we pulled over to explore this stunning, rocky cliff face.
Dramatic shores of Reykjanes peninsula.
This spot also has a Hollywood connection. Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga is a very cute film Starring Will Ferrell. The story is based in Iceland and this is the exact spot where the opening “number” was filmed.
If it weren’t for the pelting rain, this would have been a perfect photo op!
Just pretend this is Jeff and me.
It got pretty intense.
We made one more “pull over” stop before reaching our final destination. I’m not sure where it was because it was so ridiculously rainy and windy that I turned right back around and waited on the bus.
The big finale for this excursion is the The Blue Lagoon. This is one of the most visited attractions in Iceland and is listed on National Geographic’s 25 wonders of the world!
The Blue Lagoon is basically a “Spa-zilla”. Its history dates back to 1976 when it was formed next to a geothermal power plant, Svartsengi. It was created by wastewater from drilling for steam and hot water. Wait, what? It’s gonna be fine, trust me.
The drilled water is full of dissolved minerals mixed with seawater and is therefore not suitable for direct use to warm up homes (the minerals would damage the pipes). Instead, the water heats freshwater, which is pumped to nearby urban areas.
After this, the seawater is released into this nearby lava field. Lava is porous, so water usually sinks into it. However, this water is loaded with silica that separates as it cools down. The silica forms a muddy layer over the lava which stops the water from seeping through and Viola! We’ve created the Blue Lagoon.
You’re probably thinking yeah, Blah blah blah, let’s see this Lagoon already! Well, remember how the weather was total crapola? Yeah…
Ladies and gentlemen, The World Famous Blue Lagoon!
You can see the lava rock and the silica layer that holds the water.
You can see little heads huddled under the bridge.
I know, you’re probably feeling super bad for us but do not! The temperature of the Blue Lagoon is a consistent 102 F, so despite it being cold, raw and sleeting sideways, we did have an amazing soak. I just couldn’t take any pictures for your enjoyment.
Lucky for all of us, my friend Keela visited the Lagoon a couple months before we did, so I nabbed one of her pictures from her FaceBook page.
Keela is the cutie second from the right.
Now you feel worse for me, don’t you… Honestly, it really was amazing. Rain and all.
Here’s another stolen pic from a tourism site to give you a sense of scope.
Our bones were thoroughly soaked. We assembled onto our bus and were escorted back to our home base. As you can imagine we were pretty well knackered at this point. We plunked down at this adorable, American-style hamburger stand for some grub.
Hamborgarabúllan
The place was full of greasy smoke. It was amazing.
This may have been the best thing I’ve ever eaten, but I was starving and exhausted.
That was a heck of an adventure. Let’s get a good night’s sleep for our last day in Reykjavik! We’re gonna make the most of it!
We rose once again to beautiful clear skies for our big plans. What would today’s adventures bring you ask? Well, we could have journeyed north to see glaciers, or perhaps toured the Icelandic countryside on horseback. Alas, no. Today we will be taking a long walk over to the bus station to get Covid tests. Yup, we had to take the appointments whenever we could get them and it was smack in the middle of the day. I will end my whining here.
This view…
Thankfully, we had our trusted tour guide Deb who had come up with some conciliatory activities to occupy us nearby the aforementioned bus station. We first made our way back to Skólavörðustígur street to get a closer look at Hallgrímskirkja church.
Downtown Reykjavik
This statue of Leifur Eiríksson was a gift from the United States to Iceland to commemorate the 1000 year anniversary of Alþingi, the parliament of Iceland which we just visited. Remember, guys?
The statue of Leifur Eiríksson
The statue was designed by an American sculptor, Alexander Stirling Calder who won a competition to design the monument in 1929. The pillar he stands on is meant to resemble the bow of a Viking boat, recalling Leifur’s voyage across the sea. Enough Leif facts. On to the church!
The church’s two big bronze doors were installed in 2010 and they have the words “Komið til mín” on the front, which means “Come to me”.The doors are just as beautiful on the inside.
Hallgrimskirkja is the largest church in Iceland and among the tallest structures in the country so it’s a perfect spot to get the best view of Reykjavik. For a small fee you can board an elevator to the top of the tower.
You can see colourful houses, the sea, and the island of Videy in the forground and Mount Esja looming behind.The views are 360°.
Looking down over the church Sanctuary.
The church houses a huge pipe organ which was being played as we entered. No sermons this day.
Baptismal font? Holy water vessel? Not sure.
We finished up at the church and decided to wander over to a Café Loki to while a way little more time before trodding over the highway to the bus station.
Spotted in a planter right in front the church. Somebody needs Jesus. As you can see, the café is straight across from the church.
We were pretty well full from our (free) breakfast at the hotel. Too bad because this would be the place to try more authentic Icelandic dishes.
The boys did try the infamous “Fermented Shark”.
It’s so awful one needs to chase it with an equally awful shot of liquor.
Down the hatch!
I did not partake in the shark. It’s one of those “survival foods” from hundreds of years ago. The shark contain so much ammonia that it would kill you to eat it straight up. It’s buried and fermented for weeks to remove the ammonia. Jeff said the job was not successful. It still tasted like Windex.
I did however order a dessert that a Facebook friend recommended. Remember that rye bread we had from the geothermal springs? Well, they have an ice cream for that!
Tests gotten and approval received, Deb had another spot in mind to enjoy some stellar views of Reykjavik.
She led us through the woods instead of the interstate. Could they have been plotting our muder this whole time? Maybe. We’ll find out!
Even a little path in the woods has all the gorgeous components of the Icelandic landscape. Lush mosses against the charcoal grey lava rocks.
That’s a steep drop.
Ok where are we, really?
We did finally reach our destination, Perlan . ‘The Pearl’ stands on top of Öskjuhlíð Hill in the middle of the forest. This is an attraction that is pretty wacky to describe. It’s a museum, a hot water storage facility, an observation deck, a restaurant and an airport beacon. Try writing that brochure.
Six water tanks store 24 million litres of Reykjavík’s hot water. On top of the dome is a rotating light which serves to signal the airplanes flying to and from the nearby Reykjavík Domestic Airport.
There was a freaky looking band outside the museum. The boys fit right in.A closer look at the dome.The vistas from the Perlan were gorgeous. All along the rail were photos and descriptions of the mountains and neighborhoods. All in Icelandic. Snow capped mountains frame the view.This the the original airport. So tiny.Favorite picture. Remind me to print this one.
Back inside the dome there is a bar with snacks available. I understand there used to be a whole cafeteria here, but that’s been replaced with gift shops.
Live plant wall.
There are many educational opportunities here. Films, exhibits etc. We were running short on time (more on this later) so we decided to just walk through the ice caves.
The caves open every 20 minutes or so. We chilled outside. Dad joke. This guy kept us company. A map of claustrophobia.
It was as cold and claustrophobic as advertised.
I took my rightful place on the Ice Throne.
This is Deb. She did not fall. She’s fine. This is an inside joke that I cannot explain. I just had to document it.
Another walk back through these gorgeous woods.
We found a friend along the way.
On our very first day in Iceland, when we stopped for cocktails, we chatted up the bartender who told us about this Barbecue place that we just had to try.
Icelandic Honytonk. What could go wrong?This is the local NA beer. Love this clown guy. There must be story.
Everything was pretty good. There was some weird seasoning on the slaw and in the Mac n Cheese. Not bad, just not what I’m used to.
We made our way back to the hotel to get a nap in. As I mentioned previously, the weather forecast for this week was supposed to be dreary. This meant that the chances of seeing the Northern lights would be essentially nil. This turned out to be false. The projections for seeing the Northern lights were off the charts good, so we booked a tour to see them this night.
We made our way back to the hotel to get a nap in.
Caffeine loading while we waited for our bus.
All these guys had the same idea.
Well, I can cross the Northern Lights off my bucket list. To be honest, the picture below is from Deb’s camera. She was able to capture the bright green much better than the naked eye. The lights danced and were utterly captivating, but they were not the brilliant green color one would expect. However, I was enchanted and so grateful to get to see this phenomenon for myself.
A glorious mystery.
We managed to carve out a chock full day despite the obstacle of getting a Q-Tip shoved up our nose in the middle of the day. I said I was done whining, but I have to add one more thing. To add insult to injury, the tests that we had were never checked at either airport on our return trip. Now I’m done.
This morning we were up and at ’em bright and early. After a few rounds of coffee and a hearty bowl of Skyr we loaded onto our coach for a nine hourGolden Circle tour! The three primary stops on the route are the Thingvellir National Park, the Gullfoss waterfall, and the Geysir Geothermal Field. We would also be adding a bonus stop at the Fontana spa.
Our chariot for the day. Spot the photographer. After just a few minutes on the road, the scenery changed to this!Deb was on the good side of the bus. Move out of the way, Deb!I gave her my camera to snap a few. She’s a legit photographer. Thingvellir Vistor Center
A quick stop at the restroom. That’s not a painting on the wall. That’s the view from the loo!
Þingvellir or Thingvellir in English parlance, was the first national park established in Iceland. This was founded to protect the remains of the parliament site which we’ll see in a moment.
Gorgeous mountain ranges.
Lava rock pavers.
We set about exploring. I should take a moment to mention that the forecast for the entire week was steady rain. Not so. It was stunningly beautiful the whole day.
The continental drift between the North American and Eurasian Plates can be clearly seen in the cracks running through the park.
Watch your step!
Speaking of watching your step, the walkway through the crevasse was as slick as an ice rink! Thank Odin for hand rails!
The volcanic rock pathways are so cool. Gorgeous, moss encrusted rock face. Remember that wall fountain art piece from our last installment? The Lögberg or Law Rock was a natural platform for holding speeches. The looming rock wall behind would echo the proclamations of the Lawspeaker who presided over the assembly and recited the law of the land.Clear waterways wind through the park. Apparently one can scuba or snorkel in the park if they chose. An activity for the next visit!
We were hustled out of this park a little quicker than I would have liked. I could have lingered for a bit more, but we had a tight schedule to keep. Next stop was Geysir Hot Spring Area in Haukadalur Valley.
Boiling mud pits and exploding geysers. Seems safe to me.
Or not… the last admonition is the most disconcerting.
This area comprises more than a dozen hot water blow holes (Tee Hee). Geysir is the geyser that gave the name geyser to geysers. I’m a writer, guys. However, Geysir is not currently active. After being dormant for some time, it was revived by an earthquake in 2000 and erupted for a couple of times a day for a few years. Now, Geysir is once again mostly dormant, though other hot springs in the Geysir geothermal area are quite active.
“Lil Geysir”, not the big one.
Hubble Bubble
A smaller geyser called Strokkur still erupts every 15 minutes or so. It seemed to be timed to go off just before I got my camera ready.
Juuuuust missed it.
Here’s some slo-mo action.
Here’s an actual good video. Thanks, Youtube.The ole’ Geysir just laying there all chill. Time for a snack.
Sandwiches and treats
A cozy lounge area
Cappuccino!
It was our scheduled lunch time, but I just went with a cappuccino. Back on the road. Picture a little bus chugging down the map to Gulfoss.We parked at our next destination. Across the way you can see, if you squint, Glaciers in the distance. The design of the Gulfoss visitor center works well with the landscape.
I knew we would be seeing a waterfall here. As we rounded the bend, I was not prepared for what I witnessed.
My word!Spectacular!Gulfoss is one of the most magnificent sights I’ve ever seen. Technically, Ive been to Niagra Falls… but I didn’t actually see it.
We tore ourselves away from the falls and made our way back on to the bus for our last stop on the excursion.
“A unique experience of the healing powers of the geothermal springs. Soak in a natural pool, listen to the bubbling hot spring in the steam rooms, or for the venturesome, take a dip in the refreshing lake.”
This was the perfect way to end the day. While my companions enjoyed the steam baths and challenged their constitutions by jumping in the freezing lake, I soaked in the hot spring fed pools. I’m not much into sucking hot steam into my lungs or shocking myself in icy water. That’s just me.
Natural Geothermic Pool. A view of the lake beyond. You can make your way up on to the grass roof for an even better vista.
Steam pours out of the surrounding springs.
We got showered and dressed in time for the last bit of the tour. A guide from the Fontana took us down to the shore for a bit of a science/history/cooking lesson.
Pay attention, kids. Nothing, just boiling water coming out of the ground.
Icelanders have been baking Rye bread or Hot Spring bread right in that volcanic ground for a hundred years. The process starts with a mixture of dark rye and whole wheat flour, buttermilk, golden syrup, baking powder, baking soda and a little salt. The dough goes in to a metal pot sealed with Saran Wrap (prob not the century old way) and buried in the boiling ground to bake for 24 hours.
We got the whole tutorial from a very handsome silver fox Icelander. This is the where I find out if Jeff even reads my blogs.
Digging out the previously made bread
The ceremonial Saran removal.
The finished product.
The bread was yummy. More like that brown bread in the can than deli style rye.
Our adventure was officially concluded. We were delivered back to our hotel. We were all pretty hungry, but none of us had the energy to explore the city for food so we decided to dine right in the hotel restaurant.
Menu
They had me at bread and butter.
I’ve been delighted by the variety of low alcohol beers here.
This is actually the same place where get our breakfast each morning. There’s far fewer flames at the Yogurt station.
The meal was just splendid. This was by far the priciest dinner we enjoyed on the trip, but very much worth the extra Kronar.
KING OYSTER MUSHROOM (V) glazed celery, red quinoa, mashed celery, basilsauce and dukkah.
PAN FRIED COD Icelandic Cod, crispy cauliflower, hollandaise noisette, fennel and potatoes
There have been many destinations on my bucket list and Iceland was not one of them, but when this incredible opportunity came our way, it was a no brainer. Our good friends Deb and Scott had honeymooned in Reykjavik and had been several times since. They reached out to tell us about a stupid good deal for flights, hotel and excursions so we went for it. For those historians looking back through my archives, this trip was scheduled during the covid times so to be honest, I wasn’t sure we would even get there. Alas, we made it! We set out with our friends/tour guides to the land of Fire and Ice.
Just like that, we’re at the Airport!
Instead of taking the transfer bus that stops at a dozen hotels, we decided to hire a taxi that would take us directly to our destination. Genius! Unfortunately, our driver was none too thrilled that it took us an hour to get through customs with all extra precautions in place. He was humorless and looked like one of the thugs from Fargo.
“We stop at Pancakes House”
In addition to being perturbed about hanging around the airport lobby at 6:00am, he was also so exhausted. How do I know this? Well, because he suggested that Jeff do the driving because he was so tired. I spent the entirety of the one hour drive riveted to his drooping eyes in the rear view mirror. Needless to say, we all survived.
There was some sorting out of rooms to be done, so in the meantime we took advantage of the included buffet breakfast. I’m told this is a great perk because although it’s cheap to get to Iceland, it’s expensive to be there. We took advantage of this every morning. Not as much advantage as the lady who stuffed here backpack full of croissants though.
Skyr yogurt with granola and banana. I peeled it after
Fresh baked sourdough and various meats
Tumeric ginger shots!
After breakfast, we still had some down time so there were naps taken in the mid-century lobby.
Guys, that fire is not real.
The lobby was quite stylish. All the plants, unlike the fire, were actually real. Must be a full time plant waterer on staff.
Naps had and rooms sorted, we took a stroll. We started around the waterfront. This hotel was in an ideal location.
Reykjavik HarborBold colors brighten up the grey harbor.
Plenty of restaurants featuring local seafood.
Along the waterfront you’ll find he Harpa Concert Hall where one might catch a Bjork performance. This was a brilliant example of architecture.
Magnificent.
It was twice as stunning from the inside. The colors danced through the stained glass windows.
Oh, and the views from there weren’t too bad either.
The cutest light house that ever was.
We made our way to Reykjavik’s Main Street, Laugavegur. Its name roughly translates to ‘The Water Road’. This was where women used to bring their laundry to be washed in the hot pools.
No laundry was being washed today.
No way we’ll get lost.
Skólavörðustígur, one of the streets in downtown Reykjavík was painted in rainbow colors for Pride one year but has stayed for good. At the top of the street is Hallgrímskirkja church.
It was time for a proper sit down and a drink. Deb and Scott had been here before and loved it. I could see why.
Love the hand carved sign.The space was cavelike and cozy.
The cocktails were crafted to perfection. We will revisit this spot before the end of the trip, rest assured.
We continued to loop around the city in a desperate bid to stay awake until a reasonable time. Jet lag is real, people.
Elaborate Street Art can be around any corner.
One of many churches.
Also, a self cleaning Toilet. I give it a 6 out of 10.
I wonder why all these waterfowl are hanging around here?
Oh! it’s this lady, dumping bags of bread on the side walk.
Then we ran into this blockhead.
A wall fountain representing the landscape we’ll be seeing more of later.
Time passed and we found another spot to rest and have some grub this time. We had some tasty beverages along with Beef Carpaccio and a knock out Confit Duck Pizza.
The space was a bit more girly than it read from the outside.
The food was superb!
This the the portion of the day where it down-poured. We made our way to another bar where I had to shed my waterlogged sneakers. The weather prediction for the week was a washout, so I was not surprised or disappointed by the rain.
When we poked back out of the pub we caught some breaking clouds and a bit of a sunset. This was a harbinger of the week to come.
We made it to a reasonable hour to head back to hotel to call it a day, but not before stopping in the lounge for a night cap.
I would be having many cappuccinos in this lounge.
We finally got to see our room. There was a welcome gift….for Laura and Bjark! We were too tired to go back down to the front desk.
We ate the macarons, left the booze.
This is the view that Laura and Bjark should have had. Sorry!
We had a capitol first day keeping awake and seeing some sights close to our temporary home. Tomorrow we will be setting out for an all day tour. Friends, this will be epic!
Today would be our last day in Walt Disney World. As usual, I chose to wrap up our week with a visit to Epcot, but I also had other designs in mind.
Good morning. So many walls to navigate. First stop is France for le petit dejuener. The sweets here are gorgeous!Care for an toddler sized croissant?Why yes! And add some egg and cheese, please. The crowds were quite spare this morning. On our way around World Showcase, we ran into the raised bridge. This is for the fireworks barge to pass through. We grabbed a beer for the waiting. Is it past 11:00? Never you mind!The flower and garden festival planting were just being planted. I made one fastpass reservation for Soarin’. I liked the old one better. Debate me.Our main goal was to check out the new Disney Skyliner! This has different routes that run from the resorts and parks. We did a bit of a crawl starting from the International Gateway. We got our own private car. No hanky panky.
Here we go! The launch gives your stomach a dip.Brand new views!…And a view of the France construction. Nice work, boys. There is no air conditioning in these cabs. That was a big concern, but the breeze flows right through. No worries, unless you get stuck up there. We won’t talk about that.We landed at the Caribbean Beach Resort. One we’ve never stayed at or even visited before.This way to the bar!Lovely areas to lounge.The waterways were surprisingly swampy. We made it to our destination, sort of. Sebastian’s was my intention, but they were closed for lunch. No worries, we slipped on over to the Banana Cabana. These steel drums were nearly impossible to play.When in Rome….Back to the sky!
We took the loop around on the Skyliner. I loved this new transportation addition. If we had more time, we surely would have made all the rounds. Sadly, time was getting on. We needed one more good meal before leaving for the airport.
This will do. Burgers and ice cream. We got a up close view of the Sundae production!This guy.Save room for the Kitchen Sink.Action shot!I should have gotten the tots. We didn’t have quite enough room for a whole gallon of ice cream, but I got a kiddie peanut butter sundae. Perfection!One last song before we go.
We arranged this February 2020 trip as a quick getaway after a hectic fall and winter. How could we have ever known that this may be the last Disney trip that we would take for many years or perhaps ever again? For those who are reading this post in the far, far, future, this was the very beginning of Covid-19. If things got back to normal and this event was just a faint blip of the past, move on, nothing to see here. Chances are though, no matter when you are reading this, things are somewhat different. The pictures of people enjoying each other unencumbered by masks and taped distances on the ground may seem quite strange. I hope not. I do hope that things are back to normal, not a “new normal”. As of this dateline, this Disney fanatic will not be returning to Disney or flying anywhere. Not because I’m afraid of getting sick, but because I simply don’t want to participate until we can truly be free. Until then, we’ll be hunkering down close to home, grateful for all the adventures we’ve had over these past ten years of Maybe Someday. Until then, my friends.
We started this day by lounging around our hotel for at bit before heading out to Animal Kingdom.
A look at the aft side of Gran Destino Tower.
And back out to Lago Dorado or Golden Lake.
We grabbed some breakfast at the grab and go and took advantage of this glorious morning.
This hotel is a new section of an older resort complex, Coronado Springs. After breakfast we decided to wander over to the old side to check it out.
Boardwalk to Coronado.
There’s no was we could get lost.
Solid details.
Fountain in the reception area.
This place was much more attractive than I expected. I thought it would be all southwest style.
Waiting for our chariot to Animal Kingdom.
Boom! There it is!
Oh, Tree of Life. When will you get a face lift? Your leaves look like a fake ficus that’s been in the sun porch for 15 years.
We took the time to wander all the way around the base of the tree. So peaceful back here.
Spotting all the creatures.
Walking over the bridge to Asia.
Somehow, Mr. Jones consented to a ride on this runaway train. We survived.
Looking for tiger in Maharajah.
Love this architecture of ruin.
The dancing had already begun in the town square.
Ill distract you with this plant vignette while we have a morning beer.
We would now be crossing over into the next brand new experience (for us)…Pandora: The World of Avatar.
The bridge to Avatar.
This land was many years in the making. Disney was stung pretty hard by the launch of Harry Potter World at Universal Orlando. There were rumors of Disney landing some sort of Lord of the Rings deal, but alas it turned out to be Avatar. Most of us Disney nerds were not enthused by this prospect. Avatar was a huge movie, like the hugest really, but at this point, a full five years after the film it was no longer on anyone’s radar. I saw the movie…once but had no connection or nostalgia for it. That being said, like the Star Wars Land, the world they built is incredibly immersive whether you’re into it or not.
Pandora’s floating mountains.
The Lush landscape is a blend of real tropical plants and fantastical alien vegetation.
We wound through the rock formations to enter the ONE (real) ride in the land, Flight of Passage.
Alien plants or sea creatures?
Once within the mountain you’ll enter ACE lab where guests are linked to an “avatar” and fly aboard a banshee across the Valley of Mo’ara! Yeah, I don’t know what that is either.
Genetic “Matching” pre-show.
This attraction was incredible!!! It was like nothing I’ve ever experienced. If you are afraid of heights, claustrophobic or at all sensitive to 3D, the one ain’t for you. I could try and explain the ride systems but I wouldn’t know where to begin. Below are two videos for your pleasure. The first is a complete point of view of the visual aspect and the second is a behind the scenes of how the mechanics work. See you in twenty minutes.
As with Star Wars Land, my complaint is that there is nothing else to do here. The land is astonishing, but once you ride Flight of passage and have a look around the only other thing to do is a pretty lame boat ride. That’s it… for the cost of four hundred million dollars.
It sure is beautiful.
We headed back out and ran into a celebrity! Kevin!
This way to lunch,
A short bus ride later we were at Kidani Village.
This may be my favorite on property restaurant.
I believe this is our fourth visit to Sanaa. Barely need the menu.
We beat the crowd.
You MUST get the bread service.
With all the dips.
We went tapas style with a few different appetizers. Everything was marvelous.
Lamb Kefta
Wracking my brain to remember what this is. It was delicious, I assure you.
Phenomenal Samosas. That, I remember.
We took a leisurely stroll over to the main resort, the Animal Kingdom Lodge. You just have to see that lobby.
The lounge was free and ready for our business.
The Victoria lounge looks down over the buffet restaurant downstairs.
Oh look, there’s my drink.
Let’s take one last look at that lobby.
This brass medallion is set in the lobby floor. On rainy days, kids can make crayon etchings of the animals. They won’t let me.
After lunch we went back to our room for a nap, as you do. We were feeling a bit peckish when we awoke. We ventured across the lake for a bite.
A short walk over the bridge.
A look back at the Gran Destino Tower.
This bar had a long name.
The lounge had lots of rustic charm.
We once again, beat the crowds.
A little queso fundido and chips did the trick.
We decided to have a nightcap back at the hotel. This is when the fact that it is a business hotel is a detriment.
I looked at the art while waiting for the mister to retrieve my Sambuca.
Ahhh.. But only two coffee beans? Bad luck!
It was quite a pleasant day spent at Animal Kingdom. Tomorrow, we’ll have one more escapade in Disney!
Today we will be taking ourselves over to Epcot. I just adore roaming around World Showcase nibbling foods of all nations and sipping all the drinks. Future World has its limited charms, but on this visit there were none to be found. You see, the front of the park was under a severe renovations project. Instead of refurbishing one or two sections at a time, someone in corporate said “Just do it all!”.
We were rerouted around Space Ship Earth..
There were walls everywhere you turned. I’ve been to Future World a gazillion times, but I was still completely turned around. Get me outta here!!!
Can’t quite see it from here.
Ahhhh. Freedom.
Our first stop was in Norway for a bit of breakfast.
Kringla Bakery.
This is the type of stuff they should be selling in the gift shops. I would have bought the whole lot!
Skool Bread. A must.
Would you like some atmosphere with your breakfast?
We were just in time for our Fastpass for Frozen. Didn’t care for the movie. Love the attraction!
This was the first year we caught the Festival of the Arts! To summarize, it was Meh.
There were some colorful decorations about.
Art was for sale in temporary tents. What was offered was really no different than what you would find in the gift shops anyway. I was hoping for more local crafts. This set up wasn’t nearly as professional looking as the Food and Wine or Flower and Garden.
One could insert themselves into a work or art.
Chalk art.
One could get a lil’ tub of paint and contribute to a mural. No thanks, I didn’t come here to work.
On to Canada! You guys, we stayed at the Quebec Hotel that was inspiration for this pavilion. I would never had known about it if it weren’t for Epcot. Same with my fascination with Japan. This world may be “fake” but it can inspire the love for travel. It did for me!
Can you hear the rushing water?
Guess who rope dropped the Unibrou beer cart?
Let’s stroll to the United Kingdom.
And Morocco.
And Japan.
I really wanted to visit this original store while we were in Japan, but alas.
Pick a pearl.
Bonkers snacks.
Some colorful crockery.
Oh, these peaceful gardens.
Looking back to the Mitsukoshi. We probably had a Saki here.
Serene.
On to America!
I spent some time earlier describing this Festival of the Arts as lame, which I stand behind. However, the food was some of the best bites I’ve had at any Epcot festival, Food and Wine included! Really, any of these events are essentially about the food.
Pan-Seared Scallop with Chorizo, Roasted Red Pepper Coulis and a Parmesan Crisp
Beef Wellington with Mushroom Bordelaise, Fennel Cream, and Roasted Baby Vegetables
Some dark beer.
Some sort of red wine.
These guys need to get themselves a Wellington!
Things are looking “Macabre Cute” here in Mexico.
Nothing, just laying back.
How many pics do I need of these guys. A whole lot I guess.
A new edition! The Three Caballeros!
We stopped by the UK for a listen to the band.
And a look at the garden.
This act has been here in France forevah!.
It exists just to make me nervous.
Ok, you proved your point. Get down.now.
When we initially planned this anniversary trip for May last year, I scored a reservations at the legendary Victoria and Albert’s restaurant at the Grand Floridian Hotel. You can imagine my excitement! When we decided to move this deal to February, I was unable to get in. Boo!!! Guess I have another reason to return. In lieu of V&A I reserved dinner at the brand new Takumi-Tei in Japan.
Discreet signage.
I chose this experience because they offer an Omakase menu, which is similar to V&A in the way that it is multiple courses chosen by the chef. This is pricey here, but not even close to the cost of V&A. I won’t say how much, because Mr. Jones sometimes reads this blog and we don’t need him to know what our eventual Victoria and Albert’s dinner will set us back.
Kimono napkin fold. Kawaii!!!
Menu
I started with a lychee cocktail.
This was an amuse bouche from the chef. Don’t remember what. Pork belly?
First couse: Roasted Bone Marrow, Braised Wagyu Shortrib, Yuzu Kosho, Wasabi Shiso Bavaroise Warishita. Get all that?
This round “Temari Sashimi” was something I’d never seen before. Every bite was delightful, but it was more rice than fish.
All in all, this was an exceptional meal. The service was honestly a little too good. The charming young Japanese server who took care of us lingered to an uncomfortable degree. We hardly had a moment where she wasn’t checking in. I’ll forgive it.
One last stop in Mexico.
When in Rome…
Does this margarita look fuzzy to you?
Time for bed, Epcot.
So our theme of firsts on this trip continued today with the Festival of the Arts and brand new restaurant experience. We’ll continue the tend tomorrow at Animal Kingdom!
Up Next: Is the World of Avatar worth $500 million bucks? Uh….
Today we nearly got up with the sun. Why, you ask? Because we needed to be up and on our way to the Magic Kingdom for a behind the scenes tour!!! Whoot! This would actually be our second excursion. The first was the very entry-level and short “Behind the Seeds Tour” at Epcot. This time we will spending the whole day with the “Keys to the Kingdom” tour. Time to head out!
This view, right?
The Barcelona lounge, where we had our drinks yesterday serves chi-chi coffee and grab and go breakfasts. Very smart.
Thank you Disney, for not listing the calories.
We arranged a Lyft this morning to be sure sure arrive on time.
Good morning, gorgeous!
Intricate tile floor, reminding you where you are.
We were given these devices so we could hear our guide loud and clear.
Our vested tour guide, Alex. He was a cutie pie.
Our first stop was a look around and the windows of Main Street. Disney Legends are honored there, with cheeky signage.
We made our way towards Adventureland. We gathered for our first attraction, the Jungle Cruise.
Our group got their own boat, not this one.
Our Skipper held back the groan-worthy puns and just steered us around as our guide spewed out facts like this one: The waterfall here is where they add the dark green dye that colors all the waterways at Magic Kingdom. Now you know.
Trader Sam wears bloomers fashioned out of the former awnings of the junk boats. Oh, the facts we learned!
“Thatched Roof” of the Tiki Room is actually metal. Yup, I paid attention.
The tour even included lunch! We pre-ordered from the Pecos Bill’s menu. There was a room set aside for us with drinks and all the fixins’. Taco salad for me.
Jeff got Taco Tacos.
After lunch we got to slip into the back door of the Haunted Mansion.
Very blurry pic of the “Servants’ entrance”
The tour continued into the renowned “Utilidoors” or underground tunnels. Photography beyond this point was a strict no-no. There is a whole city of activity that goes on under the Magic Kingdom. This was a wondrous experience for this Disney nerd. The tour lasted five hours and cost one hundred bucks per person, plus the cost of your ticket. Was it a value for money? One hundred percent, yes! Even if you’re not really into the Disney trivia, you are ushered through the crowds as a VIP, you get access to at least two attractions with no lines, enjoy a private lunch and see exclusive areas of the park. I would do it again in a heartbeat if I could be assured we’d learn new things.
Time for a break. We did do a lot of walking!
How about the view without my feet? I love this side street.
We scooted back to the hotel for an afternoon nap. But first, a beer.
Just like that, we’re back at the Magic Kingdom. We had a fastpass for the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train that we had to hustle to make in time.
Mr. Jones was hankering for a snack. He got in line while a snagged a prime spot for people watching and enjoying the twilight.
When in Rome.
We headed over to Tomorrowland to defeat Zurg.
On the way out we manged to see the newest fireworks show “Happily Ever After”. As you can see, we didn’t exactly stakeout the best spot.
Time for drinks! We had reservations at California Grill. Cucumber Martinis.
Did not steal.
We had dinner here years ago when we took the kiddos for the first time. They had done a major refurbishment since then.
Well stocked wine fridge.
K-razy lights.
They brought us champagne for “Anniversary”!
First course: Braised Beef Short Rib Wontons Doenjang Miso-Cola-Onion Sauce, Crispy Garlic-Chili Oil, Radish, Pickled Lotus Root
California Combination Roll Jumbo Lump Crab, Avocado, Cucumber, Shrimp Tempura
Apple Tarte Tatin Applejack Brandy-roasted Granny Smith Apples, Cinnamon Streusel, Gooey Butter Cake Ice Cream
We enjoyed our dinner very much. I regret ordering sushi only because I forgot we are going to a Japanese restaurant tomorrow, but it was excellent. I have to say the dessert was not good. It was not really a “tart tatin” as advertised, and that would be okay, but the apples were hard. Not sure if the chef intended it, but I didn’t enjoy it. The ice cream was yummy though.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66975046/Euro_Unit_32185r.0.jpg)
