Reykjavik sweater shopping

27 September 2017

Today on our last day traveling, our main goal is to sweater hunt. Most sweaters here go for $200+ US Dollars so looking for one second hand is the way to go. The material (most are made from sheep wool) and the tight weave and beautiful patterns make Icelandic sweaters comfortable and highly prized, and there are so many to choose from here!! I'm specifically looking for one that zips up with a hood!!

So off we go!!

Below is a photo of the Eve monument(if you are a gamer you will know what this is) if you are not a gamer you may have to look it up, I myself am NOT a gamer- so I don't get it. It was just a point to find on the map :)

A quick stop for pizza in the middle of our sweater shopping!! The slices are HUGE!!! And the water was free so we totally got comfortable with the workers there, and to stay hydrated after the cheesy pizza of course!

And although I did find a sweater that zipped AND had a hood; I gave it to Ken because I found 2 other amazing sweaters(that fit me better) only this way I can always steal Kens when I want to wear one with a hood ;) So really does this mean I ended up with 3 sweaters!!???? Time will tell!!

Street art abounds in Reykjavik, and we only got a small glimpse of it in the amount of time we where here!! And so does Ken's "dream" car, below.......

Yup, if Ken could fit a car in his luggage I'm pretty sure this one would be coming home with us! Put it down Ken, we are just sweater shopping today!!!!









Icelandic lobster. Good, but not as good as the Pacific Northwest, hey I gotta be honest. I am spoiled living in Alaska with all seafood we are fortunate to eat! The soup it was in was buttery and delicious!!

Up way way way too early so we can fuel the rental car up before we return it; only to find the fuel station does not open until 7am. Breakfast in the car while waiting. Sigh.

Home here we come!!!

Blue lagoon iceland

26 September 2017

Early morning flight out so we have a full day of fun in Reykjavik.

Coffee first, then train ride to the airport!!

We made reservations to visit the Blue Lagoon. It was fully booked our last time through, so we figured it would be best to make reservations ahead of time!!

Yes its a tourist trap, yes its packed full of visitors wearing mud masks and trying not to get their phones and devices wet(yes really they bring all of the above INTO the lagoon) and getting drunk on really sugary and overpriced cocktails at the Lagoon Bar. We used our memory bank for this one. No high priced drinks for us. We are saving our moohlah to go out to a nice dinner for tomorrow!!

The blue water is exquisitely beautiful.

There are plenty of "hot springs" all around Iceland, that are less crowded and far cheaper, but the Blue Lagoon has an allure and energy that I recommend everyone to try at least once.

Or twice in my case. Now to fix some low blood sugar with some Icelandic Appelsin(Orange juice). I think the hot water just zaps the juice right outta ya! And the toxins!!!


Fast food in Iceland is not like fast food in the states. These guys really know how to do up a good burger!! There should be no shame in enjoying a good burger every once in a while. In moderation.

We are pretty happy to be here!! 

Time for bed so we can have a great day tomorrow!!

Restaurant C

25 September 2017

Last day in Amsterdam. Beautiful fall day. Time to do some last minute souvenir shopping.....stroopwaffels anyone?

By the time this blog is posted I'm pretty sure they have already been eaten.......

A real Autumn with leaves and everything?!! We do not get this in Sitka!! Autumn in Sitka is when the leaves fall off the trees......all at once!

Our friend. Google. I found this restaurant with really good reviews and it sounded intriguing, I asked Ken if he wanted to try it and he didn't even skip a beat. Yes.

The idea behind the Restaurant C, which has only been open for about a year in 2017, is that C stands for Celsius.  Every course you will consume in an evening will be cooked between 200 Celsius to -20 Celsius! That's right, everything!!!

In fact the whole menu is laid out by temperature ranges!
‘Raw and cold’ (0-20°C) tartares and salads, 
Fish and meats cooked at a ‘low temperature’ (40-80°C), ‘steamed and cooked’ (100°C) soups and pastas, and ‘grilled and roasted’ (200 °C) burgers and steaks.

We chose to be "blind folded" that is, we picked the number of courses we wanted to eat, and they surprised us with each selection! This was a little easier for Ken to decide on than for me. While I am not picky, it made me realize I have a difficult time not having a choice!! In the end I found some courage and went for it!! Bring it on!!!! 

Then we waited to see what we had gotten ourselves into.........!!!!

First course: OMG. SO SO SO SO GOOD! I didnt even know bread and a yogurt sauce and a dollop of herbed butter could be so good, deliciousness!!!! 

They explained each course in exquisite detail, but of course we have a tough time remembering it all! I felt a little guilty taking pictures of the food, it was such a classy establishment!!

Everything was beautifully presented, simple yet exquisite!!

Hands down THE BEST restaurant I have ever eaten at. I encourage you, be courageous when you travel, you never know what you are going to get!!

Visit their website for more information or how to get there!! http://www.c.amsterdam/

Amsterdam Ripley's Believe It Or Not!

25 September 2017

Do I have to introduce you to Ripley's Believe It Or Not?
I admit we ended up here because we could not decide what to do in the plethora of options, but I remember watching episodes with my brother as kids so the allure was there to check it out!!

7 floors of believe or not, right in the heart of Amsterdam.
I ran out of battery from taking so many photos on my phone today, so here is a bunch(that made it) for you to enjoy!!

Ken will not let me try to replicate this "art". But you could see this in our front yard; right?!! And I know where to get tires!!!!! I kind of love it and want to bring it home with me!!!!

I got nauseous......Ken did it 3 times, for fun.

Toothpaste art!!

Can you believe this is created from CORNSTARCH!???

                    

Now to find us some dinner in this city that has everything!!