“That we leave our homes, that we step through our doors to the world, that we travel our whole lives not because we want to collect exotic T-shirts, not because we want to consume foreign adventure the same Western way we consume plastic and Styrofoam and LCD TVs and iPads, but because it has the power to renew us—not the guarantee, not the promise, just the possibility. Because there are places our imaginations can never construct for us, and there are people who we will never meet but we could and we might. It reminds us that there is always reason to begin again.” - Stephen Markley, Tales of Iceland or "Running with the Huldufólk in the Permanent Daylight"
I am currently flying over the eastern edge of northern Canada finally ready to put my thoughts from the last few days on the page. I dislike goodbyes...like really really dislike them. I get emotionally exhausted and withdrawn by them and this as no exception. I had a very funny moment in the staffroom before school began the other day. A math text was sitting on the table, the title incorporated the label “1B”. Ok, the grade 1 math book, excellent! I started to get wide-eyed as I flipped through the pages looking at complex graphs and word problems thinking to myself “oh my gosh...this is pretty darn advanced for grade 1”. Thank goodness for the staff member sitting beside me...when I asked “this is for grade 1???” She laughed aloud and said “No, the title says Math for teenagers...this is for grade 8!” Since then I have shared that story with many other staff members, all with the same light-hearted laugh. Making sense of things in a language you don’t know is exhausting! I’ve never needed so many afternoon naps in my life! Saying goodbye to the students and staff at Brekku was hard on the heart but saying goodbye to my Icelandic family was heartbreaking. My tears started in the doorway at home and came in waves throughout the morning. The only way I was able to get through security after hugging Dadda goodbye was confirming our plan to spend some time together in the summer of 2020. It will be then that she and Dori make their way to Calgary to spend time with us again...all of us together. Thank you Dori, our chef and comedian, the bringer of laughs and levity. I will miss our conversations so much! Hjordis, your room looks amazing and I do hope you will see yourself as we do soon...as someone destined to work in the field of service. We need soccer-playing, compassionate nurses like you girl! On Thursday evening I was treated to an amazing ladies only dinner party with some of the admin team from Brekku. Canadian flags and pins adorning the table and lobster two ways, the conversation was honest and full of head-back-belly-full-heart-light laughter. Near the end of the evening talk turned to the work we do on behalf of families and students. Thousands of miles may separate us but the commitment we feel to this work is the very same. Self-regulation strategies, individualized programming, outside agency supports...these are at the heart of our days regardless of setting. I learned a lot in the company of these amazing women and am grateful to have spent time alongside them these past two weeks. On my last night in Akranes we feasted on reindeer and roast vegetables! It was so delicious and made even more sweet by the giggles and antics of our youngest guests Valur and Binni. I will miss those little dudes and appreciated an opportunity to spend one more evening with them and Gisli. I am sorry not to have been able to say goodbye to Gunnsa but will think of her every time I listen to the CD of her fiddle group she gifted me. Celtic-Icelandic fiddle tunes - just perfect for driving to work!! My last day in Iceland held one more family celebration, this time a birthday party for Dadda’s nephew! Two of the party goers met me at the door and exclaimed “I’ve read your blog!” I was so surprised, and honoured, they would spend time reading all about my Canadian craziness! I should almost have a disclaimer at the beginning of it - WARNING some stories within not for the faint of heart! ;O)
Driving through Reykjanes to the Keflavik airport is much like driving through a Martian landscape. The lava fields are a foreign landscape outside of Iceland and, despite being here for two weeks, still feel very odd to my eyes. Our usual chatter was much more subdued the closer to the airport we drove. As wonderful and exciting as this experience has been, I know the true impact of it will drift over me in the coming days and weeks. I hope more people decide to participate in the opportunity for exchange. There is something quite powerful about stepping outside one’s comfort zone and looking up and out at the view before you while in a new place. It is exhausting, and heart-wrenching, humbling and oft times hilarious but it is also an experience that epitomizes growth. I know I am not the person I was when I left for Iceland...and I am grateful for that. Thank you for following alongside me, for laughing with me, and for giving me strength when I needed it most. I feel it most appropriate to come full circle and end with the quote that began this journey for me… “That we leave our homes, that we step through our doors to the world, that we travel our whole lives not because we want to collect exotic T-shirts, not because we want to consume foreign adventure the same Western way we consume plastic and Styrofoam and LCD TVs and iPads, but because it has the power to renew us—not the guarantee, not the promise, just the possibility. Because there are places our imaginations can never construct for us, and there are people who we will never meet but we could and we might. It reminds us that there is always reason to begin again.” - Stephen Markley, Tales of Iceland or "Running with the Huldufólk in the Permanent Daylight"
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Dadda and I took advantage of the amazing weather on Tuesday evening and went down to Reykjavik to walk around downtown and see the touristy sites. Imagine my surprise when, with hot coffee in hand, I spotted the giant Canada Goose poster on one of the main streets. "Wait a sec...I'M A CANADA GOOSE!" I couldn't help myself and take this picture, surprised to see a symbol from home so far away. It amazes me how many people ask me how I like the cold here....ummmm yeah, its not cold here! It was -38 two weeks before I left! If Canada Goose jackets are the way to go here it is because of the wind and rain NOT the cold! I managed just fine in my winter shell, toque and gloves but took the advice about dressing in layers to heart. I may be Canadian but I don't LIKE being cold! I was intrigued by the colourful doors I spotted all along the main shopping district. This is remniscent of our road trip to Nova Scotia and PEI in 2014. I loved seeing the bright entryways beckoning the pedestrians in to shop, eat or grab a coffee. We stopped by city hall and spotted the famous Unknown Bureaucrat sculpture by Magnús Tómasson. It was perfect timing as no one was lingering about in the background. The duck pond leading up to city hall is full of all kinds of birds, no rubber chickens though, so I snapped this picture for my bird-lover Zane. Now most of you know I have a terrible stomach. My culinary bravery is limited not by a lack of adventure but of digestive distress. I had hoped to try shark, I really did, but I don't think it is something I can manage at this point. When I saw this sign I laughed...during our drive around Snaefellsnes Dorí explained to me that everywhere else in the world people got eaten by sharks but in Iceland, as you are a viking, you are the ones eating them! Sinnep is the world famous Icelandic hot dog sauce! Just before leaving Canada I asked my boys what they anted me to bring back for them. After Dramur chocolate and Djúpur candies "HOT DOG SAUCE" was next on their list. Never fear boys, I have some in my suitcase for you!
Hallgrímskirkja is a Lutheran parish church in Reykjavík, Iceland. At 74.5 metres high, it is the largest church in Iceland and among the tallest structures in the country. The church is named after the Icelandic poet and clergyman Hallgrímur Pétursson, author of the Passion Hymns. You can see this against the skyline all the way in Akranes and it has become a symbol of Reykjavik all over the world. Although we didn't go inside, the sheer enormity of it can be felt peering up, up, waaaaaay up (for all you CBC fans) to capture the steeple and the statue in one shot. As we were leaving to go pick up our amazing Thai food from Ban Thai, I was excited to hear the bells chime for 7:00pm. Last but not least is the Sun Voyager sculpture. This very large steel structure is a gem of the harbour swarming with tourists day and night. I happened to jump out of the car at just the right moment to snap this pic. I have another shot from the side but it does not capture the beauty of the mountains in the background. There is something pure and crystalline about seeing steel against snow and a bright blue sky. No photoshop here folks, this is the real, unedited, deal. Just two more days here and I am already dreading the goodbye. I am excited to see my crew again of course, I am sure Dave is in desperate need fo some sleep, but I will be sad to say goodbye here. You know that feeling, the one where you walk into a new place but somehow feel as though you have been there before? That is what it felt like to be in Kindergarten yesterday! KG here is separate from elementary school. Much like our preschool programs, kids are sorted by age and development but the focus on play-based learning feels a lot like it does at home. I peeked into one room and the kids were gathered round the big blocks, a daily fav for our students, building Hogwarts and casting spells. The teacher explained that the have to rotate these blocks to each of the three classes each month and when the kids came in the other day they were SOOOOO excited to have them back in their room. Big blocks....the universal KG centre! I spent the rest of my morning learning about the nation-wide KG curriculum. The focus on developing the whole child through health and wellbeing, literacy, creativity, independence and compassion. It was really wonderful to see how this lives out at the Akrasel Kindergarten here in Akranes. Next it was time for the big celebration of learning called árshátíð! This whole school celebration was a highlight as I had an up close and personal view of viking rock and roll and Grease! Can I just say that "Summer Lovin'" sounds just the same in Icelandic as it does in English! My favourite part of the show were the English tourists. Not only was it the only part I could really understand but they were hilarious. "I wanted to go to Spain but NOOOOO you wanted to go to ICEland!" I laughed and laughed at their antics....and wondered how many people in the audience thought I was just like them! ;O) On Tuesday we were able to meet briefly with the head of the Icelandic Principal's union, Thorstein, the man that matched Dadda and I, along with the two other school-based leaders in this exchange. Brynhildur (Bryn) is a principal in Reykjavik and Melanie is her counterpart from Grande Prairie. (The third pair of Team Vicanuck, Asta and Bonnie, don't begin their exchange here until Easter break.) We spoke about the adventures, the funny moments, and powerful connections we have made here over the course of this exchange process. If we had stayed in hotels and only had work as the common thread the exchange would have been great...but not as deeply transformative as it has been. To live in someone's house, to sit at their dinner table each night and discuss what you saw, or felt, or grappled with that day...it is something else entirely. In fact, I would say I have felt more like I live in Akranes much more than being a mere visitor these past few weeks. I joke with my new red-headed teenage daughter, Hjördís, like she has been a part of my family forever. Dori, my driver and chef extraordinaire has brought a lot of levity and laughter to our long days. "Well Aubrey, there are many birds living in Arnarstapi, but I don't think anyone has ever seen THAT exotic bird!" (as he points to Tommy snickering.) Gisli and Gunnthorunn, Valur and Binni have all been warm and kind additions to my Icelandic family. Spending time with two young boys like these two has brought my heart and memory back to my own two guys when they were little. With Cai in middle school and Zane contemplating universities away from home it was a nice reminder to take time for the little things while they are still living with Dave and I. As with most things, transformative experiences are truly about the people. The places you go, the things you do, the adventures you have are all really amazing...but the people with whom you have shared your experience, your reflections, and your heart - those are the pieces that stay with you forever. I am so grateful to have been placed in the care of such amazing people here in Akranes. Monday morning offered the pleasure of meeting with Ruth and Bryndis at the leisure centre located in the equivalent a CBE area office. This centre offers parks and recreation style programming for students right after school up until fairly late into the evening. It was here we discussed the endless opportunities for inclusion within both a formal (school) and informal (leisure) setting. Ruth was a driving force behind the action research that defines what inclusion now looks like in Iceland. Knowing that “special settings” where students with diverse abilities are sequestered away from the mainstream programs did not serve them well in both school and life outside it. She pushed for, and ultimately changed, the ways services are offered for all students here in Akranes and beyond. It was inspiring to hear of her work and I believe I will use her acronym IDEA wherever I can. Inclusion, Diversity and Equity for All. Bryndis now leads the rec team and her passion for mentorship, child-centred voice and agency can be felt from the moment she starts to speak. We shared ideas about design-thinking, using our grade 3 mini golf course as the vehicle. She loved how our students worked through the design-thinking process to prototype, test and ultimately create a fully functioning mini golf course. Our catwalks project also got a lot of airtime as we spoke, as a group, about the importance of service learning and giving back to one’s community. The feelings of community, of connection and equity was alive and well during this conversation. I found myself among people that see the world much like I do - as full of possibilities and hope but needing a strong voice to take the road less travelled so that we can accomplish things not done before. Think beyond what is in front of you to change what remains there. My head, and heart, were very full by lunch. Last evening we participating in what has fast become a favourite activity for Dadda and I - AN ART CLASS! Picture a beautiful old bakery converted into a clay bakery...wood floors, clean lines and lots and lots of clay! We tried our hands at pinch pots first then threw a couple of bowls/vases/mug-like pieces on the wheel. It was a very focused effort until the sounds of Unchained Melody came blaring through the speakers. At that point we got the giggles and waited for the ghost of Patrick Swayze to come waltzing through the doors. Pun 100% intended… Although we have conceded that becoming world-famous (or even profitable) artists is likely not in the post-retirement future for either of us we sure did have a wonderful time. Thank you to Kolla and Maja Stina for opening their studio doors to us and encouraging our particular brand of kookiness! This weekend we had the PERFECT weather for exploring Snaefellsnes, the “hand” of Iceland as the children call it. This peninsula is often referred to as Iceland in miniature. In a small area you can see glaciers, volcanoes, waterfalls and geothermal springs... it is breathtaking. We started the morning by stopping and walking around Arnarstapi. This village by the sea was a perfect place to break out Tommy and let him fly. Being a visitor, not everyone knows my particular brand of crazy so I have been reluctant to let him out to play but not so this weekend! Arnarstapi is home to a rather large colony of arctic tern and you can sure appreciate them up close and personal here. There is also a sculpture of Bardur Snaefellsas by Ragnar Kjartansson, the guardian of the glacier of Snaefell and tribute to one of Iceland`s famous sagas. It feels like Icelæand`s version of an inuksuk. From there we spent the day hopping in and out of the car. Londrangar and Malariff were next! Londrangar is a uniquely-formed remnant of ancient basalt volcanic dikes sticking out from the sea. Londrangar and the hill Svalthufa are the remains of a crater, which has been eroded to its present form by the sea. The farmers in the area never made or make hay on the hill, because it is said to belong to the elves living in the area. (Thank you Google!) How many of you know that when I travel a beach I often look down and spot a heart-shaped rock. Thus was the case with our next stop but I wish it had been bigger. I am not sure how I am going to fit “Djúpalónssandur” on this rock! This site held a beautiful black sand beach, the ruins of an old shipwreck and a set of strong man rocks bored fisherman used to move from A to B when they were testing their strength. Needless to say, I am no viking and would die at see at the first requirement for strength! Dori, our driver extraordinaire, has boundless energy. I admire his quick wit and easy laugh but marvelled at his athleticism as he bounded up all 362 steps of Saxhóll and waved to us resting one third of the way up! This crater, well within snaefellsjökul national park, offers a spectacular view of the surrounding area, complete with rust-coloured award-winning staircase, sundial and 360 panorama that takes your breath away. Next up was Skarðsvík, a hidden gem on the western most point of the Snaefellsnes peninsula. This quaint little spot offers a golden sandy beach with an excellent front row seat to the tides of the west coast. So beautiful!! When you think of Iceland, you often think of it`s mountains. Kirkjufell does NOT disappoint! Kirkjufell, or 'Church Mountain', is a distinctly shaped peak found on the north shore of Iceland’s Snæfellsnes Peninsula, only a short distance away from the town of Grundarfjörður. It is often called ‘the most photographed mountain in Iceland’, due to its dramatic formation and perfect coastal location. (Yup, stole that right out of Guide to Iceland: https://guidetoiceland.is/travel-iceland/drive/kirkjufell This beautiful peak is 463 metres high, a mere baby by Canadian standards, but resting on top of the ocean floor it is rather spectacular to see firsthand. Standing there, roadside, feels a bit like a religious experience...you know you are in the presence of something amazing. Bad weather started to creep into the day as we approached the fishing village of Stykkishólmur. Located in Breiðafjörður Bay, this village is surrounded by innumerable islands and offers a stunning harbour for fishing trawlers and a large fjord ferry alike. Here we stopped for the BEST seafood soup I have ever tasted! It warmed us to our toes after a day spent hiking around in the howling wind. With full bellies and an iPhone camera suffering from overuse we made our way back home. Thank you to our driver Dori and the in-flight service! ;O)
Never in a million years did I think my exchange application to the ATA would result in a visit to Bessastaðir, the home of the First Family of Iceland! To make a long, and cheeky, story short we were invited to meet the First Lady for coffee...I guess you can take the girl out of Canada but bit Canada out of the girl! You see, Ms. Reid is from the Ottawa Valley and wanted to chat with the first principals in the Iceland - Canada exchange. We arrived at Bessastaðir mid-afternoon and were treated to some Icelandic pancakes, coffee and hilarious stories of her 4 children. It was endearing to hear about their road trip playlist strategies, the tuba-player`s struggle with the long walk home and the birthday parties in the library alongside centuries old artifacts. Eliza is very down to Earth, accessible and rather funny. I appreciated her taking time out of her very busy schedule to chat with us. (Note to my Dad: no need to bail me out, I was very well behaved!) Bless Eliza, and thank you for opening your home to us! Next adventure - bláa lónið! (Blue Lagoon!) Pictures coming as soon as I figure out the Icelandic commands for "download to the desktop".... Have you ever had one of those days were you didn`t realize how tight and sore you muscles were until they weren`t anymore? That was us in the Blue Lagoon yesterday! This geothermal marvel is a spa in southwestern Iceland. The spa is located in a lava field near Grindavík on the Reykjanes Peninsula, in a location favourable for geothermal power, and is supplied by water used in the nearby Svartsengi geothermal power station. It is basically blue, salty, hair-tanglling luxury wrapped up in a hot bath and mud masks! Thanks to Bryn, Dadda`s principal counterpart in Reykjavik also on exchange with us, we had an amazing 6pm booking and spent the better part of 2.5 hours soaking, laughing, and relaxing. Conditioner piled high in our hair, silica mud on our faces and a whole lot to talk about we connected our lives and our work altogether amidst the mud and hot water. Hattie, Robinson, and Timperley were honourary guests as we walked through the contexts in our schools, our vision for our communities, and our professional learning journeys. It was a very lovely way to spend a Thursday evening. Check out below...thank goodness Dadda walked in and helped me with the download situation! started this morning in the sports hall for a dance lesson. My new buddy Robert has hurt his foot and needs to rest it, as he is a stellar soccer player, so he offered an excellent colour commentary on the process as his class gets ready for the annual Fest. Justin Timberlake needs no translation, his coolness transcends culture and language. Got this feelin` in my boooody!!!! A quick snow storm blew in just in time for recess and I got to see the snowball zone in action. If I had been thinking more quickly I would have been out there ready and waiting. Next time!!! After dancing and a coffee I was off to the sports hall again for a gym class. Honestly, I think parachute games are a hit no matter where you go. Binni`s class wqas very patient with me as we played parachute games and a great form of what I would call "Hospital Tag". Let`s just say when I was tagged and had to be carried to the hospital it was a group effort, one that almost caused an embarassing moment as one little one grabbed my pantleg instead of my ankle! Whew! Near miss... ;o) After my exciting Gym inspired morning we were off to Bessastdir to meet the First Lady of Iceland. See the next post for details about that and our trip to the Bláa lónið the Blue Lagoon! Bláa lónið A side note from Wednesday after school.... When your staff meeting starts at dessert o`clock you know you are in for a treat....or 7!! Once or twice a term the whole staff gathers for an hour long meeting with treats and updates, professional conversations and a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday. Ok, not sure if they always sing but we sure did yesterday! The feeling in these gatherings is much like ours on Friday afternoons. The laughter is easy, stories from the week are shared and new staff are welcomed. All that alongside Icelandic desserts and you have a productive meeting! Into the evening we spent time as a family. Dori made an amazing roasted lamb shoulder with his new giant container of Montreal steak spice (thank you Dave!) and we talked about the impending Wow Air closure made official this morning so check your tickets if you are planning a trip here. We then curled up to watch the Swedish sensation "Girl in the Spider`s Web" from the Steig Larsson series. There is something so much better about seeing the original Swedish cast...more authentic. Neighbour stopped by before their weekend getaway to Hamburg and we shareds a few more laughs about travelling hijinx like lost bags and a lack of toothbrushes. Day three brings the adventure to SPRING SCHOOL!!!
For three days this week the children coming here next year from 4 local Kindergartens are visiting all morning. Cinch sacks in hand, name tags on coloured shirts and nervous smiles prevail as these soon to be “big kids” find their way in the grade one space. Reminders about gentle hands and hanging up your belongings need no translation as we have very similar visuals in our hallways at Marlborough. “Word soup”, or a word search to us Canucks, helped me learn some key vocabulary. Ljón for lion, gottéri for cookies, and the ever popular (read - darn near impossible to say) fiðrildi for butterfly and I’m all set for an animal safari with treats! Go me!! It is very clear that tranistions between schools are important here. This is so tinely as we were JUST talking about that very thing two days before I left Canada. How do we best support the students coming in to and leaving our care... Next it was on to grade 5 to help prepare for next week’s annual fest (festival). Ladies and gentlemen the theme is CIRCUS! Imagine my delight when I was asked if I could play Chess and Battleship with a group of students while other groups practiced. Oh yeah I can, let me at those chess sets!! I felt immediately at home as I got to know a few of these kids as we battled across the checkerboard. Stories of immigration from Poland, step siblings and even a degu (like a small looking chinchilla) were main topics of conversation. In the end, kids are kids. They laugh when you make a goofy face, want to see pictures of your own children and ask how you pronounce that weird name of yours. Weird name repetition I get.... :O) I laughed to myself on my first day when I found the 5 point scale we use on the walls in each classroom. This scale refers more to sound levels, not stages of self-regulation, but the function is much the same. "Where are you at, and is that where you should be right now" With promises that I will come back and see their circus performance, and a new set of friends here at Brekkubæjarskóli, I feel more like a guest than an interloper! Thank you again for making me feel so welcome everyone! The commute from home to school is quite literally a dream. An 8-9 minute walk from home and we were walking through the main entrance among all the littles making their way into the day at school. It wasn’t 2 minutes before people started welcoming me, introducing themselves, and making me feel very much at home. My first official duty was as tourist when two lovely young ladies from grade 7 took me on a personal tour of all their favourite places. Helga and Eyglo were fantastic tour guides showing me the black hole, the attic, and the escape routes in case we had a fire drill! I feel very safe here. ;O) I even found Icelandic versions of Harry Potter just for Cai! They talked about their families, how they learned English and some of their favourite things to do. I had a very explicit lesson in the Snowball Zone with a very strict warning that I’d get what I got if I chose to go in there at any time. Lol...little do they know that Canadians are excellent throwers of snowballs...watch out! There is construction in the back fied and we stopped to watch the “mechanic giraffe” lifting heavy blocks of cement into place. When I explained that we call that a ‘crane’ Helga laughed, “we do too, but I just like to say mechanical giraffe!” Me too now Helga, me too. When I came back to the office, Dadda and I walked around again and I saw a whole new school! We visited classrooms and hallways I had yet to see with not one mention of an escape route or the mysterious “legit insane asylum” room. In fact none of the adults here know about that room... Secret room for students? Haunted classroom? Imagined zen zone with a horror-type twist? Who knows...but stay tuned because if I find it I will certainly let you know! Each class has a boot room and hooks for their things, with many kids walking around in socks most of the day. They recycle and compost much like we do, thank you Mrs. Gartner’s class, and have reminders posted all over about the year’s theme kurteisi metnadur. Be polite and do your very best. (Insert picture - boot room and Kurteisi) I can tell you that if I could pay to NOT have to make my lunch every day I totally would! Steamed fish, a salad bar, and lovely dark bread were on today’s menu. It was delicious and best of all we didn’t have to make it ourselves! I wonder where we could put a cafeteria in at Marlborough… I chatted and got to know a few more staff members over lunch and coffee and shared all about my adventures with Helga and Eyglo. Many of my stories were met with uproarious laughter and a general sense that my tour guides were just perfect for the task of touring visitors around. I would agree, it was a lovely introduction to my new home of the next two weeks. Thank you for making me feel so welcome everyone! I apologize for the delayed posts...technical difficulties! My iPad doesn`t love the blog setting!
After arriving at 0 dark 30, it was wonderful to just get home and have a cup of coffee! Settling in to my new digs and unpacking all my goodies felt great! My humongous suitcase is now officially 3/4 empty ;O) Sitting with Dori and Hjordis and Dadda felt like I was home in another country. We laughed and ate and laughed some more. Later that afternoon I got to meet the main event - the grand babies! Valur and Binni are so much fun and, I must say, remind me a lot of my own two boys with their humour and energy. Valur has white blonde hair and blue eyes and loads of energy. I looked at him like “well, hello there...I know you!” While Binni kept us giggling with his funny faces and belly laugh. It was like seeing a younger version of you again Cai-Cai! The marshmallow guns were a huge hit as was the Pook toque for Gisli. The “smelly sock hat” brought forth much laughter as we experimented with all the diffferent ways we could arrange the socks. Thank you Theresa! Icelnadic scones were on the menu for lunch. These crepe-like pancakes were so delicious topped with butter and jam, smoked lamb and cheese or a new fav maple syrup! I think my Icelandic family think Canadians have a HUGE sweet tooth. I must say I enjoyed the smoked lamb and look forward to trying all the new things my days ahead hold for me. We braved the weather and went for a kick walk out to the sea before the amazing dinner Dadda was cooking up for me. I took one photo and then my camera pulls a lens error and I cannot fix it. (insert mild swearing and serious frustration here...) The waterfront has a public hot pot and beautiful black sand beaches and the salty spray on my face reminds me of walking along the sea wall, back home in Vancouver. We sat down to a delicious Indian dinner of masala, rice and homemade naan bread! With Coltrane in the background and warm dinner in our bellies the conversation flowed well and I felt so at home. I couldn’t think of a better place, or better people, in with whom to spend my evenings. To bed at midnight, trying to ice the jet lag, then long sleep lay ahead. I can’t remember the last time I slept until almost 11:00am!! I did feel much more clear headed after my first cup of coffee and treated the neighbour Fanney to my Canadian short-haired bed head! Lucky lady she was.... We munch on this amazing olive and seal salt bread, much like a ciabatta, with cheese and butter, jam and hummus. It was so delicious! (Even with the distraction of my terrible hair...) We spoke of travel and adventures both past and future and I felt like I had known Dadda, Dori, and Hjordis for years....laughing in the kitchen while we ate. Early in the afternoon we packed up into the car for a drive out to Hraunfossar, a “lava mountain” waterfall. En route we stopped at an awesome little Kaffhus (coffee house) in the town of Borgarnes in the Borgarfjörður (Borgar fjord). The latte was lovely, as was the sweet treat the cafe was famous for - the Love Testicle! Lol....its was really like a giant timbit with raisins but not quite as sweet as a donut. After a lovely coffee and sweets we trekked on to Reykholt to see a monument to Snorri Sturluson, the author of one of the most famous Icelandic sagas. There we stopped to admire a beautiful church from the 15th century and pay homage to this famous author/historian. Next it was on to Hraunfossa, where the many small waterfalls come straight out of a lava field. This amazingly blue water reminds me of Cozumel, only really really COLD! Glacial run-off in tempestuous eddies froth and churn below stone arches and a man made bridge. One side, Barnafoss, is the children’s waterfall. At one time it was the site of a stone arch but two children, skipping church, went missing and their footprints led to the stone archway. They were never seen from again and, in her grief, the mother had the stone bridge destroyed so as not to lose any more of the town’s children to it’s depths. Hard to say something so tragic is beautiful….but it is. Heading back up to the car we were stopped by a local farmer with a plate of Icelandic pancakes. She offered me one and, when asked about payment, she answered simply “just a smile”. Well, after diving in to the tasty goodness she was certainly well paid! These rolled crepes were filled with sugar and just the perfect treat after hiking around a bit in the chilly wind. Back at the house we got ready for Sunday dinner with Gisli and his family - roast lamb and potatoes. I can tell you that the lamb in Canada is incomparable to the lamb here! It is so delicious here! More time around the family table, laughing with the little ones, and enjoying the company was a great way to spend the evening. After sharing the virtues of their newly acquired marshmallow guns (man they really let those marshmallows FLY!) we laughed some more and played together at the table. “Bless” is the way we say goodbye here and I can’t think of a better way to say goodnight after such a great evening. Early to bed and early to rise as I get ready for my first day at school! Watch out Brekkubaejarskola, here I come! |
AuthorAubrey: "Leader of the Elves"....that's me. Mom of two amazing guys, wife to one bigger (yet no less amazing) guy and teacher of little ones. Blogging about the adventures (usually with my rubber chicken in tow) is one of my favourite things. Archives
April 2019
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