Christmas in Iceland - Jõulud Islandil

ICELAND (2009)

Christmas tree in Tourism office in Reykjavik *** Jõulukuusk turismi infopunktis Reikjavikis (private collection***erakogu)

Christmas for me equals snow! Typically, there's no snow at Christmas time in Ireland. It's a different story back home in Estonia, but this year we decided to shake things up and head to Iceland!

London-Reykjavik-London (private collection***erakogu)

There's no direct flight from Dublin to Reykjavik, so we travelled via London. We decided to extend our holiday and spend a couple of days in London as well.

The weather in London at the time was misty and rainy, making it feel more like late autumn than a Christmassy winter. We visited all the most famous London attractions: Buckingham Palace (Ed liked to call it "puking ham palace"), Madame Tussauds museum, the Natural History Museum (this is so big that you need at least 4 hours to explore it), the Tower of London, Harrods, Camden Market, and The London Dungeon. London is very famous for its musicals and theaters – we went to the Royal Opera House to see "The Nutcracker." We also went to the cinema to see "Avatar," which had just been released.

Rainy but fun London *** vihmane aga tore London (private collection***erakogu)

Buckingham palace, London Towers (private collection***erakogust) click on picture to see it bigger***kliki pildil kui suuremalt näha tahad

I enjoyed seeing the Victoria Memorial with the sculpture of the woman and the lion, which was sculpted by Thomas Brock.

It was entertaining to see famous people depicted in their real size at Madame Tussauds Museum (that's her below).

 

Madam Thussaud (private collection***erakogust)

George Clooney, Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears (Private Collection***erakogu)

Benny Hill (private collection***erakogust)

Tourmaline (Rubellite) in Nat Hist museum (Private collection***erakogust)

Aurora pyramid of hope***Teemandite püramiid (private collection***erakogust)

In the picture above, there are 296 different colors of natural diamonds from the Natural History Museum. This collection is from a private owner, and it took the collector 25 years to assemble it.

Rudolf on the street of  London (private collection***erakogust)

Good bye England!

A delightful crispy winter evening with a touch of snow – welcome to Iceland and the Christmas season!
 

"As one" Ice formation in the Leiðarendi cave (private collection***erakogu)

Iceland is compact and efficiently managed – offering a plethora of activities, with convenient hotel pickups and drop-offs for all excursions. Check out options like http://www.mountainguides.is/.

Two consecutive nights, we eagerly sought the Northern Lights, enduring two hours each night in the profound darkness and bitter cold (-20 degrees) – yet, alas, they remained elusive. While some fortunate souls witnessed them the day before or perhaps the day after, luck was not on our side!

In search of the Northern Lights (private collection***erakogust)

We had a fascinating time exploring the Leiðarendi lava tube cave with an adventurous group. It was quite a challenge, but we all emerged unscathed!

Stalactites and the entrance ofthe lava tube***stalaktiidid ja koopasse sissepääs (private collection***erakogust)

2 meters of crawling before the finish***2 meetrit roomamist ja siis saab koopast välja (private collection***erakogust)

"Together we are stong" another ice formation in the cave***purikad koopas "Üheskoos oleme tugevad" (private collection***erakogust)

Our spirits were lifted as we immersed ourselves in the Blue Lagoon Geothermal pool, despite our eyelashes and brows being adorned with tiny icicles. With temperatures outside plummeting to -20°C, shedding our clothes and stepping onto the ice before entering the pool was no easy feat. Likewise, summoning the courage to emerge from the warm water was quite the challenge!

Ice crystals (private collection***erakogust)

Entering the water was quite an extreme experience due to the cold weather and the snow on the ground, as you can see from the picture below. But coming out of it was even worse! 😜

Blue lagoon - jump in (private collection***erakogust)

There was a luxurious abundance of clay in the pool. It's quite scary if you're lost in your heavenly swim, eyes half closed, and suddenly see a monster in front of you – no, wait a minute – it's just a human being with their face covered in mud!

Ice and more ice at the edge of the glaciers (private collection***erakogust)

Nearly 12% of Iceland is cloaked in glaciers, a testament to its icy expanse. Our adventure took us onto the glaciers atop snowmobiles, braving the biting -25°C chill. Each snowmobile accommodated two people, with a routine of alternating drivers. When my turn came, my fingers were numb, making it a challenge to maneuver the machine. Despite my brief stint at the helm, my husband relished the extended time behind the controls. Amidst the frosty landscape, one incident broke the tranquility. A Japanese couple encountered a mishap during their swap, resulting in the machine tipping over shortly after starting. Thankfully, they emerged unscathed from their unexpected tumble, a testament to their resilience in the face of icy adversity.

Snowmobile tour***Lumesaani sõit (private collecton***erakogust)

 

Private collection***erakogust

Gullfoss waterfall (private collection***erakogu)

Standing in front of the mighty Gullfoss waterfall, one can't help but feel insignificant in the presence of such natural grandeur. Its awe-inspiring power remains undiminished, whether viewed in the icy embrace of winter or the verdant bloom of summer.

Despite the holiday season, only a handful of dinner venues were open, albeit at premium prices. However, the exquisite dining experience was well worth the cost, offering a taste of indulgence amidst the wintry splendor of Iceland.

Menu***Menüü (Private collection***erakogust)

Private collection***erakogust

Private collection***erakogust

Can one obtain a PhD without graduating from any school? The answer is yes, indeed. Þórður Tómasson stands as a remarkable example of this. He has dedicated nearly eight decades to collecting and preserving Icelandic cultural heritage. All his artifacts and lifelong work are housed in the Reykjavik open-air folk museum – Árbæjarsafn. Recognizing his immense contribution, the Icelandic Regional Development Institute awarded him a Doctorate for his efforts. There is no one quite like him. At the age of 92, he continues to serve as a curator at the museum. His passion for Icelandic culture began at the tender age of 14 and has remained steadfast ever since. He not only plays the harmonium but also warmly welcomes groups to the museum, conversing fluently in multiple languages. He serves as a true inspiration to countless individuals. If you wish to learn more about his remarkable story, you can find it here: http://www.icelandictimes.is/section.php?id=9804&id_art=10103

92-year old museum curator plays harmonicum (private collection***erakogust)

Folk museum (private collection***erakogust)

A little heart formed then taking this sunset picture in Iceland (private collection***erakogust)

Indeed, Iceland holds the distinction of being the first state to recognize the restored Republic of Estonia in 1991. As a testament to this recognition, there exists an Iceland Square in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia.

            I am eagerly anticipating my return to Iceland, but this time during the summer months!

Dublinist Reykjavikki otselendu ei ole. Lendasime Londoni kaudu. Otsustasime oma puhkust paar päeva võrra pikendada ja Londoni vaatamisväärsused läbi kammida.

Polnud oluline, et Londonis oli hilissügis ja sadas vihma. Käisime läbi kõik kõige kuulsamad turismilõksud: Buckinghami palee, Madam Thussaud vahakujude muuseum, Loodusloo muuseum, Tower of London, Harrodsi kaubamaja, Camdeni turg ja “The Dungeon”. Ennekõike on London tuntud oma teatri ja muusika valdkonnas. K2isime Londoni Kuninglikus Ooperis vaatamas "Pähklipurejat". Just siis kui Londonis olime tuli kinodes välja Avatar – vaatasime ja nautisime. Dungeonis (õuduste kelder?!) oli päris hirmus ja naljakas ka. Ühes seinaavas oli trellide taga vang, kes teatud aja tagant sülitas. Etsil õnnestus lirakas täpselt näkku saada - passis seal piisavalt kaua :D. Camdeni turul oli üks eestlasest müüa ka - müüs igatsugu kõrva-nina-keele-naba vidinaid, ise oli ka uhkelt augustatud ja värviline :).

Head aega Inglismaa!

Islandile jõudes puges kohe põue jõulurõõm. Maa oli valge. Tere talv, tere jõulud!

Pikkisime oma reisi vahvaid tegevusi täis. Kõik oli käe-jala juures. Igale üritusele tuldi meile hotelli järgi ja pärast toodi tagasi ka.

Kahel ööl sättisime ennast ootusärevalt bussi ja läksime virmaliste jahile. Väljas oli pilkane pimedus, külma nii -25 kraadi. Külm näpistas, aga oli väga põnev. Grupijuht rääkis lõbusaid nalju islandlastest. Näiteks: Mida teeb islandlane siis kui ta on metsas ära eksinud? Vastus: ta tõuseb püsti (islandi metsad on madalad). Virmalisi ei näinud. Oli grupp, kes nägi neid päev enne ja ilmselt ka päev pärast meid, aga meil tuleb edasi otsida.

Roomasime koopas. Proovisime minut aega, mis tunne on olla pimedamast pimedamas. Kõik saime lõpuks koopast välja – elusana ja ilusana! Ma suutsin osavalt oma uute talvesaabaste ninadel naha maha kraapida.

Lõõgastusime loodusliku termaalveega välibasseinis. Vette minek ja välja tulek oli ekstreemne. Välistemperatuur oli -20 ja lumi valendas silme ees. Ripsmetel ja kulmudel formeerusid tillukesed jääkristallid. Ujusin rahulikult uneldes, silmad pool kinni ja järsku oli mu ees koll – oot, ei olnudki koll, paksult mudaga kokku määritud inimene oli hoopis.Kallites salongides müüdav savimuda oli kõigile tasuta kättesaadav.

11.2% islandi pindalast on kaetud liustikuga. Lumesaani seiklus liustikul oli täitsa vahva. Kraade väljas nii -25. Vaatamata sellele et end kubujussiks riietasin ei suutnud mu käed kahe kinda paari all ellu jääda ja muutusid tuimaks - proovi sa gaasi vajutada kui näpud on nagu pakk viinereid. Abikaasa oli muidugi õnnelik, sest tema tegi minu ringi ka ära :P. Saanil oli korraga 2 inimest ja teatud aja tagant vahetati juhti. Üldiselt läks õnnetusteta, aga üks jaapani paar suutis küll masina kummuli keerata. Mees andis just naisele juhtimise üle, mõlemad ronisid saanile ja naine vajutas gaasi nii et kõik upakil olid. Õnneks jäid nad terveks.

Jõululaupäeval ja pühadel olid enamus söögikohti kinni, ainult kõige kallimad olid avatud.Seetõttu käisime kohas, kus võibolla niisama poleks läinud :)

Kas on võimalik saada doktorikraad alghariduse baasil? On ikka, miks ei ole. Skógar vabaõhumuuseumi asutaja ja kuraator Þórður Tómasson on see mees, kes on islandi rahvuspärandit kogunud juba 78 aastat (alustas kogumist 14-aastaselt). Tema töö islandi pärimuskultuuri kogumises on nii oluline, et Islandi Regionaalse Arengu Instituut võrdsustas tema elutöö doktorikraadiga. 92-aastasena töötab ta ikka muuseumis - teeb tuure erinevates võõrkeeltes, mängib orelit ja käib ikka inimeste seas Islandi anekdootide ja lugude retkel. (ta on tõeliselt inspireeriv inimene ja rohkem juttu on temast inglise keeles siin  http://www.icelandictimes.is/section.php?id=9804&id_art=10103)

Kindlasti teadsid et Tallinnas on islandi nimeline väljak - seda seetõttu, et Island tunnustas taasiseseisvunud Eestit kõikide teiste riikide seast esimesena. Aitäh Island!

Islandile tahaks kindlasti tagasi minna, aga seekord suvel!