Every time I visit Iceland I’m always amazed at the country’s unique natural beauty with its many glaciers, rumbling volcanoes, black lava fields, bubbling geothermal pools and mudflats, numerous thunderous waterfalls and small harbors . . . that can’t fail to impress!
This time around, upon arrival at Keflavik airport in early August, after flying from Athens via Frankfurt, I started my stay in Iceland with a Covid19 test which was followed by 5 days in quarantine and a second Covid19 test in Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, before being cleared to see my family and friends.
For the quarantine period, I was really lucky as a good friend of mine loaned me her lovely centrally located apartment with all its comforts that included a fridge and kitchen cupboards stuffed with tempting beverages and a mixture of simple and boldly flavored Icelandic food items that I, during this time, relished tasting and cooking! Even if I hadn’t anticipated starting this year’s trip to Iceland like this, it turned out to be a real treat and a reflection of genuine friendship and Icelandic hospitality!
If you are wondering what my meals were like, here are my top choices:
For breakfast, Icelandic Flatkökur (flatbread) with cheese or Skyr (fresh sour milk cheese similar to thick yogurt) with fruit and all sorts of yummy toppings.
For lunch, outstanding, flavorful, firm & flaky Cod loins from Iceland’s cold waters served with a warm potato/kale salad made with salad greens and kale from another friend’s veggie garden!
And for dessert, or a late afternoon treat, scrumptious tasting Icelandic strawberries and blueberries served with vanilla custard sauce and lightly sweetened whipped cream.
I must admit, quarantine made me go a bit overboard on the food side so to keep fit and in shape for the upcoming road trips I spent hours outside, strolling through some of Reykjavik’s beautiful parks, city center and the nearby Nauthólsvík Geothermal Beach area where I chatted with the birds and from afar, watched youngsters from the Siglunes sailing club set out to sail.
For those of you who have possibly thought of sunbathing in the midnight sun on an island in the North Atlantic, love relaxing in a warm lagoon's hot tub or perhaps feel like joining some courageous locals for a challenging cold water swim in the North Atlantic Ocean with water temperature no higher than 10 ̊ – 11 ̊C . . then this is definitely a must visit place (in summer only)!
I always say . . . Iceland is as much about history and vibrant, colorful people as it is about mind bending scenery and landscape . . . as people and nature cannot be separated!
Awesome Iceland - 2020/2 and /3 coming soon . . . Road trips to the North of Iceland and South-East Iceland.
Also coming soon . . . How I cooked the Cod fish with the Potato Kale salad!