On Friday, October 26th, our CELL group left Solheimar for a day in the “big city” – Reykjavik – Iceland’s 
capital. A Norwegian settler, Ingolfur Arnarson, arrived in Iceland around 870 AD, and when he saw plumes of steam rising from the hot springs, he called the area “Reykjavik” or “Smoky Bay.” Today, Reykjavik is a bustling city with a population of 160,000 people. Approximately 65% of the country’s population live within the greater Reykjavik area.
Reykjavik is the world’s most northern national capital with a latitude of 64”08’ N, skirting the southern edge of the Arctic Circle. In mid-winter, Iceland receives only four hours of daylight per day, but its summers are blessed with nights that are almost as bright as the days.
Many think of Reykjavik as a frozen capital city. This is a myth. Average mid-winter temperatures are milder than New York City. This is because Iceland’s coastal weather is moderated by the warm waters of the Gulf Stream. Reykjavik, however, is very wet and
windy, averaging 213 rainy days each year.
In the morning, we visited the Saga Museum at the Perlan Center. As the museum brochure explains:
“The first Norsemen came to Iceland in the last decades of the ninth century. Their arrival and settlement was
part of a general expansion of Viking culture that spread to many parts of Europe. Throughout the period of settlement (beginning in 870 AD), everyday life in Iceland was very difficult. The weather was hardly friendly for most of the year and the land was still volcanically active. The Icelanders often fell victim to eruptions, earthquakes, avalanches and other natural catastr
ophes that made their lot even harder. And, if that was not enough, they were also subject to the notorious Black Death that led to the destruction of more that a third of the population. However, none of this deterred those who lived here and they developed a remarkable culture with a literature that equals that of any other country in Europe.”
The Saga Museum recreates major events in Icelandic history from the time of the earliest settlers up to the R
eformation. Life-like replicas of historical Icelandic figures have been created, based on descriptions found in the Viking sagas and chronicles. Some of the “characters” in these pictures appeared very “life-like” indeed. J
After our visi
t to the museum, some of our group opted to tour other sites and shops in Reykjavik, while several of us took a trek up Mt. Esja, a 3,000 foot volcanic mountain range 10 kilometers north. The mountain range itself is 20 kilometers long and each side of the mountain has its own particular characteristics, weather patterns, etc. 
Sara, Nibby, and Dave had a wonderful afternoon hiking Mt. Esja. Hiking from sea level to the summit, we not only climbed 3,000 vertical feet, we also experienced temperatures ranging from summer to winter and winds from 0 to 50 kilometers per hour. We started hiking in shirt sleeves. Half way up, however, the winds picked up and we found ourselves in the middle of a sleet and snow squ
all dumping a couple of inches of fresh mixed-snow on the mountain.
It was so exhilarating to be hiking a mountain with such extreme weather contrasts. Three quarters of the way to the summit, the winds died down and the snow stopped. As the snow covered the trail, we found ourselves taking a “scenic route” part way up and reconnecting to the trail several hundred feet below the summit. This was the steepest section of the ascent, with chains and steel support bars providing secure hand holds on the snow- and ice-covered trail.
At the top, we ate a few biscuits (cookies), gulped some water, and snapped a few
pictures before the wind persuaded us start down. Within several minutes of arriving at the summit, we found ourselves in the middle of another squall with near white-out conditions. We headed down quickly following the same route we just came up with snow blowing into 
our faces: inhibiting our vision and frosting our eyelids. Once we were below the steep section, the winds and snow let up and we enjoyed trotting and “skiing” down the moderately steep trail on our boots.
Once we dropped 500 feet or so of elevation, the snow stopped, the wind dropped, and the clouds opened up to reveal windows of clear blue sky. It was an amazing hike: where we experienced summer to winter to fall weather conditions all in the course of three hours.
capital. A Norwegian settler, Ingolfur Arnarson, arrived in Iceland around 870 AD, and when he saw plumes of steam rising from the hot springs, he called the area “Reykjavik” or “Smoky Bay.” Today, Reykjavik is a bustling city with a population of 160,000 people. Approximately 65% of the country’s population live within the greater Reykjavik area.
Reykjavik is the world’s most northern national capital with a latitude of 64”08’ N, skirting the southern edge of the Arctic Circle. In mid-winter, Iceland receives only four hours of daylight per day, but its summers are blessed with nights that are almost as bright as the days.
Many think of Reykjavik as a frozen capital city. This is a myth. Average mid-winter temperatures are milder than New York City. This is because Iceland’s coastal weather is moderated by the warm waters of the Gulf Stream. Reykjavik, however, is very wet and
windy, averaging 213 rainy days each year.In the morning, we visited the Saga Museum at the Perlan Center. As the museum brochure explains:
“The first Norsemen came to Iceland in the last decades of the ninth century. Their arrival and settlement was
part of a general expansion of Viking culture that spread to many parts of Europe. Throughout the period of settlement (beginning in 870 AD), everyday life in Iceland was very difficult. The weather was hardly friendly for most of the year and the land was still volcanically active. The Icelanders often fell victim to eruptions, earthquakes, avalanches and other natural catastr
ophes that made their lot even harder. And, if that was not enough, they were also subject to the notorious Black Death that led to the destruction of more that a third of the population. However, none of this deterred those who lived here and they developed a remarkable culture with a literature that equals that of any other country in Europe.”The Saga Museum recreates major events in Icelandic history from the time of the earliest settlers up to the R
eformation. Life-like replicas of historical Icelandic figures have been created, based on descriptions found in the Viking sagas and chronicles. Some of the “characters” in these pictures appeared very “life-like” indeed. JAfter our visi
t to the museum, some of our group opted to tour other sites and shops in Reykjavik, while several of us took a trek up Mt. Esja, a 3,000 foot volcanic mountain range 10 kilometers north. The mountain range itself is 20 kilometers long and each side of the mountain has its own particular characteristics, weather patterns, etc. 
Sara, Nibby, and Dave had a wonderful afternoon hiking Mt. Esja. Hiking from sea level to the summit, we not only climbed 3,000 vertical feet, we also experienced temperatures ranging from summer to winter and winds from 0 to 50 kilometers per hour. We started hiking in shirt sleeves. Half way up, however, the winds picked up and we found ourselves in the middle of a sleet and snow squ
all dumping a couple of inches of fresh mixed-snow on the mountain.It was so exhilarating to be hiking a mountain with such extreme weather contrasts. Three quarters of the way to the summit, the winds died down and the snow stopped. As the snow covered the trail, we found ourselves taking a “scenic route” part way up and reconnecting to the trail several hundred feet below the summit. This was the steepest section of the ascent, with chains and steel support bars providing secure hand holds on the snow- and ice-covered trail.
At the top, we ate a few biscuits (cookies), gulped some water, and snapped a few
pictures before the wind persuaded us start down. Within several minutes of arriving at the summit, we found ourselves in the middle of another squall with near white-out conditions. We headed down quickly following the same route we just came up with snow blowing into 
our faces: inhibiting our vision and frosting our eyelids. Once we were below the steep section, the winds and snow let up and we enjoyed trotting and “skiing” down the moderately steep trail on our boots.Once we dropped 500 feet or so of elevation, the snow stopped, the wind dropped, and the clouds opened up to reveal windows of clear blue sky. It was an amazing hike: where we experienced summer to winter to fall weather conditions all in the course of three hours.
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