Dreamscapes Travel & Lifestyle Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dreamscapes.ca/i/510262
DREAMSCAPES SPRING/SUMMER 2015 48 AN ISLAND TO REMEMBER ABOVE TOP: A visit to Gullfoss, Iceland's famous "Golden Falls," was a highlight of the Golden Circle Tour. Valerie Marshall ABOVE CENTRE: The Icelandic horse is a breed so carefully preserved that, by law, a horse leaving the island can never return. Valerie Marshall OPPOSITE TOP: At Strokkur, Iceland's most energetic spouting spring erupts every five to seven minutes. Valerie Marshall OPPOSITE BOTTOM: At the Saga Museum in Reykjavík, visitors gain some understanding of the early Viking history and culture of the Icelandic people. Adam Saunders O ne option included a well-priced alternative with Icelandair, which offered three- to four-day "Stopover Tours" at no addi- tional cost. What an opportunity to explore a destination about which we knew so little! Being November, we anticipated fewer daylight hours and our early arrival in Keflavik's cheery airport was predictably in the dark. The airport bustled at 8:00 a.m. and we welcomed the efficiency of our pre-booked Flybus service for the 45- minute drive to the Hotel Reykjavik Natura, where we were welcomed with a smörgåsbord breakfast of herring, smoked salmon, cold meats and delicious nut- breads. Our comfortable hotel room overlooked Oskjuhlid Hill and the Perlan (The Pearl), a major landmark renowned for its revolving restaurant. Anticipating extreme cold we had pur- chased thermal wear and windbreaker shell outerwear but, apart from the wind chill experienced on some outdoor activi- ties, the daily temperatures were quite pleasant due to warm gulfstream ocean currents around Iceland. Although days were short, we enjoyed mostly sunny skies and occasional brief showers. WONDERFUL BEGINNINGS Shortly after our arrival, we were treated to an extravagant lunch at the famous Kopar Restaurant by the harbour where Ylfa Helgadóttir, chef de cuisine and owner, produced a delicious sampling of Icelandic fare. Looking out over snow-capped moun- tains, it was hard to imagine we had left Canada just a few hours ago. We ended our first day with an evening at the Fákasel Horse Theatre. Following a meal of traditional lamb soup and a mag- nificent performance featuring unique Icelandic horses, we mingled with riders and horses in the stables, where about 70 of these magnificent animals are housed. IT ALL BEGAN WITH A SEARCH FOR FLIGHTS TO ENGLAND. BY VALERIE MARSHALL