ICELAND 2021 Reykjavik hike to Perla Dome, downtown
Tracks of the StoneBear Copyright MMX Uncle Hargus ALL Rights reserved
SBTROF .com ROF= Ring of Fire Odyssey
MEF-H = Marine Expeditionary Force- Hargus
ICLD = Iceland journey
ICLD day 2 Arv Reykjavik hike to Perla Dome, hotel eat downtown..
Thursday October 14, 2021
It's about 0700 Thursday am,... tired from flying all night on Delta 246 Atlanta to Iceland w/o good sleep. Heading Eastnortheast Red orange horizon coming up over Europe.
Feet dry now... over land.
Arrive Keflavek 0805 Iceland time. 5 hour ahead time zone change. Keflavek is the international transit airport. We'll head for Reykjavik to muster/ form up for the Iceland Rt- Road Trip- tour.
Headed for baggage airport is European modern.
Sunrise now via round window.
Baggage and lines at customs check point.
Done now meet up at lobby... "Gate 1" sign. a group of a ~dozen~
20 minute wait and load up bags into mini-van, 9-10 passengers leave Kevlavek Hwy 41 east. Golden sculptures of "people,... "Pear" stainless steel sculpture leaving the airport.
Landscape is flat black and greenish fields of rock. It's lava rock, w/ green/ amber moss/ lichens growing on the lava.
Ocean/ North Atlantic to the left/ North,...
1,500' black mountains to the Right/ south.
Interesting drive to Reykjavik.
Small communities,... some commercial buildings.
Industrial factory on the Left/ coast... an Aluminum factory.
Bauxite, aluminum ore, shipped from Brazil, now smelted and processed via cheap geothermal Iceland energy, then exported all over the world.
Interesting sights into Reykjavik.
Modern, interstate level roads, junctions.
Arrive at city, Reykjavic. "Dome" on the hill to the left.
Arrive at hotel, Light green, glass panels. This is right on the city Reykjavik airport RKV. The old original airport.
Lobby, check in... assign rooms, meet back at 5 for Gate 1 orientation.
We've got 4.5 hours.
Desk says there is a path up the hill to "The Dome" ... "The Perla".
We hike up the hill for a half mile and come to the old ruins... the concrete pads of the WWII military Quonset huts, and the gun pits mounts... the firing platforms for artillery/ cannon guns/ anti-aircraft guns to protect the bay/ airport/ city.
These are the ruins of the WWII British soldiers,... then US Marines stationed in Iceland.
My Dad was one of those Iceland Marines in WWII.
Dad was HERE!
A few minutes to reflect at these sites... to say a prayer for ALL those WWII British soldiers and US Marines that served here. Those men stood a post, guarded Iceland from invasion by the Nazis ... THIS is sacred ground. Of our history... of British history,... of US Marines history,... Of the people of Icelands history. It was here!
These were ruins now spray painted w/ graffiti ... but it was here.
Walked on up the hill to the Dome... "The Pearl", "The Perla"...
A unique complex that has been converted to tourist exhibits and tours...
5th level is restaurants and coffee shops,...
A 360* promenade walk around of the perfect views of the city of Reykjavik.... a unique place for sure. Overlooking the Reykjavik airport RVK... and city...
About an hour+ there seeing everything...
Hiked back down the hill to the hotel.
Refreshed in the room.
Walked around the complex,... airport ... AISA... Iceland air authority... like the FAA in USA. Eagle Air terminal... local/ domestic flights and charter flights.
Ground floor,... down past the conference rooms wing was an exhibit. International chess tournament players Bobby Fisher and Boris Spasky were here for there famous chess match. Display cases of memorabilia.
5pm lobby and meet Hannah, Gate 1 guide and meet tour crew members.
An hour+ orientation to meet and greet Gate 1 fellow travelers and brief on our next week of seeing Iceland.
1800/ 630pm several of or group form up in the lobby and walk a mile to downtown Reykjavik to scout out.
European/ Iceland bistros, shops, restaurants,... walk through some neighborhoods,... 
some downtown streets...
The yellow road ...
and finally find a restaurant we agree on and can accommodate a big table of guests.
Reykjavik Fish House... 
A good dinner w/ good friends...
Walk back to the hotel and get ready for the next morning to see Iceland.
A good day.
You never drink twice from the same stream.
Just because you wander doesn't mean you're lost.
Uncle Hargus: Last of the Independents
Have Bear,
Will Travel
StoneBearTracks Copyright Uncle Hargus MMX ALL blog posts/photographs/video ALL Rights reserved
ALL Blog posts/photographs/video Copyright MMX ALL Rights Reserved
