It’s been a while since I’ve written something! I have been feeling a bit dry and was seeking inspiration for quite some time now. My last vacation was October of last year, when my senior friends and I went to Bordeaux & San Sebastian for a food & wine oriented trip.

I am extremely thankful that we are given another opportunity to learn and explore. This trip will help stimulate my mind to become creative again, which is the reason why it’s important for people to travel. Traveling excites, refreshes and inspires an individual. For this trip, I will be writing as we go, posting photos and videos whenever I can (and whenever internet will be available to allow me to upload). This will be epic!

What A Relief

A trip that was a year in the making, is now finally unfolding. The start of the year for me was a bit bumpy. I cannot share too much details but yes, It was a roller coaster. The only difference this time is my consistent exercise routine since November of last year that has helped tremendously with my mental health. Going to the gym between three to five times a week has strengthen my mind and body. I am more level headed, calm and efficient when facing challenges. For that, I pat myself on the shoulder.

My last two weeks at work prior to my departure ( I didn’t quit, just to be clear) wasn’t a fairytale walk in the park. I decided to work ten days straight and have my days off two days prior to departing so I have plenty of time to loosen up and pack for the trip (although, we packed two weeks earlier, hahaha). Normally, people get mentally checked out when they are about to go on vacation. I made sure to focus and give my best—worked some semi-busy service nights while being understaffed, cooked family meal everyday and even convinced my own will or thinking that it will all be worth it once I embark on a new exciting journey.

The Itinerary

To make everyone aware, this trip will be the last of its kind (temporarily, I guess). Starting 2025, Parts of Iceland, Norway and other European countries will stop welcoming cruise ships to their ports. Why, you ask? These countries vow to reduce their carbon footprint, raising the bar by only allowing zero-emission ships to be commissioned, which currently doesn’t exist. Seems like a lot of batteries, eh? A zero-emission ship is light years ahead of us, it’ll take at least five to ten years for scientists and engineers to design such a feat. How much lithium battery will be needed to power up a mammoth of a ship to transport thousands of people from Iceland to Norway? Let’s ask Elon or the folks at Toyota with Toyota’s Hydrogen Engineering. Don’t be alarmed, after reading this, just note that you can still fly in to Iceland or Norway and drive to the amazing spots that they are known for. I’m pretty sure there are organized tours as well.

When my family mentioned and pitched this once in a lifetime trip to me, I didn’t hesitate, despite the hefty price tag that I will eventually regret. No regrets, just enjoy the present! I do love cruises as they make everything so much easier.

The Funs starts in Reykjavik, Iceland, where we will be flying in two to three days before the cruise. This time will be allotted to travel around the western part of Iceland by land, hitting the most visited places possible like the Golden Circle & the are of Vik. Once we embark on the cruise, we travel east, touching two ports in northern Iceland before finally crossing down to Norway, where we will be docking at three ports namely: Geiranger, Haugesund and Bergen. From Norway, we go further down to Amsterdam for a quick stop, Bruges, all the way to Southampton, head to London, spend a couple of nights there and fly out.

Below, you can see a visual representation of what we are gonna got ourselves into. Mind you, the blue lines do not reflect the cruise’s actual route, I don’t know how to choose a ship as a mode of transportation on Google Maps.

From Reykjavik, we cruise to Isafjordur and Akureyri

From Haugesund, we head back north to Bergen

Bergen down to Amsterdam, Bruges, ending in Southampton and catching a train to London

Our ship is the Norwegian Prima, about 4-6 years in service, relatively new (and clean). There will be plenty of dining spots and specialty restaurants, although, one thing I’ve learned from cruise ships is that in my own opinion, specialty dining spots are not really that worth it. I’m fine eating at the main dining hall and save my $$$ for better places in London. We already booked a couple of amazing restaurants in London, and I can’t wait to try contemporary Indian food.

Ever since I was a young, I’ve always had a fascination with fjords. Watching Discovery Channel and National Geographic allowed me to imagine myself visiting those places. And now, I’m finally doing it, a dream come true. I will marvel at the sight and serenity of the towering mountains when I wake up in the morning. CAN’T WAIT!!!

Like I said, I will be writing as we travel.

We fly out tomorrow, Sunday, August 10 at 7:00pm! Talk to you soon!

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"Fjarlægðin gerir fjöllin blá.”

-Jóhann Sigurjónsson

Distance makes the mountains blue.

This beautiful Icelandic Proverb has different interpretations. The version that caught my attention is where it translates to: The further you are away from something, the more beautiful you perceive it. This is how I feel about our journey and indeed, it is a beautiful blue mountain and even when we got closer and closer! We have been admiring from afar, counting the days to when we can finally set foot in this harsh yet forgiving, and barren yet bountiful country, the land of fire and ice, as they call it.

I can’t even consolidate my feelings about Iceland right now. It just feels so amazing to be here that it creates a glitch in my brain on how I should process my emotions. Arriving in the city, you are instantly hit with a sense of calmness, there is not much to see—no skyscrapers, not a single towering building that is trying to prove anything, no fancy cars, no loud and striking colors, it’s just all, should I say, neutral or balanced? What a relief from bustling Miami where everything demands attention.

An Icelandic morning from our window view, a reminder that the world is so big for you not to travel!

Day 1: Visiting Downtown Reykjavik & Sky Lagoon

The transfer from the airport to Reykjavik was about fifty minutes by bus. We arrived and checked in at our hotel, Apotek. I must say, our room was clean and more spacious than normal in european standards. Everything was accessible since we are staying in the city proper.

Architecture

When you come here, you admire the intelligent architecture that humbly exhibits efficiency, function and aesthetic, Icelandic ingenuity. Take a look below.

I thought that zen only comes from Japanese designs, but there’s something about this performing theater that gives off the same vibe. The building seems like a thousand pieces of brilliant crystals or natural stones being put together in a striking, balanced flow.

As you can see, the old mixes with the new and yet, both are in harmony. You will also witness the different architectural influences that even date back to the Gothic era.

Other than the modern architecture, Iceland’s harbours and bays do make it a wonderful place to walk on. The country relies on fishing as one of it’s biggest contributor to the economy. You will frequent fishing boats docking or cruise ships dropping off their passengers who are eager to explore. The small town vibes are more reserved for the tourists where you will see rows and rows of shops selling Icelandic merchandise that seem to be never ending.

Food

Food has been amazing despite the HEFTY price tag. Food is expensive here, much like everything. You will likely run into a $30-$50 per person budget for lunch and about $80 to $100+ for dinner. Try their hotdog sandwiches, they are amazing and convenient. You eat good, you try what’s local.

It’s interesting because some of the people I know have mentioned that there are not a lot of good options in Iceland. Maybe you just need to find them, I guess? It could also be that I’ve been cooking so much at home that I forgot how other people’s food taste like anymore? I don’t know what to believe. We craved for soup when we got here and there was a thai restaurant that appeared in front of us.

Apotek Grill surprised us a lot. We were so hungry after coming back from Sky Lagoon and got a a last-minute table for eight right before they were about to close. WHAT an absolute piece of s**t I am for not knowing better. I work in the industry and I know the feeling of having last tables. But then again, not everyone in our group comes from the same thinking and we were really starving, so we didn’t have a choice. It was almost ten at night when we were scouting for a restaurant. I could see the chef’s frustration when he found out that an eight-top sat down. Oh boy. I was looking at my father-in-law (FIL) and told him that, “At this point, they don’t give a damn about our food.”

Food came out fascinating and we ordered a lot. Hands down and job well done to the chef. We wanted to buy a round of beers for the kitchen team but our server didn’t know that concept exists. He was amused by the request asking why we want to do such a thing. My FIL basically mentioned that it’s how we show appreciation to the kitchen for doing such a job well done. He asked his manager and by the time they arrived with an answer, the entire kitchen team left already.

Sky Lagoon

This is what cemented as one of the best “Thank you, Lord” experiences for me. The Sky Lagoon is a natural geothermal spring that is frequented by most tourists when mentioning Reykjavik. It is an absolute masterpiece to experience this luxurious pool. You will be guided every step of the way and it is really a wonderful means to relax and unwind. When I got into the warm pool, while the cold breeze was blowing, I told myself that, I worked hard for this, I deserve it. It was really, really a fascinating experience that you cannot miss out on. Count it to your bucket list before you die! You can order drinks from the bar and do the seven step process of submerging yourself to an ice cold, minus forty degree pool, straight to a sauna. Then, refresh yourself with a cold water mist shower before applying a salt and sesame-based exfoliating solution to your entire body. You then head to a steam room and finally, rinse off everything with a warm shower before going back to the pool.

The wonderful view next to you calms your senses. I want to go back there so bad.

This wraps up our first day in Iceland. Tomorrow, we drive south.

Day 2: South, We Go!

Pardon my delayed writing but our second day here in Iceland was intense that I literally crashed in bed and woke up the next day not having any recollection of how it happened. We loaded on excursions that involved driving south from Reykjavik down to Black Sand Beach while making a couple of stops on the way back.

For reference, below is our itinerary.

Driving south to Reynisfjara, Black Sand Beach

From The Black Sand Beach, we did a couple of stops on the way back

The drive was spectacular and stunning despite the gloomy weather casting above our heads. Iceland’s picturesque landscape on our way out of the city is filled with proud mountain ranges, humble hills and timid plateaus that appear dark as charcoal imbued by the mineral-rich earth. We witnessed fissures releasing geothermal steam violently escaping from the ground to touch the Icelandic sky like outcast angels finally going back to heaven from afar, only to realize that they were factories. lol. Vegetation is sparse on the mountainside & the surrounding barren fields, although it gets better the deeper you drive south. From a distance, it seems like Bob Ross just added some neon green paint and brushed it on the mountains to create a lustrous color contrast.

The further we drove, the more we got introduced to the Icelandic country life. Private properties begin to appear and flaunt their gorgeous yet modest farm houses sitting on gentle hills as if a giant is carefully holding a treasure with life in its hand.

The vast expanse of land is remarkable and dramatic as it stretches miles & miles to the horizon, and when you consider the other earthly elements like the gush of water, the force of the wind and the violent volcanic activity, you see the beauty of Iceland. And yet, with all the details mentioned, it is serene and peaceful. No wonder big television shows and movies pick Iceland as the perfect backdrop for fantasy and sci-fi movies. Furthermore, the trip was enjoyed by good company and music as the camera pans out to the sky to an open-ended voyage.

First stop.

Black Sand Beach

One of the most popular destinations that is unique to Iceland, Black Sand Beach is a two and a half hour drive south of the main city. It can be enjoyed at two different areas: If you are driving, the road going to the destination will lead you to a fork. Driving to the left will take you to a spot where you have unobstructed views of just ocean panorama shown above. If you take the path to the right, it leads you to the location of the cave and the view of the two towers on water. The first area, or the left, is farther to drive and what I consider as the back side, and the road to the right, is the main tourist destination shown below.

The Road To The Left

Lunch was simple and decent.

The Road To The Right / Main Beach

When you get to the main beach, to the left is a mountain that stomps over a cave underneath its feet. A stunning façade of geometrical rock formation that rises a couple of stories vertically occupy the right cheek of the cave where most of the tourists seal their memories by taking photos.

To the right, is the ocean where two vertical rock formations that resemble horns are weathering the strong waves of the unforgiving Atlantic. Witness the roaring water violently crawling towards the shore only to dissipate into bubbles at the end of its cycle. The waves are so strong that if one catches you at the wrong spot, you can get easily pulled back to the ocean and struggle to come back ashore.

Walking further down the path, the entirety of the mountain’s façade unfolds.

Sólheimajokull Glacier

On our way back north, we took a side trip to the glaciers of Sólheimajokull. The road took us to this alien environment that was unusual from what we’ve encountered so far. I have never been up close to a glacier and it instantly became a highlight of our trip for it was so stupendously picturesque. What was even more impressive was the walk towards the glacier mountain. From the parking, we hiked and walked for about fifteen minutes. Those fifteen minutes were not spent in vain for on the left, we were rewarded with the perfect scenic view of ice blocks melting along the river.

I’ve never seen something like this in my entire life. We went close to the melting ice after taking photos of the mountain and you can literally see how crystal clear the edges are and admiring the water dripping one at time, in its own pace, only to join the stream bidding farewell for a new a form of adventure. I wonder why I never touched the water?

The barren pathway takes you to a vantage point to view the mountain from a certain distance. From afar, it looked like an ice giant’s face resting on one side in its hibernation phase, sleeping peacefully, waiting for the next winter season to wake up and go about. I was imagining that it will open its eye at any moment and stare at us, then fall asleep again and hum a gentle sigh. It was also pretty interesting to see bold adventure seekers braving the glacier, hiking their way up to what I only assume as a view from the top that will all be worth it.

My vocabulary doesn’t allow me to expound on such a unique event in my life. I despise myself for having a limited mental dictionary for the experience was too good to pass and just become another memory hidden in the back of my head. I guess this is where photos come in handy. Every time you look at them, you will be reminded of that great familiarity that once was so real.

Waterfalls of Iceland

There’s nothing quite like the falls of Iceland. In fact, they’re famous and being admired for it. Through my experience, standing next to one brings this magical vibe that you get from fantasy films and it makes you feel one with nature—being one with the Creator. It’s like being in a fairytale, well, minus the wings that elevate you to the top of the falls and catch that picturesque moment. It’s weird, the experience. You’re just basically seeing falling water from high ground down to a stream and yet the moment seems so astounding.

From the gush of the water free falling from the top, down to how it dissipates once it reaches the bottom, you can witness the might and force of a waterfall. It wants you to gaze at it with admiration and be in awe, only giving it your hundred percent attention, and yet, it reminds you to not disrupt its flow for it will be detrimental to do such a thing. I’m pretty sure there are better falls elsewhere around the world, but they will all make you feel so tiny and insignificant. We are just observers to a much bigger picture than any of us.

Skógafoss

Our first stop was the Skógafoss Falls

This particular one didn’t have a pathway that you can go behind. Although, it is the second widest fall that we visited. If you come close to it, you will notice how the water instantly transform into mist and travel through the air creating a rippling wall of water. We didn’t mind getting close and soaked all our clothes wet, it was fun and exhilerating!

Water becoming mist by the sheer strength of the drop

Seljalandsfoss

The second waterfall that we visited is the Seljalandsfoss falls

This area consists of one big waterfall with a back access, three tiny waterfalls and a hidden one behind a mountain. The main waterfall has a staircase on the side that allows you to have a higher vantage point.

I didn’t bother going behind the back access for I had enough of getting wet while experiencing the ugly and gloomy Icelandic weather at 60F. Tell me about it.

Credits to the wife for taking this amazing photo

Instead, I took the trail and captured amazing snapshots of the surrounding areas. The line for the hidden falls was just too long and I didn’t bother as well. What a lazy explorer.

Dinner at Café Loki

Going back to the city, we were faced with a very harsh weather. It was raining like crazy. And as the evening progressed, we caught ourselves trying a very traditional Icelandic restaurant in the downtown area. For some reason, this café just popped out of Google suggestions since it had really good reviews.

Café Loki is a café dedicated to Loki, the god, himself. Don’t ask me the reason why. The menu felt like it was a hangout place for teenagers, not for adults. Food was limited to boiled cod with potatoes, lamb soup, lamb shank, smoked salmon club sandwich and a sandwich with some boring accompaniments, you get what I mean? I get to tell you though… It was pretty decent. I ordered the boiled cod with potatoes and it was tasty. Hahaha. There was no sauce, just caramelized onions on top, but the seasonings of the fish and the potatoes were on point. I could eat this over and over again and not get tired of it. The lamb soup was good as well, very homey and very comforting on a 55F night.

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Day 3: Golden Circle, Other Interesting Stops & Blue Lagoon!

Another loaded day has ended and I am beat! Nonetheless, fun and amazing.

For our third and final day on land, we decided to the Golden Circle Area. This area encompasses national parks, waterfalls, the geysir and other attractions. We didn’t complete the whole circle because we did some side trips here and there. Plus, we had an appointment at the famous Blue Lagoon geothermal springs that we will talk about much later.

Breakfast at Deig Bakery

National Park

Our first stop was the Thingvellir National Park. A massive park that comprises of several must-see sites that spans a vast chunk of land. It was cool but I must say, nothing beats whatever Arizona and Utah have. Below are photos to check them out. I don’t have a lot to say about it for we didn’t stay for too long and it wasn’t really that significant. We were on a schedule and had a lot ahead of us. Mind you, we only saw probably about 5-10% of the total attractions within the area.

Gulfoss Falls

Now, this is a massive waterfall. It looks like a slice a of pizza from afar. The weather was so awful at that time that most of my photos came out horrible. There’s a hiking trail that leads literally where the falls is and of course, we didn’t know better and hiked it. You can really feel the magnitude of the water gushing and it was not to be taken lightly.

Geysir

Going to Geysir was jam packed. There so much tourist in that area and people were going crazy every time one of the hot spring spouts a massive spectacle. It was fun to observe, you’re going to be holding your breath just to catch the video of it erupting. It randomly erupts, no one can tell at what exact time it will happen, but while we were there, it’s been repeating a cycle of 4 minutes for a small explosion and 7 minutes for a biggie. Aside from that spectacle, there was nothing to see.

Blue Lagoon

Blue Lagoon is the pioneer in geothermal pool destinations in Iceland. It sits literally close to a volcano that erupted one day after we left to sail, thank goodness we were able to experience it. Whenever there are signs of an impending eruption, they shut down the whole operation for everyone’s safety.

I find it to be more catered to the masses and less of a private / upscale destination. The pool is bigger than Sky Lagoon by three or four times. It’s signature blue / white water is made with a mixture of minerals and salt that is apparently good for your skin. It is surrounded by natural volcanic rocks, which was kind of cool. One thing it lacks is a view, unlike Sky Lagoon where you can see the sunset while sipping a drink of your choice. Nonetheless, it was pretty straight forward and relaxing.

Afternoon Snack at a Tomato Greenhouse

When we took the car from the rental the other day, my FIL and I grabbed a taxi ride. The taxi driver mentioned about a tomato farm that had a restaurant in it and an ice cream spot with an interesting twist.

Who trusts strangers these days?

We took his advice.

And behold. Everything on the menu had to do something with tomatoes and basil, even the drinks!

Enter… Fridheimar

It was a massive property that had multiple greenhouse tents and a really charming restaurant and wine bar. We were told that Gordon Ramsey came by to visit a month ago and sat at a very particular seat where my FIL’s sister was seating. Not that it was an important information, but good to know.

Efstidalur II Ice Cream Shop

This ice cream shop produces its own milk by having their own cattle in the property! Imagine the milk taken from these cows don’t have to travel anymore for it to be processed? Fresh ingredients is the highlight of this charming store. The taste and quality of the ice creams were good, but I don’t think you can consider them the best. They even have a restaurant that’s open for lunch and dinner.

Dinner was an unexpected and uncalled for situation. We came home late and found out that all of Reykjavik’s restaurants close early. We were so desperate to eat and had to scour the entire city for places that were still open. We found Domino’s pizza to be the only place that was still running and we didn’t have a choice. I completely regret eating pizza for the next day, it left me with a miserable bloated feeling that carried on until our first night on the ship.

Tomorrow, we set sail!

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All Aboard, The Norwegian Prima!

Now this is where our journey really starts.

We are to cruise for ten to eleven days with multiple places to visit and explore. The ship Is relatively new, although, I disliked its layout. It was missing a massive promenade and getting to the different spots within was a bit of a hassle. On the bright side, it was equipped with good entertainment on board, we had a karaoke / stand-up comedy bar called Improv. A music bar called Syd Norman’s, highly a favorite amongst the cruisers, a full-service theater, observatory deck, an arcade (that is not complimentary… booo) multiple bars, the main atrium and god knows how many restaurants.

Dining

Learning from experience, you can’t expect to have amazing food on board a ship, but I find that NCL’s culinary program is better than Royal’s. There were multiple specialty dining restaurants although we only tried one, Le Bistro, the French restaurant, and that was enough. The rest of the cruise trip, we just basically went to the spots where food was complimentary. The highlight was the Indulge Food Hall where Indian cuisine is at the center of attention. They showcase two tandoori ovens the moment you step in. Inside the food hall: an asian noodle bar, a smokehouse BBQ spot, Spanish tapas, rotisserie and Mediterranean food.

On a separate location, The Local Bar and Grill is your 24/7 spot for those late night hungry fiends. It’s mostly bar food and you can’t beat having unlimited chicken wings and spinach artichoke dip!

Ports of Isafjyodur & Akureyri

The first two ports of our cruise trip were complete disappointments. There was nothing to see other than what are apparently remote, sleepy towns. Akureyri had more life to it. It was a bigger city than the first, although, like I said, it was just whatever. We did a lot of walking while we were there, but there was nothing really much to see other than shops, a botanical garden and the view of the ship docked from afar. We will skip commentary on these two ports. But feel free to enjoy the photos provided.

Isafjyodur