We arrived in Reykjavik in the afternoon to find the airport being renovated. Great discussion with young Icelandic woman who accompanied us into town for the travel agency. Astonishing lava piles along the way. Spent two nights, so we had time to wander around some in the downtown part of this pretty, clean city.
1 Hallgrímskirkja took 34 years to build (1940-74). The concrete is shaped to resemble basalt columns, geological formations seen in many places in Iceland.
2 Interior of Hallgrímskirkja
3 The organ has 5275 pipes!
4 In front is a statue of Leif Ereicsson, first European known to have visited North America
5 The base of the statue of Leif Eiricsson [sic]
6 Swedish tourist at the top of the church tower
7 The view from the 75-m high tower
8 Lake Tjörn with the Ráðhús (city hall) at its northern end (on right)
9 Afterwards, a good Icelandic lunch with good Icelandic beer and brennivin
10 Hallgrímskirkja seen from the Loki Cafe
11
12 Jónsson statue
13 Jónsson statue
14 Jónsson Museum garden, "The birth of Pysche"
15 Cute Icelandic houses
16 Icelandic houses
17 Ingólfstorg
18 Reykjavik 871±2, an underground archaeological museum, includes remains of a 10th-century longhouse.
19 Curious architecture of the conference center
20 Arnarhóll park with statue of Ingólfur Arnarson
21 Statue of Ingólfur Arnarson (supposed to be the first Icelandic settler) in the park on Arnarhóll; statue by Einar Jónsson
22 View of Reykjavik and Hallgrímskirkja across Lake Tjörn