Due to today’s unpredictable Icelandic weather, we’ve had to adjust our itinerary. Initially, we had set our sights eastward, with plans to explore the enchanting Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon, the picturesque Skaftafell National Park, and the expansive Vatnajökull Glacier. However, safety comes first, and the current conditions have made these visits infeasible.
Instead, we shifted our plans to the little village of Vík. We experienced an exhilarating lava show there, along with some shopping and dining.
But before discussing today’s adventures, I’d like to compare some everyday items we use in the US with their Icelandic counterparts.
In Iceland, the Króna serves as the official currency. Although geographically in Europe, Iceland has chosen not to use the Euro. At my last check, one US dollar equated to about 138 Króna, which means 1000 Króna is roughly $7.25.
Upon arriving at the hotel, one of the first differences I noticed was the design of the electrical plugs and outlets. Like the rest of Europe, Iceland uses plugs with two round pins, a departure from the two flat prongs familiar to us.
Hotel showers in Iceland offer a unique experience compared to what I’m familiar with. The lack of a shower curtain or door takes some getting used to. However, a pleasant difference is the height of the shower head. It’s positioned higher, allowing the water to cascade from above, in contrast to many US hotel showers where the water typically hits around chest height.
The burning question on many minds: how much is a gallon of gas in Iceland? While gas is priced by the liter here, for a rough U.S. comparison, we can multiply the local price by four. Currently, with gas at 316 Króna per liter, the price translates to 1,264 Króna per gallon. This amounts to a surprising $9.15 per gallon! Why the high cost? Several factors come into play: Iceland imports all its oil, various taxes such as the Value Added Tax, excise tax, and carbon tax are applied, and with a limited number of major suppliers, there’s minimal competition to push prices lower.
Shifting gears back to our activities, another fascinating experience we had in Iceland was at the Lava Show in Vík. After a brief introduction to Iceland’s geothermal activity, we witnessed a live lava demonstration. The team displayed molten lava directly in front of the audience, offering a very close-up view.
But how did they make lava? The team superheats basaltic rock in a specialized furnace to temperatures over 2,000° F. This rock, collected from past Icelandic lava flows, melts into a vibrant, molten state, resembling the natural lava from Iceland’s volcanoes.
After the Lava Show, we had a short drive to a nearby shopping and dining hub. While our group pondered their choices at the local cafe, Mrs. G. and I took a short walk to Restaurant Suður-Vík. We’d previously spotted this eatery in a YouTube video and were intrigued by a unique dish they offered: Ostaveisla, a 5-cheese pizza with jam. It might seem like an odd pairing, but it was delicious. We also tried the Granmetisveisla – a vegetable pizza – which was equally delightful.
As today’s adventures come to an end, I’m reminded that sometimes, changes in plans lead to new and interesting experiences. Tomorrow, we’re heading to the Reykjanes Peninsula and a relaxing dip at the Blue Lagoon. Thanks for following along, and I’ll share more from our Icelandic journey soon.