Today was a day for us to dive into Reykjavik’s many cultural activities. In the morning, there was a tour of Harpa, the stunning center for the arts located in downtown Reykjavik. It is an ambitious building, built of glass and steel. It’s really a thrilling site inside and out. After the tour there was a concert of new and old Icelandic music (including a selection called Jóga by Iceland’s most famous contemporary musician Bjork). Here are a few photos that really cannot do justice to this gorgeous structure, but we try. Thanks to Bill and Cath for the photos.
Harpa is set on the bay of Reykjavik
Here is a view of the interior ceiling:
Shadows cast over the floor of Harpa by sun shining through the walls:
The main concert hall at Harpa:
Cath surveying the scene in the main concert hall:
A performance and recording space at Harpa:
Later in the day we met some fellow travelers who told us there was going to be an organ recital at the big church known as Hallgrimskirkja. We knew there was a huge pipe organ at the church, so we decided to go and hear it played. It was the right decision. Hearing that huge organ being played in the massive, austere church was a singular experience. The organist, Gereon Krahforst, who travelled from Germany for this concert, played works by Bach and several Icelandic composers, one of which aurally pictured a volcanic eruption. When I say the organist pulled out all of the stops I mean that literally! What a thrill it was to hear. The encore was very unexpected and welcome: Somewhere Over the Rainbow.
*The massive church steeple can be seen from all over Reykjavik. Photo by Bill MacIver
Another view of the church.
The massive church organ, which we heard played by a master organist from Germany.
Don appears in the foreground discussing the performance with one of the church officials.
By now my sister Noreen had arrived in Reykjavik, so we gathered the whole group for dinner. It’s not easy to find a restaurant to take a group of eight on short notice but we were lucky and got into a small restaurant adjacent to our hotel called the Old Iceland Restaurant. The owner said his recipes are based on his grandmother’s cooking. The restaurant is tiny. The food is excellent. I had arctic char served with charred broccoli and potatoes. These Icelandic potatoes are really special; they have a sweetness to them that is really appealing. Must be the cold weather. Here is a photo of the whole group together:
The whole crew is united: From left: Don, Gail, Bill, Cath, Sheila, Noreen, Jim and Tom.
You may recall I recommended my daughter Jane’s blog when she went to Japan. Well she posted about her current trip hiking in the wilds of Iceland and it is really worth reading: https://jcslaughter.substack.com/p/arrival-and-fimmvoruhals-day-1