Reykjavík

Thursday Oct 6
Reykjavík is a very clean and walkable city. After checking in, we walked to the church, Hallgrímskirkja, visible from the Ring Road and dominating the skyline. White concrete, the sides look like the basalt columns we have seen from mountain to sea. It is sparse inside - very Scandinavian. Two large icons, one stained glass window, one pulpit, one statue and a magnificent organ give a very minimalist look to this very holy space. I have included some details. Out front, the statue of Leif Eiríksson was given to Iceland by the US in 1930 to honor the 1,000th anniversary of the Alpingi.

Tom and I were able to catch the last tour of Harpa, Reykjavik's concert hall and cultural center. Harpa was a collaboration between a Danish architectural firm, and Icelandic design firm and an American sound engineering company. Harpa opened in 2011 and the Icelandic economic crisis of 2008 had a great impact on its completion. At times construction was halted, materials and finishes changed, but in the end, the changes made it better, more Icelandic. Again, the glass hexagons represent the basalt columns of Iceland and the building is stunning in the evening light.

Walking along the harbor, we see the sculpture, Sun Voyager, glowing in the setting sun.....on it's voyage to some primeval land.