A Land of Ice and Fire - Day 5

It's our last day!  We had to be out of the apartment in the morning, so we packed up the car and then went down to the Harpa, Reykjavik's concert hall.  In a country of dramatic yet minimal landscapes, it makes sense to me that their sense of design would have that same simplicity and stark grandeur.

Photo from www.blog.icelanddesign.is/

The pattern of the windows echoes the basalt columns we saw yesterday,

While we were there, we came across a science-fiction conference, with a lecture on a show so obscure even I'd never heard of it!  The shop (there's always a shop) was also really interesting to me.  It was full of examples of modern design in Iceland, which ties in with the job I do.  That clean, minimal focus was in everything.  It both compliments and contrasts with everything we'd seen, and made me wonder how much, even in our global economy, living in a particular place affects the art people make.

I loved these.  The 'Original Icelandic Toys' turned out to be
wooden replicas of whale and deer bones!

Heading up to the hill above the city, we found Perlan.  These huge water tanks have been turned into a geological exhibit and viewing platform for both Reykjavik and the surroundings mountains including the nearby volcano Kieler.  It's a really col looking building, with more of that nice clean geometric design.  Oh and a cafe.  There's always a cafe to visit!  On the viewing platform are a dozen or so samples of the different kinds of rock found in Iceland, and plaques explaining how they are formed.

View from the platform at Perlan

Our final stop was a museum called Viking World!  Most of it is about the Vikings discovering (from their perspective) America.  Specifically New Foundland, which I think I did know but had forgotten at some point.  Their nautical expertise just gets more and more impressive.  As well as a fun art exhibit on the mythology of the Norse gods, there was a great section on a man who built a replica Viking ship and sailed it to America in 2000.  He had a history of boat building and decided that the best way to understand Viking techniques was with a hands on approach!  The vision and craftmanship are amazing, and they now have the boat in the museum so that you can walk on it and see for yourself.

Finally we had to go back to the airport, where we played a a string of lightning fast rounds of Bananagrams and UNO, our favourite travel games.  As a family we're very good at making regular things interesting, and happy in each others company.  Even waiting at an airport goes fast until it's time to go back along the rainbow bridge.