After we awoke and checked out of the Lambastidr Guesthouse, we were greeted to a slight break in the weather and the company of the farm dogs and the surrounding sheep. These are not the light white and patterned cloud coats of the American lambs, instead these are massive and well-built wool sheep. Curling horns protruding from a pronounced brow and wool that blankets them like a thermal sheet make something that is much more able to bear the Islandic weather and the changes in elevation.

We decided to head back to Vik, primarily to get large amount of black sand from the beach. Even though the rain had set back in, we filled up a couple of bags with black sand. This is one of the more unique things that we can bring back as souvenirs, and once returns put them in small corked bottles as gifts and in a large decorative jar to place by our fireplace. We then went to the Vikurprjon wool factory, which sources local wool from the farms in the area and makes many of the product right there. This was really the only affordable Icelandic wool products, where you saw sweaters for coming in under $200 USD and I was able to get a circle scarf for less than $40. This was sort of a God send since this is the most culturally specific souvenir you get get while also being of quality and incredibly useful, though we do not get temperatures even close to what an Icelandic winter is. Here they mentioned that snow heads here later than other parts of Iceland, often not until December or January, both because it is on the southern tip of the island and on the coast.

We hit the road again fort he longest drive of the trip: back to the Reykjavik area. The first stop here was going to be going back to Hafnarfjordur to jump into the world of the Huldunfolk. Though there are Hidden People all throughout Iceland, Hafnafjordur has made it a cottage industry. Here they had an “elf seer,” who operates walking tours to show you where elves lives, create a map of the city to show you where different Hidden People are. This map includes Elves, Dwarves, Faiths of Light, Hermits(though rarely), and other spirits that remain hidden from the eye. We stopped by the tourist center to get the map, where the lady told us with all earnestness that we had to “open our third eye” if we are to see the Huldunfolk. We then went to what is colloquially known as the Elf Park, where we walked through the trails and rocks looking for the inlets where Hidden People have farms, homes, and churches. We went to a second location called the “cliffs,” which was a jagged rock park in the middle of a residential road. Here we hopped between perches, looking at miniature gulleys where we were sure magical creatures were there to guide us. The oracle cards certainly agreed. These were also a great place to gaze out into the bay that forms along the Hafnafjordur area up along to Keflavik. Inside the Hellisgerdi Park, or the “elf park,” there is a nice hide away from the surrounding town as the miniature trails and barrier trees actually do give it a sense of magic. Inside of the park there is a small house where the woman runs the elf tours, though she is only doing regular tour hours during the summer months and you have to make special arrangements the rest of the year. Since it is relatively pricey even for the regular tours, it is probably good enough to get the map and set out on your own. As long as you are willing to stare into dark shadows and try to see a hidden magic empire.

It is only a few minute drive into Reykjavik from this suburb, and we made it downtown into the city center where our fashionable hotel was. Somehow reserved with a good deal, the Center Hotel location we had for this trip was smack in the middle of a square designed with bars, clubs, and trendy restaurants. From our fourth floor room we had a perfect view of the street, one of the most memorable of the trip with its beautiful angle of dancing night lights.

After a debate about whether or not to head into a multi-course meal, we decided on the Fish Market, which is hailed on Yelp and pretty much every foodie site looking at Iceland. Here they combined traditional seafood and land dishes with a “new Nordic” trend that was incredible, and the price matched. This was the most stunning of our meals in Iceland as the waiter told a story about each dish and it was served with the elegance of a breakout gallery show. After eating we had to do our regular trip to the mini-market that was on the strip to get our Fanta fix, which in Europe is much more of a carbonated fruit juice than the syrupy orange soda we have in the United States.

We took in relatively early as we were going to have to navigate ourselves back out of the city and across the bay up to Borgarnes.