Exploring Reykjavik

Hello Everyone!

I'm joining Dr. Welter in Iceland this summer because I have been interested in ecology for the last few years and really wanted to explore that interest further. I'm excited to be starting a new project here and to see where that goes! We will be heading up to Myvatn to measure nitrogen fixation and metabolism in the lake, as well as the surrounding rivers. 

A street in Downtown Reykjavik 

On our first day here, we went straight to our apartment and got settled in. After resting for a few hours, Gabby and I made our first outing into the streets of Reykjavik and to visit Bonus, a local grocery chain. We hit a bit of a rough spot here trying to differentiate between real butter and fake butter. We figured it out though and managed to walk out with real butter! This excursion was followed by some more rest (we were exhausted from the flight). When we woke up, we went to explore the shops in downtown Reykjavik and to walk along the water.

Reykjavik Coastline

While exploring, we found a building without a sign that looked incredibly interesting. The building was partially hidden behind a hill and some trees and had no visible signs. As we walked closer, we noticed the interesting layout of the building. There appeared to be a courtyard in the middle of the building surrounded by windows. We went inside the building and were greeted by a very friendly security guard who told us that we were in the National Bank of Iceland. He let us through the doors and we had the opportunity to look at the full history of Icelandic currency. We were unable to go out in the courtyard for security reasons. The exhibit included many objects that used to be exchanged as a form of currency to cash and coins and even some of the most recent credit cards that have issued in Iceland. 

After visiting the National Bank, we wandered around the downtown area until we found a very famous and popular hot dog stand that Gabby wanted to try. I don’t know if it was the jet lag or all the walking it took to find it, but the hot dogs were incredible! The mustard on the hot dog was amazing and unlike any mustard I have ever tasted. 

The speed of life here is slower than it is back home and I have really enjoyed that. The city feels incredibly safe and I like the active lifestyle that is important here. I'm looking forward to our adventures in Myvatn! 

Sarah Garcia