The wind still blew as I walked downtown to find food. I ended up at the Noodle Station. Although it was fast and cheap (900 krona, less than $9) and seemed authentic, I found it heavy on the celery (my least favorite vegetable) and the taste was uninspiring. But the broth was warm and filled me up. I wandered through some gift shops, but they had a "we all sell the same sh*t from China" feel. I was heartened to notice a few items made in Iceland including the ubiquitous Icelandic Chocolate bar (available in even the tiniest shops in every corner of the country) and Saltverk salt, marked at least 20% up from what I spent at the source.

I heard twice during my time in the country: "They have a saying in Iceland. If you don't like the weather, wait ten minutes."

I've also heard this saying about my home state of Colorado. And, like, a dozen other places.

But Iceland wins for authenticity. First, during the drive north, we saw sun, rain, and snow in the space of about an hour in the car. Then this morning, I experienced partly cloudy skies, fog, snow, then blue skies and sunshine, all within an hour. The times on my camera prove it.

I stood outside the doors to Hallgrimskirkja cathedral just before 9am, opening time. The wind was so strong, it blew me off my feet if I stood still. I was concerned since I planned to board a plane in several hours. Maybe it would blow out by afternoon?

Two of the eight people who escaped the blistering wind when the doors opened went straight for the elevator. I followed. The guy who'd unlocked the cathedral looked suspiciously at the couple and asked, "You have tickets?" They said, "Yes," and showed him. He said, "But you didn't go up before?" They said, "No, the line was too long." The staff member shrugged and let them go. I unobtrusively stood behind them since, although I had a ticket from last week, this was my second attempt up. He probably assumed I was with them. I justified it to myself by saying that I was never alone in the elevator (as in, causing wear and tear or something.)

FOG. As you can see from the second picture above, I could see little more of the city than when I went up last week. I gave up and went back down. Besides, I couldn't feel my fingers after a few minutes, brrr.

After wandering around the in church, wondering if I should give up on the whole trying-to-get-a-view-from-Reykjavik thing, I finally walked out and saw BLUE SKY!

Logically, I deduced that there could not POSSIBLY be a foggy view any longer. So I went back inside, got in line and went up for the third time on this same ticket. I shared the elevator with an American couple, but I didn't realize that at first. When they asked where I was from and I just said "U.S." they were like, "Well, yeah, but where in the U.S.?" So I think I can conclude from this, and my inability to figure out that I was talking to a French woman and not an Icelandic woman at the beginning of my trip, that I'm not good at accents.

We got to talking and figured out that they have a brother who lives an hour from my hometown and I have a sister who lives an hour from THEIR hometown. On the other side of the country.

Then... finally! Goal achieved!

Look how close those mountains are! So cool.

Speaking of small-world moments...

In the weeks before I left, my co-worker discovered his friend and her partner would be in Reykjavik the same time I was. So we met up!

The nearby Cafe Babalu was a delight. Funky decor, tons of color, and a variety of food choices. I had lamb soup and a chai latte. Companions had vegetarian chili and carrot cake. Yum yum!

After a wonderful conversation, we continued our own explorations.

I discovered my favorite sculptor here in Iceland.

Across the street from Hallgrimskirkja Church is an unobtrusive-looking building. But it is one of the oldest structures in the area, built in 1923, and was the first art museum in the country. Behind the three-story museum is a sculpture garden, which I discovered my first day here. Being so close to my hotel, the garden made for convenient wandering. I had no idea I was about to become obsessed.

Granted, I like art as well as the next person, but I'm no expert. I have a favorite painter (Bouguereau) and have always appreciated sculpture because of the apparent skill involved, but I never have been particularly drawn to any sculptor.

Until now.

In the garden, at least a dozen bronze sculptures stand, weathered by the rain and snow but still intact. I ended up exploring the garden three times during my trip. On my initial wander through the tall gate, my eyes lingered on the first sculpture I laid eyes on. As I walked around the piece, I noticed another detail, then another. A unique gesture or facial expression or juxtaposition of two opposite elements. I'd soon develop an interpretation of the sculpture. Then I'd really feel it.

To my surprise, I had the same experience with the next sculpture I looked at. And the next. Every single one of them pulled me in. I couldn't stop staring. I kept thinking the next one wouldn't be as interesting or I'd grow tired of so much art, art, art. I didn't.

Photos cannot at all capture it. But, here are some photos anyway, so you have an idea.

The facial expressions more than anything got me, showing terrible loss, pain, and mourning, sometimes combined with a young and innocent child. Spiritual themes of life, growth, sacrifice, and death.

Words I wrote in my journal trying to describe how these sculptures felt the first time I saw them (in the dreary drizzle):

...amazing, intense, spooky, emotional, hard-hitting, reverent, sad, melancholy...

On my final day, I went inside the museum itself (no photos allowed) where there were original molds of the sculptures that are outside, plus many more!

And I also realized that some of the monuments I'd been seeing around Reykjavik are also Einar Jonsson sculptures. Honestly, I didn't much care for the one inside Hallgrimskirkja cathedral - just looked like your typical Jesus statue. But I enjoyed the one near Tjornin lake (top right above) and gazed at it quite a while, not realizing I was looking at the same artist (and wondering if all sculpture in Iceland was awesome).

Inside the museum, I fell under the spell of every piece, going up and down the spiral staircase in search of more. I spent a lot of time in a generous basement full of amazing work after amazing work and finally climbed to the third floor which, instead of sculptures, had the artist and his wife's apartment, preserved. It's a beautiful space and the only location in the museum where photos are allowed. Dark wood, book-filled sitting rooms with windows overlooking the city, it is an utterly pleasant living space.

The lady at the front let me buy a pamphlet about the artist in the little gift shop at the entrance for less than cost because I only had a few coins left. Well, a few not counting the ones I planned to keep as souvenirs. But I didn't mention those.

Einar Jonsson, my favorite sculptor as of February 2017, now has a place on my Favorite Artists section on my About Me page. And all because I was lucky enough to pick a hotel nearby and decide to wander through the garden.

Almost a week back, on my second day in Iceland, I was waiting in line at a convenience store (buying chocolate) when I saw the above contraption. I stared at it for a minute, wondering what on earth it could be saying and why there were four face buttons underneath. It didn't look like a video game.

Although I never understood the Icelandic, I discovered the idea of it when I was at the airport of all places...

I hit the happy button because, indeed, the restrooms at Rekyjavik airport international terminal were quite nice.

In fact, all my restroom experiences in Iceland were positive.

If they'd asked me to give feedback on the Minibus system, though, I'd be all over the second sad-face from the right. The minibus drivers have the worst English of anyone in the country and I saw one driver deny passage to a poor rider with a kid but let me on (which was weird.) What happened was: I had a voucher and ordered a minibus from my hotel desk but when I went outside to wait there was a bus already there, even though I was told it'd be a half hour. So I walked up to the back where the driver was loading luggage and he let me on despite that I don't think I was on the right bus / time. This was nice and all until I saw him deny passage to another lady waiting exactly where I was then anyone who did not meet his exact head count for the next five stops, regardless of whether they had vouchers.

I have no idea why I was allowed on the minibus, but I made it to the full-sized bus, where they checked my voucher, and then drove to the airport. On the small two-lane highway with virtually no shoulders. (At the airport, there was a special line for U.S. residents leaving the country. It spooked me, but was just one more set of people in a uniform.)

Timing:

Feb 24 headline:
• WARNING - Extreme Storm. NO travel conditions in Iceland today!

Feb 25:
My flight leaves. On time. Not even every seat full.

Feb 26 headline:
• Record amount of snowfall for February in Reykjavik
• Iceland's capital has been turned into a winter wonderland after the city's residents saw the biggest snowfall for 80 years.

Two feet. I missed almost two feet of snow by mere hours.

Although it might have been cool to see all the snow, glad I made it out when I did!

Maybe it means Art like that sign suggests? Except one is clearly nature. Or "Something cool is here, look!" Or perhaps it's part of a live-action scavenger hunt?

But during my next trip to Iceland (will plan for summer this time), I shall search for more!