Reykjavik to Philadelphia, Oct.9, 2018

This morning was our last day in Iceland. Our flight was at 5:00 pm with a 1:45 pm transfer to the airport. The Hilton Canopy had a great breakfast. While eating, we sat next to a couple, Fred and Beth, who had been on our cruise and in our smaller group here in Iceland. In our conversation, we learned that Beth loves to travel and Fred not so much. We also learned that Beth loves to research and plans their trips down to the last detail, while Fred just goes along. Sound familiar? By the time we were finished breakfast, Beth and I exchanged email addresses. I promised I would send her information on a trip that I had in the works for next spring. Maybe, just maybe, I had found a travel companion. Frank might be be able to stay home to play his beloved pickle ball!

After finishing packing, we checked out of our room and stored our luggage at the hotel. We were off to The Settlement Exhibition which was within walking distance of our hotel.

The Settlement Museum shows the archeological excavations of a hall or house from the Settlement Age. It was uncovered when construction workers were digging the foundation for a new building in 2001. The hall was occupied around 930-1000 AD. This dating can be verified because a volcanic eruption spread a layer of material that can be found even in a glacier in Greenland. It is the oldest structure built by humans that has been discovered in Iceland.

This wall mural depicted what the hall (house) would have looked like at its time of use.

Another mural depicting life around the bay, complete with a dying rack.

Here is the stone base of the hall that was discovered while excavating.

This was an added room or storage area to the hall.

We tried to then find the Icelandic Phallological Museum which houses the world’s biggest display of penises with over 280 specimens from 93 species of animals. Frank really did not want to go, but I thought it would make a great story for my blog. After walking for about a half hour and still not reaching the museum, we decided to turn around and head back to our hotel to eat lunch and catch our transfer. I was disappointed! Can you imagine the pictures I could have gotten?

Here Frank is waiting in a very long line with our luggage to check in at the Reykjavik airport. Doesn’t he look happy to be going home?

Our Iceland Air flight from Iceland to Philadelphia was about six hours. Since we were crossing the Atlantic we figured that they would serve a dinner in flight just like we had gotten on our American flight to Stockholm. Once we were in air, I checked the magazine in the pocket in front of me, to find out they had limited food for purchase. The choices were two hamburgers or a pizza. That was it. Frank chose the hamburgers for 1, 400 Icelandic krona ($14.00) and I chose the pizza for 900 krona ($9.00). You should have seen Frank’s face when he unwrapped his hamburgers. There were two sliders each about the size of a half dollar! (Frank complained they were even lousier than that sandwich!) My pizza was about the size of my hand and tasted like an microwaved cardboard pizza. We ate our meager meals knowing that we would both be mighty hungry by the time we deplaned in Philadelphia.

Almost home. Here Frank is patiently waiting for our luggage in Philadelphia.

Customs went rather smoothly and so did getting our car at Colonial Parking. While driving home, we Facetimed our granddaughter Hannah to sing “Happy Birthday”. We were home by 10:30 EST. We were both famished. I headed for a beer while Frank made himself a cheese sandwich! (slim pickings in our refrigerator) It had been a long day.

That’s it for this trip. Stayed tuned for more adventures. My bucket list is rather long… Australia? Tasmania? an African Safari? Bali? Can you guess where my next travels will take me?

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