I like to go out for a walk on Christmas Eve. Almost everything is closed from noon on 24th until 26th. 

The main celebration begins at six o’clock on Christmas Eve. The family dines together in the evening and exchanges presents. It is a family holiday and we Icelanders take that very seriously. Because of that the streets of Reykjavik are almost empty on Christmas Eve and the only people around are some confused tourist wandering where everyone is

Reykjanes Peninsula is a UNESCO Global Geopark and part of the European and Global Geopark network. The peninsula, with its diversity of volcanic and geothermal activity, is well suited to be a Geopark as it is the only place in the world where the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is visible above sea level.

Since it´s only a short drive from Reykjavik going there makes a great day trip. The coastline is rugged and rocky and don´t forget to climb up to the cliffs next to the Reykjanes lighthouse to get this view

This ship was built in Norway 1912, the same year that the Titanic met it’s fate. It was named Globe IV and was equipped with both sails and a steam engine to use when the weather was still. It was specially reinforced to endure the harsh conditions of the Southern Ocean where it was used to hunt whales.

 It came to Iceland in the 1940s and the old steam workhorse which has powered it all those years was replaced with a 378 hp Ruston Hornsby diesel engine. The ship traded owners and names for number of years until 1963 it finally aquired the name it has today, Garðar BA64. 

When it was finally deemed unsafe for service in 1981 the old ship was run aground in Skápadalur valley in the West fjörds insted of being scuttled where it remains to this day. It’s slowly falling apart but has been painted few times over the years