I'll have the lobster

After nearly a year of planning, we are in Reykjavik.  While the flight wasn't too long compared to some previous ones, it seemed to drag on forever.  Partially because of the ever shrinking legroom on flights, partially because for a good amount of the flight, people were standing in line to use the toilets...and the line was 12 rows deep.  I think a primary reason, is that there was no darkness through the entire flight.  We left Seattle at 4pm, and landed around 6 am, Reykjavik time.  This time of year there isn't night this close to the arctic.  It really threw off our clocks even more than normal.When we landed, we deplaned down stairs to the tarmac.  It was cold and misty, and after 6 hours on a stuffy plane, felt AWESOME.  We rode a bus to the terminal, made it through passport control, then headed to get our luggage.  One thing I left out was that our flight from Sacramento to Seattle had to delay landing due to weather.  We landed at the farthest north point in the airport, and our flight left from the most southernmost point.  We had to ride 3 trains to get to the right terminal.  Luckily, they were still boarding when we got there, so we didn't miss our flight.  I say all this because, when we got to our baggage claim area, our bags were nowhere to be seen.  Apparently, they weren't as diligent as we were to rush to the new gate.  We checked in with customer service, and they said there had been a later flight from Seattle, and they should be on that conveyor belt.  After a bit of waiting, we saw our bags begin to descend from whence missing bags originate from, and we were set.  We got a couple of SIM cards for our phones to use while we were here, and got on the rental car bus.Our rental agent was super nice (Lotus Car rentals, if you're in the area), and got us taken care of.  Once we loaded into the car, it was still super early, so we headed into the countryside to explore a bit before we could check into our apartment and sleep for a bit.  First on the agenda was the bridge between 2 continents - Midlina.  The North American and Eurasian plates meet here, and this bridge crosses from one plate to the other.  It is pretty clear to see the plates, and they are in motion.  It was super windy, and the drizzle turned into something a bit more substantial, so our visit here was cut short.Back in the warmth of the car, we headed off to see a lighthouse, and some hot springs and mud pits.  Iceland is very geologically active, with volcanoes and other related hot spots, so there will be many others of these to see.  In fact, as a country, Iceland is completely powered by renewable energy - hydro, geothermal, and wind.We were definitely ready for some food more substantial than the biscotti and nuts we had on the plane, so we drove to a cafe Carrie had found in her massive trip preparation.  We had a light, apparently traditional, Icelandic breakfast of toast, hard-boiled eggs, cheese, meats, tomato and cucumber.  Oh, and don't forget the Icelandic butter...mmmm.  It was simple and hit the spot.  The cafe is in a harbor town that was pretty much the center of the Icelandic fishing industry.  There were historical pictures and knick knacks everywhere.  When we started to leave, the owner gave us a short history of the area and the significance of the photos...along with a large photo of John Lennon (nothing really tied to the area, they just love the Beatles).Our hunger satisfied, we drove off to find another lighthouse, and a stretch of land that had several beached shipwrecks.  Carrie managed to baaah at some sheep, and got some pics of Icelandic horses, so she was happy.  Our next stop was nixed, due to the quality of the road to get to this ruined fishing village.  We got a confirmation that our apartment was ready, so we decided to head straight to Reykjavik.  That was a good idea, because I think I was the only one in the car that was awake, and that only barely.We found our lodging right in the city centre of Reykjavik, and once we figured out how to get the door open, we unloaded, and took a nap.  After not nearly enough time, we woke up, and walked into town to figure out dinner and get some groceries for breakfast.  The restaurant we decided on was super nice, and like everything in Iceland, super expensive.  The options were standard for Iceland - fish, seafood, and lamb.  Fish isn't my favorite, though Cod was on the menu, and I like that.  However, there was also Langoustine - little lobsters.  So, as a reward for not plunging us off into the ocean, I decided that would be what I would have - and they were glorious.We walked around a bit more, and are now back at the apartment.  Carrie and Les are asleep sitting on the couch while Pat reads, and I type.   It is 8:45, and still as light as 2pm.  I think we are going to retire, and hope to sleep mostly through the night.  What an adventure!