These things occurred on Monday July 29, 2024 in Reykjavík, Iceland
Soon after leaving the penis museum we learned we could check into our Airbnb early. We decided to climb the Hallgrimskirkja church for unrivaled views of Reykjavik before we all passed out from jetlag. Hallgrimskikja is a stunning cathedral in the center of town. Although it is on the shorter side when compared to other cathedrals, it’s pinnacle juts out above the city making it the tallest building and easy to see from all over. Getting to the top included standing in line for tickets inside the church, taking an elevator with capacity for six people, and then climbing a set of stairs to the top where the bells ring every fifteen minutes. When we arrived, there was a wedding in progress so we could not enter the nave. To my surprise, all of the traditional songs were played on the bells, including Pachelbel’s Canon in D and Here Comes the Bride. The views did not disappoint, but the boys were tired and cold, so we began heading back to the Bus Hostel where our luggage was stored. A windy and brisk fifteen-minute walk later we were back at the Bus Hostel. By then Eitan was essentially sleepwalking on the way back and promptly fell asleep when he sat down on one of the lobby couches. We decided to hire a taxi to take us to our house instead of subjecting our children to more walking with luggage and braving the local bus system. This proved to be a wise decision. As soon as we got to our new abode, the older boys ran inside, claimed their beds, and passed out. So did I. My sleep was punctuated by the sound of small children laughing, screaming, crying, and playing next door in the first sunlight of the day. It was 12PM.
A little later, Chaim passed out. Shai and Matanel who had slept the best on the plane were still going strong. Eventually Shai fell asleep and Matanel came in to see if I would play with him. I struggled awake and then began figuring out where we could find a food store for provisions. We were excited about drinking pure Icelandic water because it is supposed to taste amazing. Disappointingly, the kitchen water had a sulfuric, salty taste and did not go down well. According to my father this could be because of the volcanoes nearby. I was half asleep when he explained it to me so I'm not really sure. Either way, bottled water it was.
About twenty minutes before I planned to wake everyone, Matanel cuddled in with Chaim and fell fast asleep. With everyone still exhausted and preferring to nap, I headed outside to the grocery store a nine minute walk away and was overjoyed when I found a library with an English kids’ section. I returned with food and made dinner with our 9-inch camping pot and pan that Chaim thought I was crazy for taking. After eating, we took the kids to the library where they humorously opted for Dog Man books and other graphic novels in Icelandic over English books. Chaim and I enjoyed a game of chess (we are okay on a good day) before heading to the grocery store and then home.
Along our route I noticed that we were a block from the shore and took the family on a detour so that we could see the water and views. Three of the boys spotted a small park for toddlers and played there while Matanel and I walked down to the water. It was peaceful, tranquil, and straight out of the movies. The shore was mere feet from the houses, and we could have climbed over the rocks and into the water easily. Another magical moment. After hanging out at the park for a while we headed home, ate some more, and then sent everyone to sleep around 10PM with the sun still shining.
