European Destinations With Abundant Nature-Based Treasures

 These are two of my favorite destinations with an abundance of nature-based treasures:

Iceland where I had spent a month visiting venues in the four cardinal directions: Akureyri in the North, Westman Islands in the South, Egilsstadir in the East and Isafjordur in the West.

The Azores where I visited eight of the nine islands in this archipelago: Sao Miguel, Pico, Flores, Faial, Sao Jorge, Tercera, Graciosa, Santa Maria. 

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Watercolors - Iceland’s Westman Islands

The only inhabited isle of the idyllic Westman Islands, Heimaey is just off Iceland’s southern coast. I had spent almost a week exploring this walkable island, including the verdant cliff tops where puffin birds waddle as well as the lava flow that in the 1970s swallowed up houses on the east side. Taking the ferry gives you the best perspective of the island’s precipitous cliffs crowded with sea birds.

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Iceland - Reykjanes Peninsula - Photos

At this time, calming travel photos are welcome. Whenever I visit Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula, I’m filled with peace and joy, surrounded by dramatic and pastoral landscapes — something I especially crave now.

Though the Reykjanes Peninsula is most noted for bustling Keflavik Airport, I roamed the landscape windswept seascapes and volcanic reminders. It’s  chock full of curious geological features. The second photo below shows off Gunnhver, a geothermal area where I strolled a boardwalk, surrounded by plumes of steam that pour from cracks in the earth. This area is named for Gunna, a female ghost that was said to plague the peninsula until she was thrown into a roiling hot spring. The thick clouds obscure much along the boardwalks, including any apparitions. .

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Any-Occasion Greeting Cards As We Self-Isolate

As we continue to self-isolate, many of us crave connections with others more than ever, to recapture some of the intimacies we had in the “before time” or maybe to reconnect with those we’ve lost touch with. Sure, we no long send cards and letters to friends and family whether to commemorate a special event or just to say “hi hi.” But at this time, receiving a handwritten card emblazoned with a landscape image that provides travel inspiration and satisfies some of our wanderlust might be especially appreciated. Each of my any-occasion greeting cards features one of my landscape, nature and travel photos from my around-the-world travels, including India, Corsica, Nicaragua and Israel.  Some of the cards are vertical and others are horizontal. (This montage represents a sample of the many photo images available.) They can be purchased singly or as a set of 5 or 12 or more different images. (When purchased, you’ll receive a random sampling of the number of cards desired.)

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A Culinary Gem in Iceland

In Iceland,  Heimaey, the only inhabited of the Westman Islands off the south coast, is a precious gem with plenty of curiosities, including an 18-hole golf course nestled in a lush extinct volcanic crater, and steaming volcanic vents from the most recent volcanic eruption in another part of the isle where an innkeeper can bake bread in the hot earth. Among the verdancy and dramatic cliff tops where puffins can be found is a culinary treasure: Slippurinn. I recently interviewed Gísli Matthías Auðunsson, the young chef helming this family-owned establishment for ForbesLife.

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Reykjanes, Iceland in Pictures

Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula is a magical place that few visitors ever really see because, after arriving at Keflavik Airport and maybe stopping at the Blue Lagoon, they zoom into downtown Reykjavik. Too bad, because they're missing dramatic scenes. Reykjanes is rife with plumes of steam and bubbling mud pools, from geothermal activity, as well as otherworldly craters, fissures and stacks of lava. Even a sandy beach! And a "ghost" ship that had long washed ashore after the violent surf hit the rocky coastline. This YouTube video slideshow provides a window into this under-appreciated landscape that's worth many days of exploration.

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Art and Architecture in Reykjavik

Reykjavik, Iceland is a city of art. Street murals dot the landscape, both along the main streets as well as in the Grandi neighborhood -- a former industrial fishing area -- that's burgeoning with new shops, and restaurants.

And, for art aficionados, Harpa, the opera house, is not to be missed. It’s stunning, both acoustically and architecturally. Stroll through the interior and you'll see how the hexagon-shaped glass panels perfectly frame the waterfront vistas

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My Highly Commended Travel Blog for Advice on Iceland

Among all the countries I've visited, Iceland, by far, is right at the top of my favorites list. It has everything I hold dear: pristine landscapes, nature-based activities, a capital that's brimming with culture, young chefs doing very cool things in their restaurants in Reykjavik and elsewhere in the country. Iceland is always listed as one of the top five happiest countries in the world. They do just about everything right: they were the first to take in Syrian refugees. When the government was in financial crisis in 2008, they became the only government to put the bankers responsible in prison. Iceland was the first country to have a democratically-elected female president - and she was in office for 16 years. My list of what's great about Iceland could go on. I often blog about my favorite country here. And, as a result, Asher Fergusson, an Australian with a large following, selected J The Travel Authority from among 700 around the world travel blogs as one that's highly commended for its posts on Iceland.

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Iceland - A Country Where Writers Are Revered

Do you consider yourself a writer? Maybe you have a brilliant idea for a book and you've been jotting down notes on Post-Its and hiding them from family members for fear they'll laugh at you. Or you secretly write poems, scribbling them on napkins and jamming them in your bag, hoping they won't fly out when you're on a date. You're not a writer, after all, because you didn't get a degree in creative writing or you've never published anything, right? And if you attended a cocktail party and told anyone you're a writer, would they ask you what you're working on, or would they ask what's your day job?

In Iceland, if you asked a crowd of citizens "Who's a writer?" or "Who's a poet?" you could expect a dozens and dozens of hands to go up. In this wild, wonderful country, most everyone wants to be a writer. Iceland also has more writers per capita than any other country in the world.

What better way to become inspired (as a writer) than attending a writers retreat, not a pretentious one where you feel stifled because of the competition, but a warm, welcoming, inclusive one. I just published an article for the Huffington Post on Iceland's vast literary tradition that goes back to its founding, and the most inspiring of writers retreats: the Iceland Writers Retreat held in Reykjavik. This is the writers retreat for you because, even if no one has ever seen what you've penned, you are a writer.

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Reykjavik in Pictures

Reykjavik is one of my favorite cities in the world: full of culture and striking views of mountains and sea, with an ever-present sense of the quirky. So it's a perfect venue for a writer to create and be inspired. No wonder it's the site of the second annual Iceland Writers Retreat that I participated in. Between workshops, receptions, meals, a literary walking tour, and lots of coffee and pastries, I roamed the wee downtown where there's beauty around every corner. 

This short YouTube video slideshow provides a small window into why I love Iceland's capital city. 

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All Occasion Photo Greeting Cards - Nature, Landscape, Travel

For all of you who enjoy following my travels, I just came out with a line of all-occasion greeting cards displaying my landscape, nature + travel photos. They are blank and each features a different image from my domestic and international travels. The images were taken all over the world, including in Israel, Iceland, Montenegro, Portugal, Bangkok and Siem Reap in Cambodia.

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European Cemeteries That Resemble Botanical Gardens

It's a shame that cemeteries are typically associated with the macabre, where supernatural influences are ever present. On many of my travels, I've come to appreciate cemeteries as open-air museums and botanical gardens. I chose to visit one treasured cemetery in Lisbon, Reykjavik, Valletta, Zagreb and Helsinki for what they each could tell me about indigenous plants, renowned artists, notable politicians, and much more. Find out what I discovered about botany, architecture, and sociology in this article on the loveliest European cemeteries that I recently wrote for National Geographic Traveler - Intelligent Travel.

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How I Discover Hidden Treasures, What's One of My Most Memorial Journeys + More

No matter where I journey, I manage to find treasures that even the locals may be unaware of. Wondering how I manage to do that?

Why was the chief mason I volunteered with in southern France the most interesting character I've ever met?

While all of my journeys are memorable, find out why my recent trip on the Amazon ranks as one of the best.

If you read this blog regularly, you know Iceland has a very special place in my heart. Find out why I was compared to an elf. 

These are just a few of the tidbits you'll learn from the Q & A Dave Gelling at Global Bike in the UK did with me recently.

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Women's Travel Safety Tips

After a  New York City woman, Sarai Sierra, who traveled to Istanbul alone, was found slain recently, some in the media and others are suggesting that perhaps she shouldn't have been traveling alone. Or maybe the problem was that she possibly made some nefarious connections on Instagram. So is the conclusion that women shouldn't use social media when they travel? Or does it really boil down to the recommendation that women shouldn't travel alone?

I frequently travel alone. I spent a month in Iceland where I hiked across desolate lava-scapes where fumaroles spouted sulfurous gases beside my boots , trekked along cliff tops where the only things I encountered were puffins, and spent an evening at a codfish festival where I was the only non-Icelandic person in the village.

During the month I spent alone bus hopping across Turkey, I traveled to an island where the only way to get around is a bicycle or horse-drawn carriage, wandered the warren of streets in Istanbul hunting for out-of-the-way coffee shops, and settled into the languid rhythm of another, larger isle where each day meant choosing between yet another white crescent of sand or another winery.

I often travel alone by bicycle, as I did in the Lofoten Islands in northern Norway where I pedaled from one wee fishing village to the next, and by cross-country skis, as I recently did in Washington's Methow Valley where I carried a backpack with all my gear and cruised 15-20 km a day from one lodge to the next, all the while marveling at the snow-draped conifer forests, frozen streams, and occasional timber shelters I passed along the way.

Suggesting that women not travel alone is not the answer to violence against women. But, clearly, there are some tips to assure that your travels are as safe as they can be. Recently Billie Frank at Santa Fe Travelers asked 10 women travel bloggers (including me) to provide their top women's travel safety tips. Aside from the many tips I've provided, you'll find additional health and safety travel tips in my e-book: The Travel Authority: Essential Tips for Hassle-Free Travel.

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My Love Affair With Reykjavik

Sure, Iceland is plenty exotic but I don't think most of my friends quite understand why I have long fallen in love with its petite capital city, Reykjavik. Maybe it's because in this land of fire and ice I can hang out at the beach in July and plop into a hot tub that's set just offshore. Or maybe it's because their eclectic designers satisfy my desire for wild, wacky, yet stylish, accoutrements, such as a handbag fashioned from dried codfish skin. It might have something to do with the fact that I enjoy strolling into coffee shops that have a sense of character, unlike the cookie-cutter Starbucks that have blossomed all over most major cities. Or perhaps it's because even their new concert hall, Harpa, allows me to have an intimate connection with the mountain and sea scapes beyond.

If you're interested in why I have a love affair with Reykjavik, check out the interview I did with Maria and Anthony Russo, founders of the online magazine, The Culture-Ist. You'll find plenty of travel tips that might surprise even those of you who are Reykjavik savvy.

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Gear Review: A Cool Icelandic Company

Most anyone who visits Reykjavik ends up buying some piece of high-tech outwear or other clothing item from 66°NORTH, a well respected company that produces, everything from shells and parkas to thermal underwear, scarves and hats. But, my favorite Icelandic high-tech company is Cintamani. It started with finding their website before my first trip to Iceland several years ago and noting it had a bit of a sense of fancy. Then, once I visited the store, I found that I was captured not just by their icon, which, resembling a sun with solar flares, seemed to embody this land of fire and ice, but also by the clothing that was light, comfortable, warm and well designed.

Oddly enough, I've asked several people recently who are very gear savvy about Cintamani and none of them have heard of it. Unlike 66°NORTH, which can be found in stores across the U.S., I've only found Cintamani in Iceland or online. Too bad because this is a high performance product that looks great.

 

I opted to test out the Embla, an ultra-light, zippered jacket. It's constructed of Technopile, which is a synthetic fleece that wicks away sweat, is breathable, dries quickly and feels very plush. It doesn't pill with use. And, even better, I wear this not only on the trail but also during the day by pairing it with a dress or skirt. It's comfortable in the winter when layered over a Merino wool (which I prefer) sweater, but I'm also wearing it in the spring now as my sole jacket over a T-shirt or blouse. If the day becomes too warm, I just tie it around my waist or roll it up into my small bag -- it takes up little room and the weight in my bag is barely noticeable. Plus, if I end up in a super air-conditioned store or movie theater, the Embla comes to the rescue.

 It's got two zippered side pockets that come in handy for a wallet or just keys and loose change.  The neck comes up relatively high to keep me warm if there's a cold breeze. The price, though, is hardly for the budget minded. The Embla retains for upwards of $140 or so. In my view, though, it's well worth it. And, like with the Nau product I just reviewed, the Embla is coming with me on my trip to Portugal and Luxembourg. In fact, I'll be wearing it on the plane too. (It looks like it might also double as a nice pillow or lumbar support.)

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Reykjavik's All-Day Culture Night

As I stood on a line snaking down a steep set of stairs in a narrow white-washed house and out the front door, and down a curvy path to the sidewalk, I thought that only in Reykjavik, Iceland would the locals and visitors alike be able to hang out in the house of the city councilman who stands over the stove cooking waffles that you could then nibble on with a generous dollop of whipped cream.

That's exactly what I did recently on one of the most special Saturdays of the year in this petite city. The capital's Culture Night -- it should really be renamed Culture Day & Night since the multitude of events go on from early morning to after 11 pm -- is a 15-year-old annual festival of art, music, dance, crafts, design, food (and more) that attracts thousands of people.

This year saw the inauguration of Harpa, Reykjavik's architecturally-noteworthy concert hall and conference center that glistens along the old harbor. After Iceland's economic collapse in 2008, this cultural center is bringing new life to the waterfront, especially given the curiosity factor the building provides: Some 1,000 hexagon-shaped glass bricks reflect and refract the ever-changing light and the landscape of sky and sea.

Culture Night always starts with the marathon that attracts participants from all over -- on my flight from JFK, I sat next to two women runners from San Francisco. (Many of the city streets are closed to vehicles because of the marathon route.) Children can participate in their own 1.1 km or 700-meter runs and, from the crowds of parents with toddlers in tow, it was very popular.

With a massive three-page Culture Night schedule in hand, I packed in as many cultural events as possible within 14 hours or so. And that included stopping at the city councilman's house for waffles and cream. I joined a handful of others sitting in his living room enjoying the sun pouring through the windows of the second floor, checking out his CD collection and admiring the artwork hung on the walls. (And, of course, the cloud-like waffles and sweet cream.)

At the Reykjavik Museum Harbor House -- one of many museums that wave the admission fee and extend their normal hours on this Saturday -- I watched children attempting to solve a giant jigsaw puzzle from one of Erro's (a pop artist) paintings.

At another branch of this museum, I explored an exhibition dedicated to the Icelandic horse, which has long played a significant role in the life of the nation. Interestingly, a few paintings showed a mythological sensibility while one was quite apocalyptic

Outside the pond-side City Hall, children played chess at a row of tables.

As I rounded a corner, I ran into a clutch of people who are part of a historical walking tour of the city.

Then it was on to the National Museum of Iceland where I had the opportunity to embroider my name on a table cloth using a traditional stitch.

I strolled down the street to the lawn adjacent to the National Gallery where I found Sola, the storyteller, dressed in a long crimson dress, and her story mobile, a van displaying a boldly-colored image of a young girl reading a book as she reclines in a dragon's paw.

The day (and night) was packed with activity after activity: Bollywood dance classes, calligraphy workshops, flea markets, violin recitals, jazz and rock bands, Tai Chi demonstrations, photo exhibitions.

At 10:45 pm, LED strips that line the glass blocks in Harpa lit the facade for the first time with myriad colors that will keep the building glowing through the long Icelandic winters. And then the sky brightened with a stellar fireworks display at 11pm along the harbor.

Even though I visit Reykjavik almost every year, I think I'll most miss the city this year because of Culture Night. It's an event that intimately connects you with the life of the city and its people -- something I'd like to experience year after year.

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Finding Hidden Travel Gems

I find treasures along the road on all my travels, whether I'm in New York City where I enjoy sitting in the shade of tall willows in the tiny patch of verdancy known as the Creative Little Garden or in Portugal where I strolled the narrow lanes in the medieval hilltop town of Marvao or in Iceland where I gazed at a black-painted church, the only other building on a windswept expanse where my accommodation, Hotel Budir, was perched.

These are just some of the travel gems you'll find out about when you read the interview that Elise Reeks at Positive World Travel did with me recently. You'll also learn some of my travel packing tips, including why I always bring along the Xubaz scarf and an Icebreaker hoodie.

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Iceland's Curious & Creative Cuisine

I always approach travel with a sense of curiosity and that applies to the local food. When I visit Iceland, one of my very favorite countries for its pristine landscapes, sense of adventure around almost every corner, wealth of geologic variety, and one of the most charming capital cities around, I’m always searching for authentic food. There’s no lack of it in Iceland, which has plenty in the way of culinary delicacies at upscale restaurants such as the Fish Market that serves blueberry cured filet of lamb or the Fish Company, which offers an international menu that includes blackened langoustines with truggle gnocchi.

But then there are those odd assortment of creature body parts that make up traditional Icelandic cuisine. Cod cheeks -- you probably didn’t know codish have cheeks? -- pickled ram's balls and the hardly tasty, fermented shark meat. Yes, I’ve eaten all of these items, some inadvertently. I recently wrote about Iceland’s curious cuisine for AAA’s Home & Away magazine (make sure you input this zip code, 73106, to access the article) where you’ll find out which restaurant has boiled sheep head on the menu, and why I ended up accidentally consuming fermented shark meat -- though I vowed never to eat it.

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My Secret Reykjavik Tips

Iceland is one of my specialties and I've blogged about it frequently.This endearing country, especially the tiny capital city of Reykjavik, is a wealth of treasures, though many tourists simply stop off at the Blue Lagoon after they arrive at Kevlavik Airport, spend barely a day in the city before heading off on the Golden Circle or other tours of pristine parks, gushing geysers and cascading waterfalls.


But Reykjavik has so much to offer. I've spend at least 4 to 5 days in the city each time I visit and I always find plenty of culturally interesting and active adventures as well as gourmet delights. These are some of my favorite little-known activities in Reykjavik. Check it out and next time you head for the land of fire and ice, save some time for these.

1. 871 +/- 2: The Settlement Exhibition, is a curious name for a museum. But it makes sense, considering that’s Iceland’s approximate settlement date. Located on the exact spot where they found the ruins of a 10th century longhouse, this archeological museum stands beside a major hotel. If you steer clear of archeologic museums, be warned that this one is hardly chock full of dull exhibits. It’s quite interactive with holographic-type images and sounds of the time, from knife making to cowbells.

2. Not far away along the quay, the Reykjavik Art Museum - Harbor House features the pop oeuvre of noted Icelandic artist, Erro. But the museum also regularly hosts temporary exhibits that are quite innovative. (This is one of the three Reykjavik Art Museums in the city and each is worth visiting for the pastiche of often colorful abstract works as well as inspired landscapes on display.

3. Nearby is a warehouse that’s home to the Saturday morning flea market. It’s bric-a-brac laden but it’s the food court that’s worth visiting. Often, you can sample some of the typical food items found in every Icelander’s home, including potato bread, rugbraud (malt bread), dried catfish and the infamous fermented shark meat. I was warned to avoid the latter but accidentally sampled a small cube that was offered to me on a toothpick. After finding it tasteless after initially chewing it, the full power of the ammonia-laden meat became overwhelming.

4. I’m not necessarily a big fan of visiting cemeteries but Reykjavik’s is reminiscent of a botanical garden. The 19th century Holavalla Cemetery is dense with foliage and ancient gnarled trees towering over ornate headstones.

5. Walk towards the city’s towering landmark, the church named Hallgrimskirkja, and you’ll find the Einar Jonsson Museum with its postage stamp-size sculpture garden. As you explore the allegorical works, you’ll notice that he was very much influenced by mythological and religious themes.

6. Take a long pleasant walk or a short cab ride to get to the Reykjavik Botanic Garden located in the Laugardalur area. There you can wander twisty paths and inspect the plants that come from all over the world, including New Zealand and Asia. It’s interesting to see so many trees here in a country where tall evergreens are a rarity. Housed in a greenhouse laden with flora, Cafe Flora — a perfect lunch spot — is aptly named.

7. Certainly, one of Reykjavik’s most famous features is the Blue Lagoon with its series of geothermal pools and rejuvenating silica mud where you could luxuriate for most of the day. But, its location midway between downtown and the airport, hardly makes it convenient. You can choose from an array of mud and other spa treatments at their downtown location that’s not far from the Botanic Garden. If you choose a treatment, you also have access to the mega health club (Hreyfing) that’s in the same building. Or simply opt for a day pass to the health club.

8. And, if you can’t get enough of the water, Reykjavik even has a beach, but, like so much in the city, it’s hardly ordinary. Nautholsvik, a petite half-moon bay that’s easily accessible by bike, bus or cab, is geothermally heated and man made: the sand was trucked in. And if the water isn’t hot enough for you, there are hot tubs located just offshore and on the coast beside the sand so you can bake. Pick a sunny day to visit and you’ll find dozens of Icelanders soaking, lying on the sand, or playing volleyball.

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