Can we just call it "The capital of Iceland"?

Reykjawhat? If you came to this post wondering how to pronounce the word Reykjavik, you're in luck. I came to Iceland like a fool saying it like "rayk juh vik", and after a couple of stares from my parents and from some locals who happened to hear me, I realized after I Googled it, that it was pronounced "rayk yuh vik". Well, oops. If you ever happen to create your own language, please either make it sound like it looks, or just create characters that don't use the English alphabet. Make it easier on people like me.

But despite the name, this city is as wonderful as the country. The lovely art sculptures, like the metal boat that you see above, and the wonderful ocean views all make this city an unforgettable place. Coming from Fremont, I walked into the city, expecting to be forced onto sidewalks. While we walked along the coast to the center of the city, I saw that this city has entire roads dedicated to bikers and other pedestrians who have come to enjoy the view. And can I just say that Icelanders are very active? On the roads, I saw several people jogging and most other people walking (certainly a lot more than I've ever seen at home). I'm not even kidding, they were running with dogs, with strollers, with shorts (even though I was barely warm with my jacket on). 

Would you like to guess what time it is in this picture? It's actually around 6 o' clock in the evening, which may not be surprising for all of you people who live in California like me. But it gets better... the sun sets around midnight, and then rises again at 2:00 AM. There's absolutely no darkness in Iceland during the summer time. So for all of you people who cannot sleep without it being completely dark, I'd suggest you bring some sort of blindfold to sleep in, or visit Iceland during the winter months.

Speaking of colder times of the year, if you live in Northern California, you probably don't know a snowy winter, yet you know the cold.  When I walked into Iceland, I had thought "Oh well, it's summer so of course I'm not going to need a jacket!" I was so wrong. As soon as I stepped out of the plane, I knew the temperature was that of a Californian winter. Around 50 degrees.

In comparison to California however, the wind was stronger and while in Iceland, I definitely cursed the strong wind internally.

the wonderful view on my walk to the center of the city

Like I said before, don't be fooled by the picture. This picture of a seemingly warm day contains a cold and cruel wind.

Some people journeyed to the center of the world, I go to the center of the city

While on our walk, I found the Concert Hall, one of the most, if not the only, eye-catching buildings in Reykjavik. Along with its concert hall with a lovely glass tile facade, this place also had a cafe. Maybe I was tired from walking more than I'd walked the entire summer, or maybe I was just desperately seeking some place warm, but I took refuge in the wonderful concert hall and explored inside.

All hail Icelandic hot chocolate!

Behind the concert hall, there was a quaint harbor, which captured my eye. Here, I use the word quaint, not to degrade Iceland, but to compare it's differences from the U.S. I felt that although Reyjavik was indeed a modernized city, it still wasn't a "concrete jungle". In Reyjavik, I feel that the city is uncrowded and cleaner in comparison to some of the more crowded cities in the U.S. like New York or San Francisco. It was a spectacular combination of harbors and boats along with the music and the arts of the modern world. I've always been interested in the life near the ocean, and I've always admired cities that keep its streets clean, so I feel that I truly appreciated the opportunity to visit Reyjavik and it's colorful streets.

If ever bored in Iceland, just go and take street shots. Not only do they look good, but they also capture a nice view of the "heart of the city".

Of all the things to see in Iceland, this gorgeous church is probably the most popular place to go when visiting Reyjavik, other than the Blue Lagoon of course. Unfortunately, we were not able to walk to the top of the church, since there was a funeral being held. However, we were able to walk around and marvel at the work of architecture that is this church.

Columbus who? Did you know that Columbus didn't discover the Americas? At least, thats what the Icelanders believe! In front of the church there is a statue of Leifur Eiriksson, who apparently discovered the Americas six hundred years before Columbus!

Remember when I said that Iceland has some roads reserved for pedestrians and bikers? Here's a prime example of one of them. This little pink bike isn't just some sort of fashion statement, like I thought it was. It actually prevents cars from going on the road! But I'd still probably recommend you hop on the bike and start pedalling as hard as you can. Hey, maybe people will stare at you, but its a good photo opportunity right?

I guess walking around the city does get a bit tiring. Please excuse my derps.

Ooh, last thing on the agenda? Find a playground. Especially playgrounds with free Icelandic toys to play in. If you have a child or a teenager who still loves to play with toys (and trust me, I can name a few teens who would be willing to play with them) I'd recommend coming to this park. It's filled with nice resting areas as well, for anyone who may be tired from their walks.

So let's make a checklist for Reyjavik shall we?

• Bring a windbreaker, or a jacket to keep you really warm!  Remember, in Iceland it's not the same summer that we all know of. 
• Bring a camera! Especially during summer, Reyjavik is a great place to take photos of and make all your friends jealous!
• Drink the hot chocolate here; there are coffee shops on almost every block. How many people get to drink hot chocolate in summer? Take advantage of it! And you're on vacation, remember to get the whipped cream!
• Take your time and read the signs, some of them are actually really funny!
• Take advantage of the lack of darkness, go explore till midnight and see the midnight sun!
• If you've got a strong stomach, try the shark pickle!
• If you're a vegetarian, you're not going to find anything, so you might as well go find pastries and the hot chocolate, or head to the nearest grocery shop!
• Attend a concert at the concert hall if you can!
• If you're rich, shop for clothes! If not, good luck getting stuff at Iceland!
• If you're bored, try reading the names of the street, or go look for seven houses that are each of the colors of rainbow.