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Iceland – September 2016
If you’re in the US and are near an Icelandair Gateway city, I highly suggest visiting mainland Europe first and then Iceland part of Icelandair’s Stopover program. It’s essentially two vacations in one. Also, if you’re flying from the US, even though it’s weird, flying on September 11th is SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper than other days. My wife and I have traveled on that day numerous times and you can save a fair amount of money.. I felt horrible when I realized why, but I cannot personally do anything to change the connotation of that day for Americans.
Renting a vehicle in Iceland is cheaper than doing tours, but more stressful since you’re driving around a foreign country. If you opt for a vehicle, get a GPS with your rental! However, it might not be synced with the current roads. My wife and I got a GPS and used offline Google maps on our phones, and there were several times our GPS system didn’t recognize the road we were on because it was from 2010. I found a reasonable priced SUV a week before our trip and can provide the company to you if you want.
Grindavik was our first stop in Iceland and we loved it. We were in Germany and Switzerland before Iceland and found hotels/hostels last minute based on where we thought we wanted to go. Grindavik is a sleepy town, but Papa’s Pizza is AWESOME. We went twice in two days FROM Reykjavik.
We started our journey via the southern route since we were staying at the Bubble Hotel and it’s in a kind of hidden area with cryptic directions or GPS coordinates sent to you the day before your check in.. On the way to Seljaland Waterfall, we stumbled upon a free campground with bathroom. They had signs point to various cities around the world and your distance to them. Seljaland Waterfall is incredible and you can walk behind it in a little cavern.
The Bubble hotel was a bit disappointing because it was raining and overcast most of the night, but I got a glimpse of starry glory for about ten minutes and it was incredible. The Secret Lagoon was our first hot springs and it was enjoyable. It’s not at tourist as the Blue Lagoon and it’s relaxing and chill. It’s WAY more remote since you’re a few hours away from the city.
Gullfoss is north of the Secret Lagoon and it’s picturesque. If you don’t take the right at the top off the hill to the falls, there’s bathrooms and a Visitors Center. I would advise not hiking the trail from the VC, since it’s a trek and if it’s raining you’ll be miserable. We spent the night in a Horse Farm/Hostel in between Gullfoss and Geysir. Nothing really to write home about, but it was an interesting stop.
Geysir, is on the way to Gullfoss, but we stopped by it afterward since it was on the way back and we stayed in a horse camp hostel nearby. Even though the country seems small we didn’t make it that far north. Maybe next time..
In Reykjavik, Lebowski Bar is awesome. My wife wanted to see the Penis Museum as well. It’s interesting… I’m not going divulge too many details because if you’ve made it to Reykjavik you should stop by. Also, fun fact: Reykjavik is the Northern most Capital City in the world. If you’re into electronic music, Vinyl is cool as well and it’s Vegan only food if you’re into that. If you’re American and are feeling homesick, there’s a place called American Bar that is full of Americana stuff to transport you back to the home of the red, white and blue. Reykjavik has several themed Bars which is kind of quirky; we did not stop in all of them, but the Chuck Norris themed bar has some funny quotes etched on their windows. El Santo had a good happy hour and decent margarita. The margarita was WAY BETTER than the ones we had an Ecuador. Different story: my wife and I honeymooned in Ecuador/Galapagos. Jennell wanted to stop at The Icelandic Phallological Museum. It was fascinating to see the varying sizes of penises for various Earth creatures. I think it’s worth a stop-in if you’ve made it to Reykjavik.
Hallgrimskirja was more beautiful than I imagined. It can be a quick stop, unless you want to go up to the top. The wait for the elevator when we were there last September was about forty-five minutes. I wanted to see the harbor and Viking ship display on our way out, but the roads were being blocked off for a race of some kind. The Viking museum on the way back to the airport is cool as well.
Blue Lagoon is pricey, but I had fun. I psyched myself up to go there for five years, so I had to see it in real life. We went from Reykjavik and it we about a forty-five to sixty minute drive from our hotel. The swim up bar was rad and I enjoyed seeing the landscape from the springs.
We made random stops throughout the southwestern side, but I cannot remember ever place we ate and stopped at. Jennell might chime in on things I forgot, but I think this is a good overview of Iceland.
Concerts of 2016
Concerts/Plays/Shows I attended last year. I was going to put them in order of how much I liked them, but that is way too difficult so they’re in chronological order. The only one that I didn’t love was Melanie Martinez. And Bob Dylan (hate to say it, but the show was not great). Wardell went to most of these shows with me, but not all of them. If he wasn’t there, there is a star (*) by the name.
1. Jan 2016- Blackberry Bushes String Band at the tractor tavern (Joy Mills Band opener)- Honestly, I don’t remember a whole lot about this one (it was almost a year ago). I do remember enjoying both the main act as well as the opener. I also got some earrings at this show because the lead singer makes earrings with lasers.
2. Feb 2016- Melanie Martinez at the Showbox- My friends came up from Salem to go to this show. Unfortunately, the only reason I enjoyed this show was because my friends came up for it. I had heard the concept album and was excited to see what she did with it. She was dressed up, but was walking back and forth on the stage like a coked out lion in a cage (my friends wording, but perfect). The venue was also full of teenagers (I didn’t realize that she was big with the teens. Thank god for the bar area where they weren’t allowed).
3. Feb 2016- Eric Prydz at the Armory in San Francisco- I took Wardell to this show, really (for me), it was more about the trip to San Francisco. I’m not too into electronic music, and I was only going to the show because Wardell had been raving about him for years. This show was seriously one of the best shows I’ve ever been to! For me it was more about the lights/lasers/holograms than the music, but the music tied it all in. I’m so glad I went to this show and would love to see him again soon.
4. March- A night with Janis Joplin* at the 5th Avenue Theatre (play)- I bought tickets for this randomly on the way to my birthday dinner. I’ve always been a huge Janis Joplin fan, but was unsure what the play would be like. It was very well done and the woman who played Janis was spot on. I also liked that it was focused her life and music, not her death.
5. April- Newsies* at the Paramount Theatre (play)- LOVED IT! I had been so excited for this since I saw it was coming to Seattle. The music and the dancing was so fun and upbeat.
6. April- Jackie Greene* (Opener Suitcase Junket) at the tractor tavern- This is one of the few shows I went to alone. Wardell was doing homework and everyone else was busy or not interested. This was seriously one of the best shows I’ve ever been to. The opener sounded like an entire band, but it was just one guy with a suitcase full of instruments. I bought this CD and am still baffled that it’s just him. Jackie Greene got on and started with one of my favorite songs of his (I don’t live in a dream) and I was so into the music that I forgot I was there alone. I started talking with other people near me, and there were multiple people who followed him from city to city to watch his shows, and now I understand why. He is a great stage performer and can play a bunch of different instruments.
7. May- John Craigie at Columbia city theater- I’ve seen John a few times at multiple venues. He always puts on a great show and has so many stories to tell. (This was the first of his shows that I went to where he did not sing the Chuck Norris song.)
8. May- Billy Joel at safeco field- This show was so fun and it was cool to see a show on the baseball field. He sang and danced around, and mixed in other songs with his. My favorite was when he did River of Dreams, and mixed in a Jimmy Hendrix song (I forget which one it was and am super sad I didn’t get that on video. Purple Haze maybe. I was too busy enjoying the show!). Wardell said he only went because I wanted him to and by the end of the show, he was talking about what a great show it was.
9. June- Paint your wagon (play)- 5th Ave theatre- I went to this show actually expecting to not like it because it didn’t seem like my type of play. I only went because we got $5 tickets. I was shocked when I really got into the play and enjoyed it a lot more than expected.
10. June- Bob Dylan at chateau St. Michelle in Woodinville- I’m really sad to say that this show was not great. Bob Dylan had been on my list for such a long time, and I’m glad that I got to see him live, but the show itself wasn’t great. Most of the music was his new stuff, but it was impossible to understand him (I know he’s always been difficult to understand him, but this was bad). The only reason I recognized Tangled up in Blue was because I knew the lyrics. It did not sound like any version I had ever seen and I think he may just be getting up there in age and his performing days are almost over.
11. July- Avett brothers at the Showare center in Kent- This was the 3rd or 4th time I’d seen them. I was surprised at how empty the arena seemed. It was a good show, but was a less intimate show in an arena. My favorite show of theirs was at the Britt Festival in Jacksonville, OR.
12. September- Dolly Pardon* at the Showare center in Kent- This was at the same venue as the Avett Brothers, but it was FULL. I went because my friends really like her. Not that I didn’t like her, but I just did not expect to enjoy the show as much as I did. This woman is talented (and the sparkles! Sparkles everywhere!). She can play multiple instruments, tell stories, and preform. So glad I went to this show and I would definitely see her again if I get the chance.
13. Sept- St. Paul and the Broken Bones at the Paramount- I LOVED this show. Definitely one of the top. The lead singer can sing/dance and dress. He had an awesome plaid suit jacket on. The whole band was having so much fun and I can’t wait to see them again.
14. Sept – Sia at Key Arena- This show was great. Sia has such an amazing voice. It was not what I was used to because she was in the corner singing, and it was focused on the dancers. She seemed so shy, which you don’t see often with performers.
15. Nov- Nekromantix* at El Corazon- I had a lot of fun at this show. I was in my first mosh pit in years (but ended up with a head injury). I loved the vibe and had a lot of fun dancing. My friends left kind of early because they had to work the next day, but I stayed until it was over.
16. Nov- Agent Orange at the Funhouse- This was Wardell’s first punk show. It was in a small venue, so it was very crowded. There was a drunk guy who took a mic and got on stage and refused to leave (but also wasnt forced to. Wardell said he must have been bank rolling the tour). It was a fun experience and Wardell got to see what a punk show looks like.
17. Nov- Anthony Bourdain (show) at the paramount- This was basically stand up comedy for the first 30 minutes, then an audience Q and A. It was really interesting to hear some of his stories and this guy is hilarious. The show was over by 8:30.
18. Dec- Little mermaid* (play) at the 5th Ave theatre- I got a subscription to the 5th Avenue theatre and this was the first of those shows (so lots of plays next year!)- This show was so fun and I enjoyed the way they made it look like it was under water. They changed the story a bit from the movie, which was unexpected and I felt like a part of the play was missing because of this. But overall a lot of fun and great costumes, actors and music
I went to some other smaller shows as well as a book talk, but did not include those. Keep in mind this is all from my point of view. 2016 was full of great music and I will try to make 2017 full of even more!
Train to Montreux (photos only)
Additional photos from Montreux
Train to Lausanne
Additional Photos from Lausanne
Additional photos from Geneva
Montreux, 9/1
We went to Montreux without a real plan, and actually planning on going onto Bern later in the day. We put our luggage in the train station lockers and started heading down toward the waterfront. We had seen pictures of the castle Cheteau de Chillon , and this is why we chose this city.
We also heard that there was an iconic Freddie Mercury statue there, which we wanted to check out. We walked along the waterfront and saw a lot of art, and of course the statue of Freddie Mercury. He owned a studio in this city, which is one of the reason that many of the residents in the city love him. We got some photos with the statue, then continued on toward the castle.
We could see it on the other side of the lake, but didn’t realize how far away it was until after we were about halfway there (it was 4 kilometers away). When we finally got to the castle, we paid the admission and decided to do a self-guided tour (with the brochure they provided). This castle was overwhelming and really I don’t know what to say about it, so I say check out the pictures and if you ever get a chance check it out. After the castle, we decided to to take the bus back to the area of the train station and figure out the next steps. We got ice cream (which was WONDERFUL) and looked up places in Bern. By this time, it was about 5pm, so we ended up deciding to stay in Montreux that night. I decided that I wanted to try fondue, so we found a hotel near the train station and near the train station and near a fondue place that I found on yelp (Caveau des Vignerons Montreux). When we checked into the hotel, we saw that guests have the access to the pool at the casino across the street. However, it had closed a couple days before (August 31st) even though it was still hot outside. We decided to go down to the lake (lake Geneva) and swim there. The casino pool was open and there was a brief discussion on which one we should do, but, really, how many times can we say we swam in Lake Geneva? I’m glad that is what we chose to do, as the water was great. There were “no swimming” signs everywhere, but there were sections that looked like it was made for people to swim. There were even lounge chairs set up in the area. After the swim, we headed toward the fondue place. It was wonderful. Also, I didn’t realize that there was a difference between meat and cheese fondue (I was envisioning meat that you dip in cheese). I’m glad the server spoke English and explained the difference! We also got the creme brulee, which was delicious as well. After dinner, we decided to stop at the Hotel bar and ended up talking with a doctor who was there for a medical conference.
Where we stayed: Hotel Helvetie
Lausanne, 9/1
We initially went to Lausanne because they have a satellite office for Starbucks. We had a tour scheduled for 9:30am, but got there kind of early, so we walked down the road and took in some of the sights near the office. There are lockers in the train station, which our luggage fit into, which was a lifesaver. It was $9 (Swiss Francs), but so worth it so we didn’t have to carry all of our stuff around. We stopped at a park that had mancala in it! We went back to starbucks (no pictures from this part of the trip, sorry) about 15 minutes before we were supposed to be there, and the person who answered the door asked us to come back. So we went to starbucks around the corner while waiting. When we came back, we were greeted with open arms. They were very excited to show us the (small) office and what they do. We had a brief tour (the office was really small, so it was quick), then were taken into the kitchen area for a “cupping.” This is quality assurance in the coffee world. We were handed an apron and a spoon and told to grab a spittoon to take with us (they were on wheels). There were bowls of coffee beans and 6 small cups of coffee, brewed from those beans. We watched as one of the employees showed us that you take a spoonful of coffee, make sure to slurp it and get it to the back of your mouth to ensure it gets to the taste buds in the back of your mouth, then swish it around in your mouth, then spit it into the spittoon. The employees did this 6 times per bowl (there were about 20 bowls), but we just tried a few from each country. The people who were working would take notes after each, and if something seemed off, they would compare notes. After the cupping, we were taken into a meeting room and shown a slideshow about what that office does. This small office buys all of the coffee for EVERY STARBUCKS IN THE WORLD. After the slideshow, as we were leaving, again, everyone was very welcoming and said they were happy that we came in. The man who toured us told us to reach out to him if we made it to Amsterdam (where there is another office), or if we needed help when we got to Germany. He told us that the waterfront was “just at the bottom of the hill,” so we decided to walk toward the waterfront. It was actually quite a ways down the hill, and realized that when Swiss people say “just over there,” it is actually further than you expect.
When we got to the bottom of the hill, we were very hungry, so we decided to get some food. After looking at a lot of the menus, we decided on pizza, which was SO GOOD at Boccalino. The pizzas are named after celebrities and they have Pharell Williams, Lady Gaga, George Cloony and Barack Obama, for example. We chose the John Kerry pizza and it was delicious. This was also the first full meal we had in Switzerland (not counting those hot dogs from the day before). After eating and grabbing a few souvenirs, we walked to the water front. They had checkers AND chess in the park. It seems that all of the parks in this city had some sort of giant game. When we decided to head up to Montreux, we thought about taking the bus up the hill, but then decided to walk (I think it was about 0.7 miles, all uphill). We grabbed our stuff from the lockers and moved onto the next part of our journey.
