{"id":63461,"date":"2026-01-07T14:15:40","date_gmt":"2026-01-07T20:15:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/?p=63461"},"modified":"2026-01-20T04:28:21","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T10:28:21","slug":"dreamtime-onward-to-reykjavik","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/?p=63461","title":{"rendered":"Dreamtime \/ Onward to Reykjav\u00edk"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Circumnavigation series<\/a> \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Next in the series<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reykjav\u00edk (KEF)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Kangerlussuaq \u2192 Reykjav\u00edk (KEF): ~740 miles<\/strong>
Cumulative Miles\/Kilometers: 2,820 \/ 4,538<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Elder G<\/strong> and I<\/strong> continue our 16,000 mile journey from Edmonton, Canada to Perth, Australia, we leave North America and fly into Reykjavik<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Iceland <\/strong>is a Nordic island country between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean, located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between Europe and North America. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the region’s westernmost and most sparsely populated country. Its capital and largest city is Reykjav\u00edk, which is home to about 36% of the country’s roughly 390,000 residents (excluding nearby towns\/suburbs, which are separate municipalities).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\nWikipedia<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
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Ing\u00f3lfr Arnarson (modern Icelandic: Ing\u00f3lfur Arnarson), the first permanent Scandinavian settler
By Johan Peter Raadsig (1806 – 1882)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Gullfoss<\/strong>, an iconic waterfall of Iceland
By Pierre-Selim Huard – Self-photographed, CC BY 4.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=56735848<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The Nesjavellir Geothermal Power Station<\/strong> services the Capital Region’s hot water and electricity needs. Virtually all of Iceland’s electricity comes from renewable resources.
By Gretar \u00cdvarsson \u2013 Edited by Fir0002
Gretar \u00cdvarsson, geologist at Nesjavellir, Public Domain<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Reykjav\u00edk<\/strong>, Iceland’s largest metropolitan area and the centre of the Capital Region which, with a population of 233,034, makes up 64% of Iceland’s population
By robingileo – https:\/\/pixabay.com\/en\/reykjavik-city-iceland-downtown-2257521<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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What Cuisine Should We Expect at Caf\u00e9 KEF<\/em>?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Cuisine<\/strong>
Much of Iceland’s cuisine is based on fish, lamb, and dairy products, with little to no use of herbs or spices<\/em>. Due to the island’s climate, fruits and vegetables are not generally a component of traditional dishes, although the use of greenhouses has made them more common in contemporary food. \u00deorramatur<\/strong> is a selection of traditional cuisine consisting of many dishes and is usually consumed around the month of \u00deorri, which begins on the first Friday after 19 January. Traditional dishes also include skyr<\/strong> (a yogurt-like cheese), h\u00e1karl<\/strong> (cured shark), cured ram, singed sheep heads, and black pudding, Flatkaka<\/strong> (flatbread), dried fish, and dark rye bread traditionally baked in the ground in geothermal areas. Puffin<\/strong> is considered a local delicacy which is often prepared through broiling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A typical \u00deorramatur assortment
By The blanz – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=9380904<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWikipedia<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

…. with little to no use of herbs or spices<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tell Us More….<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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\u00deorramatur <\/strong>(lit.\u2009’food of \u00deorri’) is a selection of traditional Icelandic food, consisting mainly of meat and fish products cured in a traditional manner, cut into slices or pieces and served with r\u00fagbrau\u00f0 (dense and dark rye bread), butter and brenniv\u00edn (an Icelandic akvavit). \u00deorramatur is consumed during the Nordic month of \u00deorri<\/strong> (Thorri), in January and February, particularly at the mid-winter feast of \u00deorrabl\u00f3t (Thorrablot) as a tribute to old culture. Being thus connected with the tradition of \u00deorrabl\u00f3t festivals, \u00deorramatur is most often served as a buffet.<\/p>\nWikipedia<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Svi\u00f0<\/strong> (Icelandic pronunciation: [\u02c8sv\u026a\u02d0\u03b8]; transliterated as svid or svith) is a traditional Icelandic dish consisting of a sheep’s head cut in half, singed to remove the fur<\/strong><\/em>, and boiled with the brain removed, sometimes cured in lactic acid.<\/p>\nWikipedia<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Keflav\u00edk Airport (KEF)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Keflav\u00edk Airport<\/strong> (Icelandic: Keflav\u00edkurflugv\u00f6llur) (IATA: KEF, ICAO: BIKF), also known as Reykjav\u00edk\u2013Keflav\u00edk Airport, is the largest airport in Iceland and the country’s main hub for international transportation. The airport is located approximately 3 km (1.9 mi) west of the town of Keflav\u00edk, Reykjanesb\u00e6r and 50 km (30 mi) southwest of the capital Reykjav\u00edk. The airport has two runways, each measuring approx. 3,050 m (10,010 ft). Most international journeys to or from Iceland pass through this airport and it is the 5th busiest airport in the Nordic countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other history<\/strong>
The two 3,000-metre-long (10,000 ft) and 60-metre-wide (200 ft) runways were large enough to support NASA’s Space Shuttle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Aerial photograph of Keflav\u00edk International Airport
By SuperJet International – SSJ100 Keflavik runways, CC BY-SA 2.0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Aerial view of the main buildings in 2006.
By Hansueli Krapf – Own work: Hansueli Krapf (User Simisa (talk\u00b7 contribs)), CC BY-SA 3.0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nWikipedia<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
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“A specially prepared Boeing 747 NASA aircraft landed at Keflav\u00edk Airport in May of 1983. This would probably not have made any headlines, had the plane not been carried the NASA space shuttle \u2018Enterprise\u2019 on its back.”
– Grapevine.is<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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This strange flying object passed over Reykjav\u00edk before landing at Keflav\u00edk, which at the time was, of course, still the US Navy base NASKEF. The aircraft and its cargo were in Iceland for a fuel stop on their way to Paris, to attend an air show. The \u2018Enterprise\u2019 was the first ever space shuttle and was used for test flights in the atmosphere, aided by this modified 747 jet.<\/p>\nGrapevine.is<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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More on Icelandic Cuisine: Cumin Deprivation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Some historians suggest[1]<\/sup> that the first explorers to Iceland were greeted by a Taco Bell. Their pallets were not prepared for even the mildest of Taco Bell entries, and they swore off all spice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[1]<\/sup> We made this up.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Finally We End Up at Caf\u00e9 KEF<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We had a lovely cup of coffee at Caf\u00e9 KEF<\/strong><\/em>. Our waitress Bev <\/strong>offered a traditional Icelandic meal, but we decided to stay with just coffee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Elder G<\/strong> and Bev <\/strong>hit it off. Here’s a selfie they took.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bev <\/strong>also shared some family photos from her grandparents’ albums.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Footnotes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We asked our unpaid marketing intern George <\/strong>(he’s single, ladies!<\/em>) to fact check our Icelandic explorer \/ Taco Bell connection. He hired a local Icelandic consulting company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The consultants thought George’s <\/strong>claim was implausible for several reasons, but George <\/strong>decided to use creative license to help us imagine the possible historical scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Circumnavigation series \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Next in the series Reykjav\u00edk (KEF) Kangerlussuaq \u2192 Reykjav\u00edk (KEF): ~740 milesCumulative Miles\/Kilometers: 2,820 \/ 4,538 As Elder G and I continue our 16,000 mile journey from Edmonton, Canada to Perth, Australia, we leave North America and fly into Reykjavik. What Cuisine Should We Expect at Caf\u00e9 KEF? …. with little […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[47,19,63,28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-63461","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adventures-of-the-elders","category-food","category-iceland","category-will-there-be-a-buffet"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63461","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=63461"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63461\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":64158,"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63461\/revisions\/64158"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=63461"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=63461"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=63461"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}