Joie De Vivre NYC

Rye bread ice cream at Café Lokki

Marin explained that the rye bread was toasted then mixed in with the ice cream to give it a nice crunchy flavor.  I was surprised how sweet the rye bread tasted but there was definitely a drizzle of caramel on top of the whip cream.

I am a fiend for ice cream but was surprised that I was completely satisfied by one serving.

While we ate our ice cream, Marin explained the mural of the Norse gods and the creation of Iceland.  It was interesting to listen to folklore and mythology then looking out the window to see Hallgrimskirkja.  It definitely made picturesque moment!

Once everyone finished their ice cream and walked towards Alþingshúsið, otherwise known as Parliament House, Marin explained that during the banking collapse people threw eggs and Skyr.  There is a little square near Alþingshúsið where people congregate for concerts or protest such as Free the Nipple, where Icelandic women showed up topless for gender equality.

Alþingshúsið

We continued to stroll towards a pond and saw ducks and geese squabbling over bread.  It's so funny to listen to geese fight and during this time, Marin handed out individual cups of Skyr, the creamy, yogurt-like substance.  Marin explained it's not really yogurt but more like cheese and extremely heavy to eat.  In addition to Skyr, she handed out Icelandic chocolate which I kept for my flight home.

Bacchus rules the streets of Reykjavík

During this time, Bacchus the cat showed up and Marin explained that he rules the streets of Reyjavík. In the summertime, he would bask in the sunlight in the middle of the road and cars used to honk to try and nudge it along but he never moved. So after awhile, people grew accustomed to driving around Bacchus.

Bacchus never goes home with owners but lives in any of the shops he finds suitable. He reminded me a little about the cats in Rome and how much Italians adored them but I think Bacchus just holds his own. 

We didn't see any other cats roaming the streets  but it was a cute story to tell.

Marin marvelously weaved so many different stories on our stops and it was nice to learn about different political events, local stories and folklore.

Our next stop would be Bæjarins Betzu Pylsur which translates into "Town's Best Sausages." I heard so much about the Icelandic hot dogs before my trip so I was curious to try it.  Former President Clinton made it popular by stopping by and Anthony Bourdain publicized it on his show, No Reservations.

Marin provided a little background on how sausages were created but what made this hot dog special was the lamb mixed in with beef and pork. We arrived and saw the line was streaming around on to the road.  She then provided us options to wait for 20 minutes after checking in with the vendor or moving on to the next destination. 

Quite a few people were a bit chilly standing out in the cold so everyone agreed to walk to Sægreifinn which was near the harbor.

Sægreifinn is a cozy little spot and we crept up to the second floor which was nice and warm.  As we situated ourselves around the table,  Marin poured us glasses of water and began to tell us stories about elves and trolls that haunted Iceland.  There are twelve elves and the only one I remembered was meat hooker who stole meat from  your home.  It was bit creepy and for some reason reminded me of Candy Man.

Lobster soup

I also became a little nervous because two years ago, I became allergic to shellfish so that ruled out a lot of seafood for me on this trip.  So when I heard they were serving lobster soup, which is considered one of their best dishes, I said a little prayer and hoped I wouldn't end up in the hospital or busting out an Epi-pen.

During this time, I spoke to a woman next to me who managed to see the Northern Lights and she showed me pictures on her camera phone.  I was surprised she was able to capture them on her phone since I brought my DSLR specifically to capture them.
Several conversations were now going on and I alternated between Marin's storytelling and conversations with the group beside me who were discussing different trips they took.

Chocolate rasberry mousse at Apotek

We lingered at Sægreifinn for a bit before heading to our final destination, Apotek.  Marin explained that Apotek used to be an Apothecary which was converted to Apotek Restaurant a few years back.  The decor was trendy and tasteful.  In the front room was seating for cocktails and beer and in the back was where you served food.

Marin also let us know that Apotek had happy hour and had brennivín cocktail specials so I made a mental note to try it before I left.  We had an option of tea, hot cocoa and coffee to go with our desserts and it was the perfect ending to the food tour.  While we relished in delicious dessert, Marin provided more stories specifically Icelandic sagas.  I became fascinated by one of the female warriors she discussed who cut of her left breast during battle.  Unfortunately, I don't remember her name but overall, I had 3-4 hours of great company and delicious food to start off my Icelandic adventure!