the dailypic 5115 yr15 002 The Moody

The road trip is over. I am back in the Reykjavik area at a friend’s house. Closer to the airport for tomorrow’s journey back. We might visit the capital on the way. The majority of the four days traveled the Westfjords. A section I have yet to visit in previous trips. It is a place that most tourists do not visit for many reasons. The simple reason is it is not the most inviting. The country is 40,000 sq miles (New York State is 47,000), and now, after five trips, I have seen at least a portion of every section. I can’t say the Westfjords are dramatically different, I can only say each has its mood, and Westfjords could be grumpy and kind at the same time. The landscapes in Westfjords deserve respect, and maybe some fear, the weather drives the personality. Even the official website for the region says they are guessing when they tell you what to expect in a month to month guide.

Someone on the first day we spoke with told us, “Fall ended yesterday, winter is here now.” Like the season was a visitor and we just missed them as they left minutes before we arrived. Then that night I thought our van was going to blow away while we slept. The wind, the wind was crazy. During our drive today, I swear the van was being used in a fight between six different directions. Each trying to shove us into another. It was raining, snowing, sunny and dark all at the same time. Parts had colors like New England autumn, if New England’s autumn’s color were a blanket instead of on trees. I fell in love with the cities, all coastal cities/villages, miles apart, each unique. Small, colorful, last night we stayed in Ísafjörður, the largest city in the Westfjords, population 2600. Everyone we spoke with was not from there, they just ended up there. Most we not even Icelandic they were from – Italy, Canada, France, and the Netherlands, this was a crazy place to “end up.” I would be lying if I did not say I was jealous. I could see a younger version of me ending up there. We ate at Húsið, a restaurant in the center of town, we had one of best meals I ever had – the fish soup, a simple thing so perfect. That alone I would convince younger me to live there for, I would put it above Icelandic Hot Dogs – that is a compliment I promise.

tr/trp