Country #1 complete! (Well, I’ve got a 4:30 am wake-up call and a bleary red-eye to go, but I think it’s safe to call it.)

When we were last in Iceland five years ago, we were still working out the kinks in our travel style. One of us (ahem) refused to eat, resulting in a hanger-fueled tantrum on Main Street that had me wondering exactly why I had decided not to spank again?

However, we’ve found our rhythm and this do-over has more than made up for it. Not only are we eating, but we went all-in on local fare on our first food tour.

I ate the traditional lamb soup, the smoked goose and local cheeses, the rye bread ice cream, the Skyr yogurt, the Arctic char and the “mostly lamb” hot dog, but I drew the line at horse (despite assurances that he was a “mean” horse).

We wandered off our food daze revisiting some sites and agreeing how much more fun it was when one of us wasn’t (ahem) yelling.

(Ack, they were babies!)

Crashed for a bit and then went out for dinner sans The Girl (who was maybe feeling the effects of a double portion of ice cream) – local beer and a reindeer burger.

(Nothing says “family fun time” like researching the Bill of Rights.)

Today was nature day and we toured the South Coast where we saw a glacier, a black sand beach (lava rocks everywhere here), and a couple of waterfalls.

We climbed all the way to the top of that one (The Girl lost count after 275 steps) and peered over the edge.

And then it was out for some more local beer and a lamb sandwich.

And one last hot dog…

Stuffed and happy, we’ve turned in and are being lulled to sleep by the thudding of the nearby clubs (this is a major party town after dark). Off to Paris tomorrow! At least, I hope so. Both trains and planes were at least partly shut down over there today due to a strike (how French!), so we’ll see how much of the chaos has dissipated by 5 am tomorrow. Which is when I leave for the airport. Oy!