Italy, Rome 2026 – post 2

by ginnyinshanghai

The previous post referenced a food tour. Yes, we had a food tour, but not until 3pm. We needed to fill our day. We still had one of Rome’s historical highlights to visit. One that never made it on our itinerary – the Roman Forum. While I had heard of the spot for decades, I didn’t know (or remember!) a good bit of the history. I did some digging and found a few interesting notes. Here you go.

According to Roman historical tradition, the Forum’s beginnings are connected with the alliance between Romulus, the first king of Rome controlling the Palatine Hill, and his rival, Titus Tatius who occupied the Capitoline Hill.

Pottery deposits discovered in the Forum, Palatine and Capitoline demonstrated that humans occupied these areas in the Final Bronze Age (1200–975 BC).

Originally a low-lying, grassy wetland, the Forum was drained in the 7th century BC. This land had been used for temples, shrines, cremation burials, a public space and the list goes on and on.

The sacred trees of Rome are represented here – olive, fig and grape vines. Agriculture was considered the activity most befitting of the Roman citizen. It was seen as expression of the values of one’s ancestors and the prosperity of the nation.

Things went downhill after the Fall of the Roman empire. After the eighth century, the structures of the Forum were dismantled, rearranged, and used to build towers and castles within the local area. In the 13th century, these rearranged structures were torn down, and the site became a dumping ground.

In the 1400s a campaign of civic improvement and rebuilding in the city was decreed thus the demand for building materials consequently increased significantly, making the Forum a convenient quarry for stone and marble.

Regardless of it’s history for centuries, the Forum was the center of day-to-day life in Rome: the site of triumphal processions and elections; the venue for public speeches, criminal trials and gladiatorial matches; and the nucleus of commercial and legal affairs.

Here statues and monuments commemorated the city’s leaders. The heart of ancient Rome, it has been called the most celebrated meeting place in the world, and in all history. And it still has room for a few more 4-legged animals today.

I think that’s enough history for this post. It wasn’t quite time for our food tour yet we were getting hungry. We stopped for some seafood as a ‘pre-game activity’. It was amazing. This was supposed to feed one – and we shared.

Those two wanted sardines and ordered this.

We couldn’t refuse dessert. Eric ordered the ice cream and we shared a poached pear – omg, it was the best. The pear melted in your mouth.

And NOW…………….it was time to meet for our Roman Food Tour.

A short distance away from the meeting spot was this place – Trapizzino, our first stop for eating.

Hmmmmmmm, what?

I was trying to figure out how to describe it and came across this explanation. It was better than what I could come up with.

We each chose different fillings.

Ginny – chicken
Adrienne – anchovy w/ cream
Eric – tongue w/ pesto

Since this was street food, no utensils were available. I could have really used a fork to eat mine – just saying.

Next stop was Essenza Wine Bar.

We each had our own charcuterie plate. She was very specific what to eat first, going for more delicate flavors initially and ending with the blue cheese in the top left corner. She had honey and jam for some of the cheese – it went great with the blue cheese, ha! Not my favorite cheese but add in some sweet and I can do it.

We ended with this parmesan Reggiano topped with balsamic vinegar.

One quick shot before heading to our next stop. I don’t think I mentioned……….there was a L.O.T of wine during this tour, basically bottomless pours.

This stop had a lot of things going for it. Yes, there was pasta, wine and pizza!

We each choose a different pasta and traded plates.

Pasta cacio e pepe
pasta amatriciana
pasta carbonara

But my favorite item was the pizza!!!!!! I got a corner piece and ate every bit of my portion including the crust.

But wait there’s one more stop to make. Did you think these streets are alleys? Nope, we had to step aside numerous times for cars and motorcycles to pass by.

Our last stop was the sweetest one…….

My choices were coffee & blackberry. Adrienne’s salted caramel was tasty along with Eric’s choice of amora cherry & vanilla.

Needless to say, we didn’t need any supper. In fact, grabbing a taxi back to our place was one of the best decisions that night.

Ciao!

Ginny

Italy, Rome 2026 – post 1

by ginnyinshanghai

It was time to head back to Europe. This time with a party of three versus only two of us.  We couldn’t find a direct flight to Rome, but I wanted to avoid Atlanta.  Next option was a connection in Miami – sold. 

Temps to expect – okay, a break from the heat of Florida.

Next flight got us overseas. Surprisingly I slept!  Not enough of course but more than in the past.

Woke up to this view of Italy.

Upon landing in Rome, we were prepared to go through a new Entry/Exit System (EES) that was mandated to start 4/10/26 – shortly before our trip. Everything I had heard was be patient, the first time it will take longer and future trips would be a shorter process since everything would be on file. As we prepared to go through Passport Control, we were suddenly directed to go up a flight of stairs, get in a line for ‘non-Italians’, to go down an escalator to the original entry point! Basically, they were making us form a queue since it was a compact space and a number of flights had landed. Yikes, this is going to take us awhile. After taking the escalator down, passengers with a US or UK passport were directed to the left side of the holding area. We were waved through a number of gates and OMG within minutes we were through and at the luggage carousels. No stopping, no stamping and no more interactions.

After a taxi ride with our talkative drive, we arrived at our first AirBNB. Eric had detailed instructions for the four keys needed for this place.  First a phone call that automatically let us inside the first door.  Then the actual keys in a mailbox, with the longest one needed to get through the iron portal doorway.  Another key was for the elevator – luggage and one person was all the space available.  Adrienne and I walked up two flights of stairs and met Eric outside of the door utilizing his fourth key to get inside.  Whew!

Two bedrooms, two bath rooms and a small kitchen. 

Then you had the world’s most uncomfortable couch.  Yikes! Minimal padding with a wooden frame – maybe it was a daybed? The red cover was hiding it.

First order of business – food.  At the end of our block was several options.  Restaurant 433 it is!

Drinks & bread before a quick photo.

Then the meal arrived:  Buffalo mozzarella, pasta de pepe and pasta carbonara.

Next order of business was a short nap before walking the streets of Rome.  We locked in our destination (Piazza Navona) and started walking.  It was the original site of the 1st century Stadium of Domitian.  The stadium was commissioned as a gift to the people of Rome and used almost entirely for athletic contests.  It was Rome’s first permanent venue for competitive athletics, seating approximately 30,000.

On our last visit, work was being done on some of the fountains.  This time all three were working.  The center one the famous Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi or Fountain of the Four Rivers.  The rivers collectively represent four major rivers of the continents through which papal authority had spread:  The Nile, The Danube, The Ganges and the Rio de la Plata representing the Americas. Below is one of the four sides.

Really liked the detail on some of the sculptures.

At one end is the Fontana del Moro or Fountain of the Moor depicting a nautical scene with tritons, dolphins and a conch shell. The basin was constructed in the 1570s, with sculptures added in the 1650s.

At the north end is Fontana del Nettuno or the Fountain of Neptune.  The basin was designed in 1574 without the sculptures for 300 years.  The fountain as it exists today was finally completed in the 1870s following a competition.

We continued walking and came across the Pantheon.  You might ask why we didn’t go in?  We did it on our last trip and that time we hit a few of Rome’s highlights. We were checking off a lot of things that time. I got a quick shot while the other two were looking at meats & cheeses.

All this walking worked up an appetite, and we found Vecchio Locanda down this tiny alleyway.

Octopus w/ potatoes along with some parma was a hit.

There is art everywhere, even in the alleyways. While eating, this was our view from our outside table.

The night was so nice, no rain and a comfortable temperature that we did some walking around our area.  We are near the Tiber River.

This spot is the meeting point for our food tour the next day – a hint about the next post.

We headed back towards our apartment, and suddenly you are looking at ancient ruins, surrounded by more modern architecture.

I wanted some dessert before heading back to our place.  Outside of a number of restaurants there was a ‘handler’ that approached, asked what you would like and upon mentioning dessert, we took up his offer of a table. 

Savory before sweet so we ordered fried meat-stuffed olives – quite delicious – and fried artichoke.

Finally we got to the desserts.  Three selections were made and shared.

L – pistachio cheesecake, M – tiramisu w/ caramel, R – berry cheesecake

Now it’s time for bed!

Ginny

Iceland 2026 – post 6

by ginnyinshanghai

We read about a new bagel place that was becoming very popular. Sorry, the lighting was odd and the photos turned out a wonky color. The everything bagel was tasty and easily big enough to share.

Eric had wanted this Icelandic pastry: Kleina, sweetened fried dough occasionally topped with icing. He was happy.

A well-known bakery called Braud, carries these marvelous cinnamon buns. That has always been my bakery of choice.

It’s easy to find, just look for the place with all of the graffiti. You can just barely see some of their breads in the window.

Weekends was the only time this local flea market was open. It was a cool place to hang out, kill some time and get warm. They had a small bar in one of the corners with seating.

A variety of treasures could be found like this wall of local paintings available in all price ranges.

Icelandic wool sweaters:

And yes, a section of the building was typical flea market booths. Had to take a photo of the stall with used books.

One corner also had food items packaged to bring home.

Oh yeah, never shared any photos of the place we stayed – in the heart of everything. Our place was the second window from the top, right side of the building.

One bedroom, kitchen & dining with some seating for relaxing.

Our last meal in Reykjavik was a splurge – Grill Market.

Eric started with a cocktail, made just for him – bartender’s choice. Our waitress asked what spirit he wanted in his drink, then a preference for sweet/bitter or any flavor he wanted to add. The result is pictured below.

We realized we had not ordered any lamb on this trip and got the lamb skewers as a starter – delicious and cooked perfectly.

I had not eaten any steak yet, and grilled meat was their specialty. So the filet mignon was my choice that came with fries – perfectly seasoned none were left. The vegetable medley in the upper corner………..very little was eaten – just saying.

Eric chose another steak that is not available in the states. He had it one other time in Iceland when we drove the ring road. It was tasty then and this night was no exception. Horse, 220 g, cooked medium rare only.

Naturally, Eric chose ice cream for his dessert, which was accompanied by fruit.

My choice was chocolate, a chocolate sphere with mascarpone mousse, warm caramel and coffee ice cream.

Oh, and I didn’t realize there was a bit of ‘showmanship’ with my choice.

It was absolutely delicious. It was a very enjoyable evening and a fitting way to end an excellent week away from work. This was not our typical vacation for us. Usually, we are rushing around to hit a number of spots, checking things off of our list and crashing at the end of the night. We both had time to unwind and slow down – it was kind of nice. 🙂

The only thing left to do was get to the airport. We had both been hoping for some snow during this break from Florida. All the locals said they were waiting for snow also. Didn’t happen………….until we arrived the airport and was past security. We saw this as we were waiting to board our flight. Really? Really.

It really was a great trip. Yes, it was another visit to Iceland. Yes, we had a few repeats of stops and local sites. Yes, some of these meals were our best yet enjoyed in this country. But we were relaxed, slept waaaaay longer than we ever have at home and enjoyed a city and country together.

Ginny & Eric

Iceland 2026 – post 5

by ginnyinshanghai

Food, glorious food. Eric did a lot of restaurant research prior to arrival. A few places he made a reservation before leaving the states. One evening original tour plans fell through so it was time to check his restaurant list. One that kept coming up during conversation was Lola.

It was easily walkable and near the harbor. First impression was solid.

While the bar was empty, most of the tables had individuals seated at them. While looking at the menu, we both got this deja vu feeling. We had been in this building before! It has a distinctive look and curved walls – yep we’ve been here during our first trip in 2019. It was casual dining at that time, while this was the total opposite.

We started with this appetizer: Parmigiano Fritto with fire roasted bell pepper dip. Nice.

I ordered two small plates and was happy with both of them.

Sicilian Sashimi – fish, scallops, langoustine with capers, onion and fennel.

Chili Prawns with garlic, chili, tzatziki, lime and mint.

Eric’s choice was Bacalao: cod with romesco, almonds, lime and caper leaf.

It left enough space for dessert. O.M.G. My dessert was one of the best I’ve eaten in years. I seriously wanted to lick the plate. The photo below gives you a hint of what to expect, but it was unbelievably awesome. It was called Lola’s Banana Business: banana semifreddo, sticky toffee pudding and Dolcey butterscotch. When it arrived, I thought it had a banana on top of the toffee pudding. Nope, the texture was all wrong. I had to research what exactly was ‘semifreddo’? It’s a class of frozen desserts prepared mainly with egg whites, sugar and cream. It differs from ice cream in that it is frozen in molds, not churned and lighter in texture.

Eric went with his typical selection of gelato or ice cream. Flavors were raspberry, lychee and rose topped with Greek yogurt.

Our waiter encouraged us to explore an adjoining room. We found a small movie theater with three options available for viewing!

For an unexpected free night, it was a delightful meal. Bundled up for heading back to our place that night.

Another day we had a lunch reservation at Seafood Grill.

It’s described as a unique dining experience in a cozy environment. Their chefs focus on using the freshest ingredients available and combining them with amazing spice blends.

This was one of the few places where bread (warmed) and butter was brought to the table. We devoured this. The butter was topped with various Icelandic salts – yum

One of their starters was ranked a top item in the city: Deep Fried Langoustine Tacos. The parmigiano ribbons on top of the tacos and red onions was a perfect pairing.

Eric ordered their fish of the day which was Ling, sitting on a bed of bok choy and roasted bell peppers.

My selection was Shellfish Pasta with langoustines, scallops and tiger prawns. Quite frankly there was so much seafood on top of the pasta, you can’t see the pasta. It was a well-constructed dish but ultimately, I sought out the seafood and left the remaining pasta.

One of my favorite things on their menu……………..coca cola! The vast majority of restaurants served pepsi.

A restaurant recommended by some of Eric’s new beer buddies was this spot:

A bread basket arrived with Icelandic butter and a bowl of granola mix. Hmmmm, interesting. It definitely worked.

It was followed by this tuna dish.

My choice was lobster soup. Man! it was delicious, hot, smooth and velvety. Probably not your typical food descriptors but it was definitely comforting.

Eric’s selection was reindeer carpaccio with puree cepes, blueberry compote, hazelnut and foie gras.

Their raw fish was so good we had to have some sushi. One of their selections was available for two to share. Got it.

It was a filling meal – no dessert needed.

This was such a relaxing trip, a few times we stopped in for a drink. One afternoon, we went into an Irish pub. An Irish coffee for me, thank you. Eric stayed with his Guiness.

Eric also found a few cocktail bars – it’s getting to be a thing. Yes, this place is called Tipsy.

This stop turned into a favorite with us visiting seceral nights: Gilligogg.

My selection was one of their specialties: Garpur! It was composed of banana rum, strawberries, whey, balsamico and lime. Described as ‘short, fresh, fruity’. It was delicious. I could have easily ordered a second one.

One more post and this Iceland trip will be finished.

Ginny

Iceland 2026 – post 4

by ginnyinshanghai

One of my top things to do in Iceland is soaking in the geothermal heated water.  While there are a few establishments near Reykjavik, my top favorite is Sky Lagoon. 

At a 15-minute ride from the city center, it’s fairly easy to reach.  We made two separate visits on this trip.  It doesn’t really matter (to me) the temps or wind as you can find a place to embrace or shield from the elements during your experience. The photo below you can see the steam rising from the geothermal water – love it! This was part of a protected cove after leaving the changing & showering area.

Speaking of the ‘showering’ area. The message below freaks out most Americans. What? I have to shower BEFORE I put on my swimsuit? In front of these women? If available, you can pre-pay for special individualized shower & dressing rooms. We did that on our first visit. It was nice, not really worth the extra money, in my opinion. Once was enough.

First step (ha, ha) is to remove your shoes before stepping into the changing area. Find an available locker, strip, bring your swimsuit to the showers (semi-private, unlike older, other lagoons) and start soaping up. A tip someone shared previously………..after showering, put on your swim suit and turn the water on again. The warm water will help ease the transition before you can get fully into the heated water. Got it! And yes, it does make a difference.

I turn the corner and see this cave-like stairway.

Ahhhhh, that water temp feels great! I submerge to my ears, soaking up the heat and see Eric patiently (not!) waiting.

L.O.V.E. these thermal bathing spots.

I was in search of some frozen precipitation. While we didn’t see any snow coming down yet, some could be seen. Found this accumulation along the barrier of the infinity wall (more on that later).

That was not going to be a good spot for our photo. I found one other area, another nook in the main thermal lagoon, that had a small accumulation in the grassy hillside.

Not exactly what I was wanting, but it will do. My dream experience is to be in the pool while it is snowing. Maybe another time.

Something that separates Sky Lagoon from others is Skjol, The Ritual.

Eric has a love/hate relationship with it, only liking certain aspects of the process. In short, the process is laid out below. The first step ‘Laug’ is no problem. Step 2 is a harder one to consider.

I found this display right inside the doorway. Once you’ve done the experience, it makes more sense. The top right corner (where you see a ‘circle’) is the cold plunge pool before going inside to the sauna.

The ‘Kuldi’ cold plunge? Not happening. Stepping out of the heated lagoon, there is a 20′ walk into the building that houses the other steps. You’re supposed to take a dip in the small, circular cold-water plunge before entering. I saw a few doing it, and I got my foot in the water – that was it. The next step is the Ylur, sauna. That I can do – but not for very long.

They have this floor-to-ceiling window that overlooks the bay. It is a really, really cool view. I kept the young boy in the photo for perspective.

Now this step is the one that Eric really doesn’t like – Suld, cold mist.

While not my favorite, I do try to stay in it long enough to feel the temp difference.

The fifth step in the ritual – Mukt, body scrub. After exiting the cold mist, a worker hands you a small bowl with their special salt scrub. The scrub has Icelandic herbs, volcanic salt, almond oil & sesame oils. It feels heavenly after putting it on. The minerals in geothermal water are said to de-toxify, relax muscles and refresh the skin.

It does help to have a partner with you to put the scrub on your back – just saying.

In the background you can see the next step – Gufa, steam room. Eric was leading the way.

Very steamy inside, ha!

I can’t stay in here too long.

And then it’s time to wash off the salt scrub and cool down a bit.

The last step – Saft, juice – was not part of our original experience in 2024 but when they expanded The Ritual space, it was added. I like it.

Remember the young man in one of my earlier photos? His mother wanted some shots of their experience, and her phone was locked up. I had no problem getting the photos and emailing them to her personal email. They were from the Isle of Wright.

Now, comes another hard part…………..walking outside this space to get to the heated pool.

Yep, that’s ice on the walkway. Yikes!

We needed some refreshment. Did I mention there is a bar carved into the lagoon?

Eric got their beer……………

…………..while I felt like something sweeter, the crowberry martini.

Part of their marketing for the Sky Lagoon is where the sea meets the sky. The lagoon has an infinity edge that overlooks the Karsnes Harbor. The grates are handy for setting down your glasses or phone. A few baskets are placed around for individuals to drop off their empty vessels.

And they do have lifeguards. Several are walking the perimeter, and a few are actually in the water. Not your ‘typical’ gear for a lifeguard, ha!

Yes, this is a man-made lagoon opening in 2021, but the water is geothermally heated 100-104 degrees F. It is more tranquil, and less crowded with a focus on the Icelandic bathing culture and wellness. Our second visit was great weather for a winter day in Iceland, plenty of sun, no clouds and minimal wind. Couldn’t resist this shot.

There are a few bubbling spots where the heated water is added in.

Can’t forget their waterfall at the other end of the lagoon. Both Eric and I got close – him closer than me. 🙂

It was finally time to end the experience and get on with our day. My last few photos are us heading towards our respective locker rooms.

Towels are part of the experience with blow dryers and other amenities inside the locker rooms. After getting back into ‘real clothes’ a few options existed for food or shopping.

One day we planned for this to be our ‘lunch’ and ordered at their cafe. Eric’s selection is the top slate with traditional pickled herring and Iceland’s signature gravlox. My selection, bottom slate, was 4 flavorful cheeses, paired with bilberry jam. The sourdough grain bread is made in house daily – yum.

Alas, our time at Sky Lagoon was over for this Iceland visit. Until our next time in Reykjavik.

Ginny

As part of their ‘wellness’ Sky Lagoon soothes your body and your mind.

Iceland 2026 – post 3

by ginnyinshanghai

We travel for food and culture, usually in that order. This trip was no different. The five hour time difference messed with our eating schedule. After a nap upon arrival, we walked to a nearby food hall for lunch(?) or dinner (?) or whatever our schedule is on.

While not everyone enjoys food halls, I like them since each of us can pick a different type of food. Shockingly, I felt like sushi and ended up with a poke bowl.

Eric wanted fish. HIs entre was Ling, similar to cod. Then he added the fries for us to share. 🙂

Most cities we visit we start with a food tour early on. This trip was no different. In 2025 it was rated #1 Food Tour in the World – pretty high recommendation! We scheduled this for our first full day in the city.

First stop on the tour was at Fjallkonan, translates to ‘The Women of The Mountain’. They combine Icelandic tradition with international influence. Essentially three buildings along the street are owned by them and are different food/drink stops: gastropub, lunch/dinner restaurant and a cocktail bar. We were in the middle spot for the tour.

We were served two tastes from their menu: slow-cooked lamb & flatbread with a carrot puree, red onions & horseradish and arctic char blini on a chickpea flatbread, roe, horseradish and popping lentils. I liked the lamb tasting the best. Iceland was the reason I started eating lamb. Only problem……………I only like Icelandic lamb, and we can’t find it in the states, yes we have tried.

Something a bit different on this tour was that drinks were not included – I’m fine with that. We had to add a bit of time at the end of each stop to pay for any drinks ordered.

The second stop was Messinn – a place we had visited several times in the past. Our guide, Dave, is talking about one of the dishes we will be getting which is their specialty: fish pan, with arctic char, butter roasted potatoes and cherry tomatoes. Did you now they grow tomatoes in Iceland? With all of the geothermal heat, it has been channeled into heating greenhouses. During our travels in the past we also saw greenhouses growing banana plants! I couldn’t find any history about Messinn but every tour guide has always commented, this was a place their families stopped in years ago and it remains a consistent spot for family gatherings.

We had another pan that was smashed fish with mashed potatoes – but alas, no photo. I got the photo of the arctic char fish pan with crispy potatoes and cherry tomatoes. Oh yeah, and a coffee to warm me up.

Our third stop was another repeat for us – Baejarins Bezto Pylsur hot dog stand and yes, it’s outside. We had no problem with this being a repeat. If a food tour didn’t stop here…………..I would question their integrity – just saying. Pretty much any time of day there is a line, day or night, cold temps or snow. It doesn’t matter; this was the original spot for Icelandic hotdogs. Their business began in 1937 with lamb being the primary meat but also includes a small portion of beef and/or pork in the mix. Please note, this is one of the few places that serves coke products! The largest beer distributor has the largest soft drink distribution – which is Pepsi. Bummer. The few places that sold coke product, I ordered a second round.

I didn’t get a photo of our hot dogs, but found this one on the internet. Icelanders like their sauces and their hotdog has a number of them. If you get one ‘all the way’ it will have fried onion pieces (yum – who knew), fresh cut onions, sweet mustard, Icelandic ketchup (sweetened with apple cider – yuck) and remoulade.

Three stops down, two more to go. Next up was Islenski Barinn. Since 2009 this family-run gastropub is where Icelandic home-cooking meets a modern twist.

The main event was the lamb soup and local beer, GULL. BTW – they are the ones that have the largest drink distributorship in Iceland.

There was another ‘event’ during our time at this stop. Fermented shark was a subsistence food that has now become a tourist attraction.  It stinks, it has a weird texture and the taste lingers on long after it’s gone.  Nope, I’m not doing it. They cut it in small square chunks and keep it in an air-tight container. Tradition dictates after eating said shark, it should be followed with a shot of Brennivin.

Brennivin is considered to be the country’s signature distilled beverage. It is distilled from fermented grain mash and then combined with Iceland’s very soft high-pH water and flavored only with caraway. The steeping of herbs in alcohol is a long-held folk tradition in Nordic countries. It is typically drunk chilled.

Okay – back to the food.

This was also the stop where I got a group photo.  The guide was in the middle of the table, left side, wearing a baseball cap. Our group was composed of individuals from California, Massachusetts and two couples from United Kingdom – all Iceland rookies.

Our final stop, which will be dessert and coffee – Kaffi Loki.

In the past we’ve eaten here for breakfast and it was touted as a traditional Icelandic breakfast. 

But this was our sweet treat for the food tour:  rye-bread ice cream with chocolate chips, rhubarb syrup and whipped cream.   It must be growing on me.  I’ve had it a few times and made a token effort to try it.  This time, most of mine was gone. Coffee or hot tea was included.

One evening, we wanted something different and Eric suggested pizza.  Really?  Really!  He had been looking at some You-Tube videos for bloggers in Iceland and after checking their website, this stop was one of their favorites.  FYI – this was the same place we had a breakfast snack the day we arrived.  They obviously can create a variety of items – great!

Started with a little wine as we settled in.

Seems like we were a tad bit hungry that evening.  We ordered their garlic bread – O.M.G!  it was excellent.  Just the right amount of garlic & salt and not swimming in butter.  This would be a definite repeat if we’re back in town.

Perfect timing for the pizza to arrive.  When the utensils were brought to the table, we also got pizza cutters – interesting.  Now we see why.  The pizza doesn’t come to the table cut.

A few evenings we stopped in for a night-cap.  The Einstok Bar was one we visited. Eric was looking for a cocktail and this one struck his fancy.  I had a sip. I will agree it was pretty good.

Me, I wanted a beer.

Finally time to end this post and curate my photos and geothermal experience for the next post!

Ginny

Iceland 2026 – post 2

by ginnyinshanghai

Let’s talk about Reykjavik. The church, Hallgrimskirkja, near the centre of Reykjavík, is one of the city’s best-known landmarks and is visible from throughout the city. It is a Protestant Lutheran parish church at 244 ft tall, the largest church in Iceland and second tallest building in the country. The church was originally intended to be shorter, but the leaders of the church wanted a spire to outshine the Catholic Church of Iceland – always a competition somewhere.

Known for its distinctively curved spire and side wings, it has been described as having become an important symbol for Iceland’s national identity since its completion in 1986.

It is best described as a piece of Expressionist architecture because of its tower-like exterior and its rejection of traditional styles. I really like the old churches in Europe, being 1000+ years old, but have space to enjoy a more modern style. I want to visit the church each time we come. 🙂 Eric humors me with a visit during each of our trips.

The statue in front of the church is the Norse explorer Leif Erikson. The artwork was commissioned by the U.S. government as a gift to the Icelandic people for the 1,000th anniversary of the Alpingi in 1930. The statue predates the church’s construction begun in 1945.

Getting to the hilltop required walking on their famous ‘rainbow street’. The colorful pavement first appeared in 2015, when locals painted the street in rainbow colors for the Reykjavík Pride Festival. The rainbow became so popular that it was later made permanent in 2019— symbolizing diversity, equality and love. 

Not too far away is this purple sidewalk art – which when I was googling it, found it in a multitude of colors, but just happens to be the purples and blues at the moment.

Murals on buildings is considered street art and had a multi-faceted relationship in the city, it did not emerge overnight. Some artists did all the right things, applying for permits and waited for paperwork. When it didn’t come, they reached out to building owners for their permission. As long as nothing obscene was created, most of it stayed. In 2009 an initiative started for artist to submit proposals. A major turning point came in 2015 with the launch of Wall Poetry, a collaboration between Iceland Airwaves music festival and Berlin-based art initiative Urban Nation. Here is a small collection from our walks. You can download a street art map and wander the city for other hidden gems.

Cats are celebrated here and a number walk freely around town. Couldn’t resist a quick photo of this one drinking along the street.

Art also takes the form of sculptures. I always walk down to the harbor to find Sun Voyager. The artist intended it to convey the promise of undiscovered territory, a dream of hope, progress and freedom. It was the result of a city-funded competition to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the city of Reykjavik. There has been some dispute about the eventual location of Sun Voyager as some have complained that the ship does not face west, towards the setting Sun in accordance with the concept behind it,

Yes, the sky was that blue (along with the water) for my photo above. It was a gorgeous day.

Another body of water is called ‘The Pond’. It is an old sea lagoon that closed off over 1,200 years ago, gradually becoming a freshwater pond due to groundwater flows. Feeding the birds on the lake shores is a popular pastime.

Now, these people were crazy! These tourists were to the left of where the birds had open water. No thank you.

A unique statue nearby is The Monument to the Unknown Beaucrat. It depicts a man in a business suit carrying a briefcase with the upper body replaced by a slab of Icelandic volcanic basalt. Created in 1994 it is a satirical tribute to the faceless who work tirelessly behind the scenes to maintain the city’s operations.

Nearby was a square with an archway – a nice bright spot for a photo to close this post. Hang tight – more to come. A few posts about eating – yes, Iceland does have a food scene – and one of my top favorite places to visit, a geothermal bath & spa.

Ginny

Iceland 2026 – post 1

by ginnyinshanghai

We headed North!  Where you might ask……………..Iceland!  Crazy right, why go to where it’s cold?  Most people go south for the warmth, but we’re not most people.  When you live in the heat, short trips to northern destinations have a lot more appeal.  Let’s take a look at the temps.

Central Florida:

Reykjavik Iceland: oh yeah, that is going to be chilly.

Yes, yes, got to the airport waaaaaay too early, but I’d rather hang out at the airport versus home.  The Priority Pass lounge in Terminal C is definitely a step up from the other ones at MCO – much bigger and while there is comp food and drink, one can also order some food for nominal pricing.  Not much of a surprise what I ordered – fried cheese with mariana sauce (a definite throw-back). OMG – it was so good, hot, gooey and very tasty.

Let me see, what did Eric order………….fried chicken fingers and fries.  What!?!!!!!  He said he ordered it for me.  Really, does anyone believe that?

We have a routine.  I leave the lounge early, walk the gates to stretch and get in some steps before boarding.  Eric stays in the lounge for the comp drink & food.  I got a call from Eric…………….do I have his backpack – nope.

Panic mode sets in, for both of us.

Coming out of the lounge, he asks the workers at the check-in desk if a backpack was found. Maybe? Turns out that Eric was ‘that guy’ who left something unattended. They asked for a description and Y.E.S it was his backpack. Oh, thank god. Even though it was his backpack, it was not going to be the best way to start a vacation.

Okay, heart has stopped racing, let’s get back to the trip.

A nice surprise was sitting in our seats. LOVE the Icelandic bottled water. While in the actual country, bottled water is frowned up due to their high quality of water. But since we’re still in the states, bottled water it is.

We didn’t exactly leave as scheduled. Took us awhile to get through the traffic on the runways. One positive from that, a few interesting evening shots. First up the runway…….

………….and then downtown Orlando.

The flight was less than 7 hours then we arrived at Iceland’s International Airport – Kevflavik. Located about 30 miles from Reykjavik, it is the largest airport in Iceland and the primary hub for international flights from Europe, North America and Greenland. The airport was originally built by the U.S. military during the occupation in WWII. In 1949 a passenger terminal was built by Lockheed and in 1951 the U.S. military returned the airport to Iceland. Whew, enough of that history.

One thing that I’ve gotten used to is deplaning outside and walking to a bus before getting to the terminal. Really?!? It is cold here! It was a shock the first time and wasn’t really dressed for that. Now, we know.

Remember I mentioned it’s approx 30 miles from Reykjavik? There’s no train system, but there are buses and taxis (unless you rent a car). We have rented a car in the past, but not this trip. While everything in Iceland is expensive, taking a taxi for the 2 of us is not worth it. Once you have 3 or 4 people in your group, a taxi makes sense at that point. For now, we take the bus. They depart frequently and correlate their schedules to flight arrivals.

All the buses go to the Bus Station near downtown Reykjavik. At that point, one needs to transfer to a smaller transport for hotel drop-offs or catch a taxi – our choice.

We generally stay at an AirBNB in the downtown area and Eric found us a 1 bedroom for the two of us. One trick we do……………..pay for the previous day so we can immediately get into our lodgings. Don’t think I mentioned this earlier but North American flights arrive between 5am – 8am local time. I’m too old to wait until a hotel check-in. I need some food and sleep.

We found a breakfast stop 1 1/2 blocks away from our place.

Vanilla donut and coffee for me, oatmeal porridge for Eric.

Back to the place for a nap with black-out curtains for a good sleep during daylight hours. Night. Night.

Ginny

Amsterdam 2025 – final post

by ginnyinshanghai

We took the train back to Amsterdam before flying home.

We’re staying at a different hotel then earlier in this trip: Ambassade Hotel.

It was one of the nicer hotels for this trip.

Loved seeing these bicycles on the bridges over their canals.

During our return, we stopped back in a few places we both enjoyed. Eric looked for cheese………

……………and I wandered the flower market.

We walked to the ‘Red Light District’ – just to say we were there. Yes, down some of the alleyways there were ladies in the windows at street level – scantily clothed – even at 11 am in the morning.

Being so close to the sea, Eric found a popular (yet affordable) restaurant that we stopped in twice before leaving Amsterdam.

Of course, we had to get a version of their ‘seafood tower’. Let me see, I believe this is a fairly complete list of the items below: two different shrimp species, cockles, clams, razor clams, oysters, snow crab legs, stone crab, sea snails, mussels and crab salad (which we enjoyed the least).

What drove us (read – Eric) back for our second visit was their oyster happy hour. Between the hours of 3pm – 5pm, these tasty bivalves were available for a great price. So naturally, we needed 2 dozen between us to share.

I couldn’t pass up a chance to try their grilled octopus, with slices of fried potatoes – delicious!

I needed more for my evening meal. The mussels from the previous seafood tower were so good, that’s what I requested, also adding the frites. 🙂

One last shot of the restaurant we so enjoyed………..The Seafood Bar.

We thought we were full, until I saw the ice cream shop across the street. We needed some ice cream to ‘fill in the cracks’. Even with the chilly temps, ice cream hit the spot.

We had such a good trip, we were trying to find a way to end our time in Amsterdam. Found it!

After a short walk to our boat departure, we were ready for our last adventure. Random art installations followed a set pathway due to the number of vessels.

So glad Eric didn’t book the ‘boat tour’ below. The photo is a little dark, and yes, that’s a kayak. We saw several that had strung Christmas lights along the top of the hull.

Interesting thought……..

This one was interesting. The lights were on a cycle, looking perfect initially, then slowly crumbling down upon itself.

These birds commanded a lot of attention. Some of the installations were easily seen along the canals while the one above was in the port area.

Our cruise was a notch above the rest, complete with food, drink and a bit of history.

While this last post is way overdue – like most of my final trip posts – it is finally finished. We really loved Amsterdam and visiting the Christmas markets. Hopefully more Christmas markets will in our future.

Ginny

Cologne 2025 – post 3

by ginnyinshanghai

This was our last full day in the city.  The Cathedral Christmas market is (surprise) right next to the Cathedral.  We didn’t find it initially.  It was one of our favorites both for the food and purchases. 

One morning we needed breakfast and the hotel’s options didn’t do it for me.  We went looking for a German sausage.  We found the best one ever!  At least in our opinion.  We went back the last morning in Cologne for another sausage.

And yes, we both ended up with a Kolsch beer, for breakfast. Hey! It was the best choice for our chosen breakfast.

Next was a hunt for the Maritime Christmas market, down near the Rhine River.  Easy to find once we realized the Ferris wheel was part of the market.

Naturally, there needed to be a pirate ship serving drinks at this market since you were on the water.

It may have been our least favorite however we had some hot drinks and talked with a really interesting German couple that leads wine tours.  We have their business card and hope to get in touch with them at a later time. 

The last market to find was the Angel Christmas market, characterized by lots of white lights. It was a hike, but we were determined. 

We got a little dessert while waiting for the sun to set.

Then these odd puppets wound their way through the market.

The sun finally went down and we were able to get a few good photos.

We went back to the cathedral for a night-time photo and another visit to the Cathedral Christmas market.

The Christmas market was buzzing with people this being a Friday night and a lot of weekenders were in town. Yikes!

Eric was looking for wine and I found a ‘vegetarian’ tarte flambe’ – totally enjoyed every last bite.

The crowds were getting too much for me.  Eric was loving it and I was done.  After getting back to the room I grabbed this photo of the smaller market outside our window – O.M.G.  Look at the people – no thank you.

We’re back to Amsterdam for a few days before flying out.  Let’s see what Eric has planned.

Ginny