ICELAND: OMAM & Reykjavik

Asides from travelling, one of my other passions is music. I own an eclectic mix of tunes but I particularly love anything with chilled and acoustic vibes. Therefore when I received the Of Monsters and Men (OMAM) album for Christmas I was delighted. The music is uplifting yet soothing and crafted with up most care. They are most famous for their single Little Talks from their debut album My head is an animal. So when I learnt that this band originate from Iceland, I took it upon myself to use this as a perfect excuse to bring music and travel together on my little blog. I actually visited the capital, Reykjavik, in the Summer of 2011 as "R&R" after an expedition in Greenland with a team from my school, and absolutely loved it. Although Iceland is quite an isolated, and at times desolate and barren country, this city is thriving, creative and colourful. The magic of Reykjavik is only further heightened by Iceland's dramatic landscape and lack of any other built up areas for miles. So without further ado, whack on some OMAM as I take you through some of my personal Reykjavik highlights ...

In the city centre; pretty signs and flags.

The colourful, toy-like houses scattered around, even in the main city centre, are certainly a sight to bring a child-like excitement into your stroll round town. At first it was so bizarre to see these houses which I so desperately want to believe are made out of Lego being used in daily life without a single hesitation or giggle.


Welcome!

Probably THE best wall I have ever seen. Especially handy for rushed commuters who may be fixing their tie on the way to the office...

I definitely recommend anyone who visits Iceland to take a boat trip of some form. Although we set of to see minke whales, I was just as satisfied admiring the plethora of dolphins and puffins we sighted on our journey. Other activities I would implore you to investigate would be visiting the local thermal beach, which is a nice way to relax and even better still, is free! For those interested, excursions to check out local geysers, volcanoes and other natural features are also available. However make sure you leave plenty of time to bumble around all the wonderfully quirky shops and cafes.

You can see the sea from almost anywhere!

A perfect way to end the day.



Even industrial ships make for a striking picture in Iceland.

We ended the trip by taking a dip in the blue lagoon - a must-do for any Iceland goer! And if being thermally heated wasn't impressive enough, the lagoon is fully outside in the dramatic rocky landscape. A much appreciated treat after a 3-week trek in Greenland!

Have you even been to Iceland? What's your favourite capital city?