Breakfast is at The Melrose - the hotel's coffee shop during the day, but this morning it serves breakfast. We arrive at 0530. Peg and Heather are already there.
The waitstaff drop off a coffee press, but we do the pressing. What I mistaken for green tomatoes the other morning are actually candied green figs which are shaped like tomatoes. They taste very sweet like in a thick honey. Peggy and I try to copy the missing card, but we are out of time.
Barbara sees us off. I tell Sidney that I was surprised that it wasn't raining on our last day in Scotland. He said that at least it didn't rain during the Tattoo which was true. I can see Heather and Peggy's cab arrive as we are about to leave. I sleep through our trip to Glasgow airport.
You can't board the plane till 3 hours before. You stand around the monitors just before the airport doorway and see which desk will handle your flight. Iceland Air is at desk 30 and 31.
Mary and I have problems checking in, but everything works out in the end. I have no problem with Irish or British accents but Scottish accents are tough for me to make out.
At the gift shops, we burn through the remainder of our pounds. We try the Pringles Salt & Vinegar -- not too vinegary.
We encounter problems at security. We forgot about the bottle of wine and the three jars of jams so we have to check our luggage in. I wrap the stuff with my jacket and Mary's jacket liner and hope for the best. If the bottle breaks, I'll smell like a drunk whenever I wear the jacket.
Our flight is delayed an hour and moves. Now it's gate 34 at 1220.
Fortune smiles upon us somewhat. The jars of jam and the whisky bottle did not break. I'll pack them into my luggage. Our next problem is that we don't have an airport transfer to our hotel. Mary convinces Reykjavik Excursions to give us transfers to the hotel and back. Scratch this screw up to Lyondell Tours.
The bus driver takes his time moving up. Someone starts loading suitcases, and the driver becomes pissed. Iceland is surprisingly flat; although, I can see mountains in the distance. Occasionally, I see stacked rocks like in Hawaii, but these are boulders. Some are tall boxy stones with a round stone on top resembling men. Icelanders drive on the right hand side of the road. To the left are bulging carcked earth. The bus driver stops at the Reykjavik Excursions. Several people get out except those going to hotels. We make several hotel stops as well as bus stops.
When we arrive at the Nordica Hotel, Deborah and her father discover that they share a single bed and the hotel is booked. Yep, another screw up by Lyondell tours.
Our Golden Circle Excursion is confirmed with Reykjavik Excursions which has a desk located inside the hotel but we have to pay for the Blue Lagoon since we don't have a voucher. No sweat. Carolyn forgot her bathing suit, and Mary doesn't want to go.
Room 423 is brightly lit with its pale pinewood floors and a wall to wall view of the main street. The view is great but the street noise is bad since we have to keep the window open for cool air. No trouser press, lumpy king size bed with 2 duvane. A programmable safe with a socket inside and a stocked fridge. A large tub with easy controls. A 2 button toilet that looks like a ladybug wings. I finally figured this one out. The smaller half is for number one and the larger half is for number two, iron and hair dryer in bathroom. No fan. Mixer sink. Sockets like Germany - two circle. A high tub, but not paneled. All looks new.
After a quick shower, we meet downstairs at the lobby for dinner. I treat everyone to the Vox Bistro the hotel five star restaurant. The food is very good and a lot of it. I try the Egils Appelsin. It is local version of Fanta Orange but not as sweet or carbonated. They have Arctic Charr which comes with oats and sorrell. I never tried that, but I'm hungry so I try the lamb chops. The serving is ample, but the chocolate cake with cream (whipped cream) and berries is quite large. Bill and I have a cup of coffee which is more like an expresso. I should have taken Samantha Brown' advice and ordered an American (i.e. their coffee with twice as much water.)
Bill and I take an after dinner walk.
At the end of our walk, we stop at a Pizza Hut nearby our hotel. Bill buys a Pepsi for Carolyn and a Pepsi Max for myself. The Pepsi Max is much like a Coke Zero which is really big around here. You can even get it as a fountain drink. As I return to the hotel room, it's near 10 at night and it's still bright. It feels like Alaska. No Aurora bourellis. Dang! Oh well, time to repack the fragile stuff in my suitcase, set aside tomorrow's clothes and charge batteries.
The waitstaff drop off a coffee press, but we do the pressing. What I mistaken for green tomatoes the other morning are actually candied green figs which are shaped like tomatoes. They taste very sweet like in a thick honey. Peggy and I try to copy the missing card, but we are out of time.
Barbara sees us off. I tell Sidney that I was surprised that it wasn't raining on our last day in Scotland. He said that at least it didn't rain during the Tattoo which was true. I can see Heather and Peggy's cab arrive as we are about to leave. I sleep through our trip to Glasgow airport.
You can't board the plane till 3 hours before. You stand around the monitors just before the airport doorway and see which desk will handle your flight. Iceland Air is at desk 30 and 31.
Mary and I have problems checking in, but everything works out in the end. I have no problem with Irish or British accents but Scottish accents are tough for me to make out.
At the gift shops, we burn through the remainder of our pounds. We try the Pringles Salt & Vinegar -- not too vinegary.
We encounter problems at security. We forgot about the bottle of wine and the three jars of jams so we have to check our luggage in. I wrap the stuff with my jacket and Mary's jacket liner and hope for the best. If the bottle breaks, I'll smell like a drunk whenever I wear the jacket.
Our flight is delayed an hour and moves. Now it's gate 34 at 1220.
Fortune smiles upon us somewhat. The jars of jam and the whisky bottle did not break. I'll pack them into my luggage. Our next problem is that we don't have an airport transfer to our hotel. Mary convinces Reykjavik Excursions to give us transfers to the hotel and back. Scratch this screw up to Lyondell Tours.
The bus driver takes his time moving up. Someone starts loading suitcases, and the driver becomes pissed. Iceland is surprisingly flat; although, I can see mountains in the distance. Occasionally, I see stacked rocks like in Hawaii, but these are boulders. Some are tall boxy stones with a round stone on top resembling men. Icelanders drive on the right hand side of the road. To the left are bulging carcked earth. The bus driver stops at the Reykjavik Excursions. Several people get out except those going to hotels. We make several hotel stops as well as bus stops.
When we arrive at the Nordica Hotel, Deborah and her father discover that they share a single bed and the hotel is booked. Yep, another screw up by Lyondell tours.
Our Golden Circle Excursion is confirmed with Reykjavik Excursions which has a desk located inside the hotel but we have to pay for the Blue Lagoon since we don't have a voucher. No sweat. Carolyn forgot her bathing suit, and Mary doesn't want to go.
Room 423 is brightly lit with its pale pinewood floors and a wall to wall view of the main street. The view is great but the street noise is bad since we have to keep the window open for cool air. No trouser press, lumpy king size bed with 2 duvane. A programmable safe with a socket inside and a stocked fridge. A large tub with easy controls. A 2 button toilet that looks like a ladybug wings. I finally figured this one out. The smaller half is for number one and the larger half is for number two, iron and hair dryer in bathroom. No fan. Mixer sink. Sockets like Germany - two circle. A high tub, but not paneled. All looks new.
After a quick shower, we meet downstairs at the lobby for dinner. I treat everyone to the Vox Bistro the hotel five star restaurant. The food is very good and a lot of it. I try the Egils Appelsin. It is local version of Fanta Orange but not as sweet or carbonated. They have Arctic Charr which comes with oats and sorrell. I never tried that, but I'm hungry so I try the lamb chops. The serving is ample, but the chocolate cake with cream (whipped cream) and berries is quite large. Bill and I have a cup of coffee which is more like an expresso. I should have taken Samantha Brown' advice and ordered an American (i.e. their coffee with twice as much water.)
Bill and I take an after dinner walk.
At the end of our walk, we stop at a Pizza Hut nearby our hotel. Bill buys a Pepsi for Carolyn and a Pepsi Max for myself. The Pepsi Max is much like a Coke Zero which is really big around here. You can even get it as a fountain drink. As I return to the hotel room, it's near 10 at night and it's still bright. It feels like Alaska. No Aurora bourellis. Dang! Oh well, time to repack the fragile stuff in my suitcase, set aside tomorrow's clothes and charge batteries.
