We start exploring Reykjavik from parking place near the Reykjavik concert hall. Walking by the impressive concert hall building we proceed to the old port.
Here we are welcomed by all kinds of written invitations to join the whale watching and other tours. The offers are many – way select the hour long tour to watch Atlantic puffins.
We put on all warm clothes we have and take a place in very front of the top deck.
It is cold even with three warm jackets each of us has. The guide Rodrigo suggests not to fall in water as it is rather cold (8C).
Puffins live in Lundey island and fly around it. Looks like large bees or small penguins. They have short wings therefore have to flap them around 400 times per minute to fly. Rodrigo says he haas tried to flap (arms?) but has not succeeded to make more than 100. Puffins are very good at swimming, diving and catching fish. Back from the fishing they return with a bunch of fish pending from their beak.
When back in the port we warm up in a pub serving Iceland’s fish-and-chips. Tasty.
While strolling the center of Reykjavik the weather changes all the time from sunny to windy/rainy. In a huge Halgrimskirkja cathedral part of pypes of the organ stays perpendicularly against the rest.
A couple of km from the cathedral is the Nauholtsvik beach, this is where the finish line of the Ecotrail is located. Just across the narrow strait there is Kopavogur and our hostel. On a way to it we stop to admire the Kopavogur church on a hill top.
We drive them to get the Ecotrail bibs. The total number of participants foro all 6 races is 31. No wander – this is the first Ecotrail in Reykjavik.