Reykjavík Grapevine - 11.11.2016, Síða 58

After a five-hour night drive, and
numerous failed attempts at nap-
ping, we arrive at our destination
at last. The sun has just reached
the peaks of the mountains,
covering the bright blue bay in
shimmering light and hitting
the colourful rooftops and boats
of the little fishing town. With
a victorious smile, we bid good
morning to Húsavík.
The town seems cheery and
inv iting, w ith colourf ul red,
yellow and blue wooden houses
giving the harbour a joyful vibe.
From its neat and fresh look,
you wouldn’t guess that Húsavík
has a long history—the Skjal-
fandaflói bay is where Iceland’s
first semi-permanent settlers
arrived, even before 870. Today,
it has evolved into a fishing town
with around 2300 inhabitants.
But although it’s small, Húsavík
has a lot to offer.
As we drive into town, the
first building we notice is the
Húsavíkurkirkja church over-
looking the harbour. It ’s con-
sidered by many to be one of
the most beautiful churches in
Iceland, and it really is lovely—a
characteristic centennial wood-
en building, painted white and
green, and built in 1907. At that
time, it could seat all the town’s
inhabitants. How cute is that?
Waddling jumpsuits
But the thing Húsavík is most
known for is whales. It’s widely
considered one of the best places
in Europe for taking a closer look
at these magnificent seaborne
mammals. And so, having been
well informed about this fact,
we embarked on our first activity
of the day: whale watching. It’s
truly a fun experience running
from one side of the deck to the
other to catch a glimpse of the
shiny backs and huge, spotted
tails elegantly diving in and out
of the icy waves. It’s important,
however, to remember that you
should spare a moment for tour-
ist watching, too—a bunch of
overexcited people, stuffed into
huge, bright red jumpsuits, wad-
dling around the deck can be a
quite fascinating sight as well.
Skjalfandaflói isn’t the only
place in Húsavík where you can
spot some whales. Little whale
models sit at lots of curious lo-
cations, like on the ends of sign-
posts, and on the walls of the
Whale Museum. The latter was
founded in 1997 and proudly ex-
hibits the skeleton of a mammal
that only visits this particular
part of Iceland: the blue whale.
A visit to the Whale Museum is
a nice prelude or denouement
to a real-life meeting with the
animals. Some tourists might
be surprised to notice that no
restaurant or shop in Húsavík
offers whale meat—Húsavík is a
true friend of the sea giants.
Strange as fólk
Next in line was the Folk Mu-
seum. It’s an intimate, cluttered
place that seems like the attic of
some cool grandma's house. The
objects on display vary from a
stuffed polar bear to a collection
of kettles, arranged in peculiar
combinations, and accompanied
by amusing stories from the lives
from local people.
And there was more we didn’t
have time for—there’s a Mari-
time Museum and Museum of
Exploration in Húsavík. With
just over 2000 people, four mu-
seums is impressive indeed.
Húsavík also has its own pool,
secret hot pots, some nice din-
ing places, a bakery, birdwatch-
ing, horseback riding and even
snowmobile tours. In short—it
has everything you could need
for a truly enjoyable weekend.
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Welcome To Whaletown
DESTINATIONS
The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 17 — 2016
58
A day in the northern
town of Húsavík
Distance from Reykjavík
475 km
Car provided by
Go Car Rental - gocarrental.is
Words JÓHANNA PÉTURSDÓTTIR and SIGNE SMALA
Photos ART BICNICK