Reykjavík Grapevine - 01.05.2018, Page 27

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near a notable rock face or a
bird cliff. Even for those unfa-
miliar with the peculiarities of
Iceland’s geology or fauna, it’s
spectacular. A narrator provid-
ed extra information over the
on-deck PA; I casually tuned in
and out as we wove between the
islands, sometimes wanting to
experience the grandeur of the
various sites without interrup-
tion.
Although the weather wasn’t
ideal, that didn’t diminish
the beauty of the islands, in-
stead giving them a primordial
wild feel. Surrounded by mist
and pelting rain, us travellers
slipped and slid around the hull
of the boat often grabbing each
other for stability. There were a
lot of photographers on the boat,
so it felt like life-or-death. Don’t
drop that Canon!
Feeding time
After close to 45 minutes, the
boat halted and we crowded
around a massive slop trough in
the rear, watching as a net full
of goodies was delicately raised
from the choppy waters. It was
finally the “Viking Sushi” por-
tion. One worker pulled the net
open and the trough was im-
mediately covered by stacks of
seafloor dwellers—clams, mus-
sels, sea urchins, and even some
starfish.
The worker then started
opening clams, scallops and
mussels, handing them out
to the hungry patrons. Polite
queues forgotten, we scram-
bled to get our own nibble, and
weren’t disappointed—the mus-
sels were flavourful, the fresh
clams indescribably juicy, far
beyond what you’d get at any
restaurant. The real stand-
out was the sea urchin. While
restaurant sea urchin often has
a weird consistency, with a pop-
ping sensation when bitten into,
this was melt-in-the-mouth de-
lectable.
Coastal views & silent
fjords
While the food was plentiful, it
was nowhere near enough for a
meal, so after disembarking, we
made a pit stop at the Narfeyrar-
stofa eatery. I opted for the lamb,
while my companion ordered
the fish of the day, fresh from
the fjord. Both were proved why
Narfeyrarstofa has a reputation
as one of the best restaurants in
the west.
To reach Hótel Búðir, we de-
cided to round the Snæfellsnes
peninsula for some sightseeing.
The weather was still patchy and
changeable, but that’s a given on
Iceland road trips. It’s best to
expect the worst, and treat each
moment of sunshine as a bless-
ing. Approach an Icelandic road
trip this way, and you’ll never be
disappointed.
There’s a lot to see in this
area. Bjarnarhöfn has a gor-
geous tract of lava fields, and
beyond that are w ide, w i ld
f jords ful l of seabirds. The
peak of Kirkjufell mountain
comes into view outlined by
awe-inspiring coastal views,
and as you get to the peninsu-
la tip, there’s the white sands
of Skarðsvík and black sand of
Djúpalónssandur battling it
out for most beautiful. Tower-
ing over all of this is the spar-
kling Snæfellsjökull glacier—a
wonder of Iceland, if there ever
was one.
A surprise ending
We arrived at Búðir just in time
for dinner. Opting for the tast-
ing menu, we were treated to a
perfectly light fish soup, succu-
lently tender lamb fillet, and del-
icate sorbet dessert. It was still
light outside as we finished, so
we strolled outside to experience
the famous vista around Búðir.
The hotel is surrounded by a
landscape that feels like an oil
painting. There are lava fields,
mountains, an old church and
the coastline, all melding into a
360° panorama that is, without
hyperbole, truly unforgettable.
After drifting off to sleep,
I was unexpectedly awoken by
the room’s telephone. Answer-
ing groggily, I heard an excited
voice telling me to come outside.
The gleeful cries of fellow guests
flew in through my window as I
opened it up to look skywards.
Sitting in the window-frame,
I dangled my feet outside and
gazed up at green aurora sweep-
ing across the sky. They danced
high up in the atmosphere,
and I froze, transfixed. Well, I
thought, now I've had my full
mini-Iceland experience.
“The sparkling Snæfellsjökull
glacier is a wonder of Iceland,
if ever there was one.”