Reykjavík Grapevine - jun. 2020, Side 19
Helen Cova
Helen Cova is a Venezuela-born au-
thor. Most recently, she published a
children’s book—‘Snulli likes being
alone’—in English, Icelandic and
Spanish. Here’s how her perfect day
in the city would unfold.
Early morning
I am gently woken up by the sun-
shine leaking through my window.
It’s the summer solstice. My husband
has set the east balcony of my apart-
ment with the perfect breakfast:
Arepas with cheese, black beans
and plantains, with avocado on
the side and coffee. It’s sunny and
there’s no wind; maybe just a soft,
fresh breeze. Good enough to keep
me from sweating.
Mid-morning
In the perfect world, the whole plan-
et enjoys an abundance of water,
just like Iceland. And so, on this day,
everyone in the city is invited to a
water game. Children and grown-ups
alike run around with bottles, buck-
ets, toy water guns—any container
does the job. We throw water at
each other and laugh as downtown
Reykjavík is transformed into a huge
playground. All of our pain is washed
away with the water as we embrace
the excitement of childhood once
again.
When we are done, my friends
and I go to Nauthólsvík where today,
magically, the sea water is not Arctic
cold but rather Caribbean warm. We
grill and eat lunch, staying until the
a$ernoon.
Afternoon
A$er lunch, I bike with my husband to
Café Flóran in Grasagar(urinn. There,
we share a slice of carrot cake and
cheesecake, and I write or sketch. Af-
terwards, we stop at Klambratún for
a quick round of frisbee golf and to
check on Kjarvalssta(ir, my favourite
museum in Reykjavík.
Evening
A$er an early dinner at Sjávargrilli(,
we go to Stofan to play board games
with our friends. I usually host the
board game nights there so I don’t
get much chance to actually play,
but today I play with friends for an
hour and a half before heading to
the re-opened I)NÓ. An intimate
crowd has gathered to watch sóley,
Sin Fang and Örvar play their album
‘Team Dreams’. I lay back into one
of their sofas with a glass of white
wine. Just perfect.
The end of the day
It’s close to midnight and to end the
day, I have prepared a literary camp-
ing trip. Writers gather in Hei(mörk
and set up their tents. We hold a
reading by a fire and the song of
their voices reading in di%erent lan-
guages creates a path to the dream
world. The temperature in the air
never drops below 16°C, so it’s just
nice to be outside, with the midnight
sun setting in the distance, covered
by the orange-purple light it creates.
When I am tired enough, I go inside
the tent and without even needing a
sleeping bag, I fall asleep in my hus-
band’s arms.
Perfect Day
Dance, jive & have the time of your life
Vital Info
Reykjavík Map Best Of ReykjavíkPlaces We Like
June 19th—July 16th
In Your Pocket
Venues
The numbers on the right (i.e. E4) tell you
position on the map on the next page
Austur
Austurstræti 7 D3
American Bar
Austurstræti 8 D3
Andr!mi
Berg!órugata 20 G6
B5
Bankastræti 5 E4
Bíó Paradís
Hverfisgata 54 E5
Bravó
Laugavegur 22 E5
Curious
Hafnarstræti 4 D3
Dillon
Laugavegur 30 E5
Dubliner
Naustin 1-3 D3
English Pub
Austurstræti 12 D3
Gaukurinn
Tryggvagata 22 D3
Hard Rock Café
Lækjargata 2a D3
Hressó
Austurstræti 20 D3
I"nó
Vonarstræti 3 E3
Kex Hostel
Skúlagata 28 E7
Kaffibarinn
Bergsta"astræti 1 E4
Kiki Queer Bar
Laugavegur 22 E5
Loft
Bankastræti 7 E4
Mengi
Ó"insgata 2 F5
Nordic House
Sturlagata 5 H2
Ölsmi"jan
Lækjargata 10 E3
Paloma
Naustin D3
Papaku Reykjavík
Klapparstígur 28 E5
Priki"
Bankastræti 12 E4
R6013
Ingólfsstræti 20 E4
Röntgen
Hverfisgata 12 E5
Reykjavík Roasters
Kárastígur 1 F5
Stofan Café
Vesturgata 3 D3
Tjarnarbíó
Tjarnargata 12 E3
Museums & Galleries
ART67
Laugavegur 67 F7
Open daily 9-21
Ásmundarsalur
Freyjugata 41 G6
Open Tue-Sun 8-17
Aurora Reykjavík
Grandagar"ur 2 B1
Open 09-21
Ásgrímur Jónsson
Museum
Bergsta"astr. 74 G4
July 8-Sep 1, Mon-Fri
Berg Contemporary
Klapparstígur 16 E5
Tu-F 11-17, Sat 13-17
The Culture House
Hverfisgata 15 E5
Open daily 10–17
The Einar Jónsson
Museum
Eiriksgata G5
Open Tue–Sun 10–17
Exxistenz
Bergsta"ast. 25b F4
Gallerí List
Skipholt 50A H10
M-F 11-18, Sat 11-16
Hafnarborg
Strandgata 34, 220
Open Wed-Mon 12-17
Hverfisgallerí
Hverfisgata 4 D4
Tu-Fri 13-17, Sat 14-17
i8 Gallery
Tryggvagata 16 D3
Tu-Fri 11-18, Sat
13-17
The Penis Museum
Laugavegur 116 F8
Open daily 10-18
Kirsuberjatré"
Vesturgata 4 D3
M-F 10-18, Sat-Sun
10-17
Kling & Bang
Grandagar"ur 20 A4
W-Sun 14-18, Th 12-21
Listastofan
Hringbraut 119
Open Wed-Sat 13-17
Living Art Museum
Granadar"ur 20 A4
T-Sun 12-18, Th 12-21
Mokka Kaffi
Skólavör"ustíg. 3A E5
Open daily 9-18:30
Museum of Design and
Applied Art
Gar"atorg 1
Open Tu-Sun 12-17
The National
Gallery of Iceland
Fríkirkjuvegur 7 F3
Open daily 10–17
The National Museum
Su"urgata 41 G2
Open daily 10–17
The Nordic House
Sturlugata 5 H2
Thu-Tu 11-17, W 11-20
Hafnarhús
Tryggvagata 17 D3
Open 10-17, Thu 10-22
Kjarvalssta"ir
Flókagata 24 H8
Open daily 10-17
Ásmundarsafn
Sigtún
Open daily 10-17
Reykjavík City Library
Tryggvagata 15 D3
Mon-Thu 10-19, Fri
11-18, Sat-Sun 13-17
Árbæjarsafn
Kistuhylur 4
Open daily 13-17
The Settlement
Exhibition
A"alstræti 16 D3
Open daily 9-18
Reykjavík Museum
of Photography
Tryggvagata 15 D3
Mon-Thu 10-18, Fri
11-18, Sat-Sun 13-18
Saga Museum
Grandagar"ur 2 B2
Open daily 10-18
Sigurjón Ólafsson
Museum
Laugarnestangi 70
Open Tu-Sun 14-17
SÍM
Hafnarstræti 16 D3
Open Mon-Fri 10-16
Tveir Hrafnar
Baldursgata 12 G4
Open Fri-Sat 13-16
Wind & Weather
Window Gallery
Hverfisgata 37 E5
Venue Finder
Useful Numbers
Emergency: 112
On-call doctors: 1770
Dental emergency: 575 0505
Taxi: Hreyfill: 588 5522 - BSR: 561 0000
Post Office
The downtown post office has moved to
Hagatorgi 1, open Mon–Fri, 09:00–17:00.
Pharmacies
Lyf og heilsa, Egilsgata 3, tel: 563 1020
Lyfja, Laugavegur 16, tel: 552 4045
and Lágmúli 5, tel: 533 2300
Opening Hours - Bars & Clubs
Bars can stay open until 01:00 on
weekdays and 04:30 on weekends.
Opening Hours - Shops & Banks
Most shops: Mon–Fri 10–18, Sat 10–16,
Sun closed. Banks: Mon-Fri 09-16
Swimming Pools
Sundhöllin, the downtown pool at
Barónsstígur, is an indoor swimming
pool with hot tubs and a diving board.
More pools: gpv.is/swim
Open: Mon-Thu from 06:30–22. Fri from
06:30–20. Sat from 08–16. Sun from 10–18.
Public Toilets
Public toilets in the centre can be found
inside the green-poster covered towers
located at Hlemmur, Ingólfstorg, by
Hallgrímskirkja, by Reykjavík Art Mu-
seum, Lækjargata and by Eymundsson
on Skólavör#ustígur. Toilets can also be
found inside the Reykjavík City Hall and
the Reykjavík Library.
Public Transport
Most buses run every 20–30 minutes
Fare: 470 ISK adults, 220 ISK children.
Buses run from 07–24:00, and 10–04:30
on weekends. More info: www.bus.is.
t
Photo: Art Bicnick
shop.gra
pevine.is
shop.gra
pevine.is
shop.gra
pevine.is
*
shop.gra
pevine.is
shop.gra
pevine.isshop.gra
pevine.is
Get Grapevine Merch!
Don't Hesitate!
Act Now!
* You only need to type the URL in once
Bar & Restaurant
Bar & Restaurant
Hverfisgata 26