Iceland review - 2004, Page 81

REYKJAVÍK – PURE ENERGY / 79
shy, try the midnight-sun cruise. Hey, it’s midnight, but the sun’s still shinning.
Why not go for a sail?
Speaking of the midnight sun, have you ever golfed at night? For that matter,
have you ever walked a golf course that runs through the middle of a lava field?
(It gives new meaning to the term “out of bounds”.)
When playing at Keilir Golf Club, where the front nine winds through lava and
the back nine along the ocean, heed this advice: keep your head down when you
swing, but as you walk the course keep your head up, and enjoy the view of the
Snæfellsnes glacier across the ocean, and the cone-shaped Mt. Keilir before you.
The vistas are so grand that you might forget about the golf.
While Hafnarfjördur is laid back and stress-free, it’s still important to get away
from the town and into the vast wilderness that is Iceland. Less than 30 minutes
from Hafnarfjördur is the Krýsuvík area, where you can see the forces of nature
at work. There are bubbling hot springs, colourful rock formations, and ancient
farmsteads. Bird lovers will enjoy the Krýsuberg cliffs, where thousands of
seabirds nest in the summer. And listening to the North Atlantic Ocean pound
the cliffs, you’ll be reminded why you chose to visit Iceland.
Art and culture
The town of Hafnarfjördur has a population of roughly 20,000, yet it is a hotbed
of culture and art. A hotbed? Yes, indeed. Art lovers would be remiss if they
missed Hafnarfjördur on their visit to Iceland.
At the centre of the town’s cultural life is Hafnarborg – the Institute of Culture
and Fine Arts – an artistic venue on par with any found in Reykjavík. If fine art is
not really your thing, and you interpret that piece of wood painted orange not
as a great work of art, but as nothing more than a piece of wood painted
orange, relax. The exhibitions at Hafnarborg change every three weeks.
As far as exhibitions are concerned, Hafnarfjördur Museum opens a new exhibi-
tion centre in June, and will run three interesting
exhibits: one on the history of the town, a children’s
exhibition, and one showing historic photos of the
town.
For those interested in sculptures, the town boasts
myriad environmental art that seems to blend in as
the seasons change. Head to the international
Sculpture Park at Vídistadatún, which comprises 16
works by international artists. Perhaps the most
poignant is “Seaman’s Altar”, a simple rendition of a
small boat tilted behind a cross. Since life in Iceland
is tied to the sea, especially in Hafnarfjördur, where
the harbour is such an integral part of daily life,
“Seaman’s Alter” will make you pause.
Speaking of environmental art, the most telling
exhibits are the town’s old houses, which from afar
look like colourful Legos blocked together. For a
bird’s eye view of this Legoland, walk up to
Hamarinn (the cliff), a small hilltop rising above the
centre of town. This is the favourite spot of many
because atop this overlook you can see almost into
forever. It’s the perfect panorama of Hafnarfjördur,
the city by the harbour.
For more information on Hafnarfjördur,
log on to www. Hafnarfjordur.is
or ring the tourist information centre at (+354) 585 5555.
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