15 Things to LOVE About Iceland

1. It's clean. Really clean. Do.Not.Litter. Ever!
2. It's safe - unless it's payday, in a bar and you're being an asshole, then you might get beat up. (Yes, that was printed in a local guide book)
3. Unlimited supply of hot water. Which makes it a great place to raise teenagers or have a long shower after a day of hiking.
4. Hot Dogs, Pizza and Lamb - oh my! Who knew? Hot Dogs are a thing. So is pizza. Lamb and fish are the foundations of the diet with both being very plentiful and tasty.
   
5. Trolls. Yes, they believe in them. 
   
6. They are environmentally friendly. Because they are acutely aware of the impact:
1.  being an island with limited 'dump' space and  
2. having glaciers disappearing and a quick pace. Giant recycle bins shaped like bottles are all over. Disposables are made from corn so they are biodegradable. Garbage is separated and recycled. It's a good thing.
7. Heated streets. Reykjavik gets snow (but not the amounts you might think), so to control the need to de-ice and sand the roads constantly, they have geothermic water lines underneath that help keep the roads clear.
8. Outdoor pools. They are all over the capital region. Open from early morning to late at night all year long. Did I mention they are also geothermically heated? So winter, spring, summer, fall, you can swim outdoors and the Icelandic do. Many important decisions are made in a hot pot!
   
9. Their sense of humor. It's wicked and cynical. If you are (or know someone) from the NE US you'll get it.

   

   Front door of a bar

   

   Chalice made from a coconut. Go Figure?

   

   Icelandic Food Truck

   

   These are not bands appearing but actual things.

   
   

   

   Eat, Drink, Sleep

   
   

   

   Only one in the world

   
   
10. 90kph speed limit. Makes it easy to drive. Also the fact that there are only about 330,000 people on the island which is slightly larger than Ohio means there are not a lot of people on the road. But the roads are well maintained and people don't speed.
11. Foul weather gear is your friend. In fact, North Face and 66North constitutes formal wear. If you plan on visiting you will definitely need water repellent outerwear. Wellies go with anything and you wear them all day, every day.
    
    
12. They are super efficient at the stuff that matters. Energy, hot water, exploiting their limited natural resources in an environmentally conscience way and airport check-in. 
13. Outdoor art. It's everywhere, parks, streets, municipal buildings and in ponds. Then there's the art inside the museums.
    

    

    Mermaid in "The Pond"

    
    

    

    Rainbow street with art exhibit

14. It's the only place in the world you can go Inside the Volcano. Really! You hike 3km (45 minutes) over a lava field to be geared up and dropped 120M (= 2 statue of Libertys) down a magma shaft into an extinct volcano chamber.

    

    Window washing elevator lowers you inside

15.  The natural beauty

Blue Lagoon

Geysir

Gullfoss

On the road to Gullfoss

Seljalandsfoss

Lava field

Random Viking Sheep!

Paris Off the Beaten Path

We're regulars in Paris. Strike that, we're locals.

I guess I should start by saying we have a place there and the spouse spent a good part of his childhood there, so we go often. With that in mind I offer you some things to do and see when you've done all the touristy stuff. [Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, etc.]

Roman Colosseum

Roman statue (reproduction)

Les Arenes De Luteces - Did you know there was a Roman Colosseum in the middle of the 5th Arr? Well there is and it's kinda cool. And it's free! Good place to take lunch and just hang out.

Jardin des Plantes - This park has tons to do and see and it's also home to the oldest zoo in Europe [if you don't count any royal menageries] Beautiful gardens, the zoological museum and Natural History Museum on the same grounds. Gardens are free. There are fees for the zoo and museums. But save your ticket and you can get a reduced entrance fee for the other attractions the next day. 5th Arr - close to Gare d'Austerlitz.

Eglise Saint-Eustache - This Gothic style church was started in 1532 and completed 100 years later, at the entrance of Les Halles ancient market. The adjacent area is undergoing a 'face lift' currently. Go for the free organ concerts on Sunday night @ 5:00pm. It supposedly has the biggest organ in France. 1st Arr. Easy walk from the Louvre.

[HINT: Yeah, it's free but be nice and drop a Euro in the collection box!]

[HINT 2: Traveling with kids 7-12? Let them visit the awesome adjacent playground that doesn't allow parents! Just beware it has limited and random hours.]

Funerary Art - Saint-Sulpice

Eglise Saint-Sulpice - The original prime meridian line goes right through the middle of this church, which is Gothic but was built over an existing 13th century Romanesque church. [It was made slightly famous by The DaVinci Code] But visit for the art! 6th Arr.


Musee Picasso - Probably better known that some of the sites on this list, it was recently renovated and just reopened! It has 5,000 works of his art on display and thousands more in the archives. [The new website leaves a lot to be desired though!] Closed Mondays. 3rd Arr.

Promenade Plantee - An old railway line in the 12th Arr that has be turned into a 4.5km elevated walkway. I'm partial to this because it's really close to our flat and it's a pretty walk any time of day.

Promenade Plantee - Ave Daumesnil

Musee Carnavalet courtyard

And probably one of my favorite spots is Museum Carnavalet - Essentially the history museum of Paris which is in a Renaissance-era hotel in the Marais quarter - 3rd Arr. Cool building, beautiful grounds and great art in all mediums that spans the history of the city. The permanent exhibits are free and special exhibits have a nominal fee. Not every exhibit is open every day. Best to check before you go.

Last place to check out is our local daily market: Marche' Aligre in the 12th Arr.

Fromage!

Our favorite cheese shop - they have over 1,000 types of cheese and will educate you. Pick a wine first and they can help you pair it with a couple of (or dozen) cheeses.  Don't forget bread which is around the corner!

Inside covered market

The market has a covered part that has been in operation for hundreds of years and has all kinds of merchants: dairy, meat, veges, fruits, olives, fish, flours, bread, and multiples of each.

Outdoor market

 





 
The exterior market is HUGE. Depending on the day or time of day you might have to fight your way through but the visual and sensory overload is worth it. Colors are vibrant and it's all fresh!

Hopefully all of this will keep you busy for a few days...

J'aime Paris! Can you tell? :)