#visit reykjavik

[hungry-little-owl]

21, 24, & 26 Jan: dinners at Hamburgerfabrikken

I went to this restaurant three times in the week i was in Iceland, and it was delicious every time. it was about 3 blocks from the hotel, so very conveniently located, especially as it catered to the vegetarians in our group.

I've said before that I don't typically eat red meats, but will occasionally make an exception for a good good burger or some lamb when I'm feeling particularly carnivorous. At Hamburgerfabrikken, I had two beefy burgers and a lamb burger, and they were the best three burgers I've ever had in my life. Every element was delicious, plus the restaurant has some pretty good milkshakes too.

my only complaint is that it's pricey, but honestly everything in Reykjavik is so it wasn't like, overpriced for the area. but if I paid that much for a burger & fries back home I would have a stroke upon seeing the bill.

9/10, def recommend if you're in the area, just budget accordingly

bonus photo: BURGER CUPCAKES!! the yellow cake cupcake sandwiches a slice of chocolate cake and some fondant lettuce/tomato, and topped with sesame seeds it really does look a lil slider. but it's delicious cake ;)

[vfdinthewild]

"Vietnamese Food delicious dishes you'll love"

-from a restaurant sign I recently saw in Reykjavik

[thighzp]

Iceland Recs!

I’m currently planning a 2 week trip around Iceland for next year! Planning to go around the spring equinox and would LOVE recommendations! Open to anything and everything! TIA!

[travelew]

Curious about why travel to Reykjavik? Dive into Iceland’s vibrant capital, where modernity meets rich history against a backdrop of stunning natural beauty. Wander through colorful streets adorned with unique street art, or stroll along the picturesque harbor for a taste of maritime charm.

Why travel to Iceland without experiencing the charm of Reykjavik?

Enjoy your travel to Europe.

[yeeterthek33per]

It's Warm and The Charms-a-workin' (Glódís Perla Viggósdóttir x Reader)

A/n Requested. Gettin back into it, y'all (again)

Content/Warning(s): Fluff, Swearing, Gay. (Idk)

"I swear it keeps getting nicer every time I come back here."

A few heads turn your way with curious gazes at the newly deboarded woman barely wrapped up in a long sleeve shirt, jacket and jeans, gazing around with a warm smile despite the severe chill swirling around the country for the Christmas holidays.

"C'mon you, their waiting at the gate for us, they've been asking when I'm going to bring you back to Iceland. You know sometimes I think they love you more than me."

Your girlfriend shakes her head fondly, taking your hand and dragging your somehow hot running self up the stairs into the terminal from the freezing cold outside, occasionally passed by a rushing flightgoer with small apologies for brushing past in the narrow walkway.

The sun was just starting to crest over the horizon, showing itself finally in its short daily visit over Reykjavik, the early morning flight from Germany to Keflavík and then Reykjavik allowing you enough time to land during daylight hours.

Not that you minded the evening hours in Iceland.

The place was beautiful this time of year, or even just in general but having constantly running festive lighting all year round was certainly a plus.

The airport hustle around you feels somewhat familiar to the one in Munich as your hand tightens in Glódís' to hold her closer to you as you move around the crowd, eventually spotting the familiar faces of your (you're hoping) future in-laws.

Viggó and Magnea both approach you with warm smiles, quickly bringing you in for hugs each, rapid greetings to you and their daughter who's amused look of "Told-you-so" makes you chuckle.

"Quickly, We need to get home before the sun goes down, we have some places to take you to."

"Of course, I'll grab our suitcases and meet you outside the terminal if you go find the car?"

You turn to Glódís, nodding towards the arrivals baggage claim.

"Okay, call me if you get lost again."

The small smirk on her face makes you roll your eyes and huff at her playfully.

"I will not. Now stop it."

She chuckles.

An antic look on her face and your surprised by a very sudden slap to your butt and you jump, nearly swearing at the loudness alone and a soft glare back her way.

"Well get moving!"

Glaring harder at the Icelander, you rather swiftly reprimanding her.

"Damn it, Gló, not in front of your-"

Her parents look back, amused at how quickly you shut your mouth, flustered.

Magnea nudges the ginger towards the door with an amused smile on her face, leaving you to grab the packed bags.

"Leave the poor girl alone, Glódís."

The last thing you hear in the loud airport from them is Glódís' soft giggle as they exit, leaving you staring at the luggage conveyor's entrance to the arrivals lobby.

Standing in silence as you take in the warmth of the air conditioning, blasting through the large building, battling against the ever present cold threatening to overwhelm the area through the ever open automatic doors.

Given how busy Munich always is, it surprises you how much you seem to relax in the busy-ness of Reykjavik.

Maybe it's in the way you find yourself thinking about what you're doing during the trip here for the week.

Maybe it's the thought of the long conversations ahead, constantly going over how to word your one question to the girl you love's parents.

Maybe it's a bit traditional and outdated of you.

Maybe it's something you know she won't be mad about you asking.

You'd talked about marriage before, long before now, back when you were still acclimating, still just friends with the woman.

She'd said marriage was something she wanted in the future.

That whenever it happened, it happened.

You thank the lord every day that you'd gotten an answer that day because any other day would've definitely scared the poor woman off given how quickly you'd both gotten together within your first seven months at the club.

Regardless, she wanted marriage, the question was, does she want it with you?

It's a nervous thought, it makes you tick every day you spend with her because you find yourself falling head over heels in love with this woman.

The fact you even have those doubts worries you.

You're so comfortable with each other, there's no part of her you don't know already.

There's no part of you that she doesn't know or at least have an idea of by now.

She knows your ticks, your nervous habits, your expressions, even somehow conquering the art of your weird southern sayings.

Lord, she knows what you're about to say before you say it.

It takes all of a single look and she knows how you're feeling before you do.

The best part is, it was all so easy to settle into, it wasn't slow, it wasn't fast, just the right speed for you to fall for each other.

The domesticity.

And that's when you realise that your fears shouldn't be fears at all.

The fact Glódís hasn't run away from the domesticity tells you everything.

Why stay comfortable with that if she wasn't in it for the long haul, right?

Not to mention she's been talking a lot about your teammates weddings and...

Oh.

She's been hinting this whole time.

Oh shoot.

She's been hinting this whole time and you've missed it- and you're about to miss the brightly coloured suitcases belonging to you and her travelling past you on the conveyor for the fourth time.

Swiftly grappling onto the straps of the bags, you wheel them out to the carpark, your previous thoughts ringing through your head and you spot the Toyota belonging to Viggó pulled up closer to the carparks entrance.

Glódís looks from her watch held up towards her face, giving you a teasing smile as you walk towards the car.

"Took your time, hey?"

"C'mon, you know they take an age gettin' the bags loaded onto the conveyor. I did NOT get lost."

The cheeky smile on her face as she presses a soft kiss to your cheek makes you pout, and she chuckles, grabbing the bags from your hands to lug them up into the trunk.

The drive back to Kópavogur is shorter than you expected, surprised at so little traffic on the way back to the large town where the woman sitting leant on your shoulder grew up.

Her warm breath puffing against the skin of your neck as she watches you take in the surroundings of the roads through the car window, relaxes you.

The whole time you spend watching car after car go past, the buildings occasionally towering over the highways and side roads remind you of your time back in Portland.

You notice the slowing puffs of air against you, and the woman on your shoulder falls asleep there before the end of the trip, having been awake long before the majority of the trip over here began.

Carefully holding her head there, your hand rests on her face, and shifts to her knee, and you make eye contact with her father in the rear vision mirror, who smiles at the sight behind him.

Ever the protective father, his smile at you stems from the place where he knows his stubborn, intelligent and strong daughter has found someone who'll protect her in even the smallest moments without question, and with no words spoken, gives you a small nod, which you smile softly at and return the gesture.

Upon arrival, you gently stir the woman with a kiss to the forehead and a couple nudges, helping her from the car with a hand down and a wink, which she accepts with a small grin, plus a chuckle from Viggó which earns him a slap to the shoulder from his wife, something to the effect of "Leave them be." exiting the woman's mouth.

Not that you pay him much mind, your eyes locked on your girlfriend who's currently leading you and your suitcase over to her childhood home, her spare key already in hand.

The house is a warm, two story building, with an older brick touch compared to the modern surroundings you'd seen.

The small yard out front neat and clean and from the glimpse you get of the backyard over the side wooden fence, the same goes out there.

Though an old children's swing set and occasional small toys linger out in the grassy snow still, seemingly left there as a memory of the growth of the woman currently holding the thick wooden front door open for you and the older couple.

You step aside to gesture in only for them to practically push you in themselves, insisting guests first.

The house is still warm on the inside, the snow not making it past the concrete path and stoop, a drastic change in temperature for your now Munich accustomed self, much used to the warmth of the ranch you grew up on.

The inside is just as neatly kept as the yards, exceptions made for their home to look lived in, reminding you of your own.

You like a clean home but nobody loves a place not lived in.

It's perfect and you missed it, saying so out loud out of gratitude to your girlfriend's parents for letting you stay there.

"The place is beautiful as always, Ma'am."

Magnea chuckles, patting you on the shoulder as she moves past you to drop her bag by the entryway on the table.

"Thank you, Y/n. You know how I feel about being called that, though."

Your cheeks turn a soft pink, apology on the tip of your tongue until you get an amused pointed look from the older Icelander.

"Habits die hard."

Rubbing the back of your neck, you move to put your suitcase up in the room where Glódís has disappeared to, only to be grabbed by the shoulder and pulled to a corner of the kitchen by the older pair, voices hushed as they gesture for you to come closer.

"You got it, right?"

Back straightening, eyes widening in surprise, you stutter softly.

"Got w-what?"

"Oh come on, no need to hide it from us, we can see that look anywhere."

Glancing back and forth between them, Viggó's eyes in particular watching your own as they flicker trying to work out if they mean what you think they mean.

"Yes, that. Did you find one for her?"

Swallowing, you nod.

"Yeah, but how-"

"How did we know? Please. It's obvious."

Magnea is quick to ease the panicking look in your eyes.

"Not so obvious as for her to know it's happening but we know an approaching proposal when we see it. Especially when you suddenly start getting nervous around us. Your girlfriend's parents."

Viggó nods.

"You've got something to ask us, right?"

You hesitantly nod, going to open your mouth.

"Well don't."

Oh shoot. They don't approve. This is bad.

"We're not the ones you should be asking. Nobody but our daughter needs to be asked."

Oh.

"I completely understand, but it's just something we've discussed previously, and coming from how I grew up, even if I wasn't planning on taking much account of the answer, it's still nice to ask and-"

"And we completely understand, we know our girl would say yes to you in a heartbeat regardless of our answer, and she knows well that we know she wouldn't listen to us if we said no anyway, but our answer will be the same regardless because it's not us you're asking."

Viggó's hand tightens on your shoulder.

"You've shown how much we can trust you with our little girl, even though she's not little anymore, she's our baby, and you've proven how much you love her. And we'll always say yes to the one who protects her and loves her like you do."

Nodding, your eyes tear up a little, a wide smile crossing your face.

"Thank you, Sir. I appreciate that. And yes, I love your daughter more than anything. And she's given just as much back, more than me actually. I owe her so much and I wanna spend the rest of my life giving that back to her."

"Good, we know you will. In the mean time, you should probably go upstairs, lord knows she's dying to ask you about the conversation we just had."

You chuckle, nodding in agreement.

"Don't forget to show us later!"

Magnea calls up after you on your way up the stairs and at this point, the pink in your cheeks crawls up to the tips of your ears, which you practically have to smack away before you enter through the half closed door of the now rearranged bedroom.

Instead of the old bed there, it's been switched out for a larger queen size, though her old posters and dresser still remain, wanting to preserve her teen years yet again.

The woman is sat twiddling her thumbs on the mattress pretending like she hadn't just been attempting to listen down the hallway, not unlike her younger years when her parents had hushed conversations away from prying ears.

"Cute baby. You're not subtle, though."

Groaning, she flops back on the bed.

"Take that as you won't tell me?"

"Mm, no. You'll find out later. Just some stuff about our plans for the week."

The red head pouts up you as you sit on the mattress beside her dramatically limp body.

"Nothing? Not even a little hint?"

She reaches up, her thumb and forefinger held up in your direction indicating a small gap.

Laughing, you move her fingers together, closing the gap altogether.

"Nada, beautiful. Nothin'. You'll be fine. You, missy, need a lil' patience."

Leaning over, you press kiss after kiss to her face, finally shifting to her lips, silencing her soft grumbles turned giggles, her hands moving to remove your beanie, tangling in your loose long hair, tucking it back behind your ear as you smile down at her.

"Alright, alright. No more plotting with my parents, though. Those two won't tell me anything either, this is so not fair."

Chuckling you poke her nose.

"No guarantees, sorry."

Another soft pout that you kiss away, being pulled back in for a longer softer one, her grip on the back of your neck loosening to let you pull back a few centimetres.

"Now c'mon, we're losing daylight and your parents have stuff still planned for us."

Much to the chagrin of your girlfriend, she finds you constantly having quiet words with the two throughout your walk around the city, occasionally glancing her way with loving, encouraging eyes.

It's driving her mad trying to work out what's happening, not used to being this excluded from conversations, but she let's it happen, knowing it's just you bonding with the pair, remembering how nervous you'd been to meet them the first time around.

----

"Baby, relax, they'll love you."

Your hands grip the armrests of the middle seat on the plane tightly, knee bouncing slightly, much to the annoyance of the seat occupant on your right.

"I know but it's the first time I'm meeting anyone of my partners' parents, let alone yours, Gló."

Her expression softens at the genuinely stressed look in your eye.

She's never given you reason to be nervous, talking about the times her dad had proven time and time again that he wasn't as much of a threat as he liked to present.

Then again, maybe that was the point.

You didn't wanna disappoint the man and woman who'd raised the woman you'd fallen so hard for.

A hand loosening your curled fist and tangling fingers with yours makes you look at her finally, eyes cautiously meeting hers.

"Baby, they love you already, I don't know how many times they've asked me to bring you home for the winter break. There's no possible way they don't love you."

"But what if I don't live up to what they expect to see?"

Her hands cup your face, and your knee finally stops it's vibrating harshly against the carpeted floor of the plane.

"They expect you to be you, not anyone else. They don't expect anything because they wanna meet you, the human being who's behind all the love and time you've given me that I've told them about."

Biting your lower lip, you nod slowly, taking slower breaths to calm yourself as the plane begins it's descent into Reykjavik.

"Okay, I can accept that."

She nods in agreement, pressing a quick kiss to your cheek, settling properly back into her seat, ready for landing as soon as possible to get to see her family again finally.

-

"Y/n! Finally, look at you! So strong and beautiful, isn't she, Viggó?"

Your cheeks flush at the praise from the blonde haired woman enveloping you in a surprisingly warm embrace for a first meeting, your eyes darting back and forth between the older woman and your very much amused girlfriend, who's holding back laughter at your reaction.

"Mamma, let the girl breathe."

The woman pulls back, holding you in her grip still, hands on your arms looking over you with a never wavering smile before turning you towards the now standing next to you older gentleman, Glódís' father.

"Nice to finally meet you, Sir."

Holding out your hand, you go for a handshake only to have it half smacked away with an amused chuckle and hugged tightly by the much stronger than you anticipated older man.

"None of that formality, we're a hugging family here."

"Do I get my hugs, now, too?"

Having to remind her parents she's there teasingly, she's quickly enveloped by her mother, who presses a kiss to her cheek.

"Sorry, darling, she's so much more beautiful in person, why did you not tell us this?"

"Mamma, don't overwhelm the poor girl, she's about to combust."

"Magnea, dear, she's just met us, save the compliments for later."

Her dad chuckles, arm still around your shoulder squeezing you with a force only the excitedness of a dad meeting a new friend can.

"Yes, well, we're both very happy to have you here at home, now we have so much to do, let's get you both back to Kópavogur so you can rest up in time for it. We have so much to discuss."

----

And, lord, discuss they did.

Everything from your life in Germany right now down to every little adventure you had as a ranch owner's daughter.

Every horse you ever rode, every animal you cared for, everything you did as kid, they loved hearing about it. If it wasn't for the curious wonderment in their eyes, it would've felt like an interrogation.

All your girlfriend did was sit back, smiling behind every sip of her drink the whole time, more than happy to let you do the talking for once.

Her parents knew what she did already, they've seen her life, watched her games, it was nice to have someone take over for a while.

Of course, she didn't escape all of it, but she was letting you take the brunt of it for most of the trip, occasionally nudging her parents away from you for a little while to let you breathe.

Not that you minded any of it.

They were intense.

Hoo boy were they intense.

But it was nice and you enjoyed the feeling. Not that your own parents don't ask and talk to you, but it's different coming from people who aren't traditional southern farmers.

Your parents, albeit proud of how far you've come, don't quite find the excitement in your life that Glódís' parents do, and you find yourself appreciating that more than you want to admit.

This time around, though, it's less about your life growing up.

A lot about your national team games, a heck of a lot about the time you've spent with Glódís and more catchups from the last time about six months ago when you'd seen them in Munich.

It's just as the sun starts cresting back over the opposite end of the skyline when you realise you'd been talking for a good four hours at least.

From going to get food and some fresh groceries, to hanging out with Viggó while Glódís and Magnea went to go find coffee for the lot of you, which your aching tired body was practically begging for by the time the sun fully sets and the pair return.

Given how cold it is out, your girlfriend finds herself missing your warmth and eventually pulls you away from the pair long enough to tuck herself into your side, much to your amusement, given how you'd figured she'd be the one holding your shivering self, again, much to your surprise.

You grow up in one of the hottest places in the US and here you are taking the cold in one of the coldest countries on the planet like you were on a holiday in Ibiza.

Of which, if you looked down long enough at the red head who grew up in said cold climate (which Glódís would argue isn't even the coldest part of iceland, far from it) , you'd see the annoyed tick in her eye as she shivers her way under your jacket, gotten far too used to the mediocre temperatures in Germany.

The walk for the most part is quieter than the initial part of the day, both you and the other couple enjoying the sights of the night side of Reykjavik.

It takes until you hear and feel the constant yawns from the woman tucked into you that you finally mention that you should head back to the house for rest, given how little sleep the older woman had before you'd left.

She half protests, having been enjoying the stroll, but then she yawns again, and your amused smirk down at her makes her roll her eyes and concede, her parents leading you back to where you'd first started the walk.

On the drive back home, a couple things catch your attention, despite your eyes fighting to shut tight for the night wrapped up in the warmth of the a/c in the car and Glódís dead asleep on your shoulder on the way home.

One, there's a lot of city activity for... you check your watch with a soft expression of surprise.. six pm.

Two, driving slowly along a high pedestrian area, something out the window catches your eye quickly, feeling a soft giddy excitement you haven't felt since you'd first come to Germany and found the horses on the farm just next to where you were currently living on the outskirts of Munich.

Trotting happily along the snow ridden paths, a fluffy white Icelandic horse, strong and beautiful in it's journey. Beside it, another one, a deep brown in colour and attached to the rest of it.

Decorative reigns and a sleigh, designed in time for the Christmas holidays, and sat in said sleigh, a happily giggling couple gazing around at the slow falling snow that had begun about half an hour into your drive back home.

It gives you an idea.

----

You awake to an alarm you hadn't even realised you'd set on your phone, still not used to the limited daylight hours, instead of the creeping sunlight through the curtains, you can still see the vague flashing of Christmas lights outside the bedroom window.

Tucked into your side, your love groans softly, tugging you closer to her in an attempt at sheltering herself from the blaring notification going off on your side of the bed.

Finally, with bleary eyes, you attack the phone with enough hand that it stops ringing and you glance at the clock.

"9:00"

In a graceful attempt at trying to get your brain cells to communicate, you think it's nine pm with how dark it is out still and ignore the alarm you'd set before bed.

Within ten minutes, there's a soft peak of glare attacking the white snow out front of the house that sparkles up through the gaps in the blinds.

A soft mumble of, "You didn't close them all the way." huffed into the skin of your jawline as she presses tired kisses against your skin.

Finally, you turn and pull yourself close enough to the blinds to close them fully, a hand drags you back into the oven warmth of the blankets, curling into your chest once more, happily taking a few more minutes of sleep.

Then, a soft knock at the bedroom door awakens you again, this time to nearly full sunlight and a head of blonde hair poking in past the frame to your affirmation to come in.

Magnea smiles softly, shaking her head at the woman buried under ten layers of blankets barely visible to the outside world, and then your half of the bed half empty of said blankets and your form curled around the wrapped up lump.

"You two best be getting up, I swear, Germany has done that woman's sleep schedule no good."

You chuckle, half asleep still, but relent, managing to wrench your sleep shirt away from the iron grip of the defender, wrapping her up a bit tighter to let her sleep longer and tug on a pair of pants to join her parents downstairs, wanting to discuss with them the idea that popped into your head last night.

"You mentioned Glódís loved horses as a child, right? Or the Icelandic ones, at least, am I right?"

Viggó nods, gesturing to a framed photo on the wall of a young strawberry blonde girl on the back of a saddled Icelandic horse, smiling gleefully, clinging to it's mane, face just about buried in it.

"Loved them, obsessed with them. We were convinced she'd become a farmer when she grew up but, well, football became an interest at a slightly older age than then. Why do you ask?"

"I think I know what I wanna do for the... you know."

Viggó slowly nods, a raised brow in your direction.

"You know I love horses myself so I figured this might work out perfectly for us. A Christmas sleigh ride. Maybe coordinated with dinner and well... a proposal."

Nodding thoughtfully, Magnea looks to her husband for a few moments and then grins.

"That sounds wonderful, she'll love it. She'd marry you no matter where but she'll definitely love this more than anything."

Humming, you take a sip of the coffee that Viggó sits down in front of you with a thank you and a grateful smile.

"I know we discussed the dinner by the coast but I just fell in love with those horses when I saw them last night, plus seeing those people, it just reminded me so much of us and-"

Soft, slow padding footsteps down the steps interrupt your sentence and your head perks up to watch the doorway, a tired looking Glódís wandering into the kitchen and you pass her your cup with a small smile and kiss to the cheek, knowing she preferred a slightly cooler coffee than straight from the pot.

"Good morning, Prinsessa."

There's a soft teasing in Magnea's voice, though it goes mostly ignored by her daughter bar the small amused eye roll.

"I'm so used to Germany now, my sleep schedule, my cold tolerance. I need to come back to Iceland before I retire, I swear."

"Sounds good to us."

A small chuckle and Viggó clinks his mug with his wife's.

You chuckle along with them.

"Considering I'm the American here, I genuinely don't understand how I have the better tolerance for the cold than you right now. I grew up in Texas, woman."

"Shush."

Poking your tongue out at her, you stand up to move towards the coffee pot, helping yourself to another cup, setting another brew on knowing this wouldn't be the last one of the morning before you all left to your business for the day.

Letting silence take over the room, you slowly drink the freshly poured beverage in your hand before it's sneakily snagged by the other woman, already having finished your previous coffee for you as is.

Luckily, you don't mind sharing your morning coffee with her if it means you get to see the cheeky, grateful smile on her face, and you get to receive the sweet peck she gives you afterward.

Her body slots against yours easily, cuddling into your side as she browses her Instagram while you glance over the local paper that's been sat on the bench since yesterday morning.

You haven't quite mastered the language, but you know enough to get by whilst going over the various little bits and pieces of the latest news in Kópavogur and Reykjavik.

The warmth in the moment has you melting into the domesticity and you find your heart racing a little as you glance down at the no longer phone occupied woman, instead noticing she's watching you.

Her eyes watching your expression, a cute little focused look on your face as you glance over the wording on the page.

The twinkle in your eye as you put each word together on the page with connection and context.

She loves how much effort you put into life with her.

Every little thing, from the language she grew up speaking to the way she enjoys her coffee to the exact temperature she takes her showers. You're unbelievably sweet to her, and she loves every bit of you for it.

Feeling her eyes on you, you turn your head in her direction with a soft smile.

"You 'kay, darlin'?"

Even that makes her heart flutter. She thought she might be used to it by now. The pet names, the little drawl. But no, here she is blushing at the littlest flirt from you.

She hums, pressing a soft peck to your lips nodding.

"M'fine. Perfect. Just thinking."

You shift, arms wrapping around the other woman's waste and she sets her cup down to not accidentally spill any.

"Thinkin' about?"

"You."

Raising a brow down at her, your hands shift to rest on her lower back, fingers intertwining to rest there.

"Yeah?"

She hums, straightening the no existent collar of your sleep shirt.

"And the fact you've been sneaky planning something for today with those two, and you've yet to tell me what we're even doing."

Her head nods to the pair sitting drinking and reading their papers at the kitchen table.

"Well that's the point ain't it? It's a secret, can't tell you til we get there."

A soft protest leaves her lips.

"But I don't even know what I need for today. What clothes do I wear? Do I need extras?"

Chuckling, you silence with another soft kiss.

"Warm clothes, preferably something comfy to walk around the snow in."

"That gives me nothing."

The soft whine from her lips elicits another chuckle from you.

"Like I said, you'll find out when we get there. Just relax for the day, we don't have anything to do for a good couple hours."

"But it'll be dark out then."

"That's fine, we can do something in the mean time if you want?"

"Do we have anything else planned?"

"Nope, whatever you wanna do."

There's a soft twitch in her brow that you know anywhere, that's her tell-tale sign to holding back laughter.

Sighing, you shake your head at her response.

"Not that. Cheeky. Good lord, your parents are right there, hush with that."

The response only makes her actually laugh.

----

It seems Glódís only wanted to spend the day with just you, thus allowing her parents to do what you needed from them and make a couple phone calls without suspicion.

Thus, you'd both taken a long walk into the city to look at some of the day shops.

You note she's eyeing up the local arcades and decide to steer her that way, cashing in some cards and spend the extra time racing between machines, both of your competitive streaks running free.

Between bragging about being able to get more kills than you in the zombie shooter, and you bragging about having better shooting skills in the basketball game, there's plenty of laughter between you and your heart skips several beats throughout the day watching her eyes light up with every win.

By the time you leave the arcade, it's with a couple arm fulls of prizes (mainly you carrying the majority at your own insistence, your girlfriend knowing you'd only stubbornly attempt to carry the lot if she argued any more).

The walk back to her childhood home takes you until well past sunset and exactly around the time her parents send you a message that you need to be back soon.

As soon as you both stumble in the door, much to the amusement of a patiently waiting Viggó and Magnea, both sat in the kitchen chatting quietly, you urge her to run the stuff upstairs and you stop by the kitchen to quickly go over everything once more.

You head upstairs, making sure to grab an extra jacket to bundle the woman and yourself up a bit more for the night weather.

"So do I get to-"

"Nope."

"Aw come on."

She's just about pleading.

"You'll like this one, promise."

The whole way there, she's chatting animatedly about some of the funnier moments of the day with her parents, so she doesn't put as much thought into the location of where the car stops as she would have.

There's a small lit pathway that leads between and over a small hill that she almost thinks she recognises but it's only when you encourage her to head up the hill first, sharing a quick grateful hug with her parents and them wishing everything goes to plan giddily.

The crest of the hill gives way to the sound of consistent crunches in the snow by occasional other people walking the area, mainly couples arm in arm, quietly chattering between them, soft giggles and huffed chuckles.

And then the occasional jingle of something she recognises to be Christmas style bells and she only realises what they belong to when she turns the corner at the bottom of the hill once again, you following closely with a small nervous smile and a new weight in your inner jacket pocket.

It's when she freezes, turning to you with a small smile like she's holding it back a little.

"Did you book us a sleigh ride?"

Nodding, you gesture towards the attendant at a small table by the building where there's a currently stationary sleigh, one horse being reigned up and the other being walked back into the stables away from the sight.

"Quite possibly. Go check it out."

She absolutely melts at the way you shuffle kick some snow, the bashful smile peaking out of your lips.

Walking back to you, she drags you in by the hand for a sweet kiss.

"I love it, let's go."

All but dragging you over to the attendant, you give them your name, and they nod, directing you over to the sleigh that's just being reigned up as you approach.

"But wait, where are Mamma and Pabbi, are they coming?"

"They had to book for later but there's a little extra after, now come on."

Easily guided up into the sleigh and handed a couple extra blankets, the horse moves out towards the tree surrounded path in the snow.

The Icelanders face is lit up the whole time, curled up into your side enjoying the ride, but gets confused when an attendant guides the sleigh off the usual path and down another less travelled path, sending you both a small wink and you do your best subtle thumbs up.

"Just that little extra I was talking about."

The path is lit nicely, and diverts down a small hillside through some trees, opening up beside a small frozen over lake with a small litup almost campsite area, chairs, tables and fairy lights strung up between the area.

The sleigh stops, the horse snorting, and huffing at the attendants waving hand to slow the sleigh.

Jumping out, you encourage the woman down into your arms,

The area is big enough that the attendant simply smiles, waves you both off and you trek down to a small table lit with the warmth of a couple campfires dotting the area, a single candle and some warm food sitting in thermos waiting for you.

A thick waterproof mat covered with a blanket lines the ground near the campfire, the warmth crackling and popping around the area.

Glódís watches in awe as you take her hand to sit her down at the table.

"Dinner is served, beautiful."

"This is so- how?"

Smiling knowingly, you nod towards the guy standing attending the horse back at the path.

"I had a favour to call in from the last time I was here. Remember that time I took off for couple hours those seven months ago for a couple days?"

Nodding slowly, she eyes you suspiciously, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"I was helping him get a newly adult horse trained up for the rides. I'd been missing home a bit, so I figured someone would need some ranch-hand experience somewhere."

Melting at the starry look in your eye as you eye up the majestic creature currently huffing and puffing as the guy gets into the sled and leads it back up the path, she grabs your cheeks with her gloved hands.

"I love you so fucking much."

You're smiling back at her so much it almost hurts, and you lean in pressing your now slightly cold lips to her mostly freezing ones, and she hums, taking in your warmth.

"Love you, too, Dream girl."

Finally, you sit down across from her at the table, popping open the steaming pots to see what looks to be some really nice stews and a flask of tea.

Humming softly at the warmth, you both tuck in, the woman across from looking at you with a soft sparkle in her eye, now, almost like she knows somethings up.

It's mildly spicy, and brings a warmth to your chest as you have a few spoonfuls.

Glódís practically melts into her chair across from you.

"I missed this. Stew in the winter is so good."

Smiling at her as you take another bite and swallow.

"Remind me to cook more when we get home."

It's not long before you're both sitting in silence and cuddled up on the blanket looking out at the slowly falling snowflakes now starting to blow in for the night.

She's curled up into your chest, just about falling asleep as she murmurs occasionally, chatting about little things.

Shifting slightly, a small crease in her brow as she almost frowns at the feeling a small object poking her through your jacket.

When you notice what's happening you nudge her to sit up.

"What's in your pocket ba-"

"Another part of this evening, actually."

Sitting back on your ankles, you reach into the inner pocket, pulling out a small object wrapped up in a square folded cloth, fiddling but not quite revealing the precious metal beneath the soft fabric.

"Gló, since the day we met, there's been something about you, something intriguing, something brilliant, something that drew me right in and had me obsessed with you. Admired you. Saw something in you that pulled every string in my heart just bein' near you."

Your girlfriend sits up, hair catching snowflakes as they fall, mild confusion crossing her expression as you talk, though it only takes seconds for her expression to melt and she's smiling up at you as you speak.

"You gave me something other than business as usual to look forward to. This beautiful, powerful, caring, strong woman leading the team with all the love and support in the world. You had me hook line n sinker. I had no chance."

"Even now, it's moments like these, I spend every moment thinkin' about how lucky I am to have you. In the quiet, peaceful moments away from the hectic life we live. I've spent my whole life chasing victory, chasin' the big life, chasin' dreams my parents or myself never thought possible because I was just a plain ol' ranch hand to be the moment I was born."

Her hand grips your non occupied one, fingers squeezing comfortingly around yours.

"Here you are, I found one of the best things to happen to me since that scout in Houston. You mean everything to me and you've given me everything I was never able to ask for out loud."

There's a shine to your eyes as you sniffle slightly.

"You make me feel so small yet so damn big. Small because I'm constantly in awe of everything you do, Big because you build me up in ways I'll never be able to wholly thank you for, you make me feel like I'm able to do anything with you there, which is why, here and now, I'm asking one thing aloud."

Shifting to one knee, letting the sides of the cotton cloth fall away from the top of the ring held between your thumb and forefinger, tears wavering on the very cusp of falling.

Looking into her deep brown eyes, sparkling in the fire light, tears brimming her own.

"You wonderful, beautiful, sweet, strong, caring, gorgeous, intelligent, fearless, breathtaking- did I mention beautiful?"

She giggles but it's half muffled as her hand moves to cover her mouth in disbelief and tears do start falling down her cold kissed cheeks.

"The Love of my life. Glódís Perla Viggósdóttir, will you let me spend the rest of our lives loving you, caring for you the way you have been for me, will you marry me?"

Waiting with baited breath, though it feels like forever, it's a second and she jumps on you, hands cupping your face to kiss you, falling back onto the blanket.

The air is sucked from your lungs, and you kiss her back just as hard, though the growing grins on both of your faces makes it hard to keep your composure.

She barely pulls back enough to give you a verbal answer, her hands tangling in your hair under your beanie.

"God yes. Hell to the yes. A thousand times over. Every life time, yes."

Your hand still clutches the ring like your life depends on it, afraid to lose it in the small tussle.

Forehead pressed tightly to hers, sucking in a shaky breath as you press the ring around and onto her finger, the platinum shining brightly, encrusted with gems along to top of the band, one sat peeking out at the top brighter than the others.

It's beautiful, it shines under the moonlight, sparkling between the two of you.

It's the best thing you've done so far.

It's perfect because you've spent so much time waiting for this and it's finally here.

It's perfect because it's Glódís.

And you wouldn't change a damn thing.

The kiss she pulls you in for as you both fall back onto the blanket, giggles, more tears and the warmth of the surrounding campfires, says all you need to know

She wouldn't change a thing either.

You, her favourite charmer.

You, the love of her life, the one who swept her off her feet and now hold her so close.

And you feel it in every kiss from that point on, too.

[sigyn-foxyposts]

Reykjavik, July 18th

Day 4 me and my mom took yet another walk near the oceans, enjoying the scenery and visited Saga museum. It was lovely there and they had a display of many vax figures and interesting historical stories. They even had an audiobook to listen to while we walked through it!

(Don't mind the Norwegian text, my mother added that to the pictures!)

Raven & Floki - Torbjorg the völva.

Melkorka Mýrkjartansdóttir & her son Ólafr!

I also bought a bunch of goodies from their store! Some runic symbols for my alters and a Sleipnir plush to take home with me!! <33

Afterwards we got some delicious soup at the ironically named Loki cafe! And I spotted some familiar faces on the decorated wall. Loki, Fenrir and Sigyn?! (First time I saw our girlie) HELLO, ARE YOU OKAY THERE?! 😭

[cookinguptales]

many years ago, I visited reykjavik with my parents and we went to the phallological museum (as you do when traveling with your parents) and my mother just texted me at 1:15 in the morning like

SARAH

THEY HAVE A CAFE NOW

WE HAVE TO GO BACK

anyway, they have penis-shaped waffles and c(r)oque madame. can't really ask for more than that.

[mistigrisunshine]

spuffy fic rec

figured all the time i spend scouring EF and ao3 might be useful to someone!

part 1 - part 2 - part 3

Scooby Crew, Where Are You? by Twinkles [9k]

In a not comics-compliant post-series universe where spuffy have been reunited and everyone else is drifting apart, chaos drops by for a visit. Or a nefarious scheme. I guess we'll find out XD

To Apprehend Air by Quinara [19k]

Two days after LMPTM, Spike's soul is stolen. But that's OK; they can get it back, right? Simple. How hard is it to hop dimensions, anyway? Or storm a castle…

Wild and Wonderful by solstice [23k]

Dawn is nine and three quarters. She is resilient, strange and sharp as a tack. She's a credit to her big sis. But she's just been kidnapped by one of the most notorious vamps of all time - Drusilla. Things look bad. Enter Spike, her very unlikely hero. Spike's relationship with Drusilla has been on the rocks since the Acathala debacle and the morsel in the crate is her double-edged gift to him: a chance to make things right, and a chance to be really bad. Kill the girl and make it hurt. But for some reason he. just. can't. Instead, he tosses the niblet into the trunk of his Desoto and hits the road, leaving his one hundred year relationship in tatters, and grinding his reputation into the dust. Buckle your seat belts nice and tight. We're in for a bumpy ride.

World Enough, and Time by toooldforthis [23k]

“You came back wrong,” he told her, all those years ago. He was right, but it took them a very long time to realise exactly what that meant. It meant a hundred more apocalypses, a thousand battles. It meant a journey, a prophecy, a war. They’d lose one other, and find their way back, and choose, again and again. And all the while, the earth was failing. There are a lot more people than you think who are here for the long haul – like, the really long haul. This is a story about two of them.

Once You Eliminate the Impossible by yellowb [30k]

Icelandic noir. Inspector Summers of the Reykjavik police force has finally got her big chance: she’s in charge of a murder case.

sometimes enough by taxicab12 [35k]

“Tell me everything,” Willow said, not sounding particularly like she’d been asleep. “Are his friends cool?” Buffy blinked. “Some of them. There was this one British guy—” “Ooh, accents, hot.” “—who wouldn’t stop staring at my boobs,” she finished. “Ew, men, gross.” “Spike,” Buffy said with a scoff. “What kind of name is that?” Or, Buffy falls in love and in love and in love. For some reason, life keeps happening anyway

ever waiting airports (full of the love that you deserve) by womanaction [41k]

Buffy catches up with Riley's helicopter, solving one problem and introducing a host of others. How is she supposed to rebuild their crumbling relationship in the face of an angry hellgod out for blood, an emotional teenage sister who spent millennia as a glowing ball of energy, and a weirdly helpful vampire? Season 5 rewrite from "Into the Woods" on.

GTFO by Girlytek [54k]

Spike doesn’t take the extra hundred bucks to be the decoy. Ethan doesn’t hang around to gloat. With the Initiative on their tail (just a little one), and Ethan needing a good being killed, Spike and Fyarl-Giles get out of town. There’s nothing like a road trip to put your demons in perspective.

Care by Sigyn [72k]

While under her Will Be Done spell, Willow just happened to say “I don’t care about anything,” and as a result, wanders blithely off as a vengeance demon. Spike and Buffy are left to protect a threatened Xander and a blind Giles while under the effect of a powerful love charm. But all is not happy in paradise – they’re still constantly fighting, and Angel is determined to end the spell they’re under. In a desperate attempt to collect the tattered remains of all their lives, ex-watcher Wesley Windham-Pryce is called in to try and play marriage counselor between the vampire and the slayer.

The Soul Lies Down by the_moonmoth [73k]

"As a child, I used to dream of a man in black and white, spinning in the desert like a dervish, sword flashing in the moonlight as he danced with death." Dawn travels back in time to save the vampire who saved her life. It's not purely out of sentiment, though -- the fate of the world is at stake (again) and somehow Spike is at the center of events. If only he can stay on the right side of Buffy. A sequel to Angearia's "Fin Amour".

Summer’s Lease by Iamblichus [86k]

Buffy thought it would be just another night of slaying lame-ass campus vampires, but one green demon, some unexpected help from Spike, and a spurt of fluorescent blood later, she finds that her world has acquired a novel complication.

Indigo Overture by Rikki_oko [119k]

Spike's just a drummer, content to live in lead singer Angel's shadow. But when a certain blonde strolls in on Angel's arm, will Spike be content to take the backseat forever? Loosely based on the eighties song, Jesse's Girl.

[irradiate-space]

Should you have the opportunity, you should definitely visit the Icelandic Phallological Museum in Reykjavik. The penis waffles are delicious.

[jscalzi]

It's Right Behind Me, Isn't It

No one expects the Reykjavik Express! Today was a sightseeing day in town, visiting the Phallological Museum (yes, a museum full of dicks), then a touristy thing called Fly Over Iceland, in which one, indeed, flies virtually over Iceland, and then the Saga Museum, which was mostly a testament to how the early days of Iceland were full of various murders and wars, which, honestly, is the story of…

[paikothecateater]

One of my favourite youtubers once said the hot dogs are what makes visiting reykjavik worth it so now iceland likes hot dogs

Iceland also likes doughnuts bc apparently he was happy when america gave him dunkin donuts privileges

Iceland also likes coca cola but im pretty sure i dreamt of that

I can also see Iceland being the type of person to whip out an entire tub of ice cream whenever anything remotely bad happens.

[naileadevoras]

zarayna + luciano : your love is all i wanna know .

ship headcanon ideas for @pcrtrait based on this post !

how   did   your   muses   meet   ?

i'm now realizing how much of a throwback this ask meme is going to be bc omg ? i can't believe they met through his father ... & we all know how much of a mess that era was 👀 like , from zara just being an assistant to them now married im ... yeah <3

how   long   have   your   muses   known   each   other   ?

pleaseee i know it's only been about 3 years since we first started writing them but like , they've gone through so much together ( they are literally married hello ) & i genuinely think they've lived so many different lives together too ?? surely they've been together for more than five years now ... & a billion more to go ? they find each other in every lifetime type vibe ? yes .

have   your   muses   ever   traveled   together   ?

yes !! aside from their yearly holiday with the group , i can see zara attending almost every show he has bc that's our supportive queen ,,, catch her in the vip section every time yup 😌 & lucio would most def. surprise her with cute trips abroad as a date :') he'd be like ' wake up babe , we're going to morocco today '

what   was   the   last   place   your   muses   went   to   together   ?

i feel like it would be somewhere lucio would've performed at ; like , them trying out a new restaurant in every country they visit . so they'd be somewhere like reykjavik , iceland & even though lucio would b a bit tired from performing , he'd still insist on going out w zara & they'd prolly have a cute lil sushi date at night im so :(

what   was   the   last   movie   your   muses   watched   together   ?

okay so zara's definitely the type to love old romcom / coming of age movies from the 90s ,,, & she has made it her mission to re - watch all of her favorite ones w lucio . so every time both of them have a few hours of free time , she's setting up the living room with cute pillows + soft blankets ( maybe even building a fort ?? ) for them to watch on ,, & tonight's movie of choice would be sixteen candles !

do   your   muses   have   playlists   made   for   each   other   ?

why yes 🤭 like , it's absolutely canon that lucio will sneak in some of his own songs he's written about zara in the playlist & she secretly loves it LMAO . as for zarayna , she's totally the type to make a playlist for every major / minor event in her life so she'd have a specific playlist for that time they went to london ... or that time they cooked breakfast together at germany ... or that time they got lost in bora bora , & etc etc .

what   was   the   last   gift   your   muses   got   for   each   other   ?

i also think it's canon that these two will just give each other cute trinkets & random gifts that remind them of the other ; there doesn't have to be a special occasion for them to be giving each other gifts yk ? so zara could be shopping & she'll see a hoodie that would look so good on him ,,, next thing you know she's walking out with five sets of outfits for lucio i'm 💀 also , they def. still continue their tradition of luca giving zara a new teddy bear for every country he tours at <3

does   your   muses   have   a   '   place   '   that's   just   for   the   two   of   them   ?

i'm sticking w the touring theme here but yk how in paris they have that love lock bridge ? i feel like zara & lucio would have a place similar to that , but it wouldn't be a popular tourist destination ... they would've found out about this ' secret ' place during one of their date nights ( of course it HAS to be in a country where they dont live smh ) & now every time they visit that country , it's another cute tradition for them to visit that place only the two of them know abt !

does   your   muses   want   children   ?

i had to giggle with this one bc we've both talked abt them & their future kids 48304830 times now 😭 i just knooow these two wanna build a soccer team so bad with how many kids they want omfg ... like u said , they'd probably end up having five kids ! so they better start trying rn because the clock is ticking ... cough cough

do   your   muses   want   to   get   married   ?

[ stares into the camera like im in the office ] ... do i have to answer this bc ? bff they are HAPPILY married & in love & we are manifesting that no more drama or scandals come their way !!! ( very unlikely but we can dream ofc ) sigh their wedding day must've been sooo fun though omg it definitely ended with them + the guests all jumping in the massive pool to end the night :')

do   your   muses   have   any   pets   together   ?

i'm aware they have rambo ( im a rambo stan btw ) & zara has the cats she left back in sweden ,,, although i feel like she would've brought them with her once she moved in w lucio , but i highly doubt they would adopt more right now esp. since they're never really home anyway ? so maybe they can have more pets once they've settled in & are ready to start a family .

what   do   your   muses   do   for   fun   together   ?

not my mind suddenly swerving to an nsfw answer i'm ... lock me up , goodbye !!! but i'm being so fr , they are always so busy & are constantly travelling that having days where they're just in a hotel room in their robes , in bed all day ordering room service must be incredibly fun for them 🥹 just wrapped up in each others arms , living their best life with no distractions yup ! they be having 30 minute intervals to rest before they're going at it again smh no decorum !

did   your   muses   take   each others   virginity   ?

i- well ... knowing zarayna's history with luca's father ? & him being for the streets before he met her ? the answer is definitely a no 😑 but we don't talk abt that anymore !! i refuse to speak about it ... although one drunken night , she would deffo share the embarrassing & awkward story of when she lost hers at 17 or smthn ,, just for the laffs xx

when   did   your   muses   realize they   had   fallen   for   each   other   ?

it's the way we've probably written this exact scenario back in our indies ... right before they both found out about the affair </3 i simply cannot think abt it or else i will actually go through the five stages of grief ... although for zara i'm pretty sure it was during one of their many dates <33 when he asked her to be his gf <333 she was like yuuup i have fallen for this man & i do Not want to get up .

which one of your muses is more affectionate ?

this is hard bc they show their affection in different ways , yk ? i feel like luca is the type of person who would see a puddle & offer to place his jacket over it just so zara wont have to step on it and get her heels dirty , while zarayna would be the type to notice the tiny details & would care for him , like bringing luca a glass of water when she notices he hasn't been drinking much all day , or giving him a forehead smooch & reminding him it's time for bed when she can clearly see he's been up all night writing song lyrics or smthn !

who's   most   likely   to   apologize   first   after   an   argument   ?

ooo , it depends on who started the argument ; whoever is in the wrong would more than likely apologize first . idk why but out of every one in our group , i can see these two being the most level - headed ones when it comes to disagreements ? ( ezra & rom can't relate btw ) it's like u can just tell they rarely ever argue because they're so good at communicating their thoughts and feelings w each other . we love the character development wow it's giving stable & healthy iktr !

what   was   your   muses   first   impressions   of   each   other   ?

i wanna say it was infatuation at first sight . bc bestie , lucio was sooo flirty with her when they first met i bet zarayna thought all he wanted from her was to be hook up buddies & yet she was like , ' how can u say no to him wtf he has such a pretty face ... & a nice body ... ' she did NOT stand on business and it showed 💀

what   is   one   word   that   would   describe   your   muses   relationship   ?

adventurous ♡

do   your   muses   have   a   '   song   '   that's   just   for   them   ?

bff we have an entire playlist for them !!! ( somehow i still cant add anymore songs to the list & im sad abt it ) but i rlly do love be honest by jorja smith though ,,, however , in their universe i can imagine luca writing a song just for zara . like a song / ep / mini album of unreleased songs just for her :((( ok let me go cry now ....

what   is   your   muse's   sex   life   like   ?   how   frequent   ?   what   are   they   into   ?

oh ok ending the ask meme with a spicy question i see ... i meaaan we both know they're 100% obsessed w each other & simply cannot keep their hands off each other for more than 5 seconds or else they'll go insane 💀 however , i just feel like zarayna is such a vanilla girlie ,, she likes to keep it sweet & simple yk ! but would also be willing to try anything lucio suggests bc she trusts that man w her entire soul fr <3 if he wants her to dress up as a sexy teacher ? hell yeah !! handcuffs in the bed room ? she's down !! she's out here doing tricks & twists for that man yup give that girl an award ,,,

wow what a ride ... the way i developed carpal tunnel from typing all of this was so worth it idk !!! i love them bad <333 KEJWKJDS hope u enjoyed <33

[charpnatl]

Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavik Iceland is hands down one of my favorite places to visit.

[sigyn-foxyposts]

Reykjavik, July 15th

After a 2 hour flight from Norway me and my mother made it to the capital of Iceland! We visited the famous church and rainbow path leading to it and even caught a glimpse of good old Leifr vibing outside!

After exploring the beautiful scenery of the city we went to go eat where I probably met Loki snooping at me and did a bit of shopping afterwards. I'm still hunting down the Prose and poetic Edda for my book collection, SOON I WILL FIND THEM! >:'D

[noctupede]

there is not a lot of advertisement for Iceland but a lot of advertisement for sweden and denmark!

I think most people (except muricans) wanna go locally, but they don't know where to go because there's not much information😔 Denmark is like the ultimate holiday paradise for norwegians, and Sweden the place where they can go to get cheap stuff ( ≧ᗜ≦)

I would love to go locally (to any country in general) but I don't know too much about other cities/places except Reykjavík, because it's the only city we hear anything about (◞‸ ◟)💧

From what I've heard from my mom, tourists from Scandinavia tend to be the best tourists, but I think it's because they also hate how American tourists are.

My biggest biggest tip is to simply stay for longer, travel slower, traveling super fast though iceland is what most tourists do and it's the exact reason that causes overtourism and it sucks

I've been to like so many cities and towns in iceland in my life, I come from Hafnarfjörður which is a town south of reykjavik, and I've been to húsavik, Akureyri and of course reykjavík and Hafnarfjörður. Most of them I visited as a kid, especially back when I still lived on iceland. Akureyri is very very beautiful, especially since it's up north of iceland. My mom grew up there on a farm.

If the only tourists were Scandinavians I think Icelanders wouldn't mind in the slightest, there wouldn't be as many problems as there are

And in my time living in norway..ive gone to Sweden and Denmark a handful of times and it is definitely that, I live close enough that I can take a boat to Denmark which is pretty fun and I've done so a few times. And I've driven to Sweden many many times because my amma (grandma) moved from iceland and has been living there. In the middle of the woods with her cats.

[scotianostra]

30th May 1889 saw the birth near Kirkliston of Isobel Wylie Hutchison.

This is a great tale of a remarkable strong willed woman bucking the trends and behaviour expected of a lady back in the mud 20th century.

Isobel Wylie Hutchison was an Arctic traveller during the 1920s and 1930s. She was also a botanist, a writer, a poet, an artist and speaker of numerous languages, so a bit of a polymath.

Carlowrie Castle a Scots baronial mansion was the comfortable upper-middle class home into which Isobel Wylie Hutchison was born in 1889. It was there her father, Thomas Hutchison, a successful wine merchant in Edinburgh, looked after his gardens, and passed on to Isobel his fascination for plants and his habit of meticulous note-taking. Although called a castle, Carlowrie was built between 1852 and 1855, so was never a defensive structure, but a luxurious home.

Isobel’s father, Thomas Hutchison, was a successful wine merchant in Edinburgh, he was a keen gardener and passed on to Isobel his fascination for plants and his habit of meticulous note-taking.

From 1917-18, she studied at an agricultural college, after which, she visited a number of countries around the Mediterranean region. But the sudden death or her father was subsequently followed by the loss of both her brothers. Isobel was left in a darkened place with a deeply grieving heart. Walking became her escape.

At a time when women were expected to stay at home, dressed in petticoats and tending to domestic duties, Isobel would often leave home for several days – much to the despair of her mother!

A Gaelic speaker, she had soon covered Scotland, including a trek from Blairgowrie to Fort Augustus, and began to look at bigger challenges. She wanted to spread her wings and fly away, and Iceland seemed like a good place to start.

Iceland, which she visited in 1925, was both a test and a revelation. She was told that she couldn’t walk the 260 miles north from Reykjavik to Akureyri because there were no maps, no guides, and it was far too dangerous. But she proved everyone wrong and then set her sights on another goal: Greenland.

By now, Isobel was making a name as a traveller in the Far North. She had written books about her experiences in both Iceland and Greenland. However, she hadn’t quite finished her Arctic adventures! She made arrangements to travel to Alaska and Northern Canada to explore and again, collect plant specimens. In May 1933, Isobel left Manchester and went by ship, riverboat, train and also plane, to reach Nome in Alaska.

Eventually, she arrived in Barrow, in the north of Alaska, where she transferred to another small vessel before the Arctic Ocean ice began closing in, making it impossible to travel any further. Isobel was forced to stay in a migrant Estonian’s hut for many weeks until the weather situation improved. Although her journey had come to a halt, it was an opportunity for her to visit local Inuit families, walk, travel by dog sled and stay in igloos. Eventually, she continued her Arctic trip with a 120-mile dog sled journey and crossed over into Canada. After many months in the Alaskan and Canadian Arctic she eventually returned to Scotland, having been away for around a year.

Unable to obtain permission from the Soviet authorities to visit Eastern Siberia, Isobel’s next northern journey was in 1936, to the Aleutian Islands, off the coast of Alaska. This thousand-mile long archipelago of both large and small volcanic islands draped like a gigantic necklace between Alaska and the Kamchatka Peninsula in the far east of the USSR. These islands were inhabited by Aleut people on treeless terrain and were exposed to continuous windy, foggy and stormy weather.

The Aleut people of the islands were able to live in such extreme conditions because they managed to catch a range of marine life. Fortunately, she was able to visit many of the inhabited islands by way of US government vessels. Invariably, landing on the islands involved negotiating heavy seas in wild conditions. However, when she did make land, she met with the local inhabitants, generally explored and was able to collect her plants.

The onset of World War Two curtailed any plans for further journeys into the Arctic. After the war, she completed a number of long treks, including walking from her home in Scotland to London, from Innsbruck to Venice, and from Edinburgh to John O’Groats. Isobel Wylie Hutchison passed-away at her home in Carlowrie Castle in 1982, aged 92.

The Arctic journeys of Isobel Wylie Hutchison were extraordinarily daring during a time when such trips were unheard of for a single woman. She developed a real passion for the North as she explored various regions of the Arctic world. Isobel was a true adventure traveller, enjoying the uncertainty of her journey, taking calculated risks, but being utterly intrigued by all she saw in the Far North.