From our hotel room window it wasn't hard to spot Hallgrimslirkja, the Lutheran (Church of Iceland) church that is the sixth-tallest structure in the country at 244 feet (73 meters) high.
This morning after another hearty buffet breakfast, we decided to head in that direction. It also gave us a chance to try out our winter clothing in the breezy 25-degree F (-4 C) temperature before setting out on our Northern Lights tour tonight.
We could see the whitecaps from our window.
The downtown streets we walked were fairly quiet and lined mostly with tourist-oriented shops and restaurants - Thai restaurants and noodles soups are popular here too.
We also got a look at some residential streets.
Interestingly, a lot of the shops kept their doors ajar. Our theory is that the geothermal heating is "free," and perhaps not even thermostat-controlled. Our hotel room, for example, includes a transom window that opens and closes with wall switches. Even with that window open all night, the room is a bit warm for our tastes.
Eventually we reached the church after a gentle climb.
It was designed in the 1940s to resemble lava flows, but wasn't completed until 1986.
The inside is apparently modest, but we couldn't see it, as a funeral was taking place.
Our several layers, top and bottom, kept us warm, and we think we're adequately equipped for tonight's expedition.
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