At home in Iceland

Our only inside photo - bad on us!



We’re in a comfortable downtown apartment in Akureyri, in the north of Iceland now. The city’s population is only 18,000, but it’s the second largest populated area in Iceland, which tells you a lot about how far you have to go to see another human who’s not a tourist. Visitors to Iceland are from many countries: the United States (many), Japan, Korea, China, Israel, and many others.

Until 1870, all Icelanders were farmers, our host in Seydisfjordur told us. Then they began fishing, and an economic boom began.

View from our living room window


All of our hosts have been gracious and helpful, but this man was particularly interesting. He’s a retired macroeconomics professor who loves welding and hot metal (he and Bernie bonded over this love of glowing red steel). He built the house we rented from him, and it is glorious.

Sarah enjoying the sun on our deck in Seydisfjordur


Imagine the prettiest little cottage you can, bright and airy, a lovely deck looking out to a tongue of the fjord just a hundred feet away. Elyse pronounced it the best place we have stayed. If I were to live in Iceland, I’d want a house just like that one.


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