Surviving an Icelandic Winter.

I've been working on my new layout for the last month which is why I have bee delayed with posting a new blog. I'm very bad at blogging. I love it when I get around to it, but it always takes me forever to actually sit down and write. One of my main goals of 2017 is to write more as writing is such a strong passion of mine. I've also started working which has taken up a lot of my time, but it has been so good as I have missed working so much.

Icelandic winters are one of a kind. This will be my fourth winter season spent in Iceland and let me tell you, it is not easy. The sun doesn't rise till around 11:00 which makes waking up every morning near impossible and leaving you exhausted for the rest of the day. After downing at least 6 cups of coffee, you leave for work. Work is from 9-17:00. You leave your house in darkness and sit inside your cubicle, office room, retail store, whatever it may be and watch as the sun fades right before you eyes. Working in winter can be very challenging due to the lack of light. You are constantly in darkness.

What's worse though, is the weather itself. Either, Reykjavik will be covered in snow and become a snow apocalypse, or it'll be rainy and cloudy making the darkness even worse.

For most of this winter (Till earlier this month when we experienced a mega snow fall), we didn't have any snow just constant rain and gloom. Even around 14:00 it was very dark and the city had a permanent tacky blue filter. But recently, the sun has actually appeared, the clouds have disappeared, the northern lights have danced, and spring is on everyone's minds. However, if I know Iceland correctly, it's only a matter of time till snow falls again and we are surrounded by cold winds and rain. Normally, around Easter, Iceland gets crazy weather. During my first two Easters in Iceland, we had crazy snow storms terrible road conditions, constant rain, and wind. Yes... Iceland can experience that much weather change in one weekend.

But on the bright side, the sun is staying up more and people are less depressed.
So, how did we do it? How did we survive yet another Icelandic winter.

What is the secret to surviving an Icelandic winter? Well, I wouldn't say it's a secret as such... I think just trying to be optimistic as best as anyone can is the main key to surviving an Icelandic winter, but for the sake of a blog post, I will list my top 5 steps to surviving an Icelandic winter.

1. Happy Hour

There's an app you can download for Icelandic happy hours called "Appy Hour". It has saved my life more than once. There is nothing better than sitting in a cozy bar/pub and drinking a nice stout or porter for a fair price. The beer culture has taken off in Iceland over the past few years after it was legalized in 1989. There are some new amazing breweries around and craft bars that are worth checking out. Most people who have been to Iceland talk abut their most famous craft beer company, Einstök, but that is being pushed aside as new and even better micro breweries are advancing into the market. If you're in the Reykjavik area, the must go to's are:

. Skuli
. Byrgguson Brughus
. Mikkeller & Friends
. Kaldi
. Micro Bar
. Kex Hostel

2. Live Music & Events

The Reykjavik night life is amazing. There is always something going on and you just need to know where and when. Live jazz has become one of my favorite things within the winter time. It's cozy and you can bring all you friends. There is live jazz now on Sunday's - Wednesdays at three different places.

1. Byrgguson Brughus - Sunday Jazz
2. Hurra - Monday Jazz
3. Kex Hostel - Wednesday Jazz

My favorite is Byrgguson Brughus as they have such a cozy atmosphere and fantastic beer at their location.

Hurra is a main venue within Iceland that constantly has live music and live shows. I highly recommend to check this venue out as it's cozy inside and they have some of the best shows. They normally have some kind of concert going on. Check them out on Facebook and follow their events.

Kex Hostel and Loft Hostel are also two places that constantly have different activities and different events going on. Kex is known for great music and live events all the time. In the summer, they have Kexport which is a "mini" music festival if you will. They have a bunch of different Icelandic bands play on the back porch of Kex. Other events they are famous for is Iceland Airwaves as they have free off venues there that are normally broadcasted live on KEXP. Kexmas is another great event hosted by Kex. Each night, there is something new going on such as Jazz, reading sessions, poetry, karaoke... etc.

If you're on Facebook, always check out your local events page. Whether is a food market in Harpa, or a knitting circle, there's always something going on in Reykjavik.

3. Coffee Shops

Coffee houses are an absolute must and need within Icelandic culture. Winter is a crazy time with snow storms, rain storms, wind storms, cold storms... basically anything dramatic and weather related will happen during an Icelandic winter. With that, you need a place to go, relax and escape. Thus, Coffee Shops.

Most cafes have large windows, comfy couches, and delicious coffee which make for a great cozy winter. If you research the coffee scene in Iceland, you will find a huge list of different must go to cafes. However, most of the coffee shops recommended on travel sights don't actually have the best coffee. There are dozens of great and cozy cafes like Cafe Babalu, Stofan, and C is For cookie in Reykjavik. I love going to all of these places for a cozy evening with my friends, but not for coffee.

If good coffee is on your mind, then I highly recommend these coffee shops below.
My favorite coffee houses are:

. Reykjavik Roasters - Located at Frakkastígur and Brautarholt in downtown Reykjavik.
. Kaffi Slippur - Located in the Icelandair Marina Hotel near the Reykjavik Harbour.
. Te Og Kaffi Micro Roast - Located in downtown Reykjavik on Aðalstræti.
. Kaffi Laugalækur - Located in the suburbs of Laugadalur on Laugarnesvegur
. Kaffihus Vesturbaeur - Located in Vesturbær.
. Pallett - Located in Hafnarfjörður.

Icelanders and most of the Nordic region is known for lots of and lots of coffee. Since Iceland lacks the sunlight in the winter time, almost everywhere you go will be cozy. Christmas lights are everywhere before and after Christmas, along with Tea lights, woolly blankets and wooly clothing. Icelandic cafes are the best and the ones I've listed will have some of the best coffee with cute interior which makes it easy to blog, write, read, knit, or catch up with a friend.

4. Ice cream

I know this sounds crazy, but you haven't lived till you've walked in negative temperatures to the local Ice cream shop. Icelanders love ice cream and they make some of the best ice cream I've ever had. Within the Reykjavik region, there are two Ice cream shops that you must go too! .

My absolute favorite is a little place off the harbor called Valdis.

They have homemade cones and the most ridiculous flavors that are almost always amazing. The colors at Valdis are very vibrant and bright with bizarre flavors. They have green, blue, rainbow, purple and all sorts of colored Ice cream. They even have a black colored Ice cream for you licorice loving freaks.

Between Banana Nutella, Turkish Pepper, and even Skittles Ice cream, Valdis has the most unique and delicious flavors to offer in Reykjavik.

Valdis is located along the harbor in the Grandi area. It's hiding behind a big green garage like door. It's a must and I swear you won't be disappointed.

5. Winter Pools

When you come to Iceland, you probably already have your ticket booked to the Blue Lagoon. Due to Tourisim, you have to book your Blue Lagoon ticket almost a week to possibly months in advance depending on the time of year you are coming to Iceland. My reccomodation, skip the Blue Lagoon all together and go to a local pool.

The Blue Lagoon is incredibly packed, expensive, and not worth the hassle. It is definitely beautiful and the local pools can't offer the depth and beauty like the Blue Lagoon can. But, the local pools are cheaper, just as nice, not as packed, and are filled with locals instead of tourists. There are three pools within walking distance in the Reykjavik area. They are everybody's favorite pass time and are incredibly relaxing. After showering, you run out into the freezing cold and jump into the nearest hot tub. The mixture of cold and heat is incredible and your body will thank you later. They say Icelanders have great hearts due to the constant change of hot and cold. Icelanders even go swimming in the ocean, which still seems mad to me. But if it makes your heart stronger then I guess you can't complain right?

The biggest pool in Reykjavik is about a 35 minute walk from the downtown and is called Laugardalslaug. There is one in the west part of Reykjavik called Vesturbæjarlaug and one in the middle of the city which is currently under construction. They are making the center pool larger and will have even more out door hot tubs and pools which is exciting.

Some random pointers and tips though for your winter trip to Iceland.

. Keep it cozy. Light candles, go to cozy pubs and coffee shops, journal, knit, eat good food, and don't worry about seeing all of the country. There is plenty to be seen right here in Reykjavik and it's the absolute best place to be in the winter.

. Check the forecast before booking a Northern Lights tour. If it's a clear night, cold enough, and you have time to walk down to the ocean, do it. Some of the best northern lights i've ever seen were right in the city!

. Nature within the Reykjavik Region. There are so many parks, sights to see within the Reykjavik region. Not to far is the Grotta light house in Seltjarnarnes which is the most west you can go in the city. If the tide is low, you can cross over to the lighthouse and walk around. There is also a hot pot for you to put your feet in. It's not big enough for your entire body but you feet will thank you.

Honestly though, Reykjavik is such a fun city if you know how to enjoy it. Don't be afraid to speak out and be social, meet people, go to events, music shows, and just simply rest and relax. With only 4-5 hours of sunlight in the dead of winter, it's best to learn how to relax and not worry too much about wasting your day. As hard as the winters here may be, we always get through them and enter summer feeling victorious. Knowing that summer is near and or coming is the real reason we can survive the dark Icelandic winters.
So till then, let's enjoy this awkward Icelandic "spring" season.

About a month ago, Reykjavik experienced the biggest snow fall overnight since 1937! In one night we went from 0 snow to about 51cm! We woke up early that Sunday to a winter wonderland. All the cars were covered in snow, the neighbors were outside with their children sledding and digging out their cars. It was actually a beautiful thing to witness the community coming together like that. The snow was absolutely beautiful and I only wish I captured more with my camera. But here are a few photos: