Easter in Akureyri

I apologize for the delay, dear readers, for 7 days ago I journeyed to where no raven dare fly. I only pray this raven reaches you in an acceptable time, though I know my hopes are dwindling. I have returned from my festive travels north of the Wall and lived to tell the tale, but I dare say to brace yourselves, for it is not worthy of the faint of heart. 

Translation for those of you who still possess your lives and souls because you didn't give in to nerdy peer pressure (yet): For the Easter holiday, my host family let me accompany them to Akureyri (and the surrounding areas) where we had a simply delightful time.

(And where I was not... not... pretending to be in Westeroes the whole time...)

It was truly a gift to see more of (breathtaking) Iceland on our drive there, around, and back, and I spent much of my time staring out the car window quietly while my visual cortex exploded with ecstasy. I have to admit I'm not one to take a lot of photos through car windows, and therefore have most of the stunning imagery left imprinted in my brain and not pixels to share, but I did take a couple elsewhere in Akureyri.

The cute street of colorful houses our flat was on.

The church.

"The heart is a muscle" is the ironic phrase that entered my mind when taking this photo.

Akureyri from our side of town.

Across the fjord.

One of my favorite places we went was tiny little town called Fjallabyggð, which I can safely calculate is the most north I've ever been on Earth (though to my disappointment, I still didn't find John Snow). I didn't realize how little time I'd have to take pictures here, so I hope to go back and do it proper justice one day. For now you get a half-done panorama (ain't nobody got time for that) and a wee little boat.

Easter in Iceland is a pretty big holiday, so big in fact it's celebrated over 2 days. What? You've never heard of second Easter? Pfft. Although they know nothing of a the (slightly creepy) easter bunny, everyone does receive big chocolate eggs full of candy and toys (me included, thanks H, SJ, R, and S!).

I thought a lot about Alex during this trip, obviously because of Easter, but probably more because Akureyri reminded me a lot of Interlaken, Switzerland-- a stop we made while on a very emotionally complicated backpacking trip through Europe 6 months before he died. Even now I'm still not used to him really being gone. Will that thought ever cease to take my breath away? The only thing to soothe my shriveled heart in these moments are the funny memories that tenderly pop into my head of the life we lived together. I know these are a personalized gift of comfort from him, and the very things that keep us connected in our temporarily different existences.

Look How They Shine For You

I was feeling a little grumpy about not having seen the ever-so-famous Northern Lights in the 5 weeks since I arrived here in Iceland. "Oh, you'll see them," people said. And see them I did not. Not after braving multiple nights alone on the lava rock, and not after positioning myself next to a window to glance outside every 5 seconds on a clear night. I was starting to think they were a fantastic Truman Show style hoax my entire lifetime in the making.

And then... it happened.

My whole life, soul, and being was filled with complete and unrelenting happiness while I watched the iridescent dance in stark-raving awe. We are the luckiest creatures in the universe to experience such ecstasy in these moments of truly organic and raw beauty. I felt like shouting to the sky my thanks for it's willingness to share such a precious thing with me.

And, none of it would have been possible without help from my friend Hilmar who kindly drove me out to this excellent location, went back to lock the car because my camera bag was in it, went back again to get the remote I left in my camera bag, and kept me good company in the piercing cold while he patiently listened to my passionate bi-minutely reminders that we were looking at the freaking northern lights among other crazed verbal vomit. Being around an excited photographer geeking-out about a seemingly average thing is never an easy task.

I will never forget this night. Even if decay rots my brain in my old age, this memory will be unable leave my existence for it is within my soul to be cherished forever.