My thoughts on Iceland

Like many, growing up I had known practically nothing about the country of Iceland.  The only memory I recall was learning in school, "why is Iceland called Iceland?"  answer: because the settlers liked it there so much that they called it Iceland, and the giant mass of glacial land next door Greenland so that people will think Greenland is better and move there instead.
Other than that I never gave the country much thought.

Fast forward a decade or so, I met my first and only Icelandic friend while attending graduate school at the University of Maryland.  I, along with my fellow classmates were very curious to meet someone from this Nordic country and bombarded him with odd questions the first few weeks.  Through this friendship, I for the first time wanted to visit Iceland, but I never really thought that would be possible in the near future.

Since I am currently based in Paris for a while, it is only a 2 hour plane ride away from Iceland.  And with bargain airlines like Icelandic Express, I took my opportunity.

June is an interesting time to go to Iceland.  The sun pretty much never sets; while it's setting, it's also getting ready to rise again.  On the car ride into the city, I remember being amazed by the formations of the cloud.  Maybe it's because there are hardly any trees around, but I have never seen clouds like that before. 

I have had many "first times" in Iceland.  Below are some thoughts and interesting facts.

1. Q. What do you do when you get lost in a forest in Iceland? A. stand up!
2. Iceland only has one national highway... highway number 1 that circles around the island with one lane in each direction.
3. The water quality of this country is probably the best in the world; you're an idiot if you're buying bottled water there.
   

    
4. Because of its many glaciers, Iceland has many waterfalls.  In the summer time they are the perfect sight at around 10pm.
   
    
5. The Blue Lagoon was probably the biggest disappointment.  It's pretty no doubt, but it's become too commercialized and hyped, not to mention the expensive entrance AND transportation fee.
   
    
6. It's best to travel in Iceland by renting a car.  There is no train system, and the buses have very limited schedules and high ticket prices.
7. Sadly, only low percentage alcoholic drinks can be sold in supermarkets, the rest has to be purchased from a state owned store, where they are heavily taxed (and I thought Utah was bad!).
8. Which is why at the duty free store in the airport, Icelanders were literally stocking up big time on their alcohol.  I even asked, is it really that much cheaper?  Answer: yes and almost by half!
9. There are a lot of sheep in Iceland.  And they roam everywhere (careful when driving on the highway) eating fresh grass and breath in fresh air!  Because of this, they taste very very yummy.
10. Horses are another common sight while driving on the highway.  And these are a breed specific only to Iceland.
11. Despite their "icy" look, Icelanders are actually very nice and humorous.
12. Some food specialities:

• Skyr, a thick yogurt like dairy product.  I was addicted!
• Dried fish
• Smoked fish (including smoked whale)
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• lots and lots of lamb (smoked, roasted, liver, testicles, hot dogs, its head, you name it!)
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• Type of flat bread made with rye flour, very good with smoked lamb meat or lamb pate
• Fermented shark meat (which I just realized that I brought a packet back with me but haven't yet tried it)
• Icelandic Schnapps a.k.a. black death.  Apparently this is what you wash down fermented shark with.

First time experiences:

• Eating whale meat.  People have asked me what it tastes like, but it's really hard to describe.  It's probably like an in between of tuna and good lean red meat.
• hitch-hiking: when the bus driver informed me that my connection bus would arrive in 3 hours, I decided to take my chances in one of the safest countries in the world.  A semi-truck transporting trash picked me up!
• Seeing a dead whale (our guide insisted on showing this to us on our trip to Snaefellsness.
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• Holding a 2 month old baby, yes I have never ever held a baby that small!
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• Going to bed when it's still light outside, trust me it's not easy.

Iceland is definitely worth another trip back!  This small country has much more to offer than what I have seen!

Paris for cheap!

Paris is probably known to many tourists, as well as the rest of the non-Parisian French as a very expensive city. I can attest to that, first of all, the rent is ridiculous, and the price won't be dropping anytime soon since there are more people searching for apartments than there are available. Oh we all know that lovely supply and demand chart don't we? For tourists, the most visited areas are filled with restaurants, expensive boutiques, and fancy pastries that all cost a fortune. But honestly, if you do your homework and ditch all the cliches in Paris, you'll find that you can actually do a lot for not a lot!!!
Yes, you have to go to the Louvre, the Musee D'Orsay, and all that jazz, but there are a lot of worthwhile museums that won't cost you a dime. Go to www.musees.paris.fr to check out the list!
One of my favorites is definitely Musee Carnavalet, since I'm such a history geek! The museum is located in the Marais district, so after you grab your falafel from one of the stands, head straight over and it'll be an afternoon well-spent! Also if you're a Victor Hugo fan, head a few blocks over to the Place de Vosages, where you can visit his house.
One of my favorite finds so far is the "Maison Europeene de la Photographie". It is free every Wednesday nights from 5-8pm, where normally it's 7 Euros to get in. The is an amazing permanent exhibit as well as temporary exhibits.
Another great thing about Paris is there there are a number of Cavistes aka wineshops in every quartier! And if you check out some of their websites, they often hold free degustations (tastings) on Thursday, Fridays, and Saturdays. This is a great way to learn and taste wine from different regions of France. One of my favorite wineshops is located in St. Germain de Pres called Le Derniere Gutte. They have happy hour every Friday night where you can sample wine and eat some tasty cheese, and on Saturdays they have winemakers come in for a free degustation.
If you want to taste good food in Parisian restaurants, then go during lunch. Restaurants usually over a food menu (a 3 course meal) or a formule (appetizer plus entree, or entree plus dessert, but keep in mind that in France entree means appetizer!). I've had tasty formules for 10-12 Euros. Even some of the really fancy restaurants often have menus for less than 30 Euros. Also if you're a crepe fan, then head down to the Monparnasse area where on rue Montparnasse, you'll find endless Creperies that offer a menu of a savory crepe, a sweet crepe and a drink for about 10 Euros. Montparnasse is an area filled with authentic Bretonne style crepes.
Also a must-do for is a picnic lunch at one of the many beautiful parks in Paris. Let's be honest, France has the best baguettes, cheese, and wine in the world so if the sun is shining one day, there is no reason to stay inside a restaurant. I personally prefer the baguette tradition over the regular baguettes, and also some baguette de cereale is worthwhile too. And please go to a boulangerie to get one, the ones at Monoprix or Carrefour might be cheaper, but they are horrible! Also for those fearless people out there go to a boucherie, and try out their terrines, pates, rillettes, and other charcuteries.
If you're lucky enough to pass by one of their open markets by chance, then stop by and check it out. My favorite thing to do is go when they're about to close, they'll try and sell everything to you at a bargain.
Oh and of course if you're a winelover like me, then this IS the place to drink wine. I'm not wine connoisseur, but I do know that for less than 10 Euros, you can get a really good bottle of wine. I usually go to the Caviste now and tell them what I'm having for dinner, or what I'm looking for in particular, tell them my budget, and they can usually make a pretty good recommendation.
Oh and last advice, skip the Louis Vuitton bag, if you've been in France long enough, you'll realize that French people DO NOT carry LV anything! So for however much you're spending on that LV bag, you can probably afford a week's stay in Paris filled with fun and eventful activities!