Reykjavik, the "Cool City" Pictures By Me and Personal Essay

Reykjavik 2005
By Me

A large percentage of those who come to visit the fine rock of Iceland come for its nature and callous beauty. However, no doubt that Iceland is beautiful in it's unique way, I come mostly for Reykjavik. Many people might find this odd - "why go to Reykjavik only when you come to Iceland?...It's a fine place to party, but architecture wise and as far as things to do, it cannot be compared to most European capitals."

This statement I dispute. There is something, and I don't know what it is, about Reykjavik that I love. Me being both an American and Dane by nationality, having been born in Denmark and raised in the US and now living back in Denmark, I have a fairly balanced personality between European and American ways. To me, this is what Reykjavik is. As a city, it seems mixed between American and European idealisms (no doubt it has it's own Icelandic identity, though). From the huge extensive sprawl of Reykjavik's suburbs with tract housing units and endless drab apartments, to the very compact, walkable and European downtown area, Reykjavik is a mix. This is what I like though, American and European mixes in Reykjavik with the Icelandic influence. This is not a surprise seeing as it's position between the European and American continent is practically equidistant. As my boyfriend says, Reykjavik "takes from both sides" which is largely evident in the city's demographics and etc.

What I love about Reykjavik is unlike European cities, for instance, which have a common architectural look for each city, Reykjavik is a melting pot of all sorts of styles. In the downtown area for instance, there are old fashioned houses and apartments, cute churches and colorful buildings that are uniquely Traditionally Icelandic looking. On the other hand, though, are Soviet-style concrete drab buildings, mixed with the old and sleek modern Scandinavian design style buildings. All of these mixed about the city. Sometimes Reykjavik depresses me though, especially on those days when the snow melts away and the city is covered in brown much, and there seems to be no color, and the downtown streets are empty. Contrary, when the sun adorns the city and all the colorful houses stick out and I see everybody flock to the parks and wave their Icelandic flags, I realise how much I like it here.

What I also love about Reykjavik is driving through it at night on the highway. What seems like an endless sea of light really is just a city that holds only 185,000 (this including surrounding towns) people. But the difference is is that it feels so much bigger. With a variety of neighborhoods and suburbs, Reykjavik really has a lot to offer: an opera house, an outlandish nightlife, wonderful geothermaly heated swimming pools, and an awesome ecclectic music scene. There seems to be always something going in Reykjavik, which for such a small city makes it so appealing. Strangely enough, living in downtown Copenhagen I often find my self board, when we have 10 times the population of Reykjavik!

For me, I come back to Reykjavik so often because it's a place to recharge and relax.





























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That is all for now

Hope I don't offend anybody with what I Wrote