Hallgrímskirkja (Church of Hallgrimur) and Stjornarrad (Cabinet House) in Reykjavik, Iceland

On December 1, 2020December 1, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn IcelandLeave a comment

When visiting Iceland, the highlight for most people is the natural beauty of the island nation. From the Golden Circle, Ring Road, and the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, there are some pretty amazing sights to be seen. But we also enjoyed our time in Reykjavik as well with its charming architecture and wonderful restaurants. Among the things that should be seen when spending time in Iceland are the Hallgrímskirkja, which is the church that looms high on a hill above the city, and the Cabinet House (Stjornarrad). The church has an observation tower that provides incredible views of the city, but we were there in winter and it was too cloudy to take advantage of the views.

There is a statue of Leif Erikson, the famous Icelandic explorer, located in front of Hallgrímskirkja that was a gift from the United States. The statue actually predates the church and was erected in 1930 to celebrate the 1000th anniversary of the first meeting of Iceland’s parliament. Construction of the church began in 1945 and took 41 years to complete in 1986. The design of the church is meant to represent the mountains and glaciers that can be found in the landscape of Iceland. The most prominent feature within the church, other than it’s high arching ceiling, is the large pipe organ that was added in 1992.

The history of the Cabinet House is quite interesting. The original intent of the building was to house homeless people and to find work for them. Instead, the Danish government that ruled Iceland until 1904 turned the house into a prison, which it was until 1816. After 1904, when Iceland was granted home rule, the house started to serve as the home of the government ministers. Today it still houses the offices of Iceland’s Prime Minister. In front of the Cabinet House is a statue of the Danish king, Christian IX, who was in rule in 1874 when Iceland celebrated a millennium of people occupying the island.

View of the Church with the Statue of Leif Erikson

Statue of Hannes Hafstein, the First Minister of Iceland in 1904

Visiting Iceland is definitely one of the most interesting trips that we have taken over the years. The people were extremely friendly and the scenery was absolutely amazing. We certainly recommend spending some time in Reykjavik in addition to seeing all of the natural beauty that the country has to offer.

The Historic German Corner in Koblenz, Germany

On September 21, 2020September 21, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Germany3 Comments

The location where the Rhine and Moselle Rivers merge is known as the German Corner. It is also the location of the town of Koblenz, which is over two thousand years old with beautiful scenery, vineyards, churches, and castles. Across the Rhine River from the German Corner is Ehrenbreitstein, which is the second-largest preserved fortress in Europe. A cable car will take you from the town of Koblenz over the river to the top of the hill where the fortress resides. It is also a great place to get incredible views of the German Corner and the boats traversing the Rhine and Moselle Rivers.

The site was first named by Knights of the Teutonic Order and declared is considered a historic landmark. In 1891, Kaiser Wilhelm II dedicated a statue to his grandfather, Wilhelm I at the site. Although it was destroyed during World War II, a replica of the statue was erected in 1993 and dominates the park area. Seeing it from the hill across the river gives you some perspective on the size of the statue.

Many people come through the area on river boat cruises, but we took a train from Frankfurt to Koblenz and since it was autumn, the leaves were vibrant and colorful. Although there are plenty of reasons to visit Koblenz, including the Stolzenfels Castle as well as the fortress. We found the town to be very relaxing and we enjoyed strolling along the banks of the river and all around the German Corner.

Artisan and Craft Market in the Beautiful Parque El Ejido in Quito, Ecuador

On September 1, 2020September 1, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn South America2 Comments

In order to walk to the old town quarter of Quito in Ecuador from our hotel, we had to walk through Parque El Ejido. It is a lovely park that has a nice artisan and craft market as well as plenty of open space. Located right in the city, it can be quite busy at times as families gather to have a picnic or play a game of soccer. There is also an interesting arch located in the park, simply called Arco de El Ejido with a statue of two men battling one another.

We love finding markets where we can buy local arts and crafts whenever we travel to places. We typically try to bring something home with us to remember our trip, especially if it is something that we can display. While we were in Quito, we found a local artist in the market that sold watercolor paintings and we couldn’t resist buying an original piece of art. Whether you want jewelry, clothing, or art, there are an abundance of options.

Walking Through the Park and Shade Trees

Even if you aren’t interested in the market, just enjoying the shade of the trees, the open grassy areas, or even getting something sweet from a food vendor makes visiting the park worthwhile. Since we walked through the park both ways to and from our hotel in Quito, we had plenty of time to enjoy the vibrant atmosphere. We have been to many wonderful parks during our travels, but this one is truly one of our favorites.