If Iceland brings to mind a frozen tundra with nothing other than the desire to fly away quickly; take another look. Summers in Iceland more than make up for the perhaps more severe winters. We had no idea, until we discovered Icelandair allows passengers to stay and visit this amazing country, grattis, as an extended layover when heading for Europe. We stayed five days and wished we had more.

Blue Lagoon was our first clue that there was more to Iceland than first meets the eye. A natural geothermal lake that maintains 100 degrees Fahrenheit year round, which is surrounded by a white silicon that gives the water a sky blue tint rivaling the Caribbean. The risk is, once you’re in and pickup your favorite beverage at the swimup bar, you never want to get out. I can just imagine how true this is in winter when the weather is below freezing:)

Reykjavík is the capitol city perched on the edge of the North Atlantic with a seawall that rivals ours in Galveston. We were lucky enough to rent an AirBnB overlooking the ships in the harbor, which the grandangels loved. Situated in the center of downtown, we were walking distance to the Rainbow Street, edged with boutiques and restaurants selling Icelandic specialties. This journey along the rainbow brought us to the Hallgrimskirkja Cathedral with its distinctive curved spire and side wings. In the summer there are weekly concerts performed on the two-story pipe organ, which unfortunately we missed but can imagine the city is inundated with the melodies far and wide. The grandangels loved the view of Reykjavík from the tower above.

The hiking is incomparable, and this is coming from one who hikes the Colorado trails often. We found the countryside filled with Lupines (purple colored bluebonnets), water- filled inactive volcanoes, waterfalls, and active geothermal springs. All were exciting to experience, but the Icelandic Horses will be a memory our family will never forget. Iceland is so proud of their breed, no other breed is allowed on the island to maintain their purity. Hanna had her first horseback ride there; a memory she will carry with her for a lifetime. These gentle animals are like big golden retrievers. They clearly never met a human they didn’t like.

Leaving Iceland was bittersweet, only made bearable because we were heading for Stockholm. So many of my daughter-in-law, Ika’s, friends and family, so little time:). They all wanted to share their city with us. The Baltic Sea meandered through so much of the town and beyond, we were never far from water. Admittedly it was a bit chillier than we experience in Texas and even Colorado. Ika’s good friend Natalie invited us to their lovely home for some traditional Swedish fare and a dip in their heated indoor pool. The grandangels enjoyed that pool a bit more than the Baltic Sea:). On the way back, there was an art gallery filled with glass creations that were so tempting, maybe next visit, as no more room in the check bags this time.

There was also an outdoor art gallery by the sea we explored on a day we stole away from the big city. The cafeteria style food was very different from any we’ve found in the states. Shrimp sandwiches and princess cake were the family favorites.

Bjorn and Anna, not to be outdone, took us on a tour of an ancient Viking encampment, Birka, via the family yacht. There was a hike to the top mountain on the Viking island where a stone Christian cross was placed to remind us of the history behind Vikings becoming Christian’s. Saint Ansgar arrived on Birka in 829 AD to spread Christianity. Eventually it spread across Sweden itself. Over 4,000 Vikings graves are reportedly on Birka, most are so ancient that no gravestones remain. Currently there is only a small dock for boats to tie up to hike the island, learn of its history, and eat at a very special Viking-style restaurant. It was a memorable adventure we hope to repeat someday. Bjorn promised if we come back, he’ll get a bigger boat:). We’ll hold him to that.

Finally we give Maria Jarvis Mitchell a special thanks for sharing her lovely home with us while in Stockholm. Bo went out on her patio every morning to greet the day. Both Hanna and Bo enjoyed the nearby playground. Many neighborhood kids thought Hanna was a new neighbor as her Swedish was undetectable from their own. We had many evening meals on the patio, sharing with so many of Ika’s lifelong friends. No doubt we will return. Start boat shopping Bjorn!