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Hello, and welcome to Getaways. | 0:00:02 | 0:00:03 | |
-The show where we go... -..where you want us to go. | 0:00:03 | 0:00:06 | |
We're on a mission to check out | 0:00:10 | 0:00:12 | |
some of your most popular holiday destinations. | 0:00:12 | 0:00:14 | |
You've been sharing your top travel tips, | 0:00:21 | 0:00:23 | |
-telling us where to go... -..and what to do when we get there. | 0:00:23 | 0:00:26 | |
This week, we've flown north-west across the Atlantic | 0:00:31 | 0:00:34 | |
to the island of Iceland. | 0:00:34 | 0:00:35 | |
We're here to find out why this | 0:00:35 | 0:00:37 | |
is the ideal alternative to a sun holiday. | 0:00:37 | 0:00:39 | |
Iceland has long been one of the must-see Nordic destinations. | 0:00:41 | 0:00:45 | |
It's famous for its natural wonders of northern lights, | 0:00:45 | 0:00:48 | |
glaciers, geysers, | 0:00:48 | 0:00:50 | |
national parks, geothermal pools | 0:00:50 | 0:00:54 | |
and active volcanoes. | 0:00:54 | 0:00:56 | |
And happily, with direct flights to Reykjavik, | 0:00:58 | 0:01:00 | |
it's one you can easily tick off your bucket list. | 0:01:00 | 0:01:03 | |
Yes, you can fly direct to Iceland in about two and a half hours. | 0:01:05 | 0:01:09 | |
And the transfer to Reykjavik takes around 45 minutes. | 0:01:09 | 0:01:13 | |
Reykjavik is the capital city | 0:01:16 | 0:01:18 | |
and it's where you will most likely base yourself. | 0:01:18 | 0:01:20 | |
It's small enough for you to get around on foot, | 0:01:20 | 0:01:23 | |
and one of the first things many of you recommended we do | 0:01:23 | 0:01:26 | |
was to get an overview of the city | 0:01:26 | 0:01:28 | |
at one of the main tourist attractions. | 0:01:28 | 0:01:30 | |
Behind me there is the Hallgrimskirkj. | 0:01:30 | 0:01:33 | |
At 73 metres, it's Iceland's tallest and largest church | 0:01:33 | 0:01:36 | |
and it took over 40 years to build | 0:01:36 | 0:01:38 | |
and its design is inspired by Iceland's geological landscape. | 0:01:38 | 0:01:42 | |
So it's probably why it's one of the country's most photographed sites. | 0:01:42 | 0:01:46 | |
The tower, which dominates Reykjavik's skyline, | 0:01:47 | 0:01:50 | |
is designed to resemble the basalt formations | 0:01:50 | 0:01:53 | |
left behind as lava cooled into thick, upright columns. | 0:01:53 | 0:01:56 | |
Once inside, you can take the elevator | 0:01:58 | 0:02:00 | |
to the top of the bell tower. | 0:02:00 | 0:02:02 | |
And up here at the top of the tower is what it's all about. | 0:02:05 | 0:02:08 | |
You can have a fantastic view of the entire city of Reykjavik, | 0:02:08 | 0:02:12 | |
from the water, the mountains, | 0:02:12 | 0:02:13 | |
and it's a great place for you to come | 0:02:13 | 0:02:15 | |
so you can really get your bearings on the city. | 0:02:15 | 0:02:17 | |
And before you leave, check out the statue in front of the church. | 0:02:18 | 0:02:22 | |
This is the Viking Leif Eriksson, | 0:02:22 | 0:02:24 | |
who discovered North America in the year 1000, | 0:02:24 | 0:02:26 | |
more than 500 years before Columbus. | 0:02:26 | 0:02:29 | |
Did you know that? I didn't. | 0:02:29 | 0:02:31 | |
Iceland is known as the land of fire and ice | 0:02:33 | 0:02:37 | |
and no trip here would be complete | 0:02:37 | 0:02:39 | |
without the obligatory Golden Circle tour - | 0:02:39 | 0:02:42 | |
a tourist route in southern Iceland | 0:02:42 | 0:02:44 | |
which takes in some of the country's most famous attractions. | 0:02:44 | 0:02:48 | |
And as you'd expect, some stunning scenery. | 0:02:49 | 0:02:52 | |
About 45 minutes from Reykjavik is Thingvellir National Park, | 0:02:52 | 0:02:56 | |
a Unesco World Heritage Site about 240 square kilometres in size. | 0:02:56 | 0:03:02 | |
It's a place of historic and geological interest, | 0:03:03 | 0:03:05 | |
as it's a meeting point of two continents. | 0:03:05 | 0:03:08 | |
Now, there aren't many places on earth | 0:03:09 | 0:03:11 | |
where you can see tectonics in action. | 0:03:11 | 0:03:13 | |
In fact, there are only two. | 0:03:13 | 0:03:15 | |
There is the Great Rift Valley in East Africa, | 0:03:15 | 0:03:17 | |
and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge in the Thingvellir National Park, | 0:03:17 | 0:03:20 | |
which is actually here. | 0:03:20 | 0:03:21 | |
Look! You can see it in action. | 0:03:21 | 0:03:24 | |
There's not much happening, but it's there. | 0:03:26 | 0:03:29 | |
You can see the continental drift | 0:03:30 | 0:03:33 | |
between the North American and Eurasian plates | 0:03:33 | 0:03:35 | |
in the cracks and faults in the Thingvellir region, | 0:03:35 | 0:03:38 | |
which are slowly pulling Iceland apart. | 0:03:38 | 0:03:40 | |
The largest crack between two plates is here, known as Almannagja Gorge. | 0:03:41 | 0:03:46 | |
To the west, that's the North American tectonic plate. | 0:03:46 | 0:03:48 | |
To the east, that's the Eurasian one. | 0:03:48 | 0:03:50 | |
And they are separating from each other | 0:03:50 | 0:03:52 | |
at a rate of two centimetres per year. | 0:03:52 | 0:03:55 | |
That is, fact fans, | 0:03:55 | 0:03:57 | |
the same growth rate as your fingernails annually. | 0:03:57 | 0:03:59 | |
Well, thereabouts. | 0:03:59 | 0:04:01 | |
Many major events in the history of Iceland | 0:04:01 | 0:04:03 | |
have taken place at Thingvellir. | 0:04:03 | 0:04:05 | |
It was here that the Althing, Iceland's parliament, | 0:04:05 | 0:04:08 | |
was established in 930. | 0:04:08 | 0:04:10 | |
This is the Logberg, or the Law Rock, | 0:04:10 | 0:04:12 | |
and it's the focal point of the Althing. | 0:04:12 | 0:04:14 | |
And this is where the chairperson of the assembly | 0:04:14 | 0:04:17 | |
would convene the meetings. | 0:04:17 | 0:04:18 | |
This is kind of in the middle of nowhere | 0:04:18 | 0:04:20 | |
and quite a hike to get up here. | 0:04:20 | 0:04:21 | |
But I rather like that, because I think | 0:04:21 | 0:04:23 | |
to come up here and do this would mean | 0:04:23 | 0:04:25 | |
you really wanted to be in politics and you really loved Iceland. | 0:04:25 | 0:04:28 | |
Because if you looked out over the majestic surroundings, | 0:04:28 | 0:04:31 | |
it would really inspire you to do the best for your country. | 0:04:31 | 0:04:34 | |
And I think there's a lesson in there for all of us, isn't there? | 0:04:35 | 0:04:37 | |
Next stop on our Golden Circle tour, | 0:04:42 | 0:04:45 | |
and one that rated highly with you lot, is the geyser hot spring area, | 0:04:45 | 0:04:49 | |
one of the greatest natural attractions in Iceland. | 0:04:49 | 0:04:51 | |
A geyser is a spring | 0:04:52 | 0:04:54 | |
from which boiling water and steam spout upwards | 0:04:54 | 0:04:56 | |
and are mainly found in volcanic areas. | 0:04:56 | 0:04:58 | |
And the word geyser, meaning to gush, | 0:04:58 | 0:05:01 | |
comes from the famous great geyser here. | 0:05:01 | 0:05:04 | |
This is the spot where the great geyser once gushed. | 0:05:05 | 0:05:08 | |
It's been dormant for years, but back in its heyday | 0:05:08 | 0:05:11 | |
it would shoot up to 60 metres high. | 0:05:11 | 0:05:13 | |
Now, this entire area is a geothermal park | 0:05:13 | 0:05:15 | |
resting right on top of a bubbling cauldron. | 0:05:15 | 0:05:18 | |
According to geological studies, | 0:05:19 | 0:05:21 | |
the hot springs in this area have existed for over 10,000 years. | 0:05:21 | 0:05:25 | |
This is Strokkur, the most famous spouting geyser in all of Iceland | 0:05:27 | 0:05:30 | |
and the reason being is because she goes off every 10 or 15 minutes, | 0:05:30 | 0:05:34 | |
which is pretty handy for us tourists. | 0:05:34 | 0:05:36 | |
So we're all just going to stand here and wait. | 0:05:36 | 0:05:40 | |
Nice bit of heat off her, actually. Very welcome right now. | 0:05:40 | 0:05:44 | |
Shame about the eggy smell. | 0:05:44 | 0:05:45 | |
It's like waiting on the kettle to boil. | 0:05:50 | 0:05:52 | |
Whoa...! There she goes! | 0:05:58 | 0:06:00 | |
Up 30 metres high. | 0:06:00 | 0:06:02 | |
Boiling hot eggy-smelling water. | 0:06:02 | 0:06:04 | |
That is brilliant! | 0:06:04 | 0:06:06 | |
Oh, wow. | 0:06:07 | 0:06:09 | |
You get a little fright when you see that. | 0:06:09 | 0:06:11 | |
Our final stop on the Golden Circle tour | 0:06:15 | 0:06:17 | |
is the magnificent Gullfoss waterfalls, or Golden Falls, | 0:06:17 | 0:06:20 | |
situated on the River Hvita, or White River. | 0:06:20 | 0:06:24 | |
The falls are made up of two tiers. | 0:06:26 | 0:06:28 | |
The first is 11 metres high and the second is 22 metres high, | 0:06:28 | 0:06:31 | |
with the water falling into | 0:06:31 | 0:06:33 | |
a two-and-a-half kilometre long canyon below. | 0:06:33 | 0:06:36 | |
It's fed by water that flows | 0:06:36 | 0:06:37 | |
straight out of Iceland's second largest glacier. | 0:06:37 | 0:06:40 | |
And I've got to tell you, guys, this is one spectacular sight, | 0:06:40 | 0:06:43 | |
one you cannot miss. | 0:06:43 | 0:06:44 | |
In the early 20th century, | 0:06:48 | 0:06:49 | |
foreign investors wanted to harness the power of the waterfalls | 0:06:49 | 0:06:53 | |
to produce electricity. | 0:06:53 | 0:06:55 | |
This plaque here is dedicated to Sigridur Tomasdottir. | 0:06:57 | 0:07:00 | |
And the story goes that she campaigned heavily | 0:07:00 | 0:07:02 | |
against plans to build a hydroelectric power plant here. | 0:07:02 | 0:07:05 | |
And fair play to her, | 0:07:05 | 0:07:07 | |
because that would have changed this place for ever. | 0:07:07 | 0:07:09 | |
Nice one! | 0:07:09 | 0:07:11 | |
Gullfoss is now protected by Icelandic law | 0:07:14 | 0:07:16 | |
and is a national park. | 0:07:16 | 0:07:18 | |
All three attractions on the Golden Circle | 0:07:20 | 0:07:23 | |
are within 100 kilometres of the capital | 0:07:23 | 0:07:25 | |
and you can take an excursion tour or drive yourself. | 0:07:25 | 0:07:28 | |
Tony Oakey, from Kilkenny, recommended we check out the Harpa, | 0:07:36 | 0:07:39 | |
a cultural and social centre at Reykjavik's harbour. | 0:07:39 | 0:07:43 | |
Since it opened its doors in 2011, | 0:07:45 | 0:07:48 | |
it has welcomed more than five million visitors | 0:07:48 | 0:07:50 | |
and is one of the city's most recognisable landmarks. | 0:07:50 | 0:07:54 | |
The facade of the Harpa is made up of multiple hexagonal glass tubes, | 0:07:55 | 0:07:59 | |
with coloured and mirrored panes | 0:07:59 | 0:08:01 | |
designed to reflect and fragment light, | 0:08:01 | 0:08:04 | |
mimicking basalt crystals which are indigenous to Iceland. | 0:08:04 | 0:08:07 | |
It's like being inside a man-made iceberg. | 0:08:10 | 0:08:12 | |
There are three concert halls and two restaurants here, | 0:08:14 | 0:08:16 | |
so plenty of reason for you to come and visit. | 0:08:16 | 0:08:19 | |
Me, I'm just happy to sit here, dig the architecture | 0:08:19 | 0:08:23 | |
and enjoy my coffee. | 0:08:23 | 0:08:24 | |
Loads of you mentioned how expensive it is to eat out. | 0:08:28 | 0:08:30 | |
And in fairness, you are right. It really is. | 0:08:30 | 0:08:32 | |
But tons of you also suggested a visit to what's now become known | 0:08:32 | 0:08:36 | |
as Reykjavik's most famous hot dog stand. | 0:08:36 | 0:08:39 | |
It's called Baejarins Beztu, | 0:08:39 | 0:08:41 | |
and hot dog master Skuli is showing me the ropes, so to speak. | 0:08:41 | 0:08:45 | |
-Are you ready? -I'm ready. | 0:08:45 | 0:08:46 | |
-I do the fried onions first. -OK. | 0:08:46 | 0:08:48 | |
The fresh onions. | 0:08:48 | 0:08:50 | |
-Ketchup. -Yeah. | 0:08:50 | 0:08:52 | |
Hot dog. Hot dog. | 0:08:53 | 0:08:55 | |
Mustard. | 0:08:55 | 0:08:56 | |
And the mayonnaise-based sauce. | 0:08:56 | 0:08:58 | |
The only rule is that the mustard and the mayonnaise-based sauce | 0:08:58 | 0:09:01 | |
has to be on top. | 0:09:01 | 0:09:03 | |
And is that the secret to why these hot dogs are so popular? | 0:09:03 | 0:09:06 | |
-Yeah, the ingredients, how fresh everything is. -Mm-hm. | 0:09:06 | 0:09:09 | |
Dab hand at this. This is no bother to me at all. | 0:09:09 | 0:09:12 | |
Mustard...slide... | 0:09:13 | 0:09:16 | |
..mayonnaise. I mean, come on. | 0:09:17 | 0:09:19 | |
So good! | 0:09:19 | 0:09:21 | |
Skuli, tell me why hot dogs are so popular in Reykjavik, | 0:09:24 | 0:09:26 | |
because you wouldn't think they are a typical food for here. | 0:09:26 | 0:09:30 | |
The company has been working since 1937. | 0:09:30 | 0:09:32 | |
People are kind of raised as kids... | 0:09:32 | 0:09:35 | |
-To go there... -Dropping by and... | 0:09:35 | 0:09:37 | |
So they continue and... | 0:09:37 | 0:09:39 | |
And over the years, have you had any famous customers? | 0:09:39 | 0:09:42 | |
Yeah. Of course. We had Bill Clinton. | 0:09:42 | 0:09:45 | |
-I love Bill. -And just recently, | 0:09:45 | 0:09:47 | |
-I had the opportunity to meet Kim Kardashian... -What?! | 0:09:47 | 0:09:50 | |
-..and her sister Kourtney. -You met the Kardashians? | 0:09:50 | 0:09:53 | |
-Kourtney and Kim. -Did they eat one? | 0:09:53 | 0:09:55 | |
Yeah, they all had hot dogs. | 0:09:55 | 0:09:57 | |
-Do you think I could look like Kim when I finish this? -Yeah. | 0:09:59 | 0:10:02 | |
-No doubt about it. -Thanks! | 0:10:02 | 0:10:04 | |
Great things. | 0:10:04 | 0:10:05 | |
One of the big attractions in Iceland | 0:10:05 | 0:10:07 | |
is, of course, the northern lights, | 0:10:07 | 0:10:10 | |
or aurora borealis, | 0:10:10 | 0:10:11 | |
a magnificent display | 0:10:11 | 0:10:13 | |
of bright, colourful, dancing lights in the sky, | 0:10:13 | 0:10:15 | |
which you can see in the winter months from October to March. | 0:10:15 | 0:10:19 | |
Unfortunately, we have come in May, | 0:10:20 | 0:10:22 | |
so we're visiting the Aurora Reykjavik Centre, | 0:10:22 | 0:10:25 | |
which tells you everything you might want to know about them. | 0:10:25 | 0:10:27 | |
-MAN: -..an invisible shield, the Earth's magnetic field. | 0:10:28 | 0:10:32 | |
Now for the science bit. | 0:10:32 | 0:10:33 | |
The northern lights are a result | 0:10:33 | 0:10:35 | |
of electronically charged particles from the sun | 0:10:35 | 0:10:37 | |
colliding with gaseous particles in the Earth's atmosphere. | 0:10:37 | 0:10:40 | |
And they are a regular occurrence in the Icelandic sky. | 0:10:40 | 0:10:43 | |
If you're looking for a break closer to home, | 0:10:46 | 0:10:49 | |
then check out Mairead's road trip to Donegal. | 0:10:49 | 0:10:51 | |
I'm taking a drive around the Inishowen Peninsula. | 0:10:54 | 0:10:57 | |
And my journey starts with a short ferry crossing. | 0:10:59 | 0:11:02 | |
Inishowen is just three hours from Dublin | 0:11:03 | 0:11:05 | |
and a really cool way to get here is drive up the stunning north coast | 0:11:05 | 0:11:08 | |
and take the Foyle ferry across. | 0:11:08 | 0:11:11 | |
And that's exactly what I'm doing today. | 0:11:11 | 0:11:13 | |
The ferry drops you off in Greencastle in County Donegal, | 0:11:17 | 0:11:21 | |
a small fishing port with an important history | 0:11:21 | 0:11:24 | |
that's been preserved here at the Maritime Museum & Planetarium. | 0:11:24 | 0:11:28 | |
It's got a detailed collection of memorabilia | 0:11:30 | 0:11:33 | |
that covers every aspect of the maritime history of Inishowen. | 0:11:33 | 0:11:37 | |
Driving around the peninsula | 0:11:41 | 0:11:42 | |
takes you through some beautiful rugged Donegal scenery. | 0:11:42 | 0:11:45 | |
And I'm following the route of the Inishowen 100. | 0:11:47 | 0:11:50 | |
The Inishowen 100 is perfect for people who love a good road trip | 0:11:51 | 0:11:54 | |
because it is a 100-mile scenic route | 0:11:54 | 0:11:57 | |
right the way round the peninsula. | 0:11:57 | 0:11:59 | |
It's really well signposted. | 0:11:59 | 0:12:00 | |
You could do it in a day, if you like. | 0:12:00 | 0:12:02 | |
Or you could do what I'm doing - take your time and do it over two. | 0:12:02 | 0:12:06 | |
There are some surprising stop-offs in the Inishowen 100. | 0:12:11 | 0:12:14 | |
Like here, just outside Buncrana, | 0:12:14 | 0:12:17 | |
where there's a park dedicated to John Newton, | 0:12:17 | 0:12:20 | |
the wretched sailor whose slave ship was washed ashore here | 0:12:20 | 0:12:23 | |
and who has gone down in history | 0:12:23 | 0:12:24 | |
as the composer of the hymn Amazing Grace. | 0:12:24 | 0:12:27 | |
One of the highest points on the Inishowen 100 route | 0:12:32 | 0:12:35 | |
is the Mamore Gap, | 0:12:35 | 0:12:36 | |
which reveals some spectacular views of the Atlantic | 0:12:36 | 0:12:39 | |
on the way to Malin Head, the northernmost point in Ireland. | 0:12:39 | 0:12:42 | |
But before I get there, | 0:12:43 | 0:12:45 | |
I'm stopping off to learn a bit about the local history. | 0:12:45 | 0:12:47 | |
During the Irish famine, | 0:12:49 | 0:12:51 | |
the population of Inishowen and Donegal was decimated. | 0:12:51 | 0:12:55 | |
And the famine village is the brainchild of Pat Doherty, | 0:12:56 | 0:12:59 | |
who converted his family home into a museum | 0:12:59 | 0:13:01 | |
that describes the history of the famine | 0:13:01 | 0:13:04 | |
and the tradition of the Irish wake. | 0:13:04 | 0:13:05 | |
One of the questions people ask is, | 0:13:07 | 0:13:09 | |
"Why would you sit beside a dead person for two nights?" | 0:13:09 | 0:13:11 | |
So we explain to them how it began. | 0:13:11 | 0:13:13 | |
A fear went across the world, the fear of being buried alive. | 0:13:13 | 0:13:16 | |
They sat beside the person in the hope the person would wake up. | 0:13:16 | 0:13:19 | |
And that's why it's called a wake in Ireland, | 0:13:19 | 0:13:21 | |
-sitting round, hoping for the person to wake up. -OK. | 0:13:21 | 0:13:24 | |
For the final leg of my journey, I'm going to the top of Ireland | 0:13:26 | 0:13:30 | |
and I'm staying the night at the country's most northerly hotel, | 0:13:30 | 0:13:33 | |
the Seaview Tavern in Malin. | 0:13:33 | 0:13:34 | |
It has only three rooms but, as the name suggests, | 0:13:35 | 0:13:38 | |
they all have a view of the sea. | 0:13:38 | 0:13:40 | |
-RADIO: -The shipping forecast issued by the Met Office | 0:13:42 | 0:13:44 | |
on behalf of the Maritime And Coastguard Agency... | 0:13:44 | 0:13:47 | |
Malin is a name that most people recognise | 0:13:47 | 0:13:49 | |
from the shipping forecast. | 0:13:49 | 0:13:51 | |
-RADIO: -Rockall, Malin, Hebrides, Bailey... | 0:13:51 | 0:13:53 | |
And this is why. | 0:13:53 | 0:13:54 | |
These are the instruments that gather the weather data | 0:13:54 | 0:13:57 | |
for the coastal area of Malin. | 0:13:57 | 0:13:59 | |
So when you hear the shipping forecast from Malin, | 0:13:59 | 0:14:02 | |
it's right here that all the information is gathered. | 0:14:02 | 0:14:05 | |
So, here I am, the most northerly tip of Ireland, Malin Head. | 0:14:11 | 0:14:16 | |
Malin Head is known as Banba's Crown, | 0:14:17 | 0:14:19 | |
named after the mythical Irish goddess Banba. | 0:14:19 | 0:14:21 | |
These markings were put on the headland during the Second World War | 0:14:24 | 0:14:27 | |
to identify it as Irish territory to the aircraft flying overhead. | 0:14:27 | 0:14:31 | |
But more recently, this spectacular setting was used | 0:14:31 | 0:14:35 | |
as the location for the latest Star Wars film, | 0:14:35 | 0:14:37 | |
so the man who runs the local coffee van must have some stories to tell. | 0:14:37 | 0:14:41 | |
Or has he been sworn to secrecy? | 0:14:41 | 0:14:43 | |
Now, I was told I can get a really good coffee in Malin Head. | 0:14:43 | 0:14:46 | |
I didn't believe it, Dominic, but it's true! | 0:14:46 | 0:14:49 | |
You have to come to the top of the world | 0:14:49 | 0:14:50 | |
-to get the best coffee in Ireland. -Oh, it's true, it's lovely! | 0:14:50 | 0:14:53 | |
And I believe there was a pretty big movie shot somewhere around here. | 0:14:53 | 0:14:58 | |
Was there? | 0:14:58 | 0:15:00 | |
-Yeah! -I couldn't possibly say. -Really? -Really. | 0:15:00 | 0:15:03 | |
-You didn't hear anything about that? -I didn't hear a thing. | 0:15:03 | 0:15:05 | |
Right. You must have been living under the rocks, then. | 0:15:05 | 0:15:09 | |
Hm... | 0:15:09 | 0:15:10 | |
Hm... | 0:15:10 | 0:15:11 | |
We're on a getaway in Iceland, | 0:15:14 | 0:15:15 | |
taking advantage of direct flights from Ireland. | 0:15:15 | 0:15:18 | |
So far, we've explored the wonders of the Golden Circle. | 0:15:18 | 0:15:22 | |
From tectonic plates... | 0:15:22 | 0:15:24 | |
..to shooting geysers... | 0:15:24 | 0:15:26 | |
and gushing waterfalls. | 0:15:26 | 0:15:28 | |
Bathing in volcanically heated hot springs | 0:15:32 | 0:15:35 | |
dates right back to Viking times in Iceland. | 0:15:35 | 0:15:38 | |
Outdoor pools can be found across the island, | 0:15:38 | 0:15:41 | |
used by locals and visitors alike. | 0:15:41 | 0:15:43 | |
But we were inundated with recommendations | 0:15:43 | 0:15:45 | |
for one in particular. | 0:15:45 | 0:15:47 | |
Well, feast your eyes on this. | 0:15:49 | 0:15:51 | |
The Blue Lagoon, a man-made oasis in the centre of a black lava field. | 0:15:51 | 0:15:56 | |
It uses water from a local geothermal plant, | 0:15:56 | 0:15:59 | |
and National Geographic named it as one of the 25 wonders of the world. | 0:15:59 | 0:16:03 | |
And lucky me, I'm about to get in. | 0:16:03 | 0:16:06 | |
The Blue Lagoon is made up of six million litres | 0:16:06 | 0:16:09 | |
of geothermal seawater, | 0:16:09 | 0:16:11 | |
which has been pushed up from 2,000 metres beneath the Earth's surface. | 0:16:11 | 0:16:14 | |
Some of this water is used by the plant | 0:16:14 | 0:16:16 | |
to generate electricity and hot water for nearby households. | 0:16:16 | 0:16:20 | |
So no immersions in Iceland. | 0:16:20 | 0:16:22 | |
The water is then fed into the lagoon | 0:16:22 | 0:16:24 | |
and it's rich in minerals like silica and sulphur. | 0:16:24 | 0:16:27 | |
These minerals are thought to help | 0:16:29 | 0:16:30 | |
with skin disorders such as psoriasis. | 0:16:30 | 0:16:32 | |
But it's worth mentioning that they also play havoc with your hair, | 0:16:32 | 0:16:36 | |
so you will need a lot of conditioner afterwards. | 0:16:36 | 0:16:39 | |
You may have seen my teeth chattering earlier on | 0:16:40 | 0:16:43 | |
because it's five degrees outside. | 0:16:43 | 0:16:45 | |
But in here, it is 38 degrees | 0:16:45 | 0:16:48 | |
and pure bliss. | 0:16:48 | 0:16:50 | |
Also on site is a cafe, indoor and outdoor loungers, | 0:16:52 | 0:16:56 | |
and a swim-up bar so you can enjoy the experience all day. | 0:16:56 | 0:17:00 | |
You may have noticed some pasty white faces | 0:17:03 | 0:17:04 | |
bobbing up and down in the lagoon there. | 0:17:04 | 0:17:06 | |
It's not sunscreen that they're wearing. | 0:17:06 | 0:17:08 | |
It is this silica mud mask. | 0:17:08 | 0:17:11 | |
They say it rejuvenates the skin | 0:17:11 | 0:17:12 | |
and gives it lots of vitamins and minerals again. | 0:17:12 | 0:17:15 | |
And I'm a sucker for anything that's going to make me look 20 again. | 0:17:15 | 0:17:18 | |
The Blue Lagoon is open every day all year, even Christmas Day, | 0:17:19 | 0:17:23 | |
and you can come here on an organised tour, | 0:17:23 | 0:17:26 | |
or if you have a hire car, | 0:17:26 | 0:17:27 | |
it's under an hour's drive from Reykjavik. | 0:17:27 | 0:17:29 | |
But a word of warning... | 0:17:29 | 0:17:31 | |
You'll need to book your tickets online in advance | 0:17:31 | 0:17:34 | |
or you just might not get in. | 0:17:34 | 0:17:35 | |
For my visit to Iceland, I don't think I was fully prepared | 0:17:46 | 0:17:50 | |
for some of the weird but wonderful, attractions here. | 0:17:50 | 0:17:53 | |
Take the Perlan, for example. | 0:17:53 | 0:17:54 | |
It has a cafe and a restaurant, | 0:17:54 | 0:17:56 | |
all that you'd expect from a visitors centre. | 0:17:56 | 0:17:58 | |
But what really intrigues me about it | 0:17:58 | 0:18:00 | |
is it sits right on top of the city's reservoir. | 0:18:00 | 0:18:02 | |
This landmark building combines modern architecture | 0:18:05 | 0:18:08 | |
with practicality. | 0:18:08 | 0:18:10 | |
These shiny, curved walls are in fact storage tanks, | 0:18:10 | 0:18:13 | |
each with a capacity to hold over four million litres | 0:18:13 | 0:18:16 | |
of hot geothermal water. | 0:18:16 | 0:18:18 | |
The mirrored dome, which sits on top of the tanks, | 0:18:20 | 0:18:22 | |
is designed to reflect the sun's rays, | 0:18:22 | 0:18:25 | |
making it stand out on the landscape. | 0:18:25 | 0:18:27 | |
The building itself is absolutely ingenious, with the added bonus | 0:18:31 | 0:18:34 | |
of having this viewing platform on the fourth floor | 0:18:34 | 0:18:37 | |
where you can take in the entire city. | 0:18:37 | 0:18:40 | |
And it's absolutely breathtaking. | 0:18:40 | 0:18:42 | |
And there's another draw here for tourists. | 0:18:45 | 0:18:49 | |
On the top floor of the Perlan, you will find the restaurant. | 0:18:49 | 0:18:52 | |
It is fine dining and the prices reflect that. | 0:18:52 | 0:18:55 | |
But you're on your holidays. Treat yourself! | 0:18:55 | 0:18:57 | |
I don't know if you've noticed this, but the restaurant rotates, | 0:18:57 | 0:19:00 | |
so you get to take in the entire vista. | 0:19:00 | 0:19:02 | |
It takes about two hours. | 0:19:02 | 0:19:04 | |
Plenty of time for a couple of rounds, at least. | 0:19:04 | 0:19:06 | |
Iceland's not all about fine dining, Joe. | 0:19:10 | 0:19:12 | |
I think it's time you tried some traditional Icelandic food. | 0:19:12 | 0:19:16 | |
Brace yourself! | 0:19:16 | 0:19:17 | |
-OK, hello, folks. -Hello. -Hi. | 0:19:17 | 0:19:20 | |
-Here...Icelandic food. -There we go. -OK. | 0:19:20 | 0:19:22 | |
Look at that! | 0:19:22 | 0:19:24 | |
Thank you. | 0:19:24 | 0:19:26 | |
We bake rye bread every night. | 0:19:26 | 0:19:28 | |
-It takes 10 or 11 hours to bake the bread. -11-hour bread? -Yes. | 0:19:28 | 0:19:31 | |
-This better be good, then! -It is, try it! | 0:19:31 | 0:19:34 | |
And here is mashed fish. | 0:19:34 | 0:19:35 | |
We call it plokkfiskur. | 0:19:35 | 0:19:37 | |
It is very Icelandic. | 0:19:37 | 0:19:39 | |
-And this is the shark. -Shark? | 0:19:39 | 0:19:41 | |
Don't smell it, just taste. | 0:19:41 | 0:19:43 | |
Brennivin is very good with it. The Black Death, you know? | 0:19:43 | 0:19:45 | |
Hang on, you're recommending food that goes well | 0:19:45 | 0:19:48 | |
-with a drink called Black Death? -Yes. | 0:19:48 | 0:19:50 | |
-Black Death with the shark. -OK. -OK. | 0:19:50 | 0:19:53 | |
-Enjoy. -Thank you. | 0:19:53 | 0:19:54 | |
-Thank you. -Thank you. -OK. -OK... | 0:19:54 | 0:19:56 | |
She's right, you don't smell it. | 0:19:56 | 0:19:58 | |
You see, now I want to. | 0:19:59 | 0:20:01 | |
Would you recommend it, Joe? | 0:20:08 | 0:20:10 | |
No! | 0:20:10 | 0:20:12 | |
It's the only thing I don't like about this place. | 0:20:12 | 0:20:14 | |
It's not bad. | 0:20:16 | 0:20:17 | |
Some people like it a lot. | 0:20:19 | 0:20:20 | |
-Can I just take a drink of the Black Death? -Yes. | 0:20:20 | 0:20:23 | |
All right, OK. Skol! | 0:20:23 | 0:20:25 | |
With tourism booming in Iceland, | 0:20:26 | 0:20:28 | |
new hotels are popping up all over Reykjavik. | 0:20:28 | 0:20:31 | |
We stayed at the CenterHotel Midgardur, | 0:20:31 | 0:20:34 | |
part of a small family-run chain. | 0:20:34 | 0:20:37 | |
It's a mid-range hotel with only 43 bedrooms, | 0:20:37 | 0:20:40 | |
which are compact but bright and modern. | 0:20:40 | 0:20:42 | |
A three-night break here costs from £502 per person sharing, | 0:20:43 | 0:20:47 | |
including flights. | 0:20:47 | 0:20:49 | |
Or you could stay at Iceland's largest hotel, | 0:20:49 | 0:20:52 | |
the recently opened four-star Fosshotel, Reykjavik. | 0:20:52 | 0:20:55 | |
It's close to the city centre and it has a good restaurant. | 0:20:55 | 0:20:58 | |
Three nights' bed-and-breakfast at the Fosshotel, Reykjavik | 0:21:00 | 0:21:03 | |
costs from £648 per person sharing. | 0:21:03 | 0:21:06 | |
Another tour that rated really high with you guys | 0:21:13 | 0:21:15 | |
is a trip out to sea for a spot of whale watching. | 0:21:15 | 0:21:17 | |
There are several companies who offer tours in Reykjavik, | 0:21:18 | 0:21:21 | |
which depart from the Old Harbour. | 0:21:21 | 0:21:23 | |
It's a suitable adventure for all the family, | 0:21:23 | 0:21:26 | |
with regular sightings of humpback, minke and fin whales. | 0:21:26 | 0:21:29 | |
Hopefully, we'll get lucky today. | 0:21:31 | 0:21:33 | |
I've grabbed tour guide Marcus to find out | 0:21:33 | 0:21:35 | |
what our chances of a sighting are. | 0:21:35 | 0:21:37 | |
Our summer success is very high. | 0:21:37 | 0:21:39 | |
We have 98%, almost close to 100%. | 0:21:39 | 0:21:42 | |
OK, so from May onwards we have a pretty good chance? | 0:21:42 | 0:21:45 | |
We have a good chance to see dolphins or whales, yes. | 0:21:45 | 0:21:48 | |
Well, we should also tell people that you are not guaranteed, | 0:21:48 | 0:21:51 | |
because this is their natural habitat, | 0:21:51 | 0:21:53 | |
so you're not guaranteed to see anything, either. | 0:21:53 | 0:21:55 | |
We always mention that, that this is wildlife. | 0:21:55 | 0:21:57 | |
We are here on their terms, in their territory. | 0:21:57 | 0:22:00 | |
They are not here to entertain us. They are here on their own terms. | 0:22:00 | 0:22:04 | |
-And we can't argue with that. -No, exactly. | 0:22:04 | 0:22:06 | |
With that word of advice firmly planted in my mind, | 0:22:06 | 0:22:10 | |
I find my place at the railings alongside all the other passengers, | 0:22:10 | 0:22:13 | |
in search of some wildlife action. | 0:22:13 | 0:22:15 | |
There was great excitement there just a minute ago, | 0:22:18 | 0:22:21 | |
sightings of a minke whale just over there to my left. | 0:22:21 | 0:22:24 | |
But with the choppy waters, we've lost him. | 0:22:24 | 0:22:27 | |
There's still time, though. There's still time. | 0:22:27 | 0:22:29 | |
We've got one more hour to go, so fingers crossed. | 0:22:29 | 0:22:32 | |
Whale watching tours generally last about two to three hours. | 0:22:34 | 0:22:38 | |
They are bit pricey, so you'll need to budget for this. | 0:22:38 | 0:22:41 | |
If you come whale watching between the months of May and October, | 0:22:41 | 0:22:44 | |
there is a 98% chance that you will see some whales. | 0:22:44 | 0:22:47 | |
Unfortunately, for me, | 0:22:47 | 0:22:49 | |
I have fallen into the 2% that have seen nothing today. | 0:22:49 | 0:22:53 | |
But it's worth mentioning that the tour operator | 0:22:53 | 0:22:56 | |
has given everybody on board a complimentary ticket, | 0:22:56 | 0:22:58 | |
which lasts for two years, so... | 0:22:58 | 0:23:01 | |
I'm just going to have to come back. Happy days! | 0:23:01 | 0:23:03 | |
Reykjavik is renowned for its wild party nightlife. | 0:23:06 | 0:23:09 | |
Here, that basically means going out on the absolute rip. | 0:23:09 | 0:23:13 | |
And on our social media, an overwhelming amount of you, | 0:23:13 | 0:23:16 | |
including Deirdre from Limerick and Stephen from Belfast, | 0:23:16 | 0:23:19 | |
said there's only one bar in Reykjavik to go to. | 0:23:19 | 0:23:21 | |
The Lebowski Bar. | 0:23:21 | 0:23:23 | |
-And, of course, we shall abide. -Absolutely. | 0:23:23 | 0:23:25 | |
The retro American bar pays homage to the famous Coen brothers' | 0:23:31 | 0:23:35 | |
1998 cult film starring Jeff Bridges | 0:23:35 | 0:23:39 | |
as the White Russian-drinking, avid bowler Dude. | 0:23:39 | 0:23:41 | |
This is quite possibly one of the greatest bars I've ever been in, | 0:23:43 | 0:23:46 | |
-being a massive fan of the movie. -Thanks, mate. | 0:23:46 | 0:23:48 | |
How did the Lebowski Bar happen? | 0:23:48 | 0:23:51 | |
Well, I just love the film | 0:23:51 | 0:23:53 | |
and wanted to do something about this theme. | 0:23:53 | 0:23:56 | |
I wanted to do some American-theme bar also. | 0:23:56 | 0:23:59 | |
I just decided to combine this together and make the Lebowski Bar. | 0:23:59 | 0:24:03 | |
White Russians are kind of the big thing within the movie | 0:24:06 | 0:24:09 | |
and you have a wide variety of White Russians, | 0:24:09 | 0:24:11 | |
all the beers named after characters. | 0:24:11 | 0:24:13 | |
-You've really put the detail in. -Yes, I have. | 0:24:13 | 0:24:16 | |
We decided, you know, if we're going to do this, | 0:24:16 | 0:24:18 | |
we're going to go all the way and have a lot of little things that, | 0:24:18 | 0:24:21 | |
you know, really, Lebowski fans... "Hey, this is from the movie!" | 0:24:21 | 0:24:25 | |
AS THE DUDE: I like your style, dude! | 0:24:25 | 0:24:28 | |
Now, it's fair to say Iceland is not famous as a shopping destination, | 0:24:35 | 0:24:39 | |
but you did have some suggestions. | 0:24:39 | 0:24:41 | |
Recommended to us by Hugh Yeamen in Bangor, County Down, is this, | 0:24:42 | 0:24:46 | |
the flea market, or as it is known, Kolaportid. | 0:24:46 | 0:24:49 | |
It takes place every weekend right down by the harbour. | 0:24:49 | 0:24:51 | |
How good does that look? | 0:24:55 | 0:24:57 | |
How much is this one? | 0:25:01 | 0:25:03 | |
You're not going to be troubling Antiques Roadshow any time soon, | 0:25:03 | 0:25:05 | |
but what you will find is a great array of books, clothing, records, | 0:25:05 | 0:25:09 | |
general bric-a-brac | 0:25:09 | 0:25:11 | |
and it has that feeling of being a neighbourhood market. | 0:25:11 | 0:25:13 | |
A jumper with a cat on it. | 0:25:22 | 0:25:24 | |
I really want a jumper with a cat on it. | 0:25:24 | 0:25:27 | |
You also suggested we visit | 0:25:29 | 0:25:31 | |
one of the most famous record shops in Iceland. | 0:25:31 | 0:25:33 | |
Your wish is my command. | 0:25:33 | 0:25:35 | |
I'm going to have a look around your store. | 0:25:37 | 0:25:39 | |
So you may as well just take my wallet now. | 0:25:39 | 0:25:41 | |
-Yes. -Just, you know... -How much money do you have? | 0:25:41 | 0:25:44 | |
Just, you know, until the bank call you. | 0:25:44 | 0:25:46 | |
-OK. -I'll just... -Yeah, yeah, I'm used to that! | 0:25:46 | 0:25:49 | |
The 12 Tonar shop is not only a record shop | 0:25:52 | 0:25:55 | |
but it's also a local record label, | 0:25:55 | 0:25:58 | |
reflecting the passion of the Icelandic music scene. | 0:25:58 | 0:26:01 | |
What is it about this record store particularly you think | 0:26:02 | 0:26:05 | |
that gives you that great reputation? | 0:26:05 | 0:26:07 | |
I think it's quite an old-fashioned store | 0:26:07 | 0:26:10 | |
and we're just in it for music, you know? | 0:26:10 | 0:26:12 | |
We are just... | 0:26:12 | 0:26:14 | |
Everybody who works here is involved in the music and that's what we... | 0:26:14 | 0:26:18 | |
I mean, it's not our job, you know? It's more than that. It's our life. | 0:26:18 | 0:26:22 | |
I think music is very important for Icelanders. | 0:26:22 | 0:26:26 | |
Whenever they come together, they start singing. | 0:26:26 | 0:26:30 | |
You know, that's just part of being Icelandic. | 0:26:30 | 0:26:33 | |
A trip to Iceland will inevitably involve taking in nature, | 0:26:34 | 0:26:38 | |
and the landscape here is beautiful and it's dramatic. | 0:26:38 | 0:26:42 | |
So... what better way to appreciate it | 0:26:42 | 0:26:44 | |
than to drive around it in a high-speed, reckless manner? | 0:26:44 | 0:26:47 | |
Take your protein pills and put your helmet on. | 0:26:47 | 0:26:50 | |
Buggy Adventures offers off-road, | 0:26:54 | 0:26:56 | |
off-the-beaten-track tours of Iceland | 0:26:56 | 0:26:59 | |
and the rugged landscape here lends itself perfectly to thrill-seekers. | 0:26:59 | 0:27:02 | |
They suit you up in overalls and a helmet and, believe me, | 0:27:06 | 0:27:10 | |
you need the kit, as these buggies are all about driving through dykes, | 0:27:10 | 0:27:13 | |
ditches and dirt tracks. | 0:27:13 | 0:27:15 | |
All you need is a valid driving licence | 0:27:25 | 0:27:27 | |
to take control of these cages. | 0:27:27 | 0:27:28 | |
Or, like me, you can offer some thrills as a passenger. | 0:27:28 | 0:27:31 | |
Congratulations on passing your test | 0:27:43 | 0:27:45 | |
and good luck to you in your future career as a school bus driver! | 0:27:45 | 0:27:48 | |
So, Mairead, how was Iceland for you? | 0:27:51 | 0:27:53 | |
I loved so many things about it, Joe. | 0:27:53 | 0:27:55 | |
But my highlight was probably the Blue Lagoon. | 0:27:55 | 0:27:58 | |
In my current pregnant state, I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it | 0:27:58 | 0:28:03 | |
and I even bought the silicon mud mask on the way out. | 0:28:03 | 0:28:05 | |
-It's why you look so young! -Thank you! | 0:28:05 | 0:28:07 | |
I have to say I love pretty much everything about Iceland. | 0:28:07 | 0:28:09 | |
It's one of the most beautiful, fascinating, | 0:28:09 | 0:28:11 | |
idiosyncratic countries I've ever visited. | 0:28:11 | 0:28:13 | |
-Do I have to give it marks out of ten? -Yeah. | 0:28:13 | 0:28:15 | |
I'm going to go nine out of ten. | 0:28:15 | 0:28:16 | |
Iceland, you lose a point for the fermented shark. | 0:28:16 | 0:28:18 | |
-You need to get over the whole shark thing. -Never. | 0:28:18 | 0:28:21 | |
It's still repeating on me. See you next time on Getaways. | 0:28:21 | 0:28:24 |