InkSpired Magazine Issue No. 41 | Page 31

A stone’s throw from Geysir is majestic Gullfoss, a two s­ tage waterfall spilling the Hvítá River into an obscured crevasse, where it seems to disappear into the Earth. Expressionist cathedral Hallgrímskirkja, conceptualized by State Architect Guðjón Samúelsson in 1937 to resemble the predominant basalt cliffs of Iceland’s landscape is one of the tallest structures on the island. Construction began in 1945 and was consecrated in 1986, totaling 41 years of construction. Standing sentinel above Reykjavik, the spire is visible throughout town. The elevator from the lobby to the observation desk offers a bird’s eye over the bright colored Swiss c­ halet and Scandinavian­style architecture and bustling avenues of Reykjavik. I wouldn’t consider this a once i­n a ­­ lifetime trip. I plan to return as often as possible. There’s an odd sense of comfort in the mystery that exists here. Iceland is a magical and strange place to discover for oneself. Over and over and over. InkSpiredMagazine.com 29