Busing Around Iceland

We have finally finished our nine day road trip around the country. We have settled in a little fishing town of 200 people in the Westfjords named Thingeyri. During these travels we have had the opportunity to try the local food.
A delicious lamb and potato dinner on a night out in the town.
Here there is a lot of soup, fish, ham and cheese sandwiches, and endless amounts of bread and pastries. Everything is homemade and delicious. Especially all of the homemade desserts and ice cream. The soups are usually vegetable, fish or lamb soups and it is a very common meal for lunch and dinner. The biggest difference in meal time is breakfast. While there are cereals and fruit served, there are also a lot of meats like ham and salami to be eaten with cheese and bread. I think breakfast feels a lot more like lunch than a typical American breakfast.
A typical ham and cheese sandwich with chocolate cake.
Food here isn’t too different than that of the United States, but it is much more expensive than at home. It is about 1000 krona to one US dollar. A bowl of soup including bread and usually coffee or tea costs between 10,000-20,000 krona or $10-$20. A ham and cheese sandwich was usually around 9000 krona or $9. Breads and pastries ranged from 3000-5000 krona or $3-$5. The first nine days we were primarily eating out, so clearly it added up.

A typical vegetable and fish soup from a local cafe.
The most cost friendly way to eat in Iceland is shopping at a grocery store. Bonus stores are the least expensive and are found throughout the country. Now that we are settled in one town, we do not have to eat out for every meal, like we did on the road. However, the closest grocery store to Thingeyri is a 45 minute bus ride to a bigger town. So, we have to make the most of every trip.
Soft serve ice cream is available at most gas stations

While here, our group had the opportunity to try one of Iceland’s most famous local foods- fermented shark. Honestly, it was one of the worst things I have ever put in my mouth. Our tour guide served it on a toothpick in a shot of vodka. It was a gnarly combination. Some of my classmates ate it like a champ, however another one of my classmates actually threw it up afterwards. It is hard to describe what fermented shark actually tastes like, but it is chewy and has a very strong smell and taste. I’m glad I got to try this, but it is definitely not something I would like to have again!

Excited about the waffles from Thingeyri’s only cafe!