JUNK BOAT TRAVELS: Rost

Linking up with Marg at The Intrepid Reader

June 2025 - Toronto ON - Reykjavik Iceland

REYKJAVIK ICELAND

Saturday we headed out at 11:15 to catch the streetcar downtown. We stopped at Union Station to try Jersey Mike's Philly cheesesteaks. John loved it, I thought it was a little one note and prefer the cold cuts.

Then we walked over to Canadian Stage Company, too early, so we enjoyed the sun on Berczy Park, where to dog fountain is.

Heading out.

For the first act, all seven performers sat informally on the stage.

In the second act, they dressed up to perform individually or in pairs or trios.

Performed by an illustrious line-up of Canadian musical theatre stars including Thom Allison, Ben Carlson, Janelle Cooper, Joe Matheson, Tracy Michailidis, Daren A. Herbert and Julia Pulo, audiences will travel the country and the decades through music. Highlighting the brilliance of some of Canada's greatest songwriters, this nostalgic concert is our tribute to the artists and stories that have helped to shape our nation's cultural identity. It’s a reflection of who we are, who we’ve been, and who we want to become, presented with feeling, fun, and a deep love for the true north.

We had never heard the song, Miss Chatelaine!! Written by k. d. lang.

The title refers to the Canadian magazine Chatelaine, which named lang Woman of the Year in 1988.

We caught sight of a couple of neighbours (Jim and ?) ahead of as we walked to Richmond to catch the streetcar. They had really enjoyed the show too.

Our phone lanyards arrived along with some new reading glasses for me.

Sunday

The history behind Toronto's own version of "Stonewall" event.

An English friend received my postcards, but not the one I mailed in Madeira.

Monday Murals are from the LX Factory in Lisbon Portugal in April.

John attempted to get a walk in at a dermatologist but they were fully booked.

While he was out I did a good tidy up and was taking the green bin to the recycling when the bottom fell out in front of the elevators! What a mess, eggshells, mushy vegetables, table scraps, ugh, I got it all cleaned up but of course a neighbour came out and a worker to witness it.

I went to Bay and Bloor to get John a couple of lightweight (not winter) scarves for Iceland (black and blue). Then I picked up a couple of items at Mr. Grocer's (Loblaws).

He returned the wrong items we received to Purolator. And he rehung the kitchen pictures that fell last night, well, one fell and knocked the other one down too.

I had asked the tour company to rebook our Day 2 Hop On to Day 4, however they said they couldn't. Then I thought why not rebook our whales and puffins on Day 2 and split it, whales Day 2 so we can do the Hop On after lunch. Then we can do Puffins (1 hr) on Day 4 where we had no big plans! I cancelled the combined tour.

Tuesday Signs are additions to my Chip Off the Ole Block potato chips post.

Happy Icelandic National Day – or as we say in Icelandic, Gleðilegan þjóðhátíðardag! 🇮🇸 Today we’re celebrating our heritage across the country, and also in the skies above. On June 17, 1944, Iceland officially became an independent republic, and the date has been honored ever since with parades, music, and plenty of flag-waving. You might spot marching bands, street performers, and even Fjallkonan (the Lady of the Mountain) reciting poetry in traditional dress.

Tuesday we were up at 6 so that John could drive to the walk in, still no joy, he couldn't find parking and they were already lined up at 6:30.

New plan, Uber booked for tomorrow morning at 6:15. Our first shuttle is 6:35 so that wouldn't work.

John used the golf simulator while I went to Rexall, Winners, $ store and Longos. Then I had a long chat catching up with my cousin.

Wednesday we were up at 5:30. John's Uber came at 6:15 and he was at the clinic at 6:30 and the line up was already 10-15 ahead of him. Basically they do triage and arrange an appointment for you. He took the bus back to Union to get the shuttle at 9 when he got a call and headed back. They did a biopsy and prescribed an antibiotic. No swimming next week.

I went to the Eaton Centre and basically returned empty handed other than the lunch I had.

The condo has done some work and installation of artificial turf in the far west dog park is now complete.

Next week is underground garage power wash so the valets have our car keys to move it.

The mandatory annual fire safety inspection at Palace Pier begins Monday June 23rd and will take approximately 10 days to complete. Dunwell Fire Protection Services will access all suites as noted below between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. to carry out the required in-suite inspections. Members of our staff will accompany the fire safety technicians into the suites. They have permission to enter our suite.

Kindly ensure that all chain locks, double locks and alarm systems are turned off to avoid a “no access” situation.

Thursday

It's Juneteenth, a federal holiday (for now) commemorating the end of slavery in the US. Canada has many links to the Underground Railway including this church in St. Catherine's ON with links to Harriet Tubman.

I was up at 6:30 and got us checked in with Icelandic Air and installed the app. I continued working on our 6 month recap and realized i hadn't done a Portugal recap so worked on that.

10 AM mani-pedis for both of us then home and we began packing. We headed out for lunch on the 12:10. John suggested Indian so went to Aroma, all you can eat (AYCE) buffet. We tried a new beer.

Back home, we got organized and finished packing.

Ubers are ordered for tonight and our return flight on Tuesday.

Uber picked us up at 7:35 and we headed to check in which was quick and easy. Security was busy and then to the lounge, however it was filled to capacity so we found a bar near our gate. Crazy, overpriced.

Finally on board. Interesting, we haven't seen this before. Two MedVac guys board, the flight attendants ask some solo passengers if they would change seats, all said no. Two wheel chairs are brought on board. It is clear one woman has a foot injury and they get her seated. A solo passenger then says he would change seats so that the MedVac guy can sit with the patient. As the Toronto staff board the passenger, the MedVac says he will seat her as she has no mobility. They are in the row in front of us. I realize the women are Scottish mother and daughter. I can only assume they were in an accident and heading home. They were in good spirits and very engaged with the attendants.

It dawned on us that many people take advantage of IcelanicAir's offer of a few stopover to the UK and Ireland.

On board. Flight is announced as 4 hours and 40 minutes.

Safety instructions.

Surprised that the cod was served cold.

You can buy your duty free when you land!!

Landing, customs, duty free, baggage pick up, bus to BSI terminal, transfer to your (green) bus to stop 14 to hotel. Start to end 2 hours.

Our bus stop is only a few minutes, up hill to our hotel.

We checked in, rooms not yet available, so we headed for coffee at Brennan's at the corner.

From there we headed to Harpa Concert to meet up for our Food Walk. That will be covered in our Day 1 Reykjavik post. OMG it will take me a whole day to do that post. We did so much, plus it got us grounded and we didn't need dinner!

After the food tour we made our way to the hotel, checked in (4 PM) got a little organized and had a nap (we were up on June 19 around 7, had a couple of hours sleep on the way, and it is only noon at home), and got up at 7 PM to do some wandering.

The rooms are small but good, location is fantastic, on their most famous street. There are enough plugs to charge everything so who needs more?