Húsavík - Not My Hometown
Located along the north coast of Iceland, first-time visitors could easily overlook the fishing town of Húsavík. Half an hour's detour from the Ring Road, this town of 2,300 establishes itself as the whale-watching capital of Iceland. Until fairly recently, almost all whale-watching trips depart from this sleepy village. For this trip, Brian and I did not really consider a whale-watching tour to be worth the time and expense. Serendipitously, whale watching did draw us to Húsavík since we were supposed to meet up with our friends and neighbor Vince and Ivy after their whale-watching trip. Although we were in Iceland simultaneously, we opted to travel in tandem and meet once every few days. That ended up being a wonderful way of travel.
The Harbor of Húsavík.
We had about an hour before their whale-watching boat returned. I must admit that our first impression of Húsavík was not particularly pleasant. When we got out of the car, the stench of rotten fish was overwhelming. Thankfully, we got used to the smell fairly quickly, and we enjoyed the town in its finest light as the sky started to clear for the first time in the past two days. The pint-sized town was easy to explore; nearly all of the town’s restaurants and sights are centered around the town’s busy port.
The humble downtown of Húsavík.
The Harbor of Húsavík.
Though small in size, Húsavík holds a spiritual place in the spiritual place in hearts of Icelanders. According to the saga, this was the first landing place of the Norseman in the year 870 A.D. by the Swedish explored Garðar Svavarsson. Even though he stayed in the area for only one winter, Svavarsson’s two slaves decided to settle there. This account makes Húsavík the oldest continuous settlement in all of Iceland. The name Húsavík means “bay of houses” in Icelandic, and it may refer to the earliest houses on the island.
Húsavík Whale Museum
Aside from the whale-watching tours, the most popular sight in town is the Húsavík Whale Museum, which is just stepping away from the whale-watching tours. The museum labels itself as one of the largest museums in the world dedicated to everything related to whales. Housed in a former slaughterhouse, the museum is spacious and comprehensively surveys everything one might want to know about whales. From the evolutionary history to their natural habitats, the exhibit does a great job of engaging visitors without being overly technical.
Húsavík Whale Museum.
The highlight of the museum is its impressive collection of whale skeletons. With eleven specimens on display, you got to admire the remnants of everything from killer whales to the elusive narwhal. The crown jewel of it all is the 22-meter-long skeleton of a blue whale, which occupies a hall alone. The museum was quick to assure all visitors that all whales on display died of 'natural causes. The museum staff was notified whenever a dead whale was washed onto the shore. Indeed, all the whales in the museum are indigenous to the waters of Iceland. Aside from the skeleton, we could also physically touch various samples of whale blubbers and outer skins.
Húsavík Whale Museum.
Killer whale skeleton.
The museum also tackles the cultural and social-economic aspects of whales. As someone with no particular interest in whales or their biology, I find the most interesting exhibit traces the history of whaling in Iceland. Like any culture of the northern latitude, Iceland has a long history of whaling. The museum did not shy away from the gruesome nature of commercial whaling. While Iceland did not practice the ceremonial killing of whales like the Faroe Islands, the country did begin to reissue limited commercial whaling permits in the early 2010s. The extent of Icelandic whaling seems to fly under the radar for whatever reason. Japan and the Faroe Islands seem to get all the wrath from the international community.
Skeleton of a blue whale.
As the whaling capital of Iceland, the coexistence of commercial whaling and whale-watching enterprises certainly presents a stark contradiction. Although whales were part of Iceland’s traditional diet, those days were long gone. Today’s whaling is for export to Japan and supply for touristic restaurants in Reykjavík. So, for anyone who loves whales, avoid any establishment serving whale meat. At the end of the day, very few Icelanders consume whale meat nowadays. According to some analyses, whale-watching activities generate five times as much money as commercial whaling.
Húsavík Wooden Church
The most recognizable landmark in Húsavík is the town’s impressive church, Húsavíkurkirkja. For anyone who has been in Iceland for a while, Icelandic churches are typically quite humble in scale. Beside the Hallgrímskirkja in Reykjavík, just about every other church in the country is a humble timber-frame structure or a glorified warehouse. From afar, Húsavík’s main church looks striking. It looks tall, and its Swiss-chalet style seems particularly out of place. Designed in 1907 by Icelandic architect Rögnvaldur Ólafsson, the church is well-known nationally. In fact, our Airbnb host, Nana Viktoria, mentioned this church to us a few days prior. This is her favorite church in the country, and we could see why.
The wooden bell tower dominated the skyline of the town.
Marvelous color inside the church.
Partly due to the pandemic, the vast majority of churches we visited in Iceland were not open to visitors. Naturally, we were ecstatic when we realized the doors were unlocked. The interior space has been meticulously restored and looks brand new. The interior of the church is soaring and brightly lit by daylight. The mustard timber frame and the royal blue ceiling gave the church a regal appearance. According to the guidebook, the unique interior reflects the shipbuilding tradition of the town. The elegantly vaulted ceiling makes this one of the most beautiful interiors in Iceland.
The Alter with the “Resurrection of Lazarus”.
The lectern.
I always like to admire these custom hardware.
Unlike most recent trips, this Icelandic adventure has been largely an outdoor affair. While it was a good thing because of the ongoing pandemic, it was good to spend a little time admiring many beautiful architectural details down from the front door lever to the lectern. One item of interest is the painting over the altar; it depicts the Resurrection of Lazarus with Iceland’s volcanic landscape as its background.
GeoSea Thermal Bath
There are approximately half a dozen premium thermal baths all around Iceland. While Blue Lagoon and Mývatn Nature Baths may receive most visitors and press, this small bath in Húsavík somehow flew under the radar. Admittedly, I only learned about this place because of Instagram. Opened in 2018, the GeoSea Thermal Bath is probably the most upscale of all the thermal bathing in Iceland. The architecture is discretely integrated into the landscape, and it was not until arrival at the entry lobby that we were greeted with the expansive view of Skjálfandi Bay and the snow-capped mountain range beyond. From the pool deck, there was not a single man-made structure in sight except for the adjacent lighthouse. Even though we were only three minutes away from central Húsavík, we felt like a world away.
Seems like any premium thermal bath is build into the landscape.
Undoubtedly the best view of any thermal bath in Iceland.
By area, it is a fraction of the size of the famous bath, but it provides a far more intimate overall experience. Although their thermal water does not have the white silica color characteristic of Blue Lagoon, it is just as hot and comfortable. And because there is no silica residual in the pool, we don’t feel like it is as messy of an experience. For 4,900 ISK per person, GeoSea is comparatively cheaper than its more famous counterparts. Judging from the impressive vistas and beautiful architecture, we suspect the admission will rise steadily over the next few years as Húsavík gains its foothold as an essential stop on the tourist trail.
Hands down the best thermal pool that we have ever visited.
From the infinity pool, we were able to survey the surrounding water and hope to catch a glimpse of a whale. Granted that it was far away, I did get to spot a dolphin or two. Though we did not get to spot any big whales, there were plenty of fishing and whaling vessels cruising the bay, including a very handsome, tall boat. The designer of this place knows their asset. Even from the sauna, you have a wall-to-ceiling glass with a picture-perfect view of the bay. To maximize relaxation, they have the same electronic bracelet system as the one at Blue Lagoon, so getting your beverages was as easy as pie. The local draft Húsavík certainly hit the spot.
It just doesn’t get better than this.
Time for serious relaxation.
Sunset over Skjálfanda.
But with all the extreme relaxation, one of the toughest things about visiting GeoSea is to decide when to leave. While we spent two hours at the Mývatn Nature Baths and two and a half hours at the Blue Lagoon, we were surprised that we spent more than four hours considering its limited size. Honestly, we only left early (10 pm) because the only place to eat in town closed at 10:30 pm. With this amazing weather, I felt ambivalent about not milking every minute. Indeed, GeoSea is our favorite thermal bath in Iceland, and we have vowed to return in the winter. Could you imagine how amazing it would be to enjoy the northern light in this spectacular setting?
Húsavík of the Eurovision Fame
As we were relaxing in the warm pool of GeoSea, an American couple next to us mentioned a relatively recent movie: Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga. I have heard of this movie and its association with Iceland. Before any of my trips, I usually dig up a couple of popular movies or television shows about the destination of our visit. Along with the newly released thriller Katla, the Eurovision Song Contest was among the popular movies about Iceland on Netflix. Starring Will Ferrell and Rachael McAdams, the film told the story of a fictional b-rated musical group from Húsavík who managed to represent Iceland after a tragic incident that killed off all of their competitors. Despite the silly premises, the movie garners many positive reviews from viewers and critics alike.
Unlike many of our fellow Americans, Brian and I are aware of the existence of the Eurovision Song Contest. We know this uniquely European phenomenon is supposed to be brash, bombastic, and nationalistic. I put this movie on the watchlist because we are not big fans of Will Ferrell movies, so we never got around to it. But since we had such a fond memory of our time in Húsavík, this was the first movie we watched upon our return home. We both were very much surprised by just how enjoyable the movie was. As silly as the movie may be, the movie does a great job of satirizing both Iceland and the Eurovision Song Contest.
Based on my understanding, Húsavík was chosen as the setting for the movie due to its relative fame among Icelanders. But on a more practical level, the name “Húsavík” is far more practical for the international audience than many other Icelandic towns like Suðurnesjabær or Seydisfjordur. The movie features the town’s many landmarks. Will Ferrill’s character climbed the wooden church tower to announce their selection to represent Iceland. But the clearest association with the town was the movie’s main theme song: Húsavík (My Hometown). Performed by Will Ferrell and Swedish pop singer Molly Sandén, the song is musically brilliant and central to the movie plot.
To the surprise of many, the song garnered a nomination for best original song at the 2021 Academy Awards. What we love the most about this song is the locals' apparent embrace of Eurovision fame. Despite plenty of Icelandic stereotypes and cliches, the film presents Húsavík in a positive light. The community rallied around the song and organized a campaign to have the song nominated. With the nomination in hand, Húsavík took the opportunity to capitalize on its fame with a coordinated publicity campaign for the Oscar and future tourism. This effort showcases Icelanders’ scrappy make-do mentality that always makes the best of the situation.
Even though the song ultimately did not get the nod for Oscar, the song has catapulted Húsavík onto the world stage. Amid the pandemic measure, Molly Sandén and the local children of Húsavík gathered along the harborfront for a beautiful live performance for the Academy Award. It was a lovely tribute to this little town, from the mountain backdrop to the faint northern light. Somehow, I am glad we didn't watch this movie until our return. I would have geeked out on all the film references and missed the real Húsavík.
