The Saturday Morning Post: Harpa

 Harpa is the concert hall, convention center on the waterfront in Iceland.  It is all glass on the outside, and all amazing on the inside.  The real estate brokers of Iceland were holding a meeting when I was there, I still have a real estate brokers license, haven't used it in nearly 30 years.  Maybe I should have crashed their party, just for fun. 

Some see Harpa as a symbol of the collapse of the Iceland economy in the 2008-2009. Apparently it was built during the dot.com boom years, and the bill came due just as the world economy crashed. Iceland was especially hard hit, the banks had become a major financier of the north Atlantic lobster trade, and discovered that lobster does not make very good collateral when no one is buying it.  It is not like you can hold onto it, lease it out for five years until the market recovers (like office and apartment buildings, or ships and planes.) 

Iceland did end up with a world class spectacular landmark space.  One of a couple in Reykjavik, when you see this or the church I featured recently, you just know where in the world it is.  And a place for spectacular performance.  You can have great music anyplace, but a stage like this makes it all the more grand. 

A walk from the hotel, down to the waterfront, and along the waterfront to this was on my dream list when I booked the trip.  J was exhausted by the painful overnight flight wedged into a 737 Max, and elected to rest while I went out to explore.  I was tired, but wanted to do this, and I am so glad I did. A couple of hours of walking, taking photos and absorbing the place.