Today was our first of three days on the Iceland City Card. We started off the day together at Kjarvalsstaoir, a local art museum. We visited two exhibits that featured local Icelandic artists. I really enjoyed the exhibits because they did not only showcase the final products but also the process. One sketch was even done on hotel stationery because you never know when inspiration will strike. We then broke off into groups, and my new friends and I went to Ásmundarsafn. This art museum contains the sculptures of Ásmundur Sveinsson. While walking around, a curator was able to explain the stories behind multiple pieces which really brought them to life. The sculptures in the museum were merely duplicates, and the real sculptures are scattered around this city. We have now been on the lookout for the sculptures around the city and have already spotted two.

Later in the day, we visited the zoo. The Icelandic zoo was very different than an American zoo. As shown in the picture above, it was more like a farm divided into sections. There was a cow section, a duck section, a sheep section, a goat section, a reindeer section, and a horse section. There were also various animals in the center of the zoo such as pigs and chickens. After visiting the Icelandic environmental organization, I started to consider if the animals were being properly cared for. I came to the conclusion that some may not be. The seals, for example, were gigantic and did not have much room to swim in, and on the other hand, the reindeer were so thin that I could see their ribs. While I do not know much about the care of animals, I could see that some of the animals need more attention.