Never block the view

A warning from a fierce Icelander.

Hey folks, this is my last day in Iceland, I’m heading down from the Westfjords and back to Reykjavik this morning. I’m a little behind and haven’t had quite as much writing time as I thought, but I’m drowning in stories and images that I’m stoked to get to later. I should have a new essay, spring pictures, and Q&A responses out soon (last call for questions!). For now, I wanted to share a small vignette from the trip so far.

Skylar

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05/30/2025 - Flateyri

The sun had finally broken through. After a dreary day, the evening light was showing on the small fishing town of Flateyri. I had been walking around making photos of the village and the surrounding Önundarfjörður, the incredibly beautiful fjord on which it's perched. A respite from the rain was very much welcome, but it was the same midnight sun that had been playing with my sleep schedule for the past week. It was around 8:30 pm and I was about to head back to my campground when I passed by Vagninn, a dive bar I had tried to visit a few days prior but was closed. This time the front door was ajar with a sign outside that read "Opið," so of course I pulled over.

Once parked, I stepped outside the car, grabbed my backpack, and ventured toward the bar. As I crossed the street, a little girl, probably eight years old give or take, ran outside the open bar door straight towards me. She stopped a few feet away, looked at me, and said something in Icelandic. When I stared back apologetically, she realized I didn’t understand, and in English said “You're blocking the view.” She stood there for a second, sheepishly, then turned around and ran back inside.

I was the middle of the street, confused. My brain was a little mushy from the long day and in desperate need of a beer. I looked up at the Vagninn, and could see a few tables through the window. I turned around, looked at my van out front. Then the fjord behind me. I laughed to myself, got back in my car, and pulled forward a bit. She was right, I was blocking the view.