If you don't slip on that ice, there's plenty to see in Iceland's short days

Iceland is the land that health and safety forgot.

Not for this sturdy Nordic land are legal warnings about the dangers of hot coffee or slippery roads.  Weather closures?  Don't be silly.  Iceland stays open all year, despite the dark, snow and ice.  Drive.  Hike.  Climb behind a waterfall.  If you're stupid enough to slide into a ditch, slip and break a bone or plunge to your death off an icy trail, that's down to your own lack of common sense.  The Icelanders, after all, are all indoors having a soak at their community hot water pools.

We managed to fit a fair amount of exploring into five days, with the only casualty being a badly jammed kneecap when, despite taking great care, I wiped out on a sheet of ice that covered the car park at the Reykjavic Saga Museum.  But, really, it was just a matter of time.  Pretty much every car park, pavement and side road in the country was a skating rink.  (The notable exception being the Blue Lagoon which, one assumes, has such an enormous flow of foreign tourists they feel the need for more thorough clearance.)

There is no bad weather; only inappropriate clothing.  If I ever do Iceland again in the winter, I'll be going with slip-on crampons to slip beneath boots with much better traction than the fashionable but useless version I took along.  I'd made the mistake of anticipating lots of snow, which any time spent looking at average temperatures would have told me was a mistake. Thanks to the Gulf Stream, the whole country hovers, on average, a degree or two on either side of freezing all winter.  This, inevitably, leads to a world wavering between water and its frozen form.  It is, after all, called ICEland.

So why in the world did we head to this treacherous, real-life version of the Frozen set in the depths of winter?  Two reasons:  northern lights, and one of the most spectacular New Year's Eve traditions in the world.  We did indeed see those magical lights, and the turn-of-the-year festivities lived up to expectations.  More on those in the next entry.  But, even for the most ardent, that's less than 12 hours of activity.  How do you fill the rest of the trip?

Sightseeing is possible, despite the fact there are just over four hours of daylight at this time of the year. In Reykjavic, they just get on with things in the dark.  In the countryside, you time your visits so you're driving to and from your destination in twilight, saving the sun for the sights.  Although "sun" is a relative term.  Low on the horizon, screened most of the time by thick banks of clouds, the light source is less sunshine and more a murky, pearlescent illumination.  The landscape was dark rock peeking through drifts of snow, mediated by tones of grey and the occasional fungal green.  It's like living in a black and white film.

But a very, very dramatic one.  We spent three days on the south coast, where imposing volcanic peaks drop into strips of flat, water- and glacier-scrubbed fields before black sand beaches give way to plunging surf.  Waterfalls plummet down cliff faces.  Meandering streams cut stark deltas, free of any grasses or trees as they flow to the sea.

Our south coast highlights:
Seljalandsfoss - Conveniently located within sight of the main road, you can't miss this one.   Its great claim to fame is one that needs warmer weather:  stairs at either side give you access to a cavern behind the falls.  At this time of year the way is completely iced over, so we just gazed in admiration at the power of the water thundering off the cliff.

Skogafoss - A little further back from the road, but another one that's easy to drive up to, wander a few steps and admire.  Like the one above, it's another wide, straight, thundering fall from a cliff edge above.  This one is in the back of a valley, however, so a touch more picturesque.

Vik - Hard to believe, but this tiny hamlet of around 300 inhabitants is the biggest population centre on this stretch of coast.  It's raw nature with a few farmsteads for 50 miles in either direction.  Thus the petrol station, restaurant and small woollen mill here are a big deal.  For the best sight, however, you leave your car and walk a couple hundred yards out to the beach, where the dramatic stretch of black basalt sand with atmospheric basalt pinnacles rising out of the waves offshore has featured on lists of the 10 most beautiful beaches in the world.  And the drive into Vik from the west, sweeping around a mountain pass with spectacular views before descending back to the coast, is equally dramatic.

Gamla Fjosio - This little restaurant sits in that wilderness to the west of Vik, not far from the visitor's centre for Eyjafjallajokull.  That's the tough-to-pronounce volcano that shut down air traffic across Europe in 2010.  The visitor centre is a barn with some photos and information boards inside, on which we decided not to lay out £4 per person to explore.  I'd rather put it in this place.  A homey, barn-like interior with no more than a dozen tables features a simple but tasty menu, all based on the cattle from the farm here, and served by the family.  My "volcano soup" (spicy beef and vegetable) was a tasty and warming starter, while Piers' cured beef had him asking for recipe tips.  We went on to a steak sandwich and a burger, both very good.  The drawback, like anything in Iceland, is price.  This very simple lunch with a couple of drinks each came in at £30 per person.


Our Reykjavic highlights:
The Cathedral - I admired the building on my visit in 2013, but discovered two new aspects this time.  First, the tower is pierced and illuminated, giving a filigree effect in the dark.  Which is, of course, most of the winder.  Second, you can take a lift up the tower and then it's a short climb up to a viewing platform below that filigree.  The views over town, shimmering in the pre-dawn half light, were magical.

The Saga Museum - Calling this a museum is stretching the point.  There are no historic artefacts here and it's not particularly scholarly.  Think Madame Tussaud's does Icelandic history.  Pay your money, get an audio guide and

walk through a series of sets in which life-sized wax figures act out some of the high points from the first settlers through to the religious reformation.  It's good context for understanding the history, if not awe inspiring.  A side room where you can dress up in Viking costume, complete with chain mail, helmets and weapons, is that little extra that makes admission worth while.

The National Museum of Iceland - Once you've gotten the cartoon strip version at the Saga Museum, come here for the real stuff.  Precious artefacts from settlement through the modern age.  A tiny votive statue of Thor, an intricately carved medieval church door, local silver production, native costume, and much more.  A horrifically ugly building on the outside, but indoors its elegantly designed and everything is well displayed.  If I could re-do my 2013 trip, this is the one thing we would have seen in town.

The Blue Lagoon - Pretty much as I described it the last time.  We went on New Year's day, however, and this was probably a mistake.  The crowds were substantial, even with our pre-paid vouchers, so we forked out an additional £30 per person to skip the queues and upgrade to a premium package.  That gave us a couple of free drinks, gown and towel rental, and a booking (only) in the restaurant.  Another expensive lunch, albeit in more elegant surroundings that the Gamla farm.  The high-ceilinged room looks out through glass walls at the steaming lagoon and the Icelandic specialities are beautifully presented, but the service isn't particularly attentive.  We advised the staff about Piers' tomato allergy, and discussing menu choices, they then thoughtlessly served up sun-dried tomato bread.  Which, fortunately, he didn't eat too much of before we realised what that subtle flavouring was.  I'd return to the lagoon any trip, but not on a holiday and probably not for the restaurant.

'Tis the season to be very, very busy. Here are the highlights.

Even without all the pressure at work, it would have been challenging to do all this stuff AND write about it.  Your correspondent only has so much discretionary time.  Here's a summary of the best holiday events.

Winchester Christmas Market - It seems that England now has almost as many "European-style" Christmas markets as the German holiday heartland its copying.  It's Winchester that's become my holiday tradition.  Just half an hour south of our house, good park-and-ride that's free on Sundays, excellent variety of craftspeople and an achingly picturesque site tucked in the shadow of one of England's most beautiful cathedrals.  Stall holders are either craftspeople (particularly fertile ground for silversmiths, glass artists and weavers) or purveyors of unusual gift items.  I almost always find things for those hard to buy for people who seem to have everything.  And if you can't find something here, the town beyond still boasts a satisfying number of independent shops.

The Christmas Balls - This was the year when "Strictly Come Dancing" took over the party scene, forming the theme for both black tie events I attended.  My husband's military gang extended an alumni invitation to their annual gig.  Organised by serving soldiers and put on in their Territorial Army HQ, it has a sweet dance-in-the-gym feel that evokes memories of high school.  Made much more sophisticated by a military chamber orchestra playing for us over cocktails.  After dinner, a couple of Strictly stars did three display dances, then gave a cha cha lesson.  Which, much to my surprise, got most of the room on its feet.

The Women in Advertising and Communications London (WACL) ball was in a different league, as you'd expect of a major fundraiser organised by female execs who run events for a living.  The ballroom of the Savoy has always been one of London's better venues, and is now looking magnificent after the grande dame's three-year, £220 million renovation.  This was a brilliantly themed event, honing in on the exotic South American end of ballroom dancing.  A troupe of Brazilian Mardi Gras performers welcomed us and ended cocktail hour with a boisterous drum procession into the dining room, where they showed off their capoeira moves before leaving us to eat a three-course Brazilian dinner.  Another pair from TV's Strictly showed up for a tango and pop artist Ellie Goulding dropped by to sing a few hits.  The WACL organisers certainly know how to warm people up for a charity auction; the pounds were flowing.

The Montcalm at the Brewery, London - This quirky, modern boutique hotel is worth considering for anyone who needs to be in The City (we booked it for the military ball) or simply for someone who's after a more unusual London base.  Lord knows it's well off the tourist track, on a quiet street in between the Barbican and Moorgate; the area is a ghost town on weekends.  Which means you can get some deals on the rates (and street parkng).  The hotel links several buildings in what was once the Whitbread Brewery, a late-Georgian model of mass production.  Thus you get picturesque, historic exteriors and hip modern intetiors.  Lots of black and grey, exposed stone, modern sculpture, a waterfall dribbling down a lobby wall, etc.  In our room, a glass panel separated bathing area from sleeping.  You could lounge in the tub and watch TV.

Bombay Sapphire Distillery Tour - This wins my vote for best new tourist attraction in our area in years, and is sure to be somewhere I bring visitors repeatedly.  Bombay has spent a fortune refurbishing the Georgian mill on the river Test that made paper for British banknotes in the Victorian era.  It's a gorgeous, rural spot about 20 minutes south of Basingstoke and would be worth a wander for the architecture and surrounding woodland and riverscape alone.  The distillery tour is well organised and cleverly scripted, but rises above the average in three ways.  First, there are two modern glass houses in the middle of the complex where you can see the botanicals used in the gin as they grow in nature.  Second, there's a room of scents where you have a sniff off all those botanicals, in several forms, punching a card to indicate which you like best.  Finally, you end up in a cocktail bar where they whip up a drink for you based on the aroma profile you selected.

Ming: 50 Years That Changed China - I didn't get the chance to linger with an audio guide in this latest British Museum blockbuster, but I did wander through twice.  The show focuses on a time period roughly analogous to the English Civil Wars when China was, arguably, at the height of its artistic flowering.  The items here ... many never seen outside of China before ... present an elegant, sophisticated and advanced society of achingly good taste.  Not only is all of this stuff beautiful in its own right, but you can see influences on style to the present day, particularly in the pottery and painted scrolls.  There are sumptuous Imperial robes, beguiling portraits, haunting temple figures and fascinating weapons and armour.  I was particularly intrigued by the lacquer furniture which, when displayed alongside an explanation of the complexity of the process, is awe-inspiring.

The Christmas Films (The Hobbit, Paddington) -In our Tolkein-obsessed household, the release of Peter Jackson's final Middle Earth saga was always going to be a big event.  My husband had a few quibbles with just how much artistic license Jackson's team took with the plot, but on the whole enjoyed it.  As did I.  Which, given the fact that at least 65% of the film is fight scenes, is an accomplishment.  It would have been easy to slip into boredom, but the characterisation and magnificent sets held my interest.  Paddington required a small friend for admission and was a sweet, innocent, funny joy.

Italian trio (Luce e Limoni, Tartufo, Ciccheti) captures holiday dining prizes, Brasserie Gustave offers French respite

December is always a madcap month;  Inevitably the busiest for the social diary, this year it also coincided with a particularly awful time at work requiring dedication to the first half of my work/life balance.  Ergo, a wealth of potential, distinct blog entries are crunching down into two summaries.

Today, the highlights of the holiday dining out.  Tomorrow, the cultural and activity highlights.

Luce e Limoni - My favourite new discovery of 2014 finished the year as well as it started it.  I had two festive holiday meals here, and both parties were delighted.  Although in at least one case, vast quantities of their fine Fiano wine gilded the lily.  The large shell pasta stuffed with crab and the swordfish in a breadcrumb, herb and pecorino crust were the superlatives, but there wasn't a complaint across the two dinners.  Add great service.  I'm by no means a regular, but I have been here enough for the staff to recognise me.  They took special care not to ignore us when big groups could have dominated their attention one night, and ended our meal with free limoncello another.  True Sicilian hospitality to go along with the authentic food.

Tartufo - Another return to a discovery from earlier this year.  It's exceptionally difficult to find restaurants open on Christmas Eve in London.  Tartufo's location within a hotel (11 Cadogan Gardens) forces its opening, and its location a stone's throw from Sloane Square made it perfect for dinner before midnight mass at St. Mary's Bourne Street nearby.  The starter of rabbit rolled in pancetta was the best rabbit dish I've had anywhere, any time, and the conte di cavour was the same memorable chocolate indulgence as on my first visit.  If anything, the menu has become even more resolutely Italian, moving away from the Franco-Italian fusion that was this place's original signature.  Best of all: three courses for £35, four for £40; a steal for this part of town and probably the best value for money of any of these restaurants.

Ciccheti - This bustling hot spot on Piccadilly, just off the Circus, bases its menu around the Venetian concept of small plates of snacks they will nibble in bars on the way home for dinner.  Essentially, Venetian tapas. Meatballs, small pizzas, griddled prawns, arancini (deep fried rice balls), prosciutto, grilled vegetables, etc.  All done with a deft hand and authentic flavours.  My one complaint: there's no "assorted feast" option to make it easy for you to order a variety.  I wouldn't go back here for a formal meal ... both restaurants above are better and this place is very loud ... but it's a great concept for a large group and it's a quality find in a part of town reknown for tourist rip-offs.

Brasserie Gustave - I decided to give my husband a break from the Italian onslaught with this well-reviewed French brasserie in Chelsea.  Resolutely traditional in menu, wine list and the preparation of key dishes (steak tartare, veal diane, crepes Suzette) at your table.  My french onion soup and steak tartare were exemplary.  This is the kind of food you dream about finding in Paris, and rarely do.  The prices on the wine list, however, make this a pricey choice if you're doing a long, boozy catch-up lunch with friends; though the staff is happy to let you linger and end your lunch as the clock approaches 6pm.