East Iceland - Iceland - page 607

During WWII around 3000 Allied soldiers (10 times the local population) were based in
Reyðarfjörður. At the top end of Heiðarvegur you'll find the excellent Icelandic WWII
Museum, which details these strange few years. The building is surrounded by mines,
Jeeps and aeroplane propellers, and holds other war relics. Photographs and tableaux
provide a background to Iceland's wartime involvement.
The museum is tucked behind a rusting set of army barracks, built as part of a hospital
camp in 1943 but never used for that purpose.
Sleeping & Eating
There are grill bars at the Shell and Olís petrol stations, and Krónan supermarket (Hafn-
argata 2; 11am-6pm Mon-Thu, to 7pm Fri, to 5pm Sat, noon-4pm Sun) for self-caterers.
Reyðarfjörður HI Hostel HOSTEL
(Hjá Marlín; 474 1220, 892 0336; www.bakkagerdi.net ; Vallargerði 9;dm Ikr5200, d with/without
bathroom Ikr18,000/14,000, prices excl linen; )
Multilingual Marlín (Belgian, but resident in Iceland for over 20 years) is a warm host at
this expanding spot. The primary house includes a cosy restaurant (open 5pm to 8pm); a
large second house down the street has simple rooms, a barbecue and a sauna. New in
2014: 12 four-bed rooms with private bathroom, in a masterfully converted furniture store
(on Austurvegur)!
Linen is available for Ikr1200; HI members get a discount of Ikr500.
Tærgesen GUESTHOUSE
( 470 5555; www.taergesen.com ; Búðargata 4;d Ikr15,000/22,000; )
Timber-lined and dressed with white window shutters, the cosy rooms above Tærgesen
restaurant have loads of cottagey character (and shared bathrooms). They're inside a black
corrugated-iron building from 1870; the on-site restaurant (mains Ikr1120 to 4820; 10am
to 10pm) is known for its pizzas, and for hearty traditional fare. New to the complex: 22
spacious motel-style units with bathroom.
Next door, and under the same management, is Kaffi Kósý, a popular locals' bar open
Friday and Saturday nights.