HLM -Chapter 1333 Night Falls

Icelanders are among the best at enjoying life and food in the Nordic countries, and there’s no shortage of local delicacies.

“We have a wide variety of dairy products—cheese, yogurt, and more—that are high-quality and affordable. Of course, I’ve heard Sunset Town also produces excellent dairy, but they don’t have SKYR. You should try some.”

Skyr is a specialty of Iceland, similar to yogurt, a delicious blend of skimmed milk and cultures.

When Wang Bo heard that Sunset Town didn’t have it, he immediately bought a large quantity.

The female salesperson smiled with squinted eyes, thinking Wang Bo had been convinced by her pitch. In reality, he just wanted to try it himself first. If it was good, Sunset Town would start producing it too.

“Our Icelandic sweets are diverse, with chocolate being the most prominent. Some of our treats have unique flavors that are definitely worth trying,” she explained as they entered the sweets section.

“We also have a very unique snack that I’m sure little Princess Dale will like: clean and dried black cod, made into strips, best enjoyed with cream.”

Dale’s eyes sparkled as she asked, “Is this really a snack? How does it compare to the Starlight Bar?”

The salesperson replied, “We do have Starlight Bars, but honestly, Dale, comparing them to our specialty snacks is almost an insult to our snacks.”

Wang Bo didn’t need to say anything. Looking at Dale’s eager expression, he immediately bought a bunch of the cod-and-cream snacks.

“Since you’re in Iceland, you can’t miss our smoked fish. Our smoked fish varieties are famous worldwide…”

“Salmon and smoked trout are the most delicious delicacies and a must-try for every tourist in Iceland. In Europe, only four-star hotels offer salmon at breakfast,” she added.

In the seafood section, large thick cuts of fish were displayed.

Dale looked puzzled and asked, “What kind of fish is this? It’s huge!”

Wang Bo glanced and guessed, “That’s whale meat.”

Dale fell silent for a moment, then shook her head firmly. “We don’t eat whale meat. Our teacher says humans shouldn’t hunt whales; their numbers are declining terribly.”

Wang Bo agreed with her perspective but wouldn’t interfere with Iceland’s whaling practices.

Iceland resumed commercial whaling in 2006, and most of the whale meat is exported or served to curious tourists.

Eva shook her head at Dale, signaling her not to continue the discussion.

Most Icelanders support whaling because many locals rely on fishing for their livelihood, and whales can have a significant negative impact on the industry. Essentially, it’s a matter of conflicting interests.

Seeing the whale meat, the little girl’s mood dropped.

Wang Bo, seeing that they had bought almost everything they needed, also picked up some fresh vegetables and thanked the female salesperson before leaving the supermarket with the family.

Back at their villa, they prepared lunch.

Father Bo asked, “Where shall we go exploring today?”

Wang Bo shook his head. “Nowhere today, Dad. Let’s just rest properly and go out tomorrow.”

They had traveled from the Antarctic Circle to the Arctic Circle. Even though they flew on a private plane, the journey was exhausting. Space on the plane was cramped—neither fully awake nor fully asleep.

Now, their villa was quiet and serene, surrounded by orderly woods, some distance from the city. Occasionally, birds chirped, making it an ideal place to rest.

For lunch, Wang Bo quickly stir-fried two vegetables and paired them with smoked fish, dried fish, and cured meat.

Eva had bought fresh scallops. Father Bo asked, “Not cooking these today?”

Wang Bo opened a shell, poured some brandy in, and popped the scallop into his mouth, laughing, “Dad, raw like this, it’s very fresh.”

Father Bo disapproved. “I’ve lived by the sea my whole life. Eating crabs raw, shrimp alive—back when pollution was low, it was fine. But it often gives you diarrhea, so better not.”

Wang Bo tried to persuade him, “Icelanders say this is a gift from the Arctic Ocean. It’s just the fresh taste of the sea—you won’t get sick.”

Father Bo waved it off. “You youngsters can eat it. My stomach and your mother’s can’t handle it. Eva shouldn’t either—she just gave birth and needs time to recover.”

After a satisfying meal, they strolled around the villa.

The villa was perfectly located. Looking south, it overlooked all of Reykjavík; looking west, it faced the vast ocean.

A few sailboats floated on the sea, along with large fishing vessels moving in and out of the harbor.

The villa had a telescope—good for stargazing, aurora viewing, or watching the sea.

Wang Bo adjusted the large telescope toward the coast. “Hey, why are there so many flags on that ship? I see our Five-Star Red Flag!”

Eva explained, “Reykjavík means ‘Smoky Bay’ in Icelandic. It’s the gateway to the Arctic Ocean. Many European and Asian ships pass through here to fish in the Arctic every year.”

By around 3 p.m., the sky was gradually darkening.

The villa’s second floor had a sunroom with glass walls. Wang Bo dragged a chair there to watch for the aurora.

After waiting two or three hours, no aurora appeared—only a sky full of stars.

Wang Bo enjoyed stargazing, but he had already grown tired of it in Sunset Town. He didn’t come to Iceland just to look at stars.

He tried to go online but sadly discovered there was no internet.

Reykjavík isn’t like Sunset Town, with a citywide smart network. On the hills, mobile signal is weak—only 2G—so he couldn’t get online.

Wang Bo felt a bit dumbfounded. “What now? It’s another thirteen or fourteen hours until daylight. How do I pass the time?”

Eva rubbed her eyes groggily. “Sleep. One nap, and it’ll be morning.”

Wang Bo sighed and lay on the sofa. Eva, yawning, prepared to sleep as well.

Although night fell early, Reykjavík wasn’t deserted. Many would be surprised that this city near the Arctic Circle is one of Europe’s liveliest nightlife hubs.

Before coming, he had read travel magazines and blogs describing the city’s friendly, vibrant bars and night spots.

No matter the season, once night falls, the city center fills with activity and quickly becomes lively.

It was Friday, so people were gearing up for the weekend, making nightlife even richer.

During his daytime shopping, Wang Bo had noticed the city center was full of bars, cafes, and dance halls. But he couldn’t leave his family behind to go out himself.

The older kids were energetic, but the baby was a light sleeper. Wang Bo didn’t dare make noise—any sound would wake the baby, who would start crying loudly.