We had been trying to decide what to do with this day for a few days. It was our "free" day, so we had a ton of options to choose from. It took us a while to figure out what we wanted to do - we ultimately were deciding whether to do a long hike to see Glymur waterfall or find something to do on the peninsula. We decided against Glymur since it was over an hour away, apparently very popular and therefore crowded, and from what we read, a little more strenuous than I was hoping for. We were so happy with our choice to stay on the peninsula!
We relaxed a little in the morning and then set off to Snæfellsjökull National Park where we had a couple of hikes planned. After driving around for a bit we finally found the start of the hike we wanted. Rauðholl is a cone shaped crater that was created in an eruption about 5,000-8,000 years ago. There was a nicely marked path that we took to circumnavigate the crater that then took us to a lovely waterfall. We were completely alone with no one in sight! The scenery and weather were stunning so we parked ourselves for a good hour next to the waterfall and just enjoyed the tranquility of it all.
We walked back to the car and drove further up the road to walk to Klukkufoss waterfall. This small waterfall fell over little basalt columns and was nice to sit and look at. We walked up further on the path hoping to find a larger waterfall called Snekkjufoss, but after walking for quite a bit we decided to make a detour towards the road and continue walking towards another area. We found ourselves walking in unmarked territory, with concerned sheep staring at us. We were never concerned though since we always kept the road in our view, and our shortcut led us right to the trail, and surprisingly the Snekkjufoss waterfall, which we were looking for.
We walked a little ways down the road and found our car. We drove back to our cottage and took advantage of our deck and down time. For dinner we drove to the fishing town of Borgarnes, about 45 minutes away. We thought there would be more to do here, even just an area to walk by the water, but we didn't see much. After driving through the small town we went to dinner, which was a delicious meal overlooking the water.
What an amazing day we had! It was the perfect end to a perfect trip!
Our next day, which was our last day, we had big plans... not really. I actually needed to take a final for one of my masters classes and it had to be done on that day. It actually worked out since because we had to be at the airport at 3 and had to drive about 1.5 hours to Reykjavik (and then the 30 minutes to Keflavik) so we didn't plan much. So from 9-11 I took my final and then we checked out of our cottage and headed to the capital.
Since we had already been here we didn't feel the need to see anything major again. We walked around a different district as our main goal was to buy some artwork that we didn't get last time. After an hour or so we went to find some lunch (with our artwork in hand) and feasted on a delicious platter of fish and chips. Yum!
This was such an amazing trip and we're glad we made the decision to come back again!
Showing posts with label Iceland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iceland. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Iceland Part VI: A Day on the Snæfellsnes peninsula
We slept in a little bit and enjoyed a nice breakfast of toast, cheese, and jam in our cute little cottage for two. Seriously, this place was calm and tranquil; I would love to stay there again!
We had a plan to drive around the whole peninsula while making stops in key places we wanted to see or explore. First on the list was Búðir church, a church covered in black that was built in 1703 and rebuilt in 1848. We made a point to come here for its idyllic setting in which the church overlooks a sweeping landscape of water and mountains.
Next we went to Rauðfeldsgjá, which is a massive crack in the mountain Botnsfjall, where you can ascend up a path and wedge yourself in. It doesn't look to be accessible from the road and it can be easily missed if you aren't looking for it. The gorge goes into the fissure where it keeps narrowing to where a stream begins. It is possible to go very far up, even as far as climbing up a rope under a small waterfall. We went into the fissure, and then Jon went a little more.
Next we stopped in the small fishing village of Arnastapi. We read about a nice easy coastal hike to do that would put us in the town of Hellnar where we could then have lunch. When we arrived we were impressed with the scenery. The arctic waters were laid out in front of us with a ton of space to enjoy everything around us.
The hike to Hellnar was about 2.5 km each way. It was an easy and scenic route that gave us beautiful views all around us. The trail goes on an ocean cliff and through lava fields so we were able to experience the different terrains that the area has to offer. It was so beautiful outside that we had to shed some layers and were able to just wear short sleeves. We had some lamb stew in Hellnar and then did the hike back to Arnastapi.
Next we stopped at a beautiful black sand beach named either Londrangar or Djúpalónssandur, I honestly can't remember which one.
Onward we went to the most photographed mountain in Iceland, Kirkjufell, whose name means Church Mountain. Kirkjufell sits just outside the town of Grundarfjörður and is situated right on the water adjacent to a small waterfall, which makes it very picturesque.
We stopped in Grundarfjörður at a cute little cafe and had some hot chocolate and coffee before moving on and driving back to our cottage. We relaxed for a couple hours before leaving for Stykkishólmur to have dinner. On the way to dinner we stopped at some lava fields nearby and had some fun with pictures.
Next up, another day on the Snæfellsnes peninsula!
We had a plan to drive around the whole peninsula while making stops in key places we wanted to see or explore. First on the list was Búðir church, a church covered in black that was built in 1703 and rebuilt in 1848. We made a point to come here for its idyllic setting in which the church overlooks a sweeping landscape of water and mountains.
Next we went to Rauðfeldsgjá, which is a massive crack in the mountain Botnsfjall, where you can ascend up a path and wedge yourself in. It doesn't look to be accessible from the road and it can be easily missed if you aren't looking for it. The gorge goes into the fissure where it keeps narrowing to where a stream begins. It is possible to go very far up, even as far as climbing up a rope under a small waterfall. We went into the fissure, and then Jon went a little more.
Next we stopped in the small fishing village of Arnastapi. We read about a nice easy coastal hike to do that would put us in the town of Hellnar where we could then have lunch. When we arrived we were impressed with the scenery. The arctic waters were laid out in front of us with a ton of space to enjoy everything around us.
The hike to Hellnar was about 2.5 km each way. It was an easy and scenic route that gave us beautiful views all around us. The trail goes on an ocean cliff and through lava fields so we were able to experience the different terrains that the area has to offer. It was so beautiful outside that we had to shed some layers and were able to just wear short sleeves. We had some lamb stew in Hellnar and then did the hike back to Arnastapi.
Next we stopped at a beautiful black sand beach named either Londrangar or Djúpalónssandur, I honestly can't remember which one.
Onward we went to the most photographed mountain in Iceland, Kirkjufell, whose name means Church Mountain. Kirkjufell sits just outside the town of Grundarfjörður and is situated right on the water adjacent to a small waterfall, which makes it very picturesque.
We stopped in Grundarfjörður at a cute little cafe and had some hot chocolate and coffee before moving on and driving back to our cottage. We relaxed for a couple hours before leaving for Stykkishólmur to have dinner. On the way to dinner we stopped at some lava fields nearby and had some fun with pictures.
Next up, another day on the Snæfellsnes peninsula!
Iceland Part V: The Westfjords- Dynjandi waterfall, a "Shipwreck", and The Edge of the World - Latrabjarg
We woke up refreshed from a good night's sleep and started our drive to the Westfjords. On the way we stopped at what we thought would be an idyllic hot spring setting in Laugar in Saelingsdal. We had seen a beautiful picture of this little spring and decided to stop by to get some nice pictures since it was on the way. Little did we know that it was actually right next to a large hotel and when we looked there were 5-6 guys hanging out in it. So we took some quick shots and got out of there fairly quickly since there wasn't any point, or any room for that matter, to hang around.
So before I get into anything that we saw that day, let's talk about the "roads". I'm not sure if they can actually be called roads. The dirt paths leading into the fjords had us questioning if we were going the right way (we were). They weren't scary or anything (that came later), just questionable and a little funny!
As soon as we crossed the bridge to the fjords we knew we were in a different place! We stopped to take in the scenery and then continued our drive towards our first stop, Dynjandi waterfall.
Dynjandi waterfall is one of the most dramatic waterfalls I've ever seen! The water cascades down what looks like little hills and leads to smaller waterfalls down the path.
We followed the path all the way up to the falls, passing the little waterfalls and came to the bottom of the huge cascade coming over from the mountain. Behind us was a spectacular view of the large fjord. We decided to climb a little higher to get up and close to Dynjandi. Such a great experience!
We made our way down and put together some cheese sandwiches to eat before we left. We continued onwards towards Latrabjarg, but stopped at an old shipwreck named Gardar BA 64 in Patreksfjordur. This shipwreck is thought to be the oldest steel ship in Iceland. It was built in Norway as a whaling vessel. It was launched in 1912 and was used up until 1981when it was decided it was too unfit to continue. It was "docked" in the sand where it currently sits today.
We also stopped at a quick snack/museum area for a map and bathroom break. While there we noticed an old U.S. Navy plane on site!
Another hour later and we were in Latrabjarg. So these are the "roads" that were some of the scariest we've ever been on. We've driven through some incredibly scary roads before, namely during our trip from Apricale to San Remo, Italy, but I think this has that trip beat. We're talking about a complete dirt path, only room for one car, and high up on a cliff with no railing. I truly thought we would just casually go off the side because there was no room. At least on the way back we could hug the edge of the cliff, but on the way there I really pictured us toppling over and dying. I couldn't even look up long enough to take a picture.
We made it to Latrabjarg in one piece! Latrabjarg is the most western point in Europe aside from the Azores, and are stuffning and dramatic cliffs that house a ton of bird life. We were warned not to get too close to the edge of the cliffs without laying down as the land is soft and unstable. Though the puffin season was nearing its end we were able to spot a few hanging around along with other bird life amidst amazing scenery. I'll upload more puffin pictures soon!
We stayed for a while just admiring the views and watching the puffins. We had a ferry to catch and wanted to make sure we left with plenty of time to get back given the conditions of the roads. The ferry ride provided us with some down time to relax and opportunities for beautiful views. We docked at 10pm in Stykkisholmur and went right to dinner. After a nourishing meal we drove about 25 minutes to our beautiful cottage where we would spend the next three nights. It was a busy, but wonderful day!
So before I get into anything that we saw that day, let's talk about the "roads". I'm not sure if they can actually be called roads. The dirt paths leading into the fjords had us questioning if we were going the right way (we were). They weren't scary or anything (that came later), just questionable and a little funny!
As soon as we crossed the bridge to the fjords we knew we were in a different place! We stopped to take in the scenery and then continued our drive towards our first stop, Dynjandi waterfall.
Dynjandi waterfall is one of the most dramatic waterfalls I've ever seen! The water cascades down what looks like little hills and leads to smaller waterfalls down the path.
We followed the path all the way up to the falls, passing the little waterfalls and came to the bottom of the huge cascade coming over from the mountain. Behind us was a spectacular view of the large fjord. We decided to climb a little higher to get up and close to Dynjandi. Such a great experience!
We made our way down and put together some cheese sandwiches to eat before we left. We continued onwards towards Latrabjarg, but stopped at an old shipwreck named Gardar BA 64 in Patreksfjordur. This shipwreck is thought to be the oldest steel ship in Iceland. It was built in Norway as a whaling vessel. It was launched in 1912 and was used up until 1981when it was decided it was too unfit to continue. It was "docked" in the sand where it currently sits today.
We also stopped at a quick snack/museum area for a map and bathroom break. While there we noticed an old U.S. Navy plane on site!
Another hour later and we were in Latrabjarg. So these are the "roads" that were some of the scariest we've ever been on. We've driven through some incredibly scary roads before, namely during our trip from Apricale to San Remo, Italy, but I think this has that trip beat. We're talking about a complete dirt path, only room for one car, and high up on a cliff with no railing. I truly thought we would just casually go off the side because there was no room. At least on the way back we could hug the edge of the cliff, but on the way there I really pictured us toppling over and dying. I couldn't even look up long enough to take a picture.
We made it to Latrabjarg in one piece! Latrabjarg is the most western point in Europe aside from the Azores, and are stuffning and dramatic cliffs that house a ton of bird life. We were warned not to get too close to the edge of the cliffs without laying down as the land is soft and unstable. Though the puffin season was nearing its end we were able to spot a few hanging around along with other bird life amidst amazing scenery. I'll upload more puffin pictures soon!
We stayed for a while just admiring the views and watching the puffins. We had a ferry to catch and wanted to make sure we left with plenty of time to get back given the conditions of the roads. The ferry ride provided us with some down time to relax and opportunities for beautiful views. We docked at 10pm in Stykkisholmur and went right to dinner. After a nourishing meal we drove about 25 minutes to our beautiful cottage where we would spend the next three nights. It was a busy, but wonderful day!
Iceland Part IV: A drive through the northern fjords, Siglufjörður, & Hvítserkur
Today was more of a chill day. The only thing we really had on the agenda was to drive to Hvítserkur, about 2.5 hours away, and then to our hotel about 30 minutes from there. On the recommendation of our hosts we decided to drive the longer, but more scenic route through the northern fjords. They said it would only add about 1.5 hours to our drive (more like 3 hours extra...), but we'd be able to experience a different part of Iceland. Since we had no major plans we said, "Why not?"
We started our drive up highway 82 to 76 from Hjalteyri where we were staying outside Akureyri. The drive was empty from cars, people, and basically anything! As we headed more north the roads became a little more precarious going around sharp, narrow curves overlooking the Arctic waters with no guard rail. Little did we know the most precarious roads we've ever seen in our lives were to come the next day! And the tunnels!!! These tunnels are designed for cars to go in one direction at a time, with pull offs that are few and far between. Luckily there was only one instance where we had to reverse ourselves back to a pull off since someone was coming from the other direction. The following pictures are some nice views from our drive.
We reached Siglufjörður, a small fishing town in a narrow fjord, about an hour after we left. The scenery entering the town is spectacular; the snowcapped mountains, icy blue waters with fishing boats docked, and colorful shops and houses make this an idyllic setting to stroll around and get lost in your thoughts.
We stopped at the local grocery store and picked up items in order to make lunch in the car for a few days. There wasn't going to be much on our drive today, and the next day we didn't know what to expect in the West Fjords. We came out with a nice selection of bread, cheese, jam, fruit, and our favorite European cookies.
We walked around the town for a while just taking in the scenery and quaintness of it all.
We then embarked on a rather long drive around the fjords until we finally hit civilization a few hours later along the Ring Road. We stopped for food at a cute lunch spot and replenished with some soup and salad. It was so beautiful out that you could sit on their patio and bask in the sun while eating.
We continued to drive until we got to Hvítserkur, also known as dinosaur rock or the troll of the north. This "rock" is a 15 meter high sea stack that looks like a large stone beast. The legend is that the rock is a troll that got caught by the sunrise while attempting to destroy the monastery at Pingeyrar. We spent a while gazing at the structure and looking at the endless water.
We decided to walk down past the car park and get a different look at the black sand beach. We thought about walking all the way down to the beach, but decided that we had all the views we needed right where we were.
With no other solid plans to see anything else, and being so beat from the last few days we decided to drive to our hotel so we could have some much needed down time before dinner. Next up, the West Fjords!
We started our drive up highway 82 to 76 from Hjalteyri where we were staying outside Akureyri. The drive was empty from cars, people, and basically anything! As we headed more north the roads became a little more precarious going around sharp, narrow curves overlooking the Arctic waters with no guard rail. Little did we know the most precarious roads we've ever seen in our lives were to come the next day! And the tunnels!!! These tunnels are designed for cars to go in one direction at a time, with pull offs that are few and far between. Luckily there was only one instance where we had to reverse ourselves back to a pull off since someone was coming from the other direction. The following pictures are some nice views from our drive.
We reached Siglufjörður, a small fishing town in a narrow fjord, about an hour after we left. The scenery entering the town is spectacular; the snowcapped mountains, icy blue waters with fishing boats docked, and colorful shops and houses make this an idyllic setting to stroll around and get lost in your thoughts.
We stopped at the local grocery store and picked up items in order to make lunch in the car for a few days. There wasn't going to be much on our drive today, and the next day we didn't know what to expect in the West Fjords. We came out with a nice selection of bread, cheese, jam, fruit, and our favorite European cookies.
We walked around the town for a while just taking in the scenery and quaintness of it all.
We then embarked on a rather long drive around the fjords until we finally hit civilization a few hours later along the Ring Road. We stopped for food at a cute lunch spot and replenished with some soup and salad. It was so beautiful out that you could sit on their patio and bask in the sun while eating.
We continued to drive until we got to Hvítserkur, also known as dinosaur rock or the troll of the north. This "rock" is a 15 meter high sea stack that looks like a large stone beast. The legend is that the rock is a troll that got caught by the sunrise while attempting to destroy the monastery at Pingeyrar. We spent a while gazing at the structure and looking at the endless water.
We decided to walk down past the car park and get a different look at the black sand beach. We thought about walking all the way down to the beach, but decided that we had all the views we needed right where we were.
With no other solid plans to see anything else, and being so beat from the last few days we decided to drive to our hotel so we could have some much needed down time before dinner. Next up, the West Fjords!
Iceland Part III: The Myvatn area: Dettifoss Waterfall, Viti Crater, Namafjall Geothermal Area, Myvatn Hot Baths, Grjotagja Cave, & Godafoss
After leaving Seyðisfjörður and stopping in Egilsstaðir for some quick breakfast, we drove towards Myvatn. Myvatn has a completely different landscape than the East Fjords, or anywhere else in Iceland for that matter. The area is filled with volcanic craters, mudpots, lava formations, and geothermal zones all set around a large lake. It was amazing to see the difference in just a couple hours drive.
We first stopped at Dettifoss waterfall. This waterfall is HUGE and is said to be the most powerful in all of Europe! It was quite impressive and in my opinion it was one of the most majestic sights I've seen.
There are apparently two different roads to get to the waterfall, one on each side of the river, depending on which direction you come from. We took the long and unpaved path since we were coming from the east, which is only a couple of kilometers long, but took about 30 minutes. Driving up the other side would have been easier, but we really enjoyed the views from the side we came in on and were able to get a full view of the waterfall.
After getting up close with Dettifoss, we followed a 1km path up the ridge to look more closely into the gorge. There are no guardrails so it was up to our discretion to get as close as we wanted. I definitely made Jon back up a few times while he was taking pictures! Further up along the path, which was easy to lose given the terrain (though you really just have to follow the river back), another waterfall Selfoss, can be seen.
We walked back and then up back up to the car park. From Dettifoss we then drove to Viti Crater. We climbed the short, but steep walk to the top of the crater and were rewarded with a bright green/blue pool of water at the bottom!
A five minutes drive to us to nearby Namafjall Geothermal Area also known as Hverir. This area was very reminiscent of the geysir geothermal area we saw last year. The area has numerous natural steam vents, boiling mud, hot springs, and solfataras. The weather changed pretty suddenly in the five minutes from Viti Crater and we found ourselves in some steady cold rain. We walked around for a little bit, but didn't stay too long because we were getting soaked. We were eager to go to the Myvatn Nature Baths just down the road and warm up!
The Myvatn Nature Baths are known as the Blue Lagoon of the north. It's not as touristy, not as flashy, and not as crowded. Though the baths aren't as "pretty" as the Blue Lagoon, it was definitely a less chaotic process getting into the locker rooms, showering, and entering the baths. It was still crowded and there seemed to be a ton of Americans and Brits around, but we made ourselves comfortable in our own little area. Unfortunately our camera with the waterproof case ran out of batteries as soon as we got into the baths so we have no pictures of our own.
There was still so much to see in the Myvatn area and we tried to hit a few things on the way out. We stopped at Grjotagja Cave, which is a small lava cave with a natural thermal spring inside. The temperature of the spring is around 109 degrees so some people do get in, but most find that it is too hot to sit comfortably. Jon went in to take some pictures of the blue water, while I stayed back. The rocks were wet going down, there was a family of ten pouring in behind us, and being 18 weeks pregnant I just didn't want to take the chance of slipping or losing my balance. I'll post more of the pictures from the inside when I get to Jon's camera.
We drove around the beautiful lake and started to head towards Akureyri, Iceland's second largest city (17,000 people) behind Reykjavik, and our home for the night. On the way we stopped at Goðafoss waterfall, which is a large horseshoe shaped waterfall. It was a pretty impressive sight! And since we arrived there around 7:30 at night there weren't many people around at all and we were able to enjoy the crushing sound of the falls.
Akureyri was about an hour away and we were getting hungry for some dinner. Akureyri is known for its nightlife, cool cafes, hip restaurants, and chic art galleries. We wish we could have stayed here more than one night, especially since our accommodations were the most comfortable of the whole trip! We had a delicious dinner in the center of town and stopped for some Icelandic ice cream on a walk.
Today was such a long and busy day, but we had such a good time in the Myvatn area. Next up a beautiful drive in the far north, the fishing town of Siglufjordur, and Hvitserkur (aka Dinosaur Rock).
We first stopped at Dettifoss waterfall. This waterfall is HUGE and is said to be the most powerful in all of Europe! It was quite impressive and in my opinion it was one of the most majestic sights I've seen.
There are apparently two different roads to get to the waterfall, one on each side of the river, depending on which direction you come from. We took the long and unpaved path since we were coming from the east, which is only a couple of kilometers long, but took about 30 minutes. Driving up the other side would have been easier, but we really enjoyed the views from the side we came in on and were able to get a full view of the waterfall.
After getting up close with Dettifoss, we followed a 1km path up the ridge to look more closely into the gorge. There are no guardrails so it was up to our discretion to get as close as we wanted. I definitely made Jon back up a few times while he was taking pictures! Further up along the path, which was easy to lose given the terrain (though you really just have to follow the river back), another waterfall Selfoss, can be seen.
We walked back and then up back up to the car park. From Dettifoss we then drove to Viti Crater. We climbed the short, but steep walk to the top of the crater and were rewarded with a bright green/blue pool of water at the bottom!
A five minutes drive to us to nearby Namafjall Geothermal Area also known as Hverir. This area was very reminiscent of the geysir geothermal area we saw last year. The area has numerous natural steam vents, boiling mud, hot springs, and solfataras. The weather changed pretty suddenly in the five minutes from Viti Crater and we found ourselves in some steady cold rain. We walked around for a little bit, but didn't stay too long because we were getting soaked. We were eager to go to the Myvatn Nature Baths just down the road and warm up!
The Myvatn Nature Baths are known as the Blue Lagoon of the north. It's not as touristy, not as flashy, and not as crowded. Though the baths aren't as "pretty" as the Blue Lagoon, it was definitely a less chaotic process getting into the locker rooms, showering, and entering the baths. It was still crowded and there seemed to be a ton of Americans and Brits around, but we made ourselves comfortable in our own little area. Unfortunately our camera with the waterproof case ran out of batteries as soon as we got into the baths so we have no pictures of our own.
There was still so much to see in the Myvatn area and we tried to hit a few things on the way out. We stopped at Grjotagja Cave, which is a small lava cave with a natural thermal spring inside. The temperature of the spring is around 109 degrees so some people do get in, but most find that it is too hot to sit comfortably. Jon went in to take some pictures of the blue water, while I stayed back. The rocks were wet going down, there was a family of ten pouring in behind us, and being 18 weeks pregnant I just didn't want to take the chance of slipping or losing my balance. I'll post more of the pictures from the inside when I get to Jon's camera.
We drove around the beautiful lake and started to head towards Akureyri, Iceland's second largest city (17,000 people) behind Reykjavik, and our home for the night. On the way we stopped at Goðafoss waterfall, which is a large horseshoe shaped waterfall. It was a pretty impressive sight! And since we arrived there around 7:30 at night there weren't many people around at all and we were able to enjoy the crushing sound of the falls.
Akureyri was about an hour away and we were getting hungry for some dinner. Akureyri is known for its nightlife, cool cafes, hip restaurants, and chic art galleries. We wish we could have stayed here more than one night, especially since our accommodations were the most comfortable of the whole trip! We had a delicious dinner in the center of town and stopped for some Icelandic ice cream on a walk.
Today was such a long and busy day, but we had such a good time in the Myvatn area. Next up a beautiful drive in the far north, the fishing town of Siglufjordur, and Hvitserkur (aka Dinosaur Rock).
Iceland Part II: Svartifoss Waterfall, Revisiting Jokulsarlon, Hofn, something, Seyðisfjörður
The next day we woke up fairly early and to very damp and chilly weather - it had rained the entire night before, but luckily it didn't rain the rest of the morning. We had snacks in the car for breakfast while we drove to Vatnajökull National Park to hike to Svartifoss Waterfall. We visited this park last year, but only did a walk to see the glacier up close. There are many other longer hikes throughout the park and you can pick and choose whichever suits you best. It's about a 2km almost completely uphill hike, and this pregnant lady was a little out of breath as we were hiking along, but the end result was worth it. The waterfall itself is not as impressive as others, but the rock formations and the setting it is situated in are very unique and beautiful compared to many other waterfalls we've seen. We stayed for about 30 minutes enjoying the scenery and while Jon tried to capture the perfect picture.
We then moved onward to Jokulsarlon, about 45 minutes away. This was one of the highlights of our trip last year so we were excited to go back. This time though, we went to the ocean side which we didn't see last year instead of the lagoon side. It was just as magical as last year! And cold!
An hour's drive later we found ourselves in Hofn, which is a quaint fishing town where we had planned to have lunch. We were starving! There aren't many options when driving through these desolate areas to eat (actually, there are no options!) and we had only had a few fig bars and cliff bars to hold us over so we were looking forward to some warm food. We had a restaurant in mind, Pakkhus, and immediately went there. We started with lobster soup with warm bread and butter and then had the best fish and chips of our entire trip. So amazingly delicious!
After some time in Hofn we took a slight detour off the Ring Road and went to Stokksnes. This area isn't well known to visitors so it was very empty, which was great since the landscape is completely gorgeous and unlike other landscapes we've seen. The black sand beach is framed by tall mountains right on the water's edge - it felt like we were part of another time period.
After the beach we drove back to the main area and then walked all the way down to "Viking Village". This is the set for an upcoming movie and it was pretty cool to see!
It was now time to continue our journey to our final destination for the night, Seyðisfjörður, about three hours away. We drove a twisty turny path on and off the Ring Road and saw some amazing scenery. Seyðisfjörður is located at the innermost part of a fjord and if you're visiting east Iceland then this is the town to see! The town is fairly small, but is decorated with colorful wooden houses, waterfalls, and mountains. The road leading down to the fjord is winding and slow and unlike anything we've seen before. It's actually the same road that Walter Mitty (in the movie The Secret Life of Walter Mitty) skateboards down and around.
We were beat from the day and couldn't wait to get some food in us. We ate at a local bar and had some yummy and much needed dinner. After dinner we walked around the town a little bit, but went back to our room pretty quickly since we were so tired. We spent a couple of hours in the morning walking around and visiting the unique artsy places they had. As we were leaving Seyðisfjörður, we stopped at a beautiful little waterfall on the mountain's edge.
I wish we had more time in this small town, but we needed to move on! Next up, Myvatn!
We then moved onward to Jokulsarlon, about 45 minutes away. This was one of the highlights of our trip last year so we were excited to go back. This time though, we went to the ocean side which we didn't see last year instead of the lagoon side. It was just as magical as last year! And cold!
An hour's drive later we found ourselves in Hofn, which is a quaint fishing town where we had planned to have lunch. We were starving! There aren't many options when driving through these desolate areas to eat (actually, there are no options!) and we had only had a few fig bars and cliff bars to hold us over so we were looking forward to some warm food. We had a restaurant in mind, Pakkhus, and immediately went there. We started with lobster soup with warm bread and butter and then had the best fish and chips of our entire trip. So amazingly delicious!
After some time in Hofn we took a slight detour off the Ring Road and went to Stokksnes. This area isn't well known to visitors so it was very empty, which was great since the landscape is completely gorgeous and unlike other landscapes we've seen. The black sand beach is framed by tall mountains right on the water's edge - it felt like we were part of another time period.
After the beach we drove back to the main area and then walked all the way down to "Viking Village". This is the set for an upcoming movie and it was pretty cool to see!
It was now time to continue our journey to our final destination for the night, Seyðisfjörður, about three hours away. We drove a twisty turny path on and off the Ring Road and saw some amazing scenery. Seyðisfjörður is located at the innermost part of a fjord and if you're visiting east Iceland then this is the town to see! The town is fairly small, but is decorated with colorful wooden houses, waterfalls, and mountains. The road leading down to the fjord is winding and slow and unlike anything we've seen before. It's actually the same road that Walter Mitty (in the movie The Secret Life of Walter Mitty) skateboards down and around.
We were beat from the day and couldn't wait to get some food in us. We ate at a local bar and had some yummy and much needed dinner. After dinner we walked around the town a little bit, but went back to our room pretty quickly since we were so tired. We spent a couple of hours in the morning walking around and visiting the unique artsy places they had. As we were leaving Seyðisfjörður, we stopped at a beautiful little waterfall on the mountain's edge.
I wish we had more time in this small town, but we needed to move on! Next up, Myvatn!
Iceland 2016 Part I: Some familiar waterfalls, Dyrholaey, Vik, Fjadrargljufur Canyon, & Systrastapi
I told you we'd be back! We honestly didn't think we'd be back so soon, but our drive to come back to Iceland just a year after we left it was stronger than going to a new country at this point. We planned an 8 day trip taking us around the entire country, and then some. We were able to skip a lot of the southeast since we spent 7 days focused on that area last year.
We arrived around 7am and were on the road by 8:15. The landscape was just how we remembered it... like the world had just ended! We stopped in a familiar bakery from last year and got some breakfast and waters for the road. Jon was able to get about 6 hours of sleep on the plane (due to an extra 1.5 hours of sitting on the runway before takeoff), but I barely slept the night before. He took to the road while I slept for a little bit on the drive to Seljalandsfoss. Just a couple of hours later we were at a familiar site... Seljalandsfoss waterfall:
We also walked up the walkway a bit and peeked into Gljufrabui waterfall. Last time I didn't go all the way in, but this time I did and I'm so glad I took the opportunity this time! The water was cold!
Next we drove up, up, up, and around in the hope of being able to see Seljalandsfoss from a high angle. We had read about being able to do this, and although we're pretty sure we were driving in the right area, we didn't see what we had intended to see. Nevertheless, we saw some great views and it gave me a chance to practice my bathroom skills next to the car :)
We then drove to Skogafoss waterfall just a little bit down the road. We didn't spend too much time here since we spent so much time here last year and we wanted to keep driving, but we were reminded of the sheer beauty of some of these places.
We then drove about 30 minutes to Vik where we spent a few nights last year. We didn't get to see Dyrholaey and the views of the black sand beach last time so that was on our agenda. The views of this empty black sand beach with the Arctic waters crashing on them was a gorgeous sight. We spent some time here just taking in the views and relaxing. We then drove to the town of Vik for a much needed meal.
Fully fed and reenergized we drove to Fjadrargljufur Canyon. This canyon is located right off the main road and is about 100 meters deep and about two kilometers long. We were able to hike a little bit up the canyon and along the small river, and although it was rather cloudy and a little drizzly, we were able to enjoy the spectacular views of the canyon.
An hour later put us near our cabin for the night. We first stopped at a beautiful waterfall that isn't on too many people's agenda - Systrastapi. There was no one in sight for this waterfall, and while it may not be as big as others it was pretty cool to see. If you happen to be passing by then it is right off the main road and I suggest making the quick stop.
By this time it was about 5:30 and we were so tired from the day and ready to check into our cabin. The drive took about 15 minutes from the waterfall and the cabin was located in the middle of a large lava field. Very beautiful and very serene! We relaxed and tried to keep our eyes open until dinner, and then crashed at around 8:30 for a full night's sleep. It was a tiring and long day, but we were so excited to be back!
We arrived around 7am and were on the road by 8:15. The landscape was just how we remembered it... like the world had just ended! We stopped in a familiar bakery from last year and got some breakfast and waters for the road. Jon was able to get about 6 hours of sleep on the plane (due to an extra 1.5 hours of sitting on the runway before takeoff), but I barely slept the night before. He took to the road while I slept for a little bit on the drive to Seljalandsfoss. Just a couple of hours later we were at a familiar site... Seljalandsfoss waterfall:
We also walked up the walkway a bit and peeked into Gljufrabui waterfall. Last time I didn't go all the way in, but this time I did and I'm so glad I took the opportunity this time! The water was cold!
Next we drove up, up, up, and around in the hope of being able to see Seljalandsfoss from a high angle. We had read about being able to do this, and although we're pretty sure we were driving in the right area, we didn't see what we had intended to see. Nevertheless, we saw some great views and it gave me a chance to practice my bathroom skills next to the car :)
We then drove to Skogafoss waterfall just a little bit down the road. We didn't spend too much time here since we spent so much time here last year and we wanted to keep driving, but we were reminded of the sheer beauty of some of these places.
We then drove about 30 minutes to Vik where we spent a few nights last year. We didn't get to see Dyrholaey and the views of the black sand beach last time so that was on our agenda. The views of this empty black sand beach with the Arctic waters crashing on them was a gorgeous sight. We spent some time here just taking in the views and relaxing. We then drove to the town of Vik for a much needed meal.
Fully fed and reenergized we drove to Fjadrargljufur Canyon. This canyon is located right off the main road and is about 100 meters deep and about two kilometers long. We were able to hike a little bit up the canyon and along the small river, and although it was rather cloudy and a little drizzly, we were able to enjoy the spectacular views of the canyon.
An hour later put us near our cabin for the night. We first stopped at a beautiful waterfall that isn't on too many people's agenda - Systrastapi. There was no one in sight for this waterfall, and while it may not be as big as others it was pretty cool to see. If you happen to be passing by then it is right off the main road and I suggest making the quick stop.
By this time it was about 5:30 and we were so tired from the day and ready to check into our cabin. The drive took about 15 minutes from the waterfall and the cabin was located in the middle of a large lava field. Very beautiful and very serene! We relaxed and tried to keep our eyes open until dinner, and then crashed at around 8:30 for a full night's sleep. It was a tiring and long day, but we were so excited to be back!
Monday, November 18, 2019
Iceland Part VII: Reykjanes peninsula
July 2015
Our last day was spent around the Reykjanes Peninsula where we had been staying for the past three nights. We had late afternoon flights, but wanted to stay within an hour's drive of the airport. The Reykjanes Peninsula has many different areas to see that many people don't get to.
We first spent a relaxing morning at our beautiful house talking with the home owners and taking pictures of the scenery. They recommended going to an "all you can eat" lobster soup and homemade bread place in Grindavik before starting our day. We drove that way and came upon a low key place named Bryggan on the water and holy moly it was just the best! We could have stayed there all day. It just seemed like it was your typical, no-fuss, Icelandic stop and we loved every minute of it.
After we rolled ourselves out of there we drove to Gunnuhver Hot Springs. This is a large area of geothermal activity where mud pools and steam vents are the main attraction. There are two ramps leading to great views of the hot springs area where a distinct sulfur smell permeates the air.
Next we went to Midlina in Sandvik, which is the "Bridge Between Two Continents". The mid-Atlantic ridge is separating at a rate of 2-2.5 centimeters per year. This ridge, consisting of the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates, runs underneath the Reykjanes Peninsula and we were able to cross the bridge and straddle the ridge. Pretty cool!
We drove from Sandvik and continued around the rest of the peninsula marveling at the lava crusted fields that seemed to go on for miles. It was getting to be about that time we had to head to the airport and we were in a solemn state. We had such an amazing time here... life changing we would say. The exquisite natural beauty, the openness, the culture, and just the feeling of freeness makes Iceland a destination that we will be returning to very soon.
Our last day was spent around the Reykjanes Peninsula where we had been staying for the past three nights. We had late afternoon flights, but wanted to stay within an hour's drive of the airport. The Reykjanes Peninsula has many different areas to see that many people don't get to.
We first spent a relaxing morning at our beautiful house talking with the home owners and taking pictures of the scenery. They recommended going to an "all you can eat" lobster soup and homemade bread place in Grindavik before starting our day. We drove that way and came upon a low key place named Bryggan on the water and holy moly it was just the best! We could have stayed there all day. It just seemed like it was your typical, no-fuss, Icelandic stop and we loved every minute of it.
After we rolled ourselves out of there we drove to Gunnuhver Hot Springs. This is a large area of geothermal activity where mud pools and steam vents are the main attraction. There are two ramps leading to great views of the hot springs area where a distinct sulfur smell permeates the air.
Next we went to Midlina in Sandvik, which is the "Bridge Between Two Continents". The mid-Atlantic ridge is separating at a rate of 2-2.5 centimeters per year. This ridge, consisting of the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates, runs underneath the Reykjanes Peninsula and we were able to cross the bridge and straddle the ridge. Pretty cool!
We drove from Sandvik and continued around the rest of the peninsula marveling at the lava crusted fields that seemed to go on for miles. It was getting to be about that time we had to head to the airport and we were in a solemn state. We had such an amazing time here... life changing we would say. The exquisite natural beauty, the openness, the culture, and just the feeling of freeness makes Iceland a destination that we will be returning to very soon.
Iceland Part VI: Hveragerði hot river and hike, and the Blue Lagoon
July 2015
Before I talk about this amazing day we had, I must start with the idyllic house we stayed in for our last three nights in Iceland. The house is located in between Reykjavik and Keflavik and is set right on the ocean, free of noise and people, with the Snæfellsnes Peninsula in the distant background. When researching for our Iceland vacation I came across a blog that had this house pictured in them. I messaged the writer and she gave me the VRBO link, and we couldn't have been happier with our choice! Our owners Anna and Birgir welcomed us into their home (we had the entire bottom floor of their house), and were so friendly and informative.
Because the sun sets so late at this time of year we had been finding it hard to go to sleep before midnight - though with our eye masks we were able to accomplish this maybe once or twice. Even though the sun does set in the summer (when we were there it set at 11:50pm and rose at 2:45am) it never fully gets dark. If you woke up at 1:30am it would look like dusk outside... it really messes with you if you're not used to it!
We stayed outside for the sunset one night and I have to say it was the most spectacular sunset I've ever seen. One thing about the sunset is that it takes FOREVER to set. It looks like it's hovering over the horizon for over an hour. The colors were striking, especially after the sun dipped below the horizon and stayed just under it for another hour. The sun, coupled with the beautiful scenery from the house made this a really special moment for us to share.
We dubbed our last day in Iceland our "free day". We had accomplished everything we had wanted to do the week before and we had it open to do whatever we chose. We chose to go Hveragerði, which is a town about 40 minutes outside of Reykjavik. The town is known for its intense thermal activity - they have a ton of greenhouses growing vegetables there that are heated from the ground. We had read about a hike just north of the town that leads you to a natural river bath heated from the thermal activity in the ground, but cooled off enough from glacial runoff so people were able to relax in it.
The climb was almost entirely uphill, but you are rewarded with wonderful views, waterfalls, and geothermal pools. It took us about an hour and 15 minutes and our legs were ready to quit... but we knew that just around the bend was the river!
Wooden pathways were a recent addition to the river since it has become more of a "hot spot". Hot steam was coming off of the river and though there were people hanging out in the river, it wasn't crowded by any means. We found an area where we modestly changed into our swimsuits and put our stuff down. Stepping into the water was like stepping into a hot tub. It was so relaxing after an uphill hike! We stayed in the water for about 20 minutes before taking a lunch break on the grass with sandwiches that we packed. We then tried different areas of the water since different parts had different temperatures and water flow.
We had 5pm reservations at the Blue Lagoon so after going back to the house and hanging out for a bit we headed there. It gets pretty crowded here in the summer so it's recommended that you make your reservations a few days beforehand. We decided that we would spend some time in the Lagoon and then eat at the highly rated LAVA restaurant on site.
The locker room was a little crazy... at least on the women's side. It took me a while to find a locker and even then I had to ask a woman if she was leaving and wait while she changed. The set of lockers that I ended up using had a mechanical issue so we couldn't shut or open them. The poor girl next to me who barely spoke English had just finished a shower and couldn't get into her locker to get dressed for maybe 30 minutes. One more thing.. leave your modesty at the door! They always say that they can tell who the Americans are because we cover ourselves up as we get dressed and undressed. So there were naked people everywhere in that locker room! But I have to say it was pretty liberating and I wish that we weren't so uptight in our own locker rooms... it's hard getting dressed while trying to hold a towel around you! Anyway, I digress...
The lagoon is so beautifully done. The hot aqua blue water was so inviting that we couldn't wait to get in. We parked ourselves in an empty area and relaxed in the water. A few glasses of Prosecco for me and a few beers for Jon later and we were very very happy!
We put some silica mud on our skin making it ever so soft and took in a few more of the sun's rays. We probably stayed in the water for about two hours before we were done.
After a shower and getting dressed we met each other at LAVA restaurant for our 9pm reservation (though we arrived early at 8:30). Even though we arrived early and said it wasn't a problem that our table wasn't ready they comped us for our drinks while we waited! We had one of the best seats in the restaurant looking right onto an empty area of the Blue Lagoon. The meal was spectacular and nicely presented.
It was such a nice way to end our fantastic day and our time in Iceland. Up next, exploring the Reykjanes Peninsula before our afternoon flights.
Before I talk about this amazing day we had, I must start with the idyllic house we stayed in for our last three nights in Iceland. The house is located in between Reykjavik and Keflavik and is set right on the ocean, free of noise and people, with the Snæfellsnes Peninsula in the distant background. When researching for our Iceland vacation I came across a blog that had this house pictured in them. I messaged the writer and she gave me the VRBO link, and we couldn't have been happier with our choice! Our owners Anna and Birgir welcomed us into their home (we had the entire bottom floor of their house), and were so friendly and informative.
Because the sun sets so late at this time of year we had been finding it hard to go to sleep before midnight - though with our eye masks we were able to accomplish this maybe once or twice. Even though the sun does set in the summer (when we were there it set at 11:50pm and rose at 2:45am) it never fully gets dark. If you woke up at 1:30am it would look like dusk outside... it really messes with you if you're not used to it!
We stayed outside for the sunset one night and I have to say it was the most spectacular sunset I've ever seen. One thing about the sunset is that it takes FOREVER to set. It looks like it's hovering over the horizon for over an hour. The colors were striking, especially after the sun dipped below the horizon and stayed just under it for another hour. The sun, coupled with the beautiful scenery from the house made this a really special moment for us to share.
We dubbed our last day in Iceland our "free day". We had accomplished everything we had wanted to do the week before and we had it open to do whatever we chose. We chose to go Hveragerði, which is a town about 40 minutes outside of Reykjavik. The town is known for its intense thermal activity - they have a ton of greenhouses growing vegetables there that are heated from the ground. We had read about a hike just north of the town that leads you to a natural river bath heated from the thermal activity in the ground, but cooled off enough from glacial runoff so people were able to relax in it.
The climb was almost entirely uphill, but you are rewarded with wonderful views, waterfalls, and geothermal pools. It took us about an hour and 15 minutes and our legs were ready to quit... but we knew that just around the bend was the river!
Wooden pathways were a recent addition to the river since it has become more of a "hot spot". Hot steam was coming off of the river and though there were people hanging out in the river, it wasn't crowded by any means. We found an area where we modestly changed into our swimsuits and put our stuff down. Stepping into the water was like stepping into a hot tub. It was so relaxing after an uphill hike! We stayed in the water for about 20 minutes before taking a lunch break on the grass with sandwiches that we packed. We then tried different areas of the water since different parts had different temperatures and water flow.
We had 5pm reservations at the Blue Lagoon so after going back to the house and hanging out for a bit we headed there. It gets pretty crowded here in the summer so it's recommended that you make your reservations a few days beforehand. We decided that we would spend some time in the Lagoon and then eat at the highly rated LAVA restaurant on site.
The locker room was a little crazy... at least on the women's side. It took me a while to find a locker and even then I had to ask a woman if she was leaving and wait while she changed. The set of lockers that I ended up using had a mechanical issue so we couldn't shut or open them. The poor girl next to me who barely spoke English had just finished a shower and couldn't get into her locker to get dressed for maybe 30 minutes. One more thing.. leave your modesty at the door! They always say that they can tell who the Americans are because we cover ourselves up as we get dressed and undressed. So there were naked people everywhere in that locker room! But I have to say it was pretty liberating and I wish that we weren't so uptight in our own locker rooms... it's hard getting dressed while trying to hold a towel around you! Anyway, I digress...
The lagoon is so beautifully done. The hot aqua blue water was so inviting that we couldn't wait to get in. We parked ourselves in an empty area and relaxed in the water. A few glasses of Prosecco for me and a few beers for Jon later and we were very very happy!
We put some silica mud on our skin making it ever so soft and took in a few more of the sun's rays. We probably stayed in the water for about two hours before we were done.
After a shower and getting dressed we met each other at LAVA restaurant for our 9pm reservation (though we arrived early at 8:30). Even though we arrived early and said it wasn't a problem that our table wasn't ready they comped us for our drinks while we waited! We had one of the best seats in the restaurant looking right onto an empty area of the Blue Lagoon. The meal was spectacular and nicely presented.
It was such a nice way to end our fantastic day and our time in Iceland. Up next, exploring the Reykjanes Peninsula before our afternoon flights.
Iceland Part V: A Day in Kulusuk, Greenland & some time in Reykjavik
July 2015
We went back and forth numerous times trying to decide whether we should spend one of our days in Greenland. The cons were that we only had seven days in Iceland so we weren't sure if we wanted to lose one of them, and two, it was VERY expensive! The pros were that we'd get to go to Greenland and have an amazing experience... and who gets to do that?!
The trip only lasted eight hours total and because of the long sunlit days we still had a lot of time to do what we pleased afterward. We arrived at Reykjavik airport for our 10:15 flight and right away we knew this was a different experience. This airport only serves domestic flights in Iceland, summer flights to Greenland, and flights to the Faroe Islands. There are only two gates (little did we know we would be seeing a much smaller airport on the other end). After checking in and going through the small security line, we settled onto the AirIceland plane for our 1.5 hour flight to Kulusuk.
Flying into Kulusuk was a very different experience than what we're used to! First, this...
And second, we flew into the smallest airport I have ever seen in my entire life. The airport was actually built by the U.S. Air Force in 1956 as part of an early warning defense system. I started to get a little nervous when it looked like we were only about 100 feet away from the mountains on the left as we were landing, but then we landed on a dirt runway and we started to seriously wonder where we were! This airport is so tiny that when we were leaving Kulusuk they simply opened a back door to the one room we were in (which was more like a souvenir shop) and went around to everyone telling them that the flight to Reykjavik was leaving. This airport is so small that they didn't ask anyone for their passports and the security line would have our TSA agents having heart attacks. Just a totally different experience all around!
We met our tour guide who would be taking us around the town for four hours. The tour was originally supposed to include a 45 minute boat ride through the icy water to get a closer look at the glaciers, but because their winter lasted longer than usual the water was still icy and impassable. We left the airport and walked three kilometers towards the town while making some stops along the way to hear about the daily life and history of the people here.
Kulusuk is an island town of about 250 people and is part of the least populated part of the country. Our guide gave us a lot of information on this very small and somewhat disconnected place. The only flushing toilets they have are at the hotel about two kilometers from the rest of the town. They have a grocery store that has a regular supply of food and items (although supplies dwindle in the winter as the ice blocks a lot of shipments to East Greenland), a school house, a church, and a large room where they hold parties. There are no doctors or hospitals, but they do have two nurses if the need arises. If they want to go shopping for anything besides groceries they have to take a boat to Tasiilaq (about an hour ride in the summer, or a ten minute helicopter ride). The winters can be really depressing here (as with all of Greenland) as the sun is only out for about 2-3 hours a day and no boats can leave the area (though helicopters are still able to get out if there's an emergency).
Our group took the scenic route down...
A really interesting tidbit that our guide told us was that the color of the houses are designed to show what the occupation is of the person living there. There are four main colors used: red signifies government establishments like the school, blue signifies transportation, yellow signifies medical personnel, and green signifies telecommunication. This was to ensure that people could see the houses in a snowstorm if they needed to find the appropriate person. If it's painted a different color then you're not part of these occupations. These days you're allowed to change the color of your house, but almost everybody keeps to the tradition.
During our time here we also went to the museum where the guide showed us artifacts from the old days, some of which they actually use today!
We ended the day with a stop at the church, a nice walk along icy water, and a three kilometer walk back to the airport.
This was such a great experience and we're so glad that we decided to do it! We would love to see the western side of Greenland and see the city of Nuuk, and maybe spend some overnight time there coupled with hiking and some boating adventures. Although, it's not quite at the top of our list right now! But you can't beat this stunning view from the airplane ...
We arrived back in Reykjavik at 6pm and went right into the city to Hallgrimskirkja - The Church of Hallgrimur. It's dedicated to the most renowned sacred poet of Iceland, Hallgrimmur Petursson, and it towers over the center of Reykjavik. It has a 73 meter tower, which gives a beautiful view of the city and surrounding area.
After the church we went to a sculpture called the Sun Voyager (Solfar in Icelandic), which sits right on the sea in Reykjavik. They say that the Sun Voyager is a dream boat, an ode to the sun. It's an imaginative view of a classic Viking ship and it's a really beautiful sculpture. With the mountains in the background and the sun hitting just the right way off of the metal, it almost looked like it was on fire (although the picture doesn't show it).
We walked around the city a little bit more and found a restaurant that I had wanted to eat at. It was an Icelandic tapas bar, which I thought would be perfect since it would give us the opportunity to try a variety of food as opposed to a couple of entrees. This was by far our favorite restaurant during our whole trip! We had some Icelandic favorites like puffin, shark, and whale, while also eating bacon wrapped dates, scallops, and so much more! We left very full.
Reykjavik really impressed us. Honestly, I really believe that it could be a city that we would enjoy living in!
We went back and forth numerous times trying to decide whether we should spend one of our days in Greenland. The cons were that we only had seven days in Iceland so we weren't sure if we wanted to lose one of them, and two, it was VERY expensive! The pros were that we'd get to go to Greenland and have an amazing experience... and who gets to do that?!
The trip only lasted eight hours total and because of the long sunlit days we still had a lot of time to do what we pleased afterward. We arrived at Reykjavik airport for our 10:15 flight and right away we knew this was a different experience. This airport only serves domestic flights in Iceland, summer flights to Greenland, and flights to the Faroe Islands. There are only two gates (little did we know we would be seeing a much smaller airport on the other end). After checking in and going through the small security line, we settled onto the AirIceland plane for our 1.5 hour flight to Kulusuk.
Flying into Kulusuk was a very different experience than what we're used to! First, this...
And second, we flew into the smallest airport I have ever seen in my entire life. The airport was actually built by the U.S. Air Force in 1956 as part of an early warning defense system. I started to get a little nervous when it looked like we were only about 100 feet away from the mountains on the left as we were landing, but then we landed on a dirt runway and we started to seriously wonder where we were! This airport is so tiny that when we were leaving Kulusuk they simply opened a back door to the one room we were in (which was more like a souvenir shop) and went around to everyone telling them that the flight to Reykjavik was leaving. This airport is so small that they didn't ask anyone for their passports and the security line would have our TSA agents having heart attacks. Just a totally different experience all around!
We met our tour guide who would be taking us around the town for four hours. The tour was originally supposed to include a 45 minute boat ride through the icy water to get a closer look at the glaciers, but because their winter lasted longer than usual the water was still icy and impassable. We left the airport and walked three kilometers towards the town while making some stops along the way to hear about the daily life and history of the people here.
Kulusuk is an island town of about 250 people and is part of the least populated part of the country. Our guide gave us a lot of information on this very small and somewhat disconnected place. The only flushing toilets they have are at the hotel about two kilometers from the rest of the town. They have a grocery store that has a regular supply of food and items (although supplies dwindle in the winter as the ice blocks a lot of shipments to East Greenland), a school house, a church, and a large room where they hold parties. There are no doctors or hospitals, but they do have two nurses if the need arises. If they want to go shopping for anything besides groceries they have to take a boat to Tasiilaq (about an hour ride in the summer, or a ten minute helicopter ride). The winters can be really depressing here (as with all of Greenland) as the sun is only out for about 2-3 hours a day and no boats can leave the area (though helicopters are still able to get out if there's an emergency).
Our group took the scenic route down...
A really interesting tidbit that our guide told us was that the color of the houses are designed to show what the occupation is of the person living there. There are four main colors used: red signifies government establishments like the school, blue signifies transportation, yellow signifies medical personnel, and green signifies telecommunication. This was to ensure that people could see the houses in a snowstorm if they needed to find the appropriate person. If it's painted a different color then you're not part of these occupations. These days you're allowed to change the color of your house, but almost everybody keeps to the tradition.
During our time here we also went to the museum where the guide showed us artifacts from the old days, some of which they actually use today!
We ended the day with a stop at the church, a nice walk along icy water, and a three kilometer walk back to the airport.
This was such a great experience and we're so glad that we decided to do it! We would love to see the western side of Greenland and see the city of Nuuk, and maybe spend some overnight time there coupled with hiking and some boating adventures. Although, it's not quite at the top of our list right now! But you can't beat this stunning view from the airplane ...
We arrived back in Reykjavik at 6pm and went right into the city to Hallgrimskirkja - The Church of Hallgrimur. It's dedicated to the most renowned sacred poet of Iceland, Hallgrimmur Petursson, and it towers over the center of Reykjavik. It has a 73 meter tower, which gives a beautiful view of the city and surrounding area.
After the church we went to a sculpture called the Sun Voyager (Solfar in Icelandic), which sits right on the sea in Reykjavik. They say that the Sun Voyager is a dream boat, an ode to the sun. It's an imaginative view of a classic Viking ship and it's a really beautiful sculpture. With the mountains in the background and the sun hitting just the right way off of the metal, it almost looked like it was on fire (although the picture doesn't show it).
We walked around the city a little bit more and found a restaurant that I had wanted to eat at. It was an Icelandic tapas bar, which I thought would be perfect since it would give us the opportunity to try a variety of food as opposed to a couple of entrees. This was by far our favorite restaurant during our whole trip! We had some Icelandic favorites like puffin, shark, and whale, while also eating bacon wrapped dates, scallops, and so much more! We left very full.
Reykjavik really impressed us. Honestly, I really believe that it could be a city that we would enjoy living in!
Iceland Part IV: The Golden Circle, and some great stops along the way!
July 2015
We woke up to a very windy and rainy morning. Vik is the rainiest place in all of Iceland and we were pretty fortunate to have sunny skies here the past two days... and that we were leaving that morning!
We were about two minutes into our rainy drive back towards the west when we saw a woman on the side of the road with a huge backpack and a sign that said, "Reykjavik". Now before anybody says anything like "I hope they didn't pick her up", Iceland is hugely known for it's hitchhiking tourists and it's actually encouraged! All along Ring Road you will see men and women with signs asking for rides to various places. There are no crimes associated with this and people from all over the country help each other out, though Americans usually don't since it's illegal here and we have some crazies in our country that makes us jaded. Given the bad weather and excitement we had that we could do something that is pretty normal in Iceland, we asked her where she needed to go. She needed to get to Keflavik airport, but since we weren't going all the way there we told her we'd drop her off in Sulfoss, which got her pretty close and was about 1.5 hours away from Vik. She was so grateful to get out of the cold and we felt pretty good about ourselves helping out a fellow tourist. She was from Estonia and left her daughter and husband to travel around Iceland for a week (solely on the use of hitchhiking!) She actually had been to the base in Naples, Italy and in Hawaii since she her best friend is married to a guy in the Navy- what a small world!
After we dropped off our hitchhiker we started our drive on the Golden Circle. The Golden Circle is a really popular tourist route in Iceland and can be done in a day trip. There are three main sights that people see: Gulfoss Waterfall, Geysir Hot Springs, and Thingvellir National Park. We knew this day was going to be our "crowded" day with hundreds of people in tour buses flooding the sights, and while we were looking forward to seeing some cool stuff, we were not looking forward to the hoards of people. The good thing was that we were going around the Circle in the opposite direction, we were getting a later start due to coming from Vik, and we were stopping at other places in between that were off the beaten path.
Our first stop was to Kerid Crater, which is a volcanic crater lake. Surprisingly, this was the ONLY outdoor place in all of the stops we went to that charged an entrance fee (and it was only around $3). Every national park, waterfall, and geysir area has free entrance, which was hard to get used to, but very welcomed!
The crater lake is very colorful and unique! Bjork actually held a concert in the middle of the lake a few years back.
We drove a little bit north and went to Gulfoss Waterfall. The waterfall is on the Hvita River, which is fed by Iceland's second biggest glacier, Langjokull. It was pretty crowded when we arrived here, but we could easily see why. The falls are very powerful and were rampaging over the sides.
We went out to different view points, all in an attempt to try to get away from the mobs of people, but it was hard to do. It's a great stop to have on the tour bus route, but if you're like us you much prefer the quieter tour bus free areas. But just like the Colosseum in Rome, or the Eiffel Tower in Paris, this is one of Iceland's top sights to see so it's a necessary evil. We did very much enjoy looking the intense waterfall though!
The next stop was only five minutes away, the Geysir Hot Spring Area. Because we went to the waterfall first (we passed the hot spring area on the way) we were able to park in a small empty parking lot across from the tour bus area. The Hot Spring Area is a large open area that has more than a dozen hot water blow holes and has been active for more than 1,000 years.
Geysir is the original hot water-spout after which all other geysirs are named. Unfortunately the original geysir no longer spews water into the air, but Strokkur is a very reliable geysir within the same area that shoots water 50-100 feet every 5-10 minutes. We watched Strokkur blast some hot water into the air a few times in order to get the perfect picture!
We continued counter-clockwise on the Golden Circle and made a planned stop in Laugarvatn. The small town of Laugarvatn is known for it's geothermal baths (Fontana) and we wanted to experience them. We stopped off for a quick bite to eat and then headed to the baths. The Fontana is a small and intimate area consisting of several choices of shallow and deeper baths, each marked with a temperature rating. You can also go into the lake (with a sign that says, "Dangerous Nature!"). And if you've had enough of the baths you can go into the sauna that's fed by a naturally occurring geyser-like vent below. This was a really nice place to go and unwind after our long day of driving and sightseeing. The temperature outside was in the 50s and it was nice to sit outside in the hot water and check out the scenery. We also ventured into the lake a little bit, though we didn't get too far since the bottom was a bit rocky and it was pretty cold!
Moving on from Laugarvatn, we drove to our last stop of the day, Thingvellir National Park. Because we arrived later in the day and due to the park's size, we were able to avoid the masses and explore this park in peace. The park has a lot of historical significance as the Vikings established the world's first democratic parliament here in 930 (Thingvellir means "Parliament Plains). Now it is a protected national shrine. The national park is also located on the two tectonic plates of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and it's possible to stand (and snorkel) in between the two plates.
There was so much beauty in this park! There were a lot of trails, paths and other walkable areas for us to explore, as well as a beautiful lookout area that had a stunning view of the park and surrounding area.
What a tiring, but great day we had! We still needed to drive an hour to our house that would be our home for the next three nights, but more on the amazing house in the next post! Next up, a day in Greenland and some time in Reykjavik!
We woke up to a very windy and rainy morning. Vik is the rainiest place in all of Iceland and we were pretty fortunate to have sunny skies here the past two days... and that we were leaving that morning!
We were about two minutes into our rainy drive back towards the west when we saw a woman on the side of the road with a huge backpack and a sign that said, "Reykjavik". Now before anybody says anything like "I hope they didn't pick her up", Iceland is hugely known for it's hitchhiking tourists and it's actually encouraged! All along Ring Road you will see men and women with signs asking for rides to various places. There are no crimes associated with this and people from all over the country help each other out, though Americans usually don't since it's illegal here and we have some crazies in our country that makes us jaded. Given the bad weather and excitement we had that we could do something that is pretty normal in Iceland, we asked her where she needed to go. She needed to get to Keflavik airport, but since we weren't going all the way there we told her we'd drop her off in Sulfoss, which got her pretty close and was about 1.5 hours away from Vik. She was so grateful to get out of the cold and we felt pretty good about ourselves helping out a fellow tourist. She was from Estonia and left her daughter and husband to travel around Iceland for a week (solely on the use of hitchhiking!) She actually had been to the base in Naples, Italy and in Hawaii since she her best friend is married to a guy in the Navy- what a small world!
After we dropped off our hitchhiker we started our drive on the Golden Circle. The Golden Circle is a really popular tourist route in Iceland and can be done in a day trip. There are three main sights that people see: Gulfoss Waterfall, Geysir Hot Springs, and Thingvellir National Park. We knew this day was going to be our "crowded" day with hundreds of people in tour buses flooding the sights, and while we were looking forward to seeing some cool stuff, we were not looking forward to the hoards of people. The good thing was that we were going around the Circle in the opposite direction, we were getting a later start due to coming from Vik, and we were stopping at other places in between that were off the beaten path.
Our first stop was to Kerid Crater, which is a volcanic crater lake. Surprisingly, this was the ONLY outdoor place in all of the stops we went to that charged an entrance fee (and it was only around $3). Every national park, waterfall, and geysir area has free entrance, which was hard to get used to, but very welcomed!
The crater lake is very colorful and unique! Bjork actually held a concert in the middle of the lake a few years back.
We drove a little bit north and went to Gulfoss Waterfall. The waterfall is on the Hvita River, which is fed by Iceland's second biggest glacier, Langjokull. It was pretty crowded when we arrived here, but we could easily see why. The falls are very powerful and were rampaging over the sides.
We went out to different view points, all in an attempt to try to get away from the mobs of people, but it was hard to do. It's a great stop to have on the tour bus route, but if you're like us you much prefer the quieter tour bus free areas. But just like the Colosseum in Rome, or the Eiffel Tower in Paris, this is one of Iceland's top sights to see so it's a necessary evil. We did very much enjoy looking the intense waterfall though!
The next stop was only five minutes away, the Geysir Hot Spring Area. Because we went to the waterfall first (we passed the hot spring area on the way) we were able to park in a small empty parking lot across from the tour bus area. The Hot Spring Area is a large open area that has more than a dozen hot water blow holes and has been active for more than 1,000 years.
Geysir is the original hot water-spout after which all other geysirs are named. Unfortunately the original geysir no longer spews water into the air, but Strokkur is a very reliable geysir within the same area that shoots water 50-100 feet every 5-10 minutes. We watched Strokkur blast some hot water into the air a few times in order to get the perfect picture!
We continued counter-clockwise on the Golden Circle and made a planned stop in Laugarvatn. The small town of Laugarvatn is known for it's geothermal baths (Fontana) and we wanted to experience them. We stopped off for a quick bite to eat and then headed to the baths. The Fontana is a small and intimate area consisting of several choices of shallow and deeper baths, each marked with a temperature rating. You can also go into the lake (with a sign that says, "Dangerous Nature!"). And if you've had enough of the baths you can go into the sauna that's fed by a naturally occurring geyser-like vent below. This was a really nice place to go and unwind after our long day of driving and sightseeing. The temperature outside was in the 50s and it was nice to sit outside in the hot water and check out the scenery. We also ventured into the lake a little bit, though we didn't get too far since the bottom was a bit rocky and it was pretty cold!
Moving on from Laugarvatn, we drove to our last stop of the day, Thingvellir National Park. Because we arrived later in the day and due to the park's size, we were able to avoid the masses and explore this park in peace. The park has a lot of historical significance as the Vikings established the world's first democratic parliament here in 930 (Thingvellir means "Parliament Plains). Now it is a protected national shrine. The national park is also located on the two tectonic plates of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and it's possible to stand (and snorkel) in between the two plates.
There was so much beauty in this park! There were a lot of trails, paths and other walkable areas for us to explore, as well as a beautiful lookout area that had a stunning view of the park and surrounding area.
What a tiring, but great day we had! We still needed to drive an hour to our house that would be our home for the next three nights, but more on the amazing house in the next post! Next up, a day in Greenland and some time in Reykjavik!
Iceland Part III: Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon, Skaftafell National Park, and some fun stuff in between!
This day had us driving more east to less traveled areas and emptier roads. It was going to be a long day of driving, but there were always areas to stop in order for us to take pictures or just gaze at the scenery. The landscape was incredible - we drove through mounds and mounds of moss covered lava with mountains, glaciers, and the ocean serving as the backdrop.
A couple of days before we left for Iceland we saw a picture from National Geographic Magazine showing someone running on the moss covered lava of Eldhraun. We looked it up, and to our delight it was right where we would be driving through on this day. As it turns out we probably would have stopped on the side of the road anyway in order to take pictures of this, but we now knew that there was an area where we could turn onto and get slightly away from the main road.
There was just so much lava... everywhere. And to think of how long it had been there for all of the moss and lavender plants to grow on it was amazing. Walking (and running... and jumping) in this special area where few people get to see was just incredible. There was only one other car in the turn off area. If you just do a little research, have flexibility to deviate from plans, and show interest, you can discover wonderful things about the world.
We drove on and went out to Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon, which was about two hours from where we took our lava break. This lagoon is thought to be one of the greatest natural wonders in Iceland, and though it's a relatively recent lagoon due to a warming climate, it is a spectacular and magnificent sight to see. Huge blocks of ice break of the glacier of Breiðamerkurjökull and large white and electric blue icebergs float on top.
The lagoon is right off of the main road and since we were coming from the west we had an advantage - we came across a small parking lot first, as opposed to the crowded big one across the river. This also meant that we could walk along the black sand beach away from people and see smaller pieces of ice wash up on shore. This sight is so impressive and amazing - we've never seen anything like it before. It was a kind of beauty that we both had never experienced in any of our travels.
After leaving the lagoon we turned around and headed towards Skaftafell National Park, which was on the way back to Vik. Before the park we stopped at Kviárjökull glacier, which was easily accessible from the road. It wasn't nearly as dramatic as Jökulsárlón, but due to the lack of people it was very appealing.
About 30 minutes later we arrived at Skaftafell National Park. This park sits on the edge of the Vatnajökull glacier and has a network of trails ranging from taking an hour to a few days worth. It was about 3pm, and although we had no threat of daylight ending, we decided to keep our hike/walk on the shorter end since we had almost a two hour drive back to Vik. As this was a day of glaciers, we took a walk to Skaftafell Glacier, which started right from the visitor center, and ended about 2.5 km later. We ended on a gravel path which opened to a wide area with the glacier right in front of us.
A couple of days before we left for Iceland we saw a picture from National Geographic Magazine showing someone running on the moss covered lava of Eldhraun. We looked it up, and to our delight it was right where we would be driving through on this day. As it turns out we probably would have stopped on the side of the road anyway in order to take pictures of this, but we now knew that there was an area where we could turn onto and get slightly away from the main road.
There was just so much lava... everywhere. And to think of how long it had been there for all of the moss and lavender plants to grow on it was amazing. Walking (and running... and jumping) in this special area where few people get to see was just incredible. There was only one other car in the turn off area. If you just do a little research, have flexibility to deviate from plans, and show interest, you can discover wonderful things about the world.
We drove on and went out to Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon, which was about two hours from where we took our lava break. This lagoon is thought to be one of the greatest natural wonders in Iceland, and though it's a relatively recent lagoon due to a warming climate, it is a spectacular and magnificent sight to see. Huge blocks of ice break of the glacier of Breiðamerkurjökull and large white and electric blue icebergs float on top.
The lagoon is right off of the main road and since we were coming from the west we had an advantage - we came across a small parking lot first, as opposed to the crowded big one across the river. This also meant that we could walk along the black sand beach away from people and see smaller pieces of ice wash up on shore. This sight is so impressive and amazing - we've never seen anything like it before. It was a kind of beauty that we both had never experienced in any of our travels.
After leaving the lagoon we turned around and headed towards Skaftafell National Park, which was on the way back to Vik. Before the park we stopped at Kviárjökull glacier, which was easily accessible from the road. It wasn't nearly as dramatic as Jökulsárlón, but due to the lack of people it was very appealing.
About 30 minutes later we arrived at Skaftafell National Park. This park sits on the edge of the Vatnajökull glacier and has a network of trails ranging from taking an hour to a few days worth. It was about 3pm, and although we had no threat of daylight ending, we decided to keep our hike/walk on the shorter end since we had almost a two hour drive back to Vik. As this was a day of glaciers, we took a walk to Skaftafell Glacier, which started right from the visitor center, and ended about 2.5 km later. We ended on a gravel path which opened to a wide area with the glacier right in front of us.
There are so many things to see in this park and a lot of different hikes that we could have taken. When (not if) we come back to Iceland, I would like to try out some longer hikes in the park in order to see mountain peaks and waterfalls.
We drove back making stops along the way for some perfect picture taking opportunities. We are so fortunate to have seen such amazing natural beauty on this day! Next up, our drive along the Golden Circle, with some detours along the way (of course)! Stay tuned!
We drove back making stops along the way for some perfect picture taking opportunities. We are so fortunate to have seen such amazing natural beauty on this day! Next up, our drive along the Golden Circle, with some detours along the way (of course)! Stay tuned!
Iceland Part II: Skogafoss, Solheimjokull Glacier, a plane crash site, and Reynisfjara Beach
July 2015
Wow, did we have a lot to see on our drive to Vik! Vik is about an hour away from the ferry, but it took us about four hours to get there due to some sights we wanted to see on the way.
Our first stop was to the impressive Skogafoss waterfall, which stands about 60 meters tall and is about 25 meters wide. The waterfall has a lot of power to it and you can hear the thundering of the bottom of it from afar. We were pretty surprised that we were able to get so close to the base of it given how forceful it is. We walked up to about as far as we could get without getting soaking wet. After all, we did have a lot to do that day!
Stairs and a path next to the waterfall led us all the way to the top (as well as testing our fitness) to some precarious views down below. These stairs also mark the start of one of the most popular hiking trails in Iceland, taking you 55 kilometers to Landmannalaugaur.
Next we drove about 20 minutes to Sólheimajökull glacier. This glacier snout is part of the much bigger Mýrdalsjökull glacier. They say that Sólheimajökull is shrinking and retreating, and has retreated about a kilometer in the last decade. As you walk towards the glacier you can even see where it used to be since it is either covered by water or rough stony ground.
I've got to admit, it was pretty cool looking at a glacier that has probably been there since the Ice Age. Next time I think we'll sign up for a glacial walk so we can really see all of the different formations, ice ridges, and small glacial streams.
Our next stop is a really interesting and random find. On November 24, 1973, a U.S. Navy plane was forced to land on the black sand beach of Solheimasandur in Southern Iceland. The crew survived, but the plane was abandoned, rather than recovered, and it rests there still. Extreme weather (and looters?) has taken its toll on the plane, but the shell and half of both wings still remain.
The plane was somewhat of a challenge to get to. This site isn't in your Lonely Planet or Rick Steves' books - we just happened to find it on a blog a few days before we arrived in Iceland and it gave very detailed instructions on how to find it. There are no signs from the main road and when you do come to the subtle turn off the road, there is a teeny tiny sign pointing that the site is about 5 km away. The "road" to the site (packed gravel and rocks) is bumpy and full of potholes! Rocks were kicking up into the tires and metal and I was afraid that we were going to puncture something as we drove very slowly towards the south. It took a good 15-20 minutes to get down towards the water, but when we came around a small corner you couldn't miss this incredible site.
Our last stop of the day took us to Reynisfjara Beach, about five minutes from the tiny town of Vik where we were staying for the next two nights. Reynisfjara Beach was voted as one of the most ten beautiful non-tropical beaches on Earth... and it was easy to see why! There's a lot to see at this fascinating and eerie beach. In the distance off-shore you can see the Reynisdrangar rock formations, which look like spooky spindles of rock sticking out of the ocean. Legend has it that three trolls were pulling a three masted ship to shore, but were caught at dawn by the sunlight and were turned into rocks. I'm not exactly sure where these photos are... I hope we took some! The pictures below are views of Dyrhólaey, which has a naturally formed arch that serves as a large bird refuge.
On the beach there are stunning basalt columns. They were created when magma cooled slowly and then cracked into columns as the surface area decreased. These were just spectacular to look at!
What a great day of exploring a bit of Southern Iceland! Next up, Jokularson Glacier Lagoon, Skaftafell National Park, and a lot of fun stuff in between!
Wow, did we have a lot to see on our drive to Vik! Vik is about an hour away from the ferry, but it took us about four hours to get there due to some sights we wanted to see on the way.
Our first stop was to the impressive Skogafoss waterfall, which stands about 60 meters tall and is about 25 meters wide. The waterfall has a lot of power to it and you can hear the thundering of the bottom of it from afar. We were pretty surprised that we were able to get so close to the base of it given how forceful it is. We walked up to about as far as we could get without getting soaking wet. After all, we did have a lot to do that day!
Stairs and a path next to the waterfall led us all the way to the top (as well as testing our fitness) to some precarious views down below. These stairs also mark the start of one of the most popular hiking trails in Iceland, taking you 55 kilometers to Landmannalaugaur.
Next we drove about 20 minutes to Sólheimajökull glacier. This glacier snout is part of the much bigger Mýrdalsjökull glacier. They say that Sólheimajökull is shrinking and retreating, and has retreated about a kilometer in the last decade. As you walk towards the glacier you can even see where it used to be since it is either covered by water or rough stony ground.
I've got to admit, it was pretty cool looking at a glacier that has probably been there since the Ice Age. Next time I think we'll sign up for a glacial walk so we can really see all of the different formations, ice ridges, and small glacial streams.
Our next stop is a really interesting and random find. On November 24, 1973, a U.S. Navy plane was forced to land on the black sand beach of Solheimasandur in Southern Iceland. The crew survived, but the plane was abandoned, rather than recovered, and it rests there still. Extreme weather (and looters?) has taken its toll on the plane, but the shell and half of both wings still remain.
The plane was somewhat of a challenge to get to. This site isn't in your Lonely Planet or Rick Steves' books - we just happened to find it on a blog a few days before we arrived in Iceland and it gave very detailed instructions on how to find it. There are no signs from the main road and when you do come to the subtle turn off the road, there is a teeny tiny sign pointing that the site is about 5 km away. The "road" to the site (packed gravel and rocks) is bumpy and full of potholes! Rocks were kicking up into the tires and metal and I was afraid that we were going to puncture something as we drove very slowly towards the south. It took a good 15-20 minutes to get down towards the water, but when we came around a small corner you couldn't miss this incredible site.
Our last stop of the day took us to Reynisfjara Beach, about five minutes from the tiny town of Vik where we were staying for the next two nights. Reynisfjara Beach was voted as one of the most ten beautiful non-tropical beaches on Earth... and it was easy to see why! There's a lot to see at this fascinating and eerie beach. In the distance off-shore you can see the Reynisdrangar rock formations, which look like spooky spindles of rock sticking out of the ocean. Legend has it that three trolls were pulling a three masted ship to shore, but were caught at dawn by the sunlight and were turned into rocks. I'm not exactly sure where these photos are... I hope we took some! The pictures below are views of Dyrhólaey, which has a naturally formed arch that serves as a large bird refuge.
On the beach there are stunning basalt columns. They were created when magma cooled slowly and then cracked into columns as the surface area decreased. These were just spectacular to look at!
What a great day of exploring a bit of Southern Iceland! Next up, Jokularson Glacier Lagoon, Skaftafell National Park, and a lot of fun stuff in between!
Iceland Part I: The Westman Islands and a couple of waterfalls!
July 2015
Iceland is a trip that we have been planning for a long time, and we can't believe it's over already! This was one of the best trips we have ever taken; it was full of adventure, outdoor excitement, fresh Icelandic cuisine, and of course pure natural beauty.
Iceland is a country of sharp contrasts - where fire and ice coexist because of the volcanoes and glaciers, and where the light from the sun is seen all day and night in the summer, and the darkness of the night is an almost all day experience in the winter. West Iceland experiences relatively mild winters due to the Gulf Stream (they say the winters in Reykjavik are about the same as in NYC), with the summers being in the 50s and 60s. My initial (and continuing) thoughts about Iceland are that it looks like it's the end of the world and the apocalypse is upon us. There is lava EVERYWHERE!
We arrived around 6:15am after a short flight for an overseas trip. After getting our rental car we hit the road old school with no GPS and only a map at our disposal. The roads are so easy to navigate (there aren't too many!) and the signage is pretty well posted. We passed through lava fields surrounded by not so distant mountains that were speckled with tiny waterfalls. At times it felt like we were alone on the road in a vast sea of lava. Simply spectacular.
Our first night in Iceland was on the Westman Islands (Vestmannjayeer). The ferry to the island was about 2.5 hours away from the airport so we had plenty of time to stop at a few things beforehand. About 10 minutes away from the ferry is Seljalandsfoss waterfall. The Icelandic term for waterfall is "foss" and this waterfall did not disappoint. We were able to get up close and personal as we were allowed to climb up and walk behind the waterfall. The mist of the water sprayed on us as we walked around, looking at it from all directions. A very cool sight indeed!
We walked about 1/3 mile to another waterfall called Gljufrabui, which means "Dweller of the Gorge" We were able to get very close with this one! It's about 40 meters high and because there's a big rock in front of it (and a little bit of a walk from the more popular waterfall) not many people notice it. You can wade through the gorge and jump on the rocks on the river (which is what we did) or walk up the rock to see the top.
It was time to head to the ferry so we got in the car and drove about 15 minutes to the ferry terminal. The weather wasn't the best so we opted to stay inside and and chill, where we ended up passing out for a good portion of the 30 minute trip! The rest of the day is a little bit of a blur... we went right to the hotel, and after checking in and having a delicious lunch at a local favorite restaurant, we took a nap to catch up on some sleep before dinner (which was spectacular).
After getting about 10 hours of sleep (when does that ever happen??) we awoke to a gorgeous sunny and warm day on the island. Luckily we were able to sleep through the daylight the night before since we brought our eye masks - the hotel (or any other place we stayed) didn't have black out curtains. At this time of year the sun doesn't set until 11:45pm and it rises around 2:50am. During those three hours the sky doesn't even come close to being black! It's a pretty weird feeling... but more on that later on when we watch the midnight sunsets at the end of the trip.
The Westman Islands are a series of islands south of the mainland formed by eruptions about 10,000 years ago. Only one island, Heimaey, is habitable, and it came to international attention with the eruption of Eldfell volcano in 1973. The eruption lasted about 6.5 months and destroyed about 1/4 of the island, while increasing the size by 20%! Luckily everyone was evacuated quickly so no one was killed. Families came back to the island to rebuild, and now climbing the volcano and visiting the museum is a pretty big attraction there (along with puffin watching).
After breakfast we set out on a clearly marked path towards the volcano Eldfell. They call this area the "Pompeii of the North" due to so many houses and other structures being buried (and most likely preserved) in mounds of lava. We walked past those memorials of houses and schools that were buried 16 meters below where we stood. We continued to get nice views of the town as we walked through the 40 year old lava on either side of us on the way to Eldfell. On our walk we learned that heat from the volcano provided the town of Heimaey with geothermal energy from 1976-1985!
We started the somewhat steep climb on the collapsed northern end of the volcano taking breaks to snap pictures of the gorgeous view.
We made it to the top and it was worth it! Once we got up there the wind hit us and all we could do was stand out facing the ocean with our arms stretched way out. We could basically see the entire island, including the teeny tiny airport. We were also able to see the other small islands that make up Vestmannaeyar. This was such an incredible view and was a great start to our week in Iceland.
We made our way to the town and walked to Eldheimer, which is a museum detailing the 1973 eruption and life on the island before and after it. The museum incorporates one house that was excavated and is still intact, including toppled household items left behind. The museum is beautifully done and we learned so much about the island.
Before we knew it we had to board the ferry again in order to continue our journey (but not before stopping at a delicious local restaurant for some lunch)!
We came to the island on the recommendation of my second cousin Rob who lived in Iceland for two years. We're so glad that we researched it and spent the night in this quaint and quiet fishing island. It was a fantastic way to start our adventures! Next up, our drive to Vik including a big waterfall, an old Navy plane crash on the beach, a sizable glacier, and Reynisdrangar rock formations in Vik!
Iceland is a trip that we have been planning for a long time, and we can't believe it's over already! This was one of the best trips we have ever taken; it was full of adventure, outdoor excitement, fresh Icelandic cuisine, and of course pure natural beauty.
Iceland is a country of sharp contrasts - where fire and ice coexist because of the volcanoes and glaciers, and where the light from the sun is seen all day and night in the summer, and the darkness of the night is an almost all day experience in the winter. West Iceland experiences relatively mild winters due to the Gulf Stream (they say the winters in Reykjavik are about the same as in NYC), with the summers being in the 50s and 60s. My initial (and continuing) thoughts about Iceland are that it looks like it's the end of the world and the apocalypse is upon us. There is lava EVERYWHERE!
We arrived around 6:15am after a short flight for an overseas trip. After getting our rental car we hit the road old school with no GPS and only a map at our disposal. The roads are so easy to navigate (there aren't too many!) and the signage is pretty well posted. We passed through lava fields surrounded by not so distant mountains that were speckled with tiny waterfalls. At times it felt like we were alone on the road in a vast sea of lava. Simply spectacular.
Our first night in Iceland was on the Westman Islands (Vestmannjayeer). The ferry to the island was about 2.5 hours away from the airport so we had plenty of time to stop at a few things beforehand. About 10 minutes away from the ferry is Seljalandsfoss waterfall. The Icelandic term for waterfall is "foss" and this waterfall did not disappoint. We were able to get up close and personal as we were allowed to climb up and walk behind the waterfall. The mist of the water sprayed on us as we walked around, looking at it from all directions. A very cool sight indeed!
We walked about 1/3 mile to another waterfall called Gljufrabui, which means "Dweller of the Gorge" We were able to get very close with this one! It's about 40 meters high and because there's a big rock in front of it (and a little bit of a walk from the more popular waterfall) not many people notice it. You can wade through the gorge and jump on the rocks on the river (which is what we did) or walk up the rock to see the top.
It was time to head to the ferry so we got in the car and drove about 15 minutes to the ferry terminal. The weather wasn't the best so we opted to stay inside and and chill, where we ended up passing out for a good portion of the 30 minute trip! The rest of the day is a little bit of a blur... we went right to the hotel, and after checking in and having a delicious lunch at a local favorite restaurant, we took a nap to catch up on some sleep before dinner (which was spectacular).
After getting about 10 hours of sleep (when does that ever happen??) we awoke to a gorgeous sunny and warm day on the island. Luckily we were able to sleep through the daylight the night before since we brought our eye masks - the hotel (or any other place we stayed) didn't have black out curtains. At this time of year the sun doesn't set until 11:45pm and it rises around 2:50am. During those three hours the sky doesn't even come close to being black! It's a pretty weird feeling... but more on that later on when we watch the midnight sunsets at the end of the trip.
The Westman Islands are a series of islands south of the mainland formed by eruptions about 10,000 years ago. Only one island, Heimaey, is habitable, and it came to international attention with the eruption of Eldfell volcano in 1973. The eruption lasted about 6.5 months and destroyed about 1/4 of the island, while increasing the size by 20%! Luckily everyone was evacuated quickly so no one was killed. Families came back to the island to rebuild, and now climbing the volcano and visiting the museum is a pretty big attraction there (along with puffin watching).
After breakfast we set out on a clearly marked path towards the volcano Eldfell. They call this area the "Pompeii of the North" due to so many houses and other structures being buried (and most likely preserved) in mounds of lava. We walked past those memorials of houses and schools that were buried 16 meters below where we stood. We continued to get nice views of the town as we walked through the 40 year old lava on either side of us on the way to Eldfell. On our walk we learned that heat from the volcano provided the town of Heimaey with geothermal energy from 1976-1985!
We started the somewhat steep climb on the collapsed northern end of the volcano taking breaks to snap pictures of the gorgeous view.
We made it to the top and it was worth it! Once we got up there the wind hit us and all we could do was stand out facing the ocean with our arms stretched way out. We could basically see the entire island, including the teeny tiny airport. We were also able to see the other small islands that make up Vestmannaeyar. This was such an incredible view and was a great start to our week in Iceland.
We made our way to the town and walked to Eldheimer, which is a museum detailing the 1973 eruption and life on the island before and after it. The museum incorporates one house that was excavated and is still intact, including toppled household items left behind. The museum is beautifully done and we learned so much about the island.
Before we knew it we had to board the ferry again in order to continue our journey (but not before stopping at a delicious local restaurant for some lunch)!
We came to the island on the recommendation of my second cousin Rob who lived in Iceland for two years. We're so glad that we researched it and spent the night in this quaint and quiet fishing island. It was a fantastic way to start our adventures! Next up, our drive to Vik including a big waterfall, an old Navy plane crash on the beach, a sizable glacier, and Reynisdrangar rock formations in Vik!
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