I just spent a fabulous two weeks in Iceland with some of the nicest people on earth. Literally. Most of the locals spoke English, some spoke German and we met folks from France, Belgium, South Africa and
Your basic erupting geyser in, of course, Geysir.
Australia as well as a smattering of Danes and Norwegians. Thankfully, no one wanted to talk about US politics.
One of the odd things that strikes a Yank is the relative lack of trees, either denuded by the settlers from the 9th century on, or by eruptions. Yeah the place has active volcanos, like the famous Eyjafjallajökull or E15 for tourists (E + 15 more letters).
Another is the odd habit of not paving all the roads, even the big ones. In fact, some of those roads are two way but one lane in parts, even in 4 Km long tunnels. You have to stay alert and stop and pull over for oncoming traffic.
Oh, and because it’s summer, it never gets dark. You have to be careful, because 11 pm there feels like 3 pm here, and you could be a lot more tired than you think if you don’t pay attention. (Go in winter and it’s practically never light. Good for Northern Lights viewing, but a bit depressing, if you ask me).
As is many vacation spots, the hotels serve breakfast to go with the bed, and Icelandic skyr (yogurt [cheese?]) and do it yourself waffles are a way of life.
The fish in the villages and the lamb are so fresh they are practically named on your plate.
One of my favorites because you could walk behind it.
We did the Ring Road around the island, which took us 9 days. Since (see map) there are glaciers behind the mountains, there are waterfalls everywhere that you can see from the road (I mean EVERYWHERE) and a few famous ones you can approach.
While the icebergs were new to me (glacier seen from the water in a lagoon, where the icebergs broke off), as was a glacier, I had seen geysers and waterfalls in the US. But I had never seen so many in such close approximation.
Nor had I ever toured a lava cave, with features both similar and dissimilar to the limestone cave variety. Because they are carved out by magma, they are the way they are. Their stalactites don’t grow the way limestone stalactites do (from dripping water), they are just frozen in time.
And while I’ve ridden a horse before, this was my first time riding English, and my first time mounting an Icelandic horse, who have a unique gait called a Tölt, kind of a fast walk.
What follows are some of the pictures I managed to snag while i was there.
Enjoy, and close your eyes and pretend, like me, you travelled between the Shire and Jötunheimr (Nordic land of the Giants), and lived to tell about it.
Those are icebergs seen from a a small boat, near a glacier. The water was 0˚C, i.e ,cold!!!!
Different day, different waterfall
Turf farmhouse, with turf walls and turf roof. Like Hobbiton, surprisingly cozy inside. Could fit 40 people.
Inside the farmhouse, rooms go off to the sides and straight ahead.
Back windows of turf farm, the ‘turf’ part easier to see. Bilbo and Frodo are in the kitchen having skyr.
Formations in lava caves were made by dripping magma. Once formed (after the magma cools), it is what it is. These twin stalagmites are covered with bacteria that gives them color, but will never enlarge.
Spiral staircase to get down into lava cave. Turn the llghts off and it is pitch black.
A few more pictures:
My sturdy companion could do 5 different gaits
This turf farm was lived in, and thus not barren feeling. Long table for pancakes, kitchen at end of hall
Black sand beach, and the volcanic columns were to me, of course, trolls that stayed out too late and the sun got ‘em
Same beach, different angle.
Volcanic crater, very accessible, near Rekyjavik, small lake at bottom.