Taking advice from other summer travelers I brought a sleeping mask to make it through the night. It never really got dark, just a bit of twilight from midnight until about 3 am, and I needed the extra darkness. The breakfast at Hotel Björk in Reykjavik was good though not as varied a spread as at Hotel Keflavik.
We headed north of the city, driving around the fjords and looking for waterfalls. We weren't sure whether or not we'd make it to the Snaefellsness Peninsula, and it turned out we didn't. Along Hvalfjörður we were intrigued by a large industrial plant, which we later learned did aluminum casting (Grundartangi) and supplied electricity. Stopped to view birds at Hesta Þingsholl where they were nesting and feeding -- we must have seen dozens of new-to-us birds on this trip, being in a new part of the world and all.
Waterfalls at were next. Hraunfossar and Barnafoss are both on the Hvitá (hvit means "white" and á means "river") which drains from Langjökull glacier, the very large shield glacier to the east. Hraunfossar is from water trapped between the soil and the lava and these waterfalls appear from the middle of the line of short cliffs. Barnafoss was so-named for a story of two young children lost when a lava bridge fell into the river, taking them with it. (foss = waterfall; fossar = waterfalls)
We crossed over to the north side of the Hvitá and traveled on a dirt road past a number of farms with sheep, goats, and horses. We even encountered a number of horses being herded back to their farm!
Arriving at Borgarnes in the late afternoon we toured the settlement museum there, with dioramas and hand-held iPod minis telling the story. Saga-teller Snorri Sturluson is the likely author of Egil's Saga, and Egil's father and son are supposedly buried in the mound steps away from the settlement museum that illustrates their lives. After our tour we had dinner at the restaurant near the museum which had, among other choices, horsemeat as one of the specials. I chose a smoked trout salad instead.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
The southwest coast
Breakfast at the Hotel Keflavik really impressed us with its wide selection of foods including the typical cereals and eggs, but also including fruit and vegetables, Skyr (Icelandic yogurt which is used in many recipes), several types of meats, and even desserts. The coffee was even strong enough for our Starbucks-tempered tastebuds. :-)
After we checked out, we drove around Keflavik a little bit, then headed down the western coast of the Reykyanes peninsula. We stopped at one trailhead we'd read about in our guide book that leads to bird cliffs, but it was a LONG walk along a sandy trail through lava, and we turned back after about 20 minutes (and less than halfway). Still, the lava outcrops were intriguing.
Near the southwestern tip of the peninsula there's an inland lighthouse on a hill near one of many geothermal power stations in the country. We were able to walk up near the edge of a cliff here to see all the terns and gulls nesting on the cliffs, as well as distant views of Eldey Island where the last great auk was killed. There's a statue memorializing the auks near these cliffs.
We visited the (free) "Bridge Across the Continents" which connects the Eurasian tectonic plate to the North American plate here where they're only a few feet apart. Later in our trip we'll visit Thingvellir where the rift is miles across. We also walked around some fumaroles within sight of the power station. Arctic terns know where the warm spots are!
Continuing east along the southern coast we stopped in the fishing village of Grindavik and had coffee and dessert at a coffeehouse along the harbor. After our break it was time to head to Reykjavik where we'd stay for the next several days. We stopped at a park with bubbling mudpots along the way -- you could smell them before you could see them!
Icelandic Fish and Chips along the harbor was our favorite Reykjavik restaurant and we returned a couple more times following our first meal this night. You order at the cash register and then find a table, where your food is brought out to you when it has been prepared. After eating we walked around the harbor and took photos of the exterior of Harpa, a relatively new performing arts center/concert hall, which stands out due to its unique design.
After we checked out, we drove around Keflavik a little bit, then headed down the western coast of the Reykyanes peninsula. We stopped at one trailhead we'd read about in our guide book that leads to bird cliffs, but it was a LONG walk along a sandy trail through lava, and we turned back after about 20 minutes (and less than halfway). Still, the lava outcrops were intriguing.
Near the southwestern tip of the peninsula there's an inland lighthouse on a hill near one of many geothermal power stations in the country. We were able to walk up near the edge of a cliff here to see all the terns and gulls nesting on the cliffs, as well as distant views of Eldey Island where the last great auk was killed. There's a statue memorializing the auks near these cliffs.
We visited the (free) "Bridge Across the Continents" which connects the Eurasian tectonic plate to the North American plate here where they're only a few feet apart. Later in our trip we'll visit Thingvellir where the rift is miles across. We also walked around some fumaroles within sight of the power station. Arctic terns know where the warm spots are!
Continuing east along the southern coast we stopped in the fishing village of Grindavik and had coffee and dessert at a coffeehouse along the harbor. After our break it was time to head to Reykjavik where we'd stay for the next several days. We stopped at a park with bubbling mudpots along the way -- you could smell them before you could see them!
Icelandic Fish and Chips along the harbor was our favorite Reykjavik restaurant and we returned a couple more times following our first meal this night. You order at the cash register and then find a table, where your food is brought out to you when it has been prepared. After eating we walked around the harbor and took photos of the exterior of Harpa, a relatively new performing arts center/concert hall, which stands out due to its unique design.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Arrival day
We flew from Boston on a warm, sunny day. Icelandair is probably the way to go; we were treated well and had a plane with video display at each seat which offered a choice of TV stations, movies, music, in-flight information [such as a flight plan with maps which wasn't common in 2012], and tourist information about Iceland. Flight attendants handed out bottle of Icelandic water which comes from the many glaciers on the island.
I could see the Bay of Fundy and Nova Scotia after we left the Maine coast, but then it was cloudy most of the rest of the way. We arrived late, after 11 pm local time, but there was enough activity at the airport that it didn't seem deserted. And it was still light outside!
We heard from others that if you're flying to Europe from the U.S. via Icelandair, the airline will let you stop over in Iceland for as long as you want before you continue your trip. If you have this opportunity, take it!
I could see the Bay of Fundy and Nova Scotia after we left the Maine coast, but then it was cloudy most of the rest of the way. We arrived late, after 11 pm local time, but there was enough activity at the airport that it didn't seem deserted. And it was still light outside!
We heard from others that if you're flying to Europe from the U.S. via Icelandair, the airline will let you stop over in Iceland for as long as you want before you continue your trip. If you have this opportunity, take it!
Monday, July 2, 2012
Put Iceland on your bucket list!
If you're not from Iceland, a trip to visit the mis-named isle is a must (it's more true that Iceland is green and Greenland is icy).
This island country (Iceland in Icelandic = Ísland :-) ) has so much to offer just about anyone, from activities and trips to sagas and horses to museums and history. And the sights!
We traveled in July when the days are long and the weather is mostly mild (50-60's F for the most part) and a welcome relief from hot humid days elsewhere. Only a few days had showers and they didn't dominate the day so we were able to see and do a lot.
I'll be posting photos and travel summaries here as time permits. This post is backdated to before we left home.
This island country (Iceland in Icelandic = Ísland :-) ) has so much to offer just about anyone, from activities and trips to sagas and horses to museums and history. And the sights!
We traveled in July when the days are long and the weather is mostly mild (50-60's F for the most part) and a welcome relief from hot humid days elsewhere. Only a few days had showers and they didn't dominate the day so we were able to see and do a lot.
I'll be posting photos and travel summaries here as time permits. This post is backdated to before we left home.
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