ICELAND SAGA: DAYS 3-4 AND A LIFE UPDATE

Before we move back to Iceland, a quick note. I've gotten a new assignment starting late next year, so I'll be in Washington DC for two years starting sometime next fall. I'll publish more specifics when they're formalized. And now, back to Iceland for the days between Selfoss and Hofn.

The sheer volume of water present in Iceland is shocking, especially coming from drought stricken Sao Paulo and very dry California. There are waterfalls everywhere. Everything is green. Even the homes, which for centuries were roofed with turf. After seeing a turf shod Keldur village, we visited the row of waterfalls beginning with Seljalandsfoss and ending with Gljufrafoss ('the one which lives in the canyon').

Seljalandsfoss

Keldur

The waterfalls are fed by glaciers, so in the interest of science and riparian research we hiked through the Solheimajokull, one of the several glaciers covering most the southeastern portion of the island. We were well guided by Olaf, who was exactly who you're imagining now: bearded and wearing a wool sweater.

Iceland has the population of a neighborhood in Sao Paulo, and it shows most prominently in a town like Vik. Vik is large-printed on maps of the country, but in reality has about 7 streets and a few thousand people. In between this outpost and the other metropoli ringing the coastline are lava fields, a plane crash, sheep, glaciers, and splendorous canyons.

The entirety of Vik

ICELAND SAGA DAYS 1-2

"A tale is but half told when only one person tells it"

Saga of Grettir the Strong

Pingvellir

After a week of California, there was only one place I could think of that could improve my R&R. With a huge hat-tip to Kristen Svozil, who is the finest trip-planner in the world and very very patient with me, I did a lap of Iceland. It's one of the most photogenic place I've ever been, so there will be multiple posts. 

Reykjavik from the top of the steeple

Days one and two included the Blue Lagoon, excellent dinner and some spire ascending in Reykjavik, and the Golden Circle. Kristen and I were surprised to find the Blue Lagoon listed as one of National Geographic's top 25 natural wonders of the world in 2012. The surprise wasn't because it's not great. It is. It's because it's the runoff pool for a geothermal plant. So it's not natural, in the strictest sense at least. And, when you're there, it does not have the same jaw dropping effect that other places on the list have (Borneo rain forests, crystal caves, and the Rift Valley, for example).  I suspect no other wonder's Wikipedia entry describes a wonder as being "situated close to the worlds first renewable methanol plant". But I could be wrong.

Pingvellir

The Golden Circle is the common 1-3 day Iceland stopover route. It is hit and miss, in my opinion. The crater lake and geyser, for example, are impressive only to those who haven't seen Crater Lake in Oregon or Yellowstone. Pingvellir, however, was delightful. It speaks highly of Icelandic people that the site where their government was formed 1000 years ago is so staggeringly bucolic. Gulfoss was similarly impressive, though substantially less peaceful.

A ship lost on land near Grindavik

Reykjavik

The Great Divorce . . . the European plate is on the left, the American plate on the right

Gulfoss

Cemetery in Pingvellir

Street art in Reykjavik

Lighthouse on the southern coast

Shipwreck near Grindavik

Gulfoss