The Great Circles: 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.