Tyring to read the map

We got up Friday morning and decided to walk around Reykjavik and explore. Matt got us a map and promptly got us lost. The street names were "Sundlaugavegur" and "Laugardalshollin", which we eventually came to recognize as though it were "northmainstreet" with all words put together instead of separated.

We found this rather unnecessarily descriptive sign to clean up after your dog.

A refreshing take...

We stumbled upon an amazing graveyard. Seems it's customary to plant a tree directly on the grave, and it creates this beautiful forest...

These ducks just would not let me kiss them. Stand still for Pete's sake!

First day breakfast for Matt was a pickled fish and egg on bread - and for me, a little less adventurous cheese on bread. Food turned out to be delicious here, and I even got on board with the coffee - they don't brew a decaf anywhere on the whole damn island. And they've never heard of Splenda. Matt called it "getting on board the Iceland train".

This church was not near the graveyard, it was a ways away at the top of a hill. The pipe organ inside was magnificent, and the view from the steeple was breath taking.

From the top of the Steeple

These photos look out over the town of Reykjavik, and in the distance you can even see the path we walked along the coastline later in the week...

Back on the ground - we continue exploring on foot - and then Matt "the Tour Guide" Caucci takes us on an over priced loop on the local bus.

And there are some very fancy totally automated porta-potties laying around...

First Dinner

Our dinner Friday was at a beautiful little restaurant down the street from the hotel, we got fish and chips.

And it's light out all night

We spend some time walking around the local streets, Iceland is extremely safe and it's light all night at this time of the year. But even with so much to see, we have to get up early for a day tour tomorrow...



That's 10:35 PM, and a view down the street from our hotel.

Saturday Morning

Our tour on Saturday started early - about 7am. It was called "the Golden Circle" - it covered a geothermal plant, a spectacular water fall and a geyser. The tour stopped by to view the tectonic plate ridge on the way home.

The geothermal plant takes hot water from under the ground and creates both electricity and hot water for the town of Reykjavik. It is clean and renewable energy, and we found the process fascinating and inspiring...

Oh and you can charge your electric car right there. Sweet.

The landscape of Iceland was mostly barren in a beautiful way - expansive land yet interrupted by waterfalls and mountains. It was black lava rock coated in green moss. It felt like the surface of the moon.

Next stop was Gullfoss waterfall - breathtaking.

We weren't the only tourists with coffees - I swear!

Yes, we realize while standing there that we had "matching" shoes. Nerd alert!

Then off to the geyser.

This geyser is actually where the name "geyser" comes from. It's a beautiful blue and creates this fabulous bubble as the air reaches the surface. It erupts about every 10 minutes or so, but not really on a set schedule...


That's Matt in full Iceland tourist gear.

We then walk up a small mountain behind the geyser, and from there we can see in all directions.























These ladders are actually fairly common around Iceland, put there so folks can cross fences that run for miles.








And we get a great view of the geyser far below...

After the geyser we stop off to view where two tectonic plates are separating. Iceland is part of a major and active volcanic ridge, and the plates are shifting. The lava fills in these gaps.
Of course, this is all extremely romantic.

This is glacier water coming down from the mountains...




And we couldn't quite make out what this sign was telling us not to do - our best guess: don't throw croissants in the water.

Then later we had dinner at this hamburger place that served enormous baskets of fries. I was in hog's heaven.


P.S. Note the sign, at first we thought it was Icelandic but then we realized it's just the way the Swedish chef talks - so fun!

About this time I discover the small ice cream stand right outside the hotel that serves blizzard style ice cream with various Icelandic chocolate candies mixed in. I can't really understand what they're saying when they try to explain what the candies are, so I just go with it.
Um, ice cream becomes a nightly ritual...

Sunday

Sunday morning we got up and went to a flea market, where I got a jacket and a pair of glasses.

Then we relaxed at the Blue Lagoon. It's an open air geothermal pool, and the folks floating around with us included Italians, Germans, French, and Russian families. We really enjoyed sharing this experience with hundreds of people from many different countries.

The weather was rainy but the water was warm and the view was breathtaking. Mountains to all sides and steam rising from bright blue foggy water - it was tranquil and

ethereal. We didn't bring our camera because we feared we'd have no place to put it, but here are some stock photos of the blue lagoon. It really does look like this.

The wonderful products I bought while there...

We had dinner at this amazing fish place - The Seabaron. The "menu" is just a chilled case with the fish kabobs made from whatever is caught that day. When they're gone, the menu is gone. Delicious food.

Monday

Our tour for the day will take us for a hike on a glacier, and then to see two more waterfalls.

The bus ride to get out there, in the very high winds and unnecessarily tall bus, with a lunatic driver sporting a lead foot, was more terrifying than the plane ride to Iceland. And that's saying a lot.

We are wearing like 5 layers of clothes...

We get there and gear up...this includes an ice ax to help if we slide and crampons which are metal spiked soles for your shoes.

Um. that's terrifying.

Info about this glacier tour:

Less than two hours drive from Reykjavík is Eyjafjallajökull glacier, and just a little further the Sólheimajökull glacier tongue extends down from Mýrdalsjökull.

Here's how it's advertised:

Take a Walk on the Ice Side

We take an easy walk on crampons up on to the ice field where a wonderland of ice sculptures, ridges and deep crevasses awaits discovery. We will provide and teach you how to use basic glacier equipment. Ice climbing is not included in this tour.

Remember to bring warm clothing and rain gear. Minimum age is 10 years. Lunch and refreshments not included. On the way back there’s a stop at the striking waterfalls, Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss.

This tour is subject to road and weather conditions.

Let me just be clear that no where in the advertisement does it say that there are 19 different ways for you to die on this tour.

These holes and crevasses form from melting ice creating little rivers, and then can be hidden by snow the following season. Once that new layer of ice melts to a thin layer - it becomes very dangerous to walk across the glacier. This happens, oh, around late July. :) Good thing we have that pickaxe!

We were in awe of the beauty, but also happy to get back on solid ground.