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| Geyser & hot pool |
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| Some weird statues outside the museum |
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| The rift valley looking across to the European side |
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| Thermally illuminated green houses |
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| Reykjavik Cathedral |
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| Extinct volcanic ash pit |
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| Gulfoss Waterfall |
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| Site of first church with new church |
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| Path through ripped North American plate side |
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| Blue Lagoon |
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| Cathedral from our hotel |
We had a short break in Iceland in February and it was super. We stayed in Reykjavik in a hotel across from the landmark cathedral. We only had two full days so we booked on a couple of trips and it all worked out fine.
Education time chaps, please pay attention - Iceland is a country the size of England with a population of only 300,000 and most of these live in the capital Reykjavik. It is the most volcanically active country in the world, it was the home of the first parliament in the world, the site of the first and birthplace of the word geyser. The language dates back to the vikings and most can still read the original scriptures from the time. All the inhabitants can trace their family lines back to the Vikings and it is the only country in the world to get all its electricity from green sources!!! Quite an amazing place really.
On arrival we transferred to our hotel in Reykjavik then had a wander 'downtown' and had a beer (like you do.) The evening was short as we had an early start with cabs then trains planes and buses. The following day we were on a Golden Circle tour which took in quite a big chunk of the local region.
We were picked up at 8 along with a few others in a mini coach. Off we went and the landscape was so different, there was something missing and it wasn't 'til our driver mentioned that there were no trees that we realised what it was. Along the roads in addition to the usual distance signs were road temperatures, obviously you need this info when you are driving almost on the arctic circle!! The roads were covered in ice and snow, the paths and trails everywhere treacherous but life goes on as normal with gentle warnings from the driver about the conditions. Quite a contrast to the few specks of snow we get here and all is cancelled due to health & safety reasons!! All the vehicles here have steel studded tyres, you hear them going past, it sounds like they are driving on gravel but there's no gravel, weird!
We passed by one of the islands geothermal power stations and got a potted 'how it works' from our driver, very interesting. Our first stop along the way was at a village where they grow lots of flowers in green houses heated via the thermal energy. As Iceland has such an abundance of 'free energy' they heat up these green houses all over the island and are pretty much self sufficient in veg up 'til the last part of winter when they have to import it 'til the new crops start. Here was a fine example of the green houses and a coffee stop. After this we headed to an extinct volcanic crater for a wander and slip around, quite deep and large. We then moved on to a smallish waterfall where the Icelanders had built a salmon ladder up the side to the help the fishy guys get upstream to breed!!
After a brief photo shoot here we headed for the site of the first church which was built when they converted to Christianity. Obviously not the original church but a lovely building all the same, views at he back looked out over the volcano which caused so much air traffic misery last year (still smoking too!!) We then went on to the site of the first geyser, which is called geyser and is where the name came from. There was steaming vent shafts, bubbling hot pools and of course a geyser spouting off every ten minutes or so. The original geyser stopped spouting a good few years ago but there is another 'filling in' and giving a bit of a show. This was also the lunch stop for the day. We were very lucky and blessed with glorious sunshine beating down across the icy white landscape.
After some splendid Mrs D type butties we were all set for the the off to see the famed Gullfoss Waterfall. What a sight it was too, two sets of falls at different angles to each other both dropping many meters. It was thick ice and very slippy here but well worth the struggle to stay upright!! The falls are fed from a glacier a few miles further up stream and some parts of the falls were also frozen over which give it an eerie look. All in all quite a spectacular waterfall made more so by the arctic landscape.
From here we were heading up to the rift valley where the 'tectonics' come in, more education now. On this part of the island the two tectonic plates come together, the North American plate and the European plate. So far so good. Tectonic plates push together or move sideways causing quakes and land movement. At this point here they are actually moving apart causing the rift valley between the two plates. The effects of this are clearly visible as you can see across to the other plate and the valley between is approx 5 kilometres wide and has formed the biggest lake on the Island where the land between the two plates has sunk.
If that wasn't enough, also here (on the North American plate side) is where the first parliament was held at a point they call the Law rock or Logberg as it is known locally. Historically it is where a law man would stand and preach to the masses with elected regional representatives. This was the first parliament and to this day the Icelanders still go to this spot to pass many new acts of government.
From here after a good hours walking and slipping around we headed back into town and back to our hotels. We dashed out for a quick pint and we tried some local fayre for dinner. Mrs D indulged in some lobster soup followed by a whale steak, I opted for a puffin salad starter followed by breast of puffin in some wonderful sauce.
The reason for the dash was that we were being picked up at 8 o'clock for another trip, a northern lights tour this time. This was a case of driving 25kms out of town away from the light pollution and standing around in the freezing cold & dark, gazing up into the sky for two hours. Well it's good if you get a result but on this occasion we saw nothing but the full moon. (which incidentally would be a problem if we did see the lights!!) Disappointed and cold we headed back to the hotel around midnight. The deal with the trip was that if we saw none we could go again tomorrow for free to try again!!
The following day was another trip to the famed blue lagoon. An outdoor swimming pool built on a thermal resort that uses the water from a nearby electricity generating station which has come straight out of the ground. Doesn't sound too good? Well it is great, the water is at a constant 39degrees c and there are saunas and all other pool related amenities. You can stay as long as you want but it's best to keep your body in the water as when you stand it is very cold!! After a few hours here and looking like a couple of prunes we headed back into town to go to a local museum which showed the link to the viking history. Splendid exhibition it was too.
The evening was early doors, another meal then back on the bus for a second attempt at the northern lights. This time we were successful but sadly the full moon hampered the clarity of the show. (There's always a full moon when you don't want one!!) We did see them albeit a little faint but it was good. Returning to the hotel at 1am it was a few hours kip before another early start for the flight back to the UK.
A cracking place, well worth a visit especially in the wintertime as it would look so different again in the summer.
