The crew slept in a little as we recovered some from our jet lag. A quick trip to the corner bakery, the oldest in Reykjavik, yield a yummy breakfast and got everyone moving. A few warm showers helped also :).
We all piled into the car and headed out to the Iceland high country towards the center of the island. I was much more confident driving today, as I had the nav program mostly working (Skobbler) and had worked out my manual transmission timing again.
After about an hour drive, we arrive at a our first stop, Þingvellir. This is a very special place for Icelanders, as it served as the center gathering spot for national assemblies, laws, and policy making. Many historic events happened in the beautiful valley, like the decision to convert the entire country to Christianity around 1000AD. I was an awe-inspiring feeling to be standing in the midst of such a historical place.
This area is also notable for its geological significance. Iceland sits on the intersection of the Europe and North America tectonic plates. Specifically, they meet in the valley at Þingvellir. There are several large chasms emerging in the landscape as the two plate separate from each other at about 1 inch a year.
Speaking of geography, this part of Iceland is such an amazingly beautiful place. High mountains with snow capped peaks and glaciers cut sharply into the green valleys splashed with crystal blue rivers. And all of it feels so.... alive. Between the numerous active volcanos, plates shifting, wind and glaciers, it feels like Iceland could change at any point. Something I don't think I have felt anywhere else I have been.
Oh, I came up with an analogy for Iceland. I think Iceland is what you would get if you crossed Hawaii with Oregon. Take Hawaii's volcanic island base, and rough rocky base, and put Oregon's (western) climate on it. Mild summers, mild winters, with a good amount of cloud days and light rain. Outdoor activities aplenty, many are some form of adventure to test your personal constitution. Oregonians will probably feel right at home in Iceland, and enjoy all that it has to offer.
Back to the day... The next stop was Geysir, a very active area of numerous Geysers. We parked and walked up a short trail where we were instantly rewarded with a 100ft high eruption of boiling water from Stokker. We spent 15 or so minutes marveling at the geyser, as it put on a great show by erupting 4 times during that time. Noah and Katy though that was super cool. We then walked around looking at the other geysers, Belsi and Geysir (from which geysers got their name). Fortunately, no one go too close or scalded by the hot water.
After that, we took some down time for lunch in the cafe at the Geysir tourist area. Quite American fair of hamburgers, chicken nuggets and chicken sandwiches. All quite expensive and mediocre at best. Feel free to look for some more interesting road-side cafe if ya are in the area.
The final stop of the tour was Gullfoss, the largest and most powerful waterfall in Europe. A harsh cut in the high-plains formed this double waterfall to carry the glacier melt from the nearby volcano. While smaller than Niagara, it is similar in beauty and the feeling of the pure power of nature. It is an impressive sight. I captured a few video clips, but I do not think there is any way to capture the real experience. Definitely worth the trip up to see it. Noah would have me point out that there were too many bugs (gnats) to fully enjoy it.
The trip back was uneventful. The tired crew sharing some musical discoveries amongst their iPods and taking in the passing scenery. We drove back on an southern loop, heading through Selfoss which is the gateway to Iceland's main agricultural area.
Back in Reykjavik, we got some down time back in the apartment. Time to watch a little TV (Mr. Popper's Penguins seemed to be the movie de jour). We ended the day with dinner at a small cafe in the old downtown part of Reykjavik, having pizzas and burgers. I had some tasty fish and chips. We finished off the day with baths for everyone and packed up to leave very early the next morning.
So, all in all, I think the "golden circle" tour we took gets top marks and I would highly recommend it. It may be best to think of it this way: in half a day, we were able to see things comparable to Gettysburg, Yellowstone, and Niagara falls. You can't get much more adventure for you time than that.
--- CsB
We all piled into the car and headed out to the Iceland high country towards the center of the island. I was much more confident driving today, as I had the nav program mostly working (Skobbler) and had worked out my manual transmission timing again.
After about an hour drive, we arrive at a our first stop, Þingvellir. This is a very special place for Icelanders, as it served as the center gathering spot for national assemblies, laws, and policy making. Many historic events happened in the beautiful valley, like the decision to convert the entire country to Christianity around 1000AD. I was an awe-inspiring feeling to be standing in the midst of such a historical place.
This area is also notable for its geological significance. Iceland sits on the intersection of the Europe and North America tectonic plates. Specifically, they meet in the valley at Þingvellir. There are several large chasms emerging in the landscape as the two plate separate from each other at about 1 inch a year.
Speaking of geography, this part of Iceland is such an amazingly beautiful place. High mountains with snow capped peaks and glaciers cut sharply into the green valleys splashed with crystal blue rivers. And all of it feels so.... alive. Between the numerous active volcanos, plates shifting, wind and glaciers, it feels like Iceland could change at any point. Something I don't think I have felt anywhere else I have been.
Oh, I came up with an analogy for Iceland. I think Iceland is what you would get if you crossed Hawaii with Oregon. Take Hawaii's volcanic island base, and rough rocky base, and put Oregon's (western) climate on it. Mild summers, mild winters, with a good amount of cloud days and light rain. Outdoor activities aplenty, many are some form of adventure to test your personal constitution. Oregonians will probably feel right at home in Iceland, and enjoy all that it has to offer.
Back to the day... The next stop was Geysir, a very active area of numerous Geysers. We parked and walked up a short trail where we were instantly rewarded with a 100ft high eruption of boiling water from Stokker. We spent 15 or so minutes marveling at the geyser, as it put on a great show by erupting 4 times during that time. Noah and Katy though that was super cool. We then walked around looking at the other geysers, Belsi and Geysir (from which geysers got their name). Fortunately, no one go too close or scalded by the hot water.
After that, we took some down time for lunch in the cafe at the Geysir tourist area. Quite American fair of hamburgers, chicken nuggets and chicken sandwiches. All quite expensive and mediocre at best. Feel free to look for some more interesting road-side cafe if ya are in the area.
The final stop of the tour was Gullfoss, the largest and most powerful waterfall in Europe. A harsh cut in the high-plains formed this double waterfall to carry the glacier melt from the nearby volcano. While smaller than Niagara, it is similar in beauty and the feeling of the pure power of nature. It is an impressive sight. I captured a few video clips, but I do not think there is any way to capture the real experience. Definitely worth the trip up to see it. Noah would have me point out that there were too many bugs (gnats) to fully enjoy it.
The trip back was uneventful. The tired crew sharing some musical discoveries amongst their iPods and taking in the passing scenery. We drove back on an southern loop, heading through Selfoss which is the gateway to Iceland's main agricultural area.
Back in Reykjavik, we got some down time back in the apartment. Time to watch a little TV (Mr. Popper's Penguins seemed to be the movie de jour). We ended the day with dinner at a small cafe in the old downtown part of Reykjavik, having pizzas and burgers. I had some tasty fish and chips. We finished off the day with baths for everyone and packed up to leave very early the next morning.
So, all in all, I think the "golden circle" tour we took gets top marks and I would highly recommend it. It may be best to think of it this way: in half a day, we were able to see things comparable to Gettysburg, Yellowstone, and Niagara falls. You can't get much more adventure for you time than that.
--- CsB
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