Iceland Vacation, Day 6

Today was our last full day in Iceland. We spent the morning sightseeing, the afternoon driving, and the evening packing for our return home tomorrow.

(Click on any photo to enlarge it.)

Here are morning views where we stayed last night. In the bottom photo is our building with three units (one for each couple). The entrance doors are on the other side and open onto the terrace that Nate is sitting on in the top photo.

I wrote yesterday that we would be returning today to Breiðamerkursandur (a.k.a. Diamond Beach), where the Atlantic Ocean meets up with Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. After yesterday's 60-mile-per-hour winds there (that canceled our ice cave tour), we were grateful for a still day today. The top photo is a view of the icebergs in the lagoon, and the bottom photo shows Susan and me standing next to one of the icebergs that had washed up onto the beach.

Our reason for returning to Jökulsárlón today was to take a glacial lagoon boat cruise! We suited up and boarded a Zodiac boat (that held 10 passengers) to cross the lagoon and approach Breiðamerkurjökull, a glacial tongue of Vatnajökull, Iceland's largest glacier. As we neared the glacier, we saw some seals hanging out on an ice chunk. At the glacier's edge, we saw and heard it "calving," the process in which chucks of ice break off from the end of a glacier and fall into the water, creating icebergs.

It was about a six-hour drive from there back to Keflavík, where we're staying tonight (at the beautiful Hotel Berg) because we have to be at the airport here at 5:30 A.M. to go home tomorrow. We had seafood for dinner at a roadside stop off the highway; and we had seafood again for supper at Kaffi Duus, a restaurant near our hotel. Susan and I have just repacked our suitcases and are ready for our last sleep in Iceland. What a fantastic trip with a terrific group of friends!

Iceland Vacation, Day 5

Our driving and sightseeing today took us around the southern side of Vatnajökull, the largest glacier in Iceland (it covers about 10% of the country!). From morning to evening, we saw both the westernmost and easternmost ends of the glacier--about 90 miles across. It is an impressive presence to have in the background at all times.

(Click on any photo to enlarge it.)

Our first stop was for a hike through Múlagljúfur Canyon, the most rugged (least developed) site of all the nature spots we've been in Iceland. From the gravel parking lot, we were on our own to find the start of the hiking trail, which is a rocky path winding up and down hills and through streams to the top of the canyon. From there we could see the waterfall Hangandifoss across the canyon and, in the distance, the glacier.

Then we drove to Breiðamerkursandur, which tourists call Diamond Beach. It's a black volcanic sand beach next to Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, and its "diamonds" are the large and small icebergs that wash up after breaking off from Breiðamerkurjökull, a glacial tongue of Vatnajökull. The icebergs float out of the lagoon and into the ocean during low tide and then are washed up on shore during high tide.

We ate our dinner from the food stands in the parking lot. From there, we were meant to board "super jeeps" (heavily modified four-wheel-drive vehicles for rugged terrain) to take us to the glacier to explore the Crystal Ice Cave. However, due to high winds (around 60 miles per hour!), the ice cave tours and other activities on the lagoon were canceled today. We will be back tomorrow, though, for another event here ... stay tuned!

Then it was back in the rental cars for a drive to Stokksnes Peninsula near Vestrahorn Mountain. There we explored a Viking village recreation. It is a film set built for a movie that was never finished, but now it is a popular tourist attraction. Its setting--with the mountain behind it and the black sand beach and Atlantic Ocean in front of it--made it easy to imagine Vikings settling here.

To end the day, we drove to Höfn, an Icelandic fishing town, and ate supper (cod) at Hafnarbúðin near the docks. Our accommodations for the night were just outside of town in Rey Stays, studio units built with north-facing terraces. The other two couples joined Susan and me in our unit, and we had drinks and snacks and visited before bed. And, of course, we saw more Northern Lights!

Iceland Vacation, Day 4

Today was another day in the rental cars, continuing our travels eastward to see more Icelandic beauty.

(Click on any photo to enlarge it.)

A reminder: we slept in glass igloos last night! After an overcast night that nevertheless gave us great views of the Northern Lights, this was our morning view to start the day.

Our first stop was Seljalandsfoss, a waterfall that people are able to walk behind on a path that hugs the rocks while the falls cascade outward from the cliff above. This waterfall is meltwater from the glacier Eyjafjallajökull.

This nearby waterfall is Gljúfrabúi. We all brought waterproof gear on this trip, knowing that we'd be spending time near and behind waterfalls.

Icelandic sheep are everywhere! Their fleece is double-coated; click on the photo to see a closer view of the long external coat, which is hardy and waterproof. The finer internal coat is soft and insulating.

This waterfall is Skógafoss, just up the road from Seljalandsfoss. The cascade produces so much spray that at least one rainbow is visible here anytime the sun is out.

I had utter faith in the integrity of my waterproof gear, so I ventured all the way to the base of the waterfall to take it all in: the slippery rocks, the noise of the water, the mists and splashes, and the fresh smell.

After another scenic drive, we arrived at this lighthouse built on a promontory called Dyrhólaey. The geographical formation in the distance ...

... is Reynisdrangar, the basalt sea stacks at the base of the mountain Reynisfjall. That black sand beach is called Renisfjara. Here we're looking eastward from the lighthouse.

Just under the lighthouse is this black arch of lava that gave the peninsula its name: Dyrhólaey means door hill island, and that bigger archway is the door of that name.

This is the view north/northwest from the lighthouse. In the distance you can see the glacier Mýrdalsjökull.

From Dyrhólaey it was a quick drive over to Reynisdrangar to see the enormous basalt sea stacks up close and to watch the huge waves roll up onto the black sands of Renisfjara.

Not coincidentally, our restaurant choice for dinner (in the nearby town of Vík) was the Black Crust Pizzeria. Iceland's black sand beaches are black because they are made from eroded lava that cools rapidly when flowing into the sea and shatters into tiny black fragments that are eroded into sand by the waves and wind on the beaches. Iceland's black crust pizza, however, is black because of the activated charcoal that they add to the dough to achieve the right look! We shared three pizzas: a traditional pepperoni/sausage pizza; an Icelandic cheese pizza with red currant jelly and rose pepper; and a langoustine pizza with truffle cream cheese, arugula, rosemary, chili, and balsamic vinegar.

Not far from Vík is the canyon Fjaðrárgljúfur. A gentle waterfall feeds the river Fjaðrá flowing through the canyon, which dates back about two million years to its glacial formation during the Ice Age.

Tonight we are staying at Landbrot Guesthouse just outside of Kirkjubæjarklaustur. Notice the grass-covered roof, a common sight across Iceland. We ate supper at their restaurant (including Viking beer with the meal and skyr mousse with berries for dessert) and spent another night with our cameras to the sky ...

... for more views of the Northern Lights! So beautiful.