Digital Quixote

Iceland Galleries

Reykjavik (1) : Getting to Reykjavik from Seattle is a bit of an unnatural act. We first flew to Boston, and then to Keflavik (Reykjavik's international airport and NATO Airbase). We knew we were off the beaten path when Alaska Airlines check-in agent didn't know the airport identifier. Was it REY or KEF? Luckily, they correctly guessed KEF and our bags ended up in the same airport we did. There is an REY but it's the domestic airport in Reykjavik itself.

The flight from Seattle to Boston was uneventful. The flight from Boston to Keflavik was also uneventful, except that it arrives at 6:00 AM. We took the airport bus to the city arriving at our hotel before 9:00 AM. Room wasn't ready so we left our bags and went exploring. Tired and hungry, in a strange city ... well, we weren't at our best, and we certainly weren't as resilient as we would like to believe we can be. I have pictures from our morning walk-about, but few memories. We ended up going back to the hotel after lunch and sleeping in the lobby until they told us our rooms were ready.

We spent the next day, and a day at the end of our trip in Reykjavik. I think of it as a "cheerful city" of about 200,000 folks. Pretty in its own colorful way, with a relaxed pace and plenty to keep us busy for a couple of days ... but not much more. Here are the photos.

Getting to Reykjavik from Seattle is a bit of an unnatural act. We fir ...

Updated: Feb 09, 2008 4:49pm PST

GullFoss (2) : Gullfoss is a fantastic waterfall about an hour from Reykjavik. I'd love to see it in the dead of winter when ice coats the canyon walls and the river is essentially frozen solid. Reminds me of a scene in the recent movie, "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe." We visited it twice, once at the beginning of the trip, and once again at the end.

I confess, while in Iceland I discovered much to my wife's dismay, that I am a waterfall geek. It is a target-rich environment, of course, for waterfall geeks. And as a photographer, I am perfectly capable of spending a (ne willing to spend a) half day, a whole day even, taking hundreds of photos of even an obscure waterfall. For me, this was the mother load! And my wife, bless her heart, indulged me here, and at many other waterfalls we encountered.

This was our first encounter with an Icelandic National Park. I was born and raised 130 miles from Yellowstone National Park in the US. In the US, National Parks share a few characteristics ... stiff entrance fees, highly controlled access to park sites, and a heavy park ranger presence. Abandon all these notions before you enter here. National parks in Iceland are free, have essentially no access controls, and seem to be uninterested if (when) tourists decide to cleanse the gene pool by doing something terminally stupid ... like stepping too close to the edge. No barriers. No signs. No worries, man. I'm liking this place!

Gullfoss is a fantastic waterfall about an hour from Reykjavik. I'd lo ...

Updated: Feb 10, 2008 9:54am PST

Geyser (3) : Geyser is just a short distance from Gullfoss. It is a proper name, Geyser with a capital G. It is also the platonic progenitor of the English noun, geyser. Now growing up near Yellowstone, I was disappointed with Geyser. Let's face it ... it's not Old Faithful. Still, you can stand within 30 feet of an active geyser, watch it erupt every 5-7 minutes, and get soaking wet if you stand down wind. Not a bad outcome if your goal is adventure.

Geyser defined: a deep pit reaching to really hot earth-core below. Now fill the pit with water. Water deep in the pit heats to boiling. Rising steam pushes water above to great heights above the ground.

Geyser is just a short distance from Gullfoss. It is a proper name, Ge ...

Updated: Feb 10, 2008 10:14am PST

Thingvellir (4) : Iceland holds place in a unique spot on earth. It is on the boundary of two Tectonic plates: the North American Plate; and the Eurasian Plate. This would only be a geologic footnote except for the fact that the two plates are pulling apart. At their boundary, where the plates are separating, the earth's magma rises to the surface and creates volcanoes, and the opportunity to generate geo-thermal power .The volcanoes create massive mountains, attendant glaciers, and new land-mass islands (as recently as the 1960's). Whatever the causes, it is certainly beautiful here.

Thingvellir (4)

Iceland holds place in a unique spot on earth. It is on the boundary o ...

Updated: Feb 10, 2008 10:30am PST

Reykholt (5) : When we set out for Iceland, we hadn't really known of or intended to visit Reykholt. But between point A and Point B we found a reference to it in one of our guide books. It was on the way and we stopped to visit. This is a region of foothills, and small country towns. It was here we bought our first gas for the Suzuki and where we had our first near death experience with the Icelandic language.

All the gasoline pumps in Iceland are automated. Insert your credit card, and follow the instructions that flash up on the screen ... in Icelandic. We bothered a fellow traveler to explain the Icelandic words and were successfully able to buy gas. The general protocol is to insert your credit card and choose a maximum amount of money to spend. The pump then gives your card back (temporarily) and you can put that much (or less) gas in the car. When you're done, insert your credit card again, and it is charged for only the amount you've actually pumped.

So back to Reykholt, all along the river here there are springs that bubble water out of the ground and feed the river. It is very picturesque and as you can see, this time of Year Iceland is green!

When we set out for Iceland, we hadn't really known of or intended to ...

Updated: Feb 10, 2008 11:30am PST

Budir (6) : We spent our first two nights outside Reykjavik in Budir, halfway out the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. It was a perfect place to start our circumnavigation of the country. Beautiful hotel, fabulous restaurant, lovely weather.

I was intellectually prepared for the fact that much of Iceland was isolated but in fact, it was more more so than I could have imagined.

We spent our first two nights outside Reykjavik in Budir, halfway out ...

Updated: Feb 10, 2008 11:53am PST

Snaefellsnes (7) : With Budir as our headquarters, we spent some time wandering around the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. I don't think it's quite true but I can imagine Snaefellsnes means "rugged coastline" in an old Norse tongue.

Nancy and I spent quite some time hiking along the coastline. What the pictures don't show is that the wind was blowing about 50 mph. While we were hiking, some bicyclists rode up and parked a little ways from the car. The wind was blowing so hard, it blew their bikes over. Later as we were driving down the highway, we met a motorcycle coming the other way. The crosswind was blowing so hard, the motorcyclist needed to lean about 20% toward the wind to keep from being blown over. With wind-chill, it was fairly cold, but the sun warmed our disposition and we enjoyed the day.

Snaefellsnes (7)

With Budir as our headquarters, we spent some time wandering around th ...

Updated: Feb 10, 2008 12:16pm PST

we continued our circumnavigation of the Snaefellsnes peninsula passin ...

Updated: Feb 10, 2008 12:47pm PST

Stykkisholmur (9) : We next headed to Stykkisholmur. If we'd continued east from here, we would have left the peninsula. It's probably not obvious why we are here, and in retrospect, it's no longer obvious to me. We saw a picture of this neat church in the guide book and said, let's go look. We did. The church was neat. But there's little else there to recommend it.

Stykkisholmur (9)

We next headed to Stykkisholmur. If we'd continued east from here, we ...

Updated: Feb 10, 2008 1:03pm PST

Saudarkrokur (10) : Today is the longest single day of driving on our trip. We are headed to the north-central Icelandic coast. This takes us up over a high land pass and back down to the ocean.

Saudarkrokur (10)

Today is the longest single day of driving on our trip. We are headed ...

Updated: Feb 10, 2008 1:25pm PST

Glaumbaer (11) : Glaumbaer is perhaps 30 minutes driving south of Saudarkrokur. It is a very small village of turf houses which have been restored and maintained as a period museum. The reason there are so few remains of past builds and villages is because they were mostly built of turf. And that's because there are very few trees in Iceland and therefore little lumber. Most building that remain are stone and most modern construction is metal.

Glaumbaer is perhaps 30 minutes driving south of Saudarkrokur. It is a ...

Updated: Feb 10, 2008 1:47pm PST

Siglufjordur (12) : Now we are headed to the northernmost point of our trip.

When I watch a TV broadcast of American (NFL) football, the network superimposes a yellow line on the field which the ball must pass to obtain a "first down." If the Arctic Circle had a similar line (let's say it's an icy blue in color) superimposed on it, we'd be able to see it clearly from Siglufjordur. As it is, you can take a little boat tour, and cross it just to say you've been north of the Arctic Circle.

It is daunting in places. Mostly it's unpaved and it has some pretty long one-way tunnels through the mountains. The longest is several kilometers long. You enter the tunnel not knowing whether another car (or worse, a big truck) has entered the other end. Luckily, there are periodic wide spots in the tunnel to pull over to let oncoming traffic pass.

Siglufjordur (12)

Now we are headed to the northernmost point of our trip. When I wat ...

Updated: Feb 10, 2008 2:09pm PST

Akureyri (13) : This is the second largest city in Iceland, a few thousand folks as I remember. We stayed in a proper modern hotel a few hundred meters from the harbor and literally in the shadow of the cathedral known as Akureyrikirkja. I think it would be a good place to live but for the traveler, it is awkward. You could stay here for a week and enjoy hiking, kayaking, horseback riding in the summer. Or enjoy skiing and snowmobiling in the winter. But we don't have that long and its the shoulder season, both too cold and too warm for these activities. And so, we visit the church, walk around the harbor, have a nice meal at the restaurant across the street from the hotel, buy a couple of books and a hat, and move on the next day.

This is the second largest city in Iceland, a few thousand folks as I ...

Updated: Feb 10, 2008 2:35pm PST

Mytvatn (14) : As we were planning our trip, everyone said, "Make sure you spend time at Mytvatn." So we did. We heard about the fabulous hiking and walking around there, interesting geologic lava flows, hot springs and boiling mud pots, the geothermal power plant, and on and on. The maps show a "Yellowstone-Park-like" filigree of roads and trails to explore. That was the demo. Reality was on a much smaller scale.
I mention Yellowstone park because I am very familiar with it. Also, because the map looks similar ... big lake, rivers, geyser areas, mountains ... similar when you look at a map. I neglected to factor in scale. Yellowstone park is the size of Iceland. Mytvan is the size of a small county in my native Washington. It's all there: the springs; the trails; the mountains; the power plant; and so on but we budgeted one too many days to see it. Also, we had the worst of all our hotels here. It wasn't bad on an absolute scale, but in the league table of hotels we stayed at, it was at the bottom.

As we were planning our trip, everyone said, "Make sure you spend time ...

Updated: Feb 10, 2008 3:13pm PST

Selfoss (15) : Next we embarked on the most grueling stretch of road in our entire trip. Our destination was a pair of waterfalls (Selfoss and Dettifoss) 25 miles along a brutal road. Guidebooks warn not to try this road without 4-wheel drive. I concur. Fortunately our little Suzuki was more than a match for the road. As we leave the main road, the side road is paved. We think, hey, no big problem. Then it switches to dirt. Next it becomes brutally wash boarded, and finally dissolves into a long string of deep potholes shaped roughly like a road. 25 miles up and 25 miles back each took 2 hours.

Was it worth it? Absolutely. The waterfalls are magnificent. In September, we are at low water but the river still thunders over Iceland's highest falls. High waters have scrubbed the valley clean ... river rock and little more. Above the level of the river, because we're high and it rains a lot here, it's incredibly green. Although we didn't have time, it would have been great fun to hike the river enjoying dozens of neat falls. But our timeline lay along a different path, so we enjoy a few hours hiking around the falls, and then move along.

Next we embarked on the most grueling stretch of road in our entire tr ...

Updated: Feb 10, 2008 3:34pm PST

Seydisfjordur (16) : I believe that when you travel, you need to be open to experiences that "bump into you." These are almost always unexpected, and are often the most memorable experiences of a trip. Well, it happened here, in Seydisfjordur. Seydisfjordur exists because a Ferry from Norway lands here. Small town. Mostly not much happens here. So folks make their own fun and that fun "bumped into us!"

To get to Seydisfjordur, we head East along a narrow paved road, over a high pass, and down toward the deep narrow fjord where the town sits. To get to Seydisfjordur, we head East along a narrow paved road, over a high pass, and down toward the deep narrow fjord where the town sits. A priori, the attraction is the road and the waterfalls along it.

Seydisfjordur (16)

I believe that when you travel, you need to be open to experiences th ...

Updated: Feb 10, 2008 4:09pm PST

Jokulsarlon (17) : Today was the second longest driving day of our trip. The distance wasn't the factor so much as the twisty roads. In southeastern Iceland, there is a place where glaciers flow into a lake. There they calve off icebergs which drift eventually to the sea at Jokulsarlon. This is really neat but not particularly deserving of a lot of commentary. Just enjoy the photos.

Jokulsarlon (17)

Today was the second longest driving day of our trip. The distance was ...

Updated: Feb 10, 2008 4:43pm PST

Skaftafell (18) : We are headed for a National Park called Skaftafell where Iceland's largest glacier is. The park is essentially inaccessible because of the glaciers themselves. But just on the southern edge of this mammoth glacier, there is a small park headquarters, a campground, and the trail heads for lots of trails.

I am actually stunned by something. In the US, say, when you visit a National Park, you pay a hefty fee to enter. Here in Iceland, all such attractions so far have been free. No tickets, not much by way of rules about where you could go or when. Usually, there's a restaurant, a gift shop, and maybe a convenience store. Sometimes there was a campground which does have a fee. This must be what it was like in the US when the Park Service was created.

Skaftafell (18)

We are headed for a National Park called Skaftafell where Iceland's la ...

Updated: Feb 10, 2008 5:13pm PST

Vik (19) : We reach its southernmost point at Vik. The guide books talk about a great rock beach here with some stacks offshore. Worth a look ... what else have we got to do today, anyway?!

We reach its southernmost point at Vik. The guide books talk about a g ...

Updated: Feb 10, 2008 5:36pm PST

Skogafoss (20) : Okay, I not only like waterfalls, I confess I'm a complete waterfall junkie. Two of my favorites here, quite close together just off the ring road on the way to Hella.

We spent the night between here and Hella and it's just at this moment we have our only real regret about the trip. We attempted to take the ferry over to the island of Haimaey. It is geologically interesting due to its active volcano. But the real attraction is a colony of Puffins. The ferry schedule will not let us get there and back without an overnight on the island ... but that adds a day to the trip we just don't have. If we'd just spent one less day at Mytvatn, we could have swung it. Drat!

Okay, I not only like waterfalls, I confess I'm a complete waterfall j ...

Updated: Feb 10, 2008 5:51pm PST

Grindavik (21) : Today is our last day on the road. Rather than driving directly back to Reykjavik, we head out toward Grindavik. There's a neat lighthouse and another geothermal power plant.

This is another incredibly brutal road which eventually winds around the little peninsula, past Keflavik airport and back to Reykjavik. Time to turn in the rental car. As a note, no Suzuki's were harmed in the making of this vacation.

We stop for the afternoon at the Blue Lagoon. The Blue Lagoon is a prime example of making a tourist attraction out of nothing. A geothermal power plant is a very clean affair. Essentially you pump clean water down into the earth until you find a hot spot, let the hotspot warm the water to boiling, use the high pressure steam to turn a turbine which turns a generator. Out comes electricity and Bob's your Uncle. You also get hot water which flows down a stream to wherever ti goes. In this case, it goes to a lagoon ... the Blue Lagoon.

These clever Icelanders have built a spa there centered around swimming, massage, beauty products and sky high tourist prices. Couple it with incredibly effective marketing, it has become a de rigueur stop on all tourist agendas ... including ours. It was fun. The hot water soothed our backs, tired from sitting in the car too long.

Today is our last day on the road. Rather than driving directly back t ...

Updated: Feb 10, 2008 8:33pm PST

Iceland : In September 2007, we traveled to Iceland. Why? I have a good friend who grew up there and the stories he tells convince me it's beautiful. Additionally, I belong to a photographers' forum where there are a number of Icelanders. Their photos are fantastic. Plus I've never been there. And lets face it, at cocktail parties, who gets the greater wow factor: someone who just returned from Oakland; or someone who just returned from Iceland? Not that there's anything wrong with Oakland mind you, it's just a place holder. Feel free to fill in the destination of your choice.

And it is beautiful, full of resourceful and self-reliant people. We landed in Reykjavik, rented a small Suzuki 4-wheel-drive, and drove around the country. I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as we enjoyed the trip.

In September 2007, we traveled to Iceland. Why? I have a good friend w ...

Updated: Feb 10, 2008 9:08pm PST