Iceland day 5

My final full day in Iceland has arrived and thankfully the tour today doesn't start until 9am.  I am so happy I can sleep late!  One of the most popular tours from Reykjavik is the Golden Circle . . . it gets you out of Reykjavik and hits the main tourist stops near by.  So off we go!  I can tell within a couple of minutes that I am going to like this guide today.  He was chatting away and telling stories that were informative but funny too.  He was a bit late picking me up because they spent a lot of time trying to locate John Duffy who did not show up at his pick up location.  Everyone was laughing so I can only imagine the stories told before my pick up.  Again it is a small group of 16 people so very nice too.  The weather once again is not so great.  I am beginning to think all the photos I see of Iceland are photo shopped; does the sun every come out, Iceland?

The first stop is at some power plant which is a total snore for me and waste of time.  I understand it sort of sets the ground work for the geothermal aspects of Iceland but I want to be out and about exploring even in the rain!  Thankfully we only wasted spent about 20 minutes there and the entire group was back waiting to leave early so I probably wasn't alone in my boredom!  On the road to our first real stop, Kerið Volcano crater that is thought to be about 5000 years old . . .

. . . there was time to hike to the top and walk around the top which was really nice.  Our first waterfall of the day was considered small, Faxi Waterfall . . .

There was a group of the famous Icelandic horses near the road so the guide pulled over to check them out . . . they are still so cute even if I am allergic to horses!

Our long stop would also be a lunch break too.  I was again happy that I packed a sandwich so I could be out exploring on my own . . . I did buy a bag of chips to enjoy with my lunch but left my water in the van and I am too cheap to pay for another one . . .

Then out to see if I could actually see one of the geysers going off . . .

This is where you find most of the people just hanging out waiting for Strokkur to erupt . . . it goes off about every 10 minutes . . .

As I stood there I overheard an American family discussing that there was a geyser like this in the US . . . some in the family acted as if they had never heard of Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park . . . I was gasping in shock; how do you not know this as an American?  Anyway, it was back to exploring and enjoying the cool day with no rain at the moment . . .

Geysir has not gone off in many years and considered inactive . . .

One of the many other geysers around the area, Litli Geysir . . . 

More walking around the Geothermal Field . . .

It was back on the road with our next stop at Gullfoss also known as the really big waterfall . . .

 

The guide also stopped at Efstidalur Farm for a treat.  I tell you every dairy product I have had in Iceland is just amazing . . . yogurt to ice cream to cheese it is all so creamy, fresh, and yummy . . . I finally decided on amaretto ice cream on the freshest waffle cone . . .

. . . walked over to the window and watched the cows while I enjoyed my ice cream made with their milk!

At several of our stops we would be dropped off at one point and then walk to our pick up point which I liked.  It gave me the chance to enjoy the outdoors and not have to see the same thing twice.  Since there has been so much rain this summer parts of Þingvellir or Thingvellir National Park were closed which was a bummer but what we did see was amazing . . .

It was at Þingvellir, which translates to the fields of parliament, where most of the major turns in Iceland’s history started to occur.  In 1944, it is where Icelanders declared their independence from Denmark and confirmed their first President.  Because of its history, it became a National Park in 1930.  In 2004, it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

As you enter the park you descend a steep cliff into a valley. Looking upon the face of this cliff is to literally look at the edge of North America.  As you drive through the park, you will ascend on the other side adjacent to another wall; this is Eurasia.  We were dropped off to walk alongside both of these plates.  The walk takes you between the edge of the North-American plate and an old part of the wall that collapsed away.  The tectonic plates move apart at approximately 2.5 centimeters a year.  

This was our last stop so back to Reykjavik we went.  I knew that I sure was going to miss this beautiful country . . . no matter where you look it is just amazing even looking out a dirty bus window!

I arrived at the hotel a minute after 6pm so was there to enjoy the local Iceland food and drink at the hotel . . . 

. . . it was some sort of herring with onions on toast . . . I only had one if that tells you anything but the blueberry drink was good.  I decided to have dinner at the restaurant in the hotel.  I wasn't that hungry so figured I would have a couple of appetizers.  Since I was alone, I sat at the bar to eat and drink and chat with the nice bartender from Budapest.  Europeans always amaze me that they seize the chance to move to a new country for a few years to work and enjoy the area.  Someday I want to do that . . . well maybe not the work part but move and enjoy other countries.  I told the bartender to make me his favorite drink which was called Jungle Boogie; I laughed!  The first appetizer was Tempura Langoustine.   . . .

They were so good I considered ordering them again!  The waitress kept pushing the Toasted Brioche so ordered that next . . .

It was okay and nothing special especially for the price.  I enjoyed the snacks and conversation but it was time to head upstairs to pack for my morning flight.

Facts of the Day:

25% of Iceland is an active volcano zone.

Gas is 220 ISK per liter so about $8 per gallon

2018 has been the wettest summer in 100 years . . . of course!