Dyrhólaey, Reynisdrangar, and Reynisfjara Beach

Along the south coast near Vik are some very dramatic geologic features, crown jewels for Iceland’s tourism, and simply amazing to see. Pictures tell it better…

The natural bridges formed in the lava of Dyrhólaey

One of the shortest lighthouse structures we’ve encountered, but on this high bluff, certainly adequate. 

Reynisdrangar

Reynisfjara Beach

Hálsanefshellir Cave is some Game of Thrones shit…

And, just in case you were worried, the south coast does have a brewery and I found it!

LAVA Centre

As the land of fire and ice, Iceland embraces and attempts to understand and interpret the dangerous combination of volcanoes and glaciers. It’s cool science and dramatic stuff, and it’s really valuable to get folks to think in geologic time…not “what’s for lunch” or even human history, but the clock ticking within and around planet Earth. Just FYI, Iceland is growing by 2cm per year. Which means someone’s farm is gonna be a lot bigger in a few thousand generations! If it doesn’t get blown away by a volcano…

The LAVA Centre provides a nice interactive experience and is located within <75 km of numerous volcanoes, all visible from the roof on a clear day, so the potential danger is very tangible and present.

There’s a hot bubble of magma beneath Iceland which is why has so many active cones. 

So, gotta give Tom some credit here…he did his masters research on volcanism and was actually a wealth of information while we fished, especially in the rugged, volcano-defined Highlands.  

But, when Tom was describing the two types of lava flows to Nonni and I, after scratching his head in remembrance for a second, and then coming up with “Pahoehoe” and “Aa lava,” you don’t even have to know Tom, to know that we just kinda winked and said “right Tom, got it, thanks.”

But decades later, he was absolutely right!

Icelandic Impressions 1.0

Geez Louise, been on the Ísland nearly two weeks already!

So, feel like I can make a few outsider’s observations…

Iceland is a really “nice” place! I mean, everyone we’ve met, except for a few Germans, have been sooo nice! Makes me feel even a little inadequate as a friendly Texan!

Few examples? Okay, we’ll just go with the macros, since all the micro (individual) interactions have already been favorably recorded prior. 

Even the red lights have smiley faces… “don’t worry, green soon!”

You don’t want to see the red frowny face on the speed indicators because they might actually be Speed Cameras and send you a ticket…won’t know for a couple of weeks how many times we got tagged 🙁

Then, there’s the local gendarmes, who incidentally do not carry firearms. Apparently someone was pulled over and being tested for DUI in Höfn. When we passed on the sidewalk the driver was being politely asked to “please, blow a little harder.” Note they’re both in a parking lot, no lights on, vehicles aimed in opposite directions…

Ultimately, the driver was asked to walk home and the popo went off to rescue a kitten from a tree.

Sheep ALWAYS have the right-of-way in Iceland. They tell you that first at the rental counter. The “open range” signs have sheep on them. If you hit one, you are required to report it immediately and can assume it’s the farmer’s best ewe Ever! Always had show-winning twin lambs, prize wool, etc, etc!

They graze the roadways without concern, because they’re lush and green, and because No One is gonna risk hitting a sheep!

My overall impression is that Iceland is such a challenging place to live and thrive, there’s a laissez fare attitude about being stupid or taking risks, that essentially implies “if you’re gonna do Iceland, you’re on your own, just please don’t drag anyone else into your stupidity.”

I kinda dig it! Still remember when it was that way before everything got nannied on us.

Icelandic Caves of Hella

Didn’t know until we saw the sign and pulled in, but Iceland has hundreds of man made caves across the south, generally about 2-10 miles inland from the coast. There’s a hella lot around Hella. We took a tour to learn more…

Barely 6’ high through most of them, which makes sense from a digging and warming perspective 

All have chimneys, some several, for cooking/heating fires

Several caves are connected by narrow tunnels

There’s not much funding for research, but there’s plenty of regulation, so the caves have been designated cultural landmarks by the government, but research is in fits and starts.

Without definitive research, there are some good guesses about who, when and how. Seems likely that the Celts may have been here even before the Vikings (the Vikings did steal some Celtic women for their trips over) because there are several thousand caves of similar design, depth, and structure in Ireland dating back to the 5th century. Plus, there are some ancient etchings in the cave walls of crucifixes and what appears to be some Celtic runes. Hardly the stuff of Vikings who tended to live in long houses high on hills so they didn’t miss out on a potential battle. 

Some of the caves have been in use almost since their construction (there is a very specific method of stacking stones and moss at the entrances that is effective, unique and evident on both islands) including by modern farmers as sheep sheds, so the ones that are well-preserved could hold a wealth of info on early Icelandic history if anyone would ever start digging…

Definitely looks like runes

All original structures, steps, etc. 

This 3-D crucifix actually has a rudimentary Jesus carved with it. 

The constant temps provide an opportunity for the owners to bottle some of their own whiskey. We were just about 20 months too early…

Couldn’t resist stopping at the Valhalla Restaurant & Saga Center which served cold draft beer, pork ribs and pork belly, all tasty, in a long house dining hall. But the best May have been the historical exhibit about the early Viking settlers. With a visit if you’re on the Ring Road!

Gullfoss on the Ölfusá

Having stood at the base of Fagrifoss (foss means falls), and felt the power of moving water, have suitable respect for how the Ölfusá rages over the falls at this scenic site. 

Interesting thing about Iceland is they don’t even charge for parking, just googobs of people getting off buses, rentals, etc. and hiking down to the falls, then hopefully buying something at the cafe or gift shop on their way out. 

But it is a spectacular site…

The crevice/rift that the river pours into continues for miles to the south and we tracked it for a ways as we made our official turn towards the Ring Road, ISL Rt. 1

Did make a stop in Selfoss at the equivalent of a NAPA store to get new wipers installed on our rental…rain is fairly common, although the wind apparently only blows when I’m holding a fly rod. Friendly guys at the store were anxious for temps to reach 20°C/68°F so they could head for the beach…couldn’t believe it was over 100° at home, although one guy admitted he’d been to San Antonio before and burned his feet between the pools at Seaworld!

Strokkúr Geysír

Iceland is so proficient at utilizing and emphasizing the geothermal properties of the island, from power generation to unlimited hot water to exceptional ecotourism opportunities. 

The Strokkúr Geysír is a prime example. It’s also a little encouraging that they just put up warning signs about how hot the water is…basically enter at your own risk, stupidity will be amply rewarded!

It’s a little more frequent, but a little smaller than Old Faithful…

The entire area is just bubbling and steaming…and beautiful!

Pingvellir National Park

First, haven’t downloaded the Icelandic keyboard, but the English P has the hump too high up the stick…if you can picture the hump only halfway up the stick (or look at the photo below) then you get the Icelandic P which actually sounds like “th”…

But that’s a huge digression from the importance of this national park. 

It was here that the first form of representative government took place, in 930 AD, when the ruling  chiefs from around the island gathered to discuss laws and policies for the entire population. When a law was agreed upon, it would be recited each successive year by the Law Speaker for everyone’s recollection (first attorneys?!).

Amazing to realize that on this very ground the first discussions about laws for a civilization that weren’t  by royal decree occurred. Also amazing that the day after we’re done fishing was the first day flags weren’t snapping and at full display in the wind!😔

It’s very interesting that over 1,000 years ago the people decided to meet at the very place where the planet’s crust was diverging, the North American plate moving west, the European plate east, and the rift was actually where rifts were discussed and settled. 

Granted, the “representatives” were the most powerful chieftains, land owners, exclusively men, some slave holders, and yet that initial imperfection may divulge part of the chemistry that makes democracy so challenging, messy, and imperfect, yet the best system of governance. 

If one stops taking photos and just kinda tunes into the historical ties between a people and their environment, it’s also incredible that a millennia ago these folks gathered on a very active, possibly even mystical place to them, to have these somber discussions and religious ceremonies. Not terribly dissimilar from the Incas at Machu Picchu a few centuries later (?!).

Except the Icelandic folks had methods of “writing” their history and laws down, instead of tying knots in strings as the Incas did. 

All in all “Thingvellir” is a magical, mystical, beautiful, historical place!

Didn’t every civilization include fisherman, pondering their next catch, even in restricted waters?

…and explorers, some of whom may not have made it back.