Reykjavik - Snaefellsnes Peninsula - Bifrost - Akureyri - Namafall - Myvatn - Dettifoss - Jokulsargljufur National Park
July
7 – July 15, 2001
(Published October 2019)
Thingvellir, Iceland Near Reykjavik
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| Flag of Iceland |
It took me 18 years to post this blog. Better late than never I guess. I went to Iceland at a time when only 40,000 people visited Iceland each year--very few of them American. At the time, there was little Internet information, so I pieced together my trip and route from travel guides and maps. I was pleased to discover that Iceland was well developed for tourism and I had no problems with the language or getting around. The principal reason for visiting Iceland is the scenery...stunning scenery...the type that makes you slam on your brakes every 500' to snap a picture. From what my friends have told me, little has changed since I was there, and the people remain as friendly as ever. But now, more than 2 million people visit Iceland each year. Secrets are hard to keep.
Why Iceland? At the time, I had visited virtually every country in Europe. The trip before Iceland was in Scandinavia, so Iceland was all that remained for me in the region. About Iceland from Lonely Planet.
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| My Travel Route Through Iceland |
How Long Was Your Trip? When Did You Go? Where Did You Go? The trip took place over 9 days in July 2001. I flew over fro the US, rented a car, and drove half the country, which is half the size of Kentucky. I concentrated on the west and north side of the country.
- 1 day getting back and forth from the US
- 5 days in Reykjavik (2-1/2 at the start, 2-1/2 at the end)
- 1 day on the Snaefellnes Peninsula to the north of Reykjavik
- 2 days in the Akureyri region in the north central region of the country
What Were the Trip Highlights? The scenery...towering mountains, sweeping valleys, powerful waterfalls, huge fjords. The best area was around the Myvatn area around Akureyri with its volcanoes, sulfur fields, and nature preserves. I also enjoyed the day tour out of Reykjavik to Thingvellir, Godafoss waterfall and the geysers. And the impromptu visit to Flatey Island off the northern coast of the Snaefellnes Peninsula was an unexpected pleasure.
Did You Do This on Your Own or with a Tour Company? I did this trip on my own with the help of travel books and maps. There was no Internet at the time so I did a lot of reading to assemble an itinerary. Then I drew my driving route with a highlighter on a large Michelin map and I was off. I did this trip solo. All by myself. There were times when I was driving and didn't see another car for 2-3 hours.
The flight from the US to Reykjavik was a short 5-1/2 hours on a plane I didn't think had the range to make it nonstop, I think a Boeing 757. I was accustomed to 747s for overseas flights.
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| Air Travel Map 6,521 Miles Round Trip |
Where Did You Stay? I stayed in a couple modest B&Bs in Reykjavik and Stykkisholmur, and a decent hotel in Akureyri.
Was It Easy Navigating Your Way Around? Yes, because I was situated in the heart of each town I stayed in and was able to walk everywhere I needed to get to. Reykjavik, Stykkisholmur, and Akureyri are small and easy to navigate on foot. When traveling by car from city to city, I had my trusty map.
What Was the Food Like? I ate a lot of fish. Icelandic cod was caught locally. But just about anything you would want to eat was available. I ate at chains like Hard Rock Cafe in Reykjavik and Ruby Tuesday in Akureyri.
How Were the People? The locals were extremely friendly. I made friends with whom I am still in contact today. I hung out at a lot of Irish pubs, especially in Reykjavik, so there was always someone to talk to.
How was the Weather? I was there in July, one of the warmest months of the year. Daytime temperatures peaked at about 50F. At night, the temperature dropped into the mid-30s F. Because it was summer, the sun really never set at night. My hotels had sun blocking curtains so I could sleep.
What Was the Currency? What Were Prices Like? I used the Iceland currency at the time. ATMs abound and I was able to use a credit card wherever I needed to.
What Did This Whole Trip Cost You? I don't remember and it's probably not relevant since it was 18 years ago. But my journal reminds me that it was pricey for the time. So I probably spent $1,600-$1,800 ($175-$200/day) total for 9 days including with airfare, hotels, meals, sightseeing, and rental car expenses.
Any Parting Comments? Yes. Travel is an adventure. It’s an opportunity to experience, learn and appreciate how people around the world live. While I’m always happy to come home, I never come back as the same person.
Following is a day-by-day account of my trip. Each day starts with an overview of what we did, followed by my daily journal. You can just read on or go back to the Table of Contents above and jump to a specific day or topic of interest. Enjoy!
Go to Table of Contents
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| My Travel Route Through Iceland |
Itinerary:
Reykjavik
About Reykjavik from Lonely Planet
Daily Journal
6:15 am. Just arrived. It's 50°F with overcast gray skies
and light rain. What did I expect? The average temperature in July (the hottest
month) is 53°F. It's also the rainiest month. In winter, there are a few hours
of daylight and the temperatures relatively mild (32 F) due to Gulf Stream
currents, even though Iceland borders the Arctic Circle. Caught Flybus to
Reykjavik (40-50 minutes). Eerie landscape from the airport. No trees, just rocks
and green moss. Very flat terrain with mountains in the distance. Will have to
learn to read road signs. Just saw KFC and Little Caesar's. Must be a US
military base nearby (Note: I found out later that there are 4,000 US military
personnel based here).
8:00 am. Out walking. Still overcast, but broken clouds.
Haven't seen any people on the street here in Reykjavik yet-- though it's very
early on a Saturday morning. Fairly clean for a European city
9:00 am. Went to Hofdi House where Reagan and Gorby held
their peace summit in 1986. The tour buses are rolling in now. The sun came out
for a few seconds just as I was taking a picture. Wow! Walked main shopping
street. Found nightspots, McDonald's, O'Brien's Pub.
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| Hofdi House |
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| The Sun Voyager Monument |
10:45 am. Sitting in Cafe Paris writing postcards having
coffee while waiting to check into the hotel. I went to Hallgrimur church. Big statue
of Leif Erickson out front. 90% of the population here is Lutheran. Couldn't
resist climbing tower for a great view of Reykjavik. Walked around--saw thick
green moss on sculpture covering fountains at city hall, the stone parliament
building, the main shopping street (Laugavegur). Pretty much walked the entire
downtown. Some American touches-- music, fast food, some jeeps & pick-up
trucks. Like elsewhere, lots of cell phones.
12-4 pm. Slept, showered…aaaah! Hot water -all you want. The water is
geothermal heated and pumped to homes from outside the city. It's mixed with
cold water at the heating plant to cool it down from boiling to 180°F. Then you
add more cold water in the shower to cool it down even more. Hot water smells
of sulfur.
4:30 pm. I was standing on the street when a truck pulled
up, unloaded a big boom box, and started playing dance music. What the hell's
up with that? Went to Listasafn Museum to see Kjarval paintings. Off to
Kringlan Mall to eat at Hard Rock Café. A large group of people walking by
broke
into spontaneous dance.
6:00 pm. Long walk to Kringlan Mall after museum. It's
bustling with activity. Things are expensive here. Typical HRC. Will eat and go
back to center of town.
8:30 pm. At hotel to drop off stuff. The
"Gentlemen's Club" is called Club Clinton. Ha ha ha.
9:00 pm 12:00 am. Fell asleep. Will stay in tonight I
think.
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| My Travel Route Through Iceland |
Itinerary: Reykjavik
Daily Journal
12:30 am. Sundown but still very light out. I can hear
lots of young people out carousing.
2:30 am. Still very light out. This time of year the sun
rises at 3 am and sets at midnight, but it never really gets dark.
7:30 am. Alarm woke me up. Breakfast at hotel very
typical--cold cuts, bread, cereal, yogurt, juice and coffee. Strolled harbor
front. Sun just peeking out. Nothing opens till noon. Have "Golden
Circle" tour at 12:30 pm for 7 hours.
10:30 am. Back at Cafe Paris sipping cafe au lait.
11:00 am. Went to Listasafn Reykjavikur (Nat'l Gallery)
to see Eero exhibit. A lot like artist Roy Liechtenstein. Eero is a local who
donated his life's work to the city of Reykjavik. Weird stuff. That's all I can
say.
12:30 pm. Going on day tour till 7:00 pm.
1:00 pm. On tour. Japanese and Aussie tourists late. So
running behind schedule.
2:00 pm. First stop on tour-- Thingvellir, where Iceland
Parliament founded in 931 AD. Also where American & European continents
meet. Really nice views. Interesting rock formations. Colorful flowers. No
trees. This trip is good so far.
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| Thingvellir, Birthplace of Parliament-Style Government |
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| Lava Flows on Way Down to Thingvellir |
3:00 pm. On way to Geysir. Just a 45 km trip on a very
bumpy gravel road and light traffic. Crossed over from American to the European
continent. Can't do this anywhere else. No trees anywhere. Lots when Vikings
arrived. They cut some down while ash from volcanic eruptions every five years
took out the rest. Climate also changed to become cooler in medieval times.
Only 1% of country has trees. Hundreds planted in past 100 years--cold climate
causes slow growth. Icelandic horse brought by Vikings. Have 5 gaits. Usually
horses have 3 gaits. Only color they don't come in is Appaloosa.
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| Icelandic Horses at Thingvellir |
4:00 pm. Geysir really cool. Tons of them. Reeks of
sulfur. There are two main geysers The big one seldom blows, but the little one
blows every 2 minutes or so (80 feet in the air!). Water over boiling
temperature. "Geyser" is the only Icelandic word in the English
language.
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| Geysir |
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| Geysir |
5:00 pm. Gullfoss waterfall was cool. Formed by glacier.
In 19th century, the land was privately owned. Land rented to two British guys
who wanted to build a hydroelectric plant. Owner's daughter walked like 60
miles to Reykjavik to prevent it. The guys were late once with rent payment.
Due to this technicality, power plant refused. Climbed down path and stood
right by waterfall as it dropped over edge. Kicked up lots of mist. Walked up
105 stairs to get bird’s eye view of falls. Then down road to see some
Icelandic horses grazing.
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| Gullfoss |
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| Gullfoss |
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| Gullfoss |
5:30 pm. Passed through epicenter of 2000 earthquake
(6.5). Saw explosive crater along the way that was really deep and water-filled. Saw greenhouse where vegetables grown with geothermal energy. Saw stone
piles used in ancient times to navigate by--the stones in one direction were
lined up in the direction of Reykjavik. The other stones piles were lined up
leading to cities in the north. People had to walk in those days. In winter
when there was little daylight, the guide stones had lanterns so people could
see where they were going.
7:30 pm. Tour over. Really raining. Lots of traffic as
people return from weekend homes.
8:30 pm. Ran into folks from tour. They were looking for a fish restaurant. I opted for Mexican at Tres Locos. Went to Dubliner afterward
for a few beers.
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| My Travel Route Through Iceland |
Itinerary:
Reykjavik to Stykkisholmur
Daily Journal
Got up 6:30 am, ate breakfast and took cab across town to
Avis to pick up car. Got a white Opel Astra.
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| Opal Astra Rental Car (After a Few Days) |
8:00 am. I'm on the road. Hwy 1 less developed than I
thought. Can't wait to see what the bad ones look like.
8:30 am. Had I been able to read Icelandic, I would know
the bridge to Laxfoss (Salmon Falls) was closed. The dirt road to get there was
all potholes. It's raining on and off so driving even more dangerous.
9:00 am. Saw and climbed Grabrok lava dome at Bifrost.
The lava fields were awesome. Landscape is amazing. Can see where the lava
flows hardened.
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| Grabrok Lava Dome at Bifrost |
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| Lava Fields Near Bifrost |
10:00 am. I'm driving along south coast of Snaefellnes
Peninsula. It's stunning. I can see the Snaefells Glacier at the end from here.
The sun is peaking out now and the clouds shrouding the mountains are
beautiful.
11:00 am. Bummer. The road towards end of peninsula has
turned to gravel and is nearly impossible to drive on. Have turned back and
found a road cutting across mountains that is partly paved. There's some fast
driving locals so let them past. It's really slow going. Had planned to get to
Stykkisholmur in a few hours. Looks like it will be in an hour.
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| Snaefellnes Peninsula - Glacier at End |
12:30 pm. In Stykkisholmur. Hmmm...not what I was
expecting. It's on the ocean and there are some interesting cliffs here. I'm
staying at B&B owned by Maria, an old lady who rents out rooms in her home.
She doesn't speak any English. Should be interesting. Now here's something I
thought I would never do. Have to salvage the day so going to the island of Flatey
to bird watch. Eleanor & Alan, the British couple also at B&B, loaned
me binoculars so I can see puffins - - they look like penguins but have
colorful beaks like a parrot and webbed feet like a duck. It's the national
bird here. Should be a cold ride on the ferry over. Won't get back till 10:00
pm. Fortunately, it's light 24 hours a day. I can eat on island and go right to
bed when I get home.
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| Lava Flows at Stykkisholmur |
4:45 pm. On ferry to Flatey. Hope to see some seals,
birds and maybe a whale or two. Thinking about driving entire Ring Road. Boat
had some John Candy movie ("Delirious") where he comes out of a
traffic accident to find himself in another world (in the soap opera he
created, and now all the characters and town are real). He also knows all the
plot twists and goes around revealing them to the other characters. There are
gale force winds on the nose of this ferry. Reminds me of trip from Ireland to
England in 1996.
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| Ferry Boat to Flatey Island |
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| Puffins Nesting in Lava Flows |
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| Flatey Island Landscape from Inside Country Church |
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| Chickens on Flatey Island |
7:30 pm. Well, I walked this whole island for 2 hours in
the rain. Saw the puffins, got dive-bombed and shit on (at least 50 times) by
some white sea terns, and saw a neat church. Walked past the only restaurant in
town 3 times because it looked like someone's house. I wondered where all the
people from the boat went. They're here sipping coffee and waiting for the boat to come back in one
hour. Now that I'm in a warm dry place, it stopped raining. Having pasta salad
and coffee for dinner. It's actually really good and reasonably priced too.
8:30 pm. On boat home to Stykkishumer. Just about dry
now.
10:20 pm. Still on boat. Rough sea. Almost into port now.
10:45 pm. Got home to find Maria has a full house! People
are sleeping all over this place. Time for bed I think.
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| My Travel Route Through Iceland |
Itinerary: Stykkisholmur to Akureyri
About Akureyri from Lonely Planet
Daily Journal
Got up at 6:45 am, had breakfast and headed to Akureyri,
Iceland's second biggest town (15,000 people) up in the north central part of
country. What a harrowing but beautiful drive. The first 60 miles was along a
gravel and dirt road through beautiful, rugged country. Tall mountains, deep
fjords and picturesque waterfalls. Even had a herd of horses come at me. The
only radio station played country music, which was appropriate given the area.
Thank god nothing happened. I didn't see anyone for an hour at a time.. Once I
got back on Hwy 1, it was 60-75 mph the whole way. Still took 5 hours through
narrow, mountain roads with no guardrails or shoulders. There was nowhere to
pull over to take pictures and the traffic too heavy to stop, so had to aim and
shoot camera while driving. Hopefully the pictures turn out, otherwise I'll
just have memories. It was a really beautiful drive
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| Driving Through Iceland |
1:30 pm. Finally got to Akureyri. It's a tidy little town
on a fjord surrounded on three sides by towering mountains. Went to the Cafe
for coffee and Internet so I could check mail. Couldn't send though. Had to
call my dad about a condo in Fish Creek. Then walked
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| Akureyri, Iceland - Second Largest City in the Country |
5:15 pm. Sitting at a new Ruby Tuesday's now talking to 2
people from US who do international training. They have another restaurant in
Reykjavik. Time to move on to another place.
7:05 pm. Called dad back. I think I just bought a condo
in Fish Creek. E-mailed Doug/Jenny & Jodi at the office. Tired but have to
eat. Another big sightseeing drive tomorrow.
7:40 pm. Eating at Ruby Tuesday. Nice people work here. I
can tell the customers are not accustomed to American style service.
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| My Travel Route Through Iceland |
Itinerary: Touring
the Akureyri Region
Daily Journal
Summary: This was the most awesome day of the trip and
one of the best, if not the best day of any trip I have ever taken. I got up
6:45 am, on the road by 7:15 am, home by 5:30 pm. The day was spent at
Godafoss, south and east sides of Lake Myvatn. Jokulsargljufur National Park
and a drive around the Tjones Fjord and Husavik.
Sites today:
7:30 am. Godafoss incredible waterfall split in the
middle. Could see the mist rising from it a mile or so away.
9:00 am. Skutustadir lava fields/ pillars and craters.
The formations were incredible. The lava field stretches like a forest forever.
There are trails through them like a labyrinth. The craters are actually groups
of 5-7 tiny volcanoes with the tops blown off.
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| Volcanoes near Myvatn |
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| Volcanoes near Myvatn |
9:30 am. Dimmubogir lava arches. Like the description
says. Very interesting like the last stop
10:00 am. Hverfjall volcano. Huge ash cone. Climbed to
top. Inside is a smaller volcano in the bottom. You can walk around the top--I
estimate it's 2 miles around. People have walked down into the bottom and used
the stones to create graffiti. The views are great. I had to open the gates and
let myself in. The road to the parking lot was like the GM proving grounds. The
car's suspension got a good workout.
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| Hverfjall Ash Cone |
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| Inside Hverfjall Ash Cone |
11:30 am. Grjotagja Springs. Drove to Rejkjahlio then east
on Hwy 860 to the Springs. Here there are steam vents, caves with hot water
inside (122°F) and hiking trails through lava fields. The sulfur steam comes
out of the ground in several places.
12:00 pm. Hverir/Namafall right on Hwy 1- the best sight -
yellow hills, several acres of hell on Earth-- bubbling pools of purple mud,
hissing steam vents everywhere. It's stinks of sulfur, except the mud
pools-they smell like a wet dog. About Hverir/Namafall from Lonely Planet.
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| Namafall/Hverir Walking Tour |
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| Hverir/Namafall - Best Stop |
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| Hverir/Namafall - Hissing Steam Vent |
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| Hverir/Namafall - Hissing Steam Vent |
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| Boiling Pool of Purple Mud at Hverir/Namafall |
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| Boiling Pool of Purple Mud at Hverir/Namafall |
12:30 pm. Viti Explosion Crater, Krafla (active volcano).
Went up Hwy
863. Climbed to top of Viti. Has a lake in the crater. Several
boiling pools of water around it. It was solid mud all around. My shoes were
caked and the car is a mess
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| Viti Explosion Crater |
1:30 pm. Back to Hwy 1 going east, then north on Hwy 864
(30 miles) to Dettifoss, biggest waterfall in Europe in terms of water volume
per minute. The drive on 864 was awesome. If is a virtual moonscape. No
vegetation. Just gray mountains and BILLIONS of rocks. Apollo 11 astronauts trained to walk on the moon
here and I could see why. Dettifoss waterfall was huge and sounded like a
freight train. You have to walk down to it. On the way up, I had to help an
elderly German man with a bum leg get up the steep stairs (old war injury he
said in German - - I wonder which side he was on!).
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| Hwy 864 (30 miles) to Dettifoss - Bumpy Road |
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| Hwy 864 (30 miles) to Dettifoss - Barren Landscape |
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| Dettifoss - Biggest Waterfall in Europe |
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| Dettifoss - Biggest Waterfall in Europe |
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3:00 pm. Continued north on Hwy 864 to Asbyrgi Gorge.
Landscape turns to green rolling mountains and hills. Asbyrgi Gorge is in NE
corner of Jokulsargljufur National Park. It looks man-made because it is
perfectly square on all faces. It is horseshoe-shaped and about 2 miles long on
both sides and probably 10 stories high. You drive all the way in. Then there
are trails leading to a beautiful pond at the top of the horseshoe. All you can
hear and see are the thousands of birds living in the cliffside, which is just an incredible sight
to behold.
9:00 pm. Took a 2-hour nap, then went to Italian
restaurant in town to eat.
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| My Travel Route Through Iceland |
Itinerary: Akureyri to Reykjavik
Daily Journal
Got up 6:30 am. and drove back to Reykjavik. Very scenic
drive--mountains, glaciers fjords, rivers, goats, horses, blue skies, sunny and
warm. I basically drove straight back. I made 2 stops. The first at Vidimyri
near Varmahlid to visit the turf-roofed Vidimyrarkirkja church built in 1834. I
also stopped to watch the leaping salmon at Laxfoss. There were just a few. I
almost got the car stuck on the shoulder of the road (really tense moment
there). I was thinking that it would have been wise to take advantage of the
cell phone option with the rental car in case I did get stuck or had car
problems. If something had happened, it could have been hours, maybe even a day
or two before I could find help.
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| Historic Turf House Musem in Varmahlíð, Iceland |
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| Main Road back to Reykjavik |
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| Main Road back to Reykjavik |
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| Main Road back to Reykjavik |
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| Main Road back to Reykjavik |
2:00 pm. Just dropped the rental car off in one piece.
I'm destined to crack one up eventually. The driving here is just
perilous--gravel roads, narrow lanes, goats and horses wandering at will (I
even saw goats lying on the hot pavement today), blind curves, one-lane bridges, no lighting, and all kinds of
weather conditions. I drove 975 miles in all. Gas was $4/gallon, but the rental
car used little. It's hot today (58°F). The guys working the gas pumps at the
Esso station in Reykjavik are running around in Speedo's claiming it's really
hot.
2:30 pm. Car rental agency dropped me off at tourist
office in town. I'm smiling because I got a great place in a private home in
the center of town for only $25/night. The cheapest and best accommodations
I've ever had. It's a beautiful home too. Going whale/dolphin watching tomorrow
morning. I've got a few days to kill here.
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| Street My Second Reykjavik was On - From Leif Erikson Church |
3:30 pm. Back at the Paris Cafe. Reykjavik looks much
better in the sun. All outdoor cafe seating is filled with people eating and
drinking. The ladies aren't wearing much either. Nice.
4:30 pm. At City Hall checking e-mail on free terminals.
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| View from Reykjavik City Hall |
5:00 pm. At the park people watching. In typical fashion,
there are a bunch of loud dirtball American college guys playing Frisbee in the
middle of the crowded grassy area getting scornful looks from the tourists and
locals.
7:15 pm. At O'Brien's Pub having a beer 8:30 pm. Went to
the Celtic Cross. University Professor Tom from Milwaukee (now lives in Fargo)
was there playing Irish music with a banjo while a friend played the drum. He
will be at Irishfest in Milwaukee in a few weeks
10:00 pm. Ate at a Chinese restaurant. I knew what I
wanted but they go by numbers so had to search all over menu for my selections.
What fun. It's run by Icelandic not Chinese so not very efficient. Need sleep.
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| My Travel Route Through Iceland |
Itinerary:
Reykjavik
Daily Journal
9:30 am. Got up 7:30 am. The place I'm staying has a
bunch of Canadians too who are also my flight home. They have Icelandic roots
and are here to meet long lost relatives. Going whale watching in 45 minutes.
10:30 am. It's another gorgeous day. The sun is warm. I
should have worn shorts. I'll probably rent a bike when I get back from this
tour. The boat is jammed with tourists.
11:00 am. Well, we're out boat and it's cold. We have to
go further out to find the dolphins and
whales.
12:00 pm. Saw a few schools of dolphins and a mink
whale--all very close to the boat. The dolphins swam right along the bow of the
boat as we cruised along. Pretty neat. It's a very pleasant cruise. The tour
operator seemed disappointed that we didn't see more. Perhaps they could chum
the water or dump female whale scent in the water. A big blue whale just came
alongside the boat. It stopped an looked at us while we clamored for pictures.
It disappeared quickly though. Stopped at Puffin Island before going to port.
Most common bird in Iceland. Has 20,000 nesting birds. They can dive 60-90
meters deep. They don t build nests, but dig 2 foot holes in ground. Swim with
wings even though they have webbed feet.
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| Dolphins During Whale Watch Tour |
2:30 pm. We're back at port. Running around taking
pictures since the sun is shining.
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| Reykjavik Harbor |
3:30 pm. Walked around--saw a silly street performer who
raked in at least a few hundred dollars at the end. Great fireball finale.
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| Pedestrian Mall Through Downtown Reykjavik |
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| Pedestrian Mall Through Downtown Reykjavik |
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| Pedestrian Mall Through Downtown Reykjavik |
5:00 pm. At the Dubliner talking to Peter, an 83-year-old
retired British embassy employee who told great war stories. He got so drunk (and
uses a cane) that I had to help him a few blocks back to his house.
7:00 pm. Had dinner at an excellent Indo-Chinese
restaurant then went to Celtic Cross for a few beers. Talked to an Icelandic
chap who works on a fishing vessel, is married to an American woman and hates
Yankees.
11:00 pm. Went back to B&B and visited with Canadians
staying there
1:00 am. Enough talk. Going to bed.
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| My Travel Route Through Iceland |
Itinerary:
Reykjavik
Daily Journal
Got up 9:15 am. Weather looks bad. Will do museums and
indoor stuff today. Go rent a bike later if it clears up.
11:30 am. Went to the outdoor sculpture gallery at Einar
Jonsson museum. Was interesting except the only sculpture without an English
subtitle who was one with a man lying underneath a standing cow sucking on its
utters (Ymir og Auphumla 1907-1909).
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| Einar Jonsson Museum |
12:00 pm. Was walking over to Thjodminjasafn (National
Museum) and stopped at park to take some pictures when I was attacked by sea
terns. As they dive-bombed me. One shit on my head, face and shoulders. I
think I got a snapshot of the attack. That sent me running for cover fast. Same
thing happened a few days ago on Flatey Island. 1:00 pm. Thjodminjasafn was
closed for renovation.
1:30 pm. Asgrimur Jonsson Museum. Home and studio just as
the artist left it when he died in 1958. Rather macabre works.
2:00 pm. Einar Jonsson Museum. Some really bazaar
sculptures inside. Took a great photo of a statue called "Remorse"
when the curator left the room. Basement gallery is a real trip. The first
floor has some sculptures. Top floor is artist's preserved apartment. Great
views of town.
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| Einar Jonsson Museum - "Remorse" |
4:00 pm. Went souvenir shopping. Bought a picture book of
Iceland. The shopping area has live street bands, break dancers, food/beverages
and bungee jumping. It finally cleared up and is sunny again. Time to get a
beer somewhere.
11:45 pm. Went to O'Brien's and met a one Gunnar
Thordarsson who pointed me toward a good Icelandic seafood restaurant. Was
expensive, but excellent. Gunnar will be in US in August, so may meet up again.
Found out my Icelandic name is Kristinn Williamsson. Think I'll stay with
American version. I took a page out of the Reykjavik phone book. Names are
listed by first name, then last name. Female last names end in -dottir. Male
last names end in -son. Both male and female last names are based on the
father's first name. Had I been a girl, my last name would be Williamsdottir.
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| Iceland Phone Book - Organized by First Name,Not Last Name |
Go to Table of Contents
|
| My Travel Route Through Iceland |
Itinerary:
Reykjavik
Daily Journal
1:00 pm. Got up 9:15 am, packed and went back to Cafe
Paris for coffee before leaving for airport. I came with just a backpack. I
wore everything except shorts. Had I gone biking yesterday, I would have worn
them. Hate bringing stuff I don't wear.
2:00 pm. The lava fields on the way to airport are pretty
cool. Saw them in the fog on the way to Reykjavik last weekend. The landscape
is treeless. All the rocks are covered in green moss.
4:30 pm. At Keflavik International Airport. Interesting
sculpture out front. Will be almost 6-hour flight back to Minneapolis. I'm
ready to go home. Had a wonderful time here and will definitely come back some
day. Next time I'll concentrate on the south and east.
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