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Day 2 Friday October 4  Arrive in Reykjavik/Welcome Breakfast/City Tour/Northern Lights Excursion.

Text from Tour Itinerary

An early morning arrival in Reykjavik, the worlds northernmost capital that is known for its creative soul and eye-popping design. With a population of around 120,000, Reykjavik is one of the cleanest, greenest, and safest cities in the world. You will be greeted at the airport and escorted to a restaurant at a nearby village for your welcome breakfast.

During breakfast, you will receive an orientation briefing and get introduced to your group.

Following breakfast, you will head straight to the capital for your panoramic Reykjavik city tour and take in the citys major attractions. Highlights include the old town, the Parliament (one of the oldest parliaments in the world), the Cathedral, the harbor, the national museum, the Laugadalur swimming, the Asmundur Sveinsson Sculpture museum, the dazzling Pearl, a museum with a rotating glass dome, and Hofdi House, where presidents Reagan and Gorbachev held a summit that marked the end of the Cold War. and the city main landmark, the Hallgrimskirkja. a church with its impressive tower.

After checking in to our centrally located hotel, you will have free time in the afternoon and evening to relax and explore.

Later this evening, if the weather cooperates, embark on an included Northern Lights (or Aurora Borealis) excursion in search of the entrancing and magical display of beautiful colors dancing across the night sky. Tonight will be our first opportunity to view the magical, colorful display across the night sky known as the northern lights. Again, we must stress that there is no guarantee you will see the northern lights, but your smarTours guide will make every effort! If the weather does not cooperate, the excursion will be rescheduled for another evening.

Please note that there is no guarantee that you will see the Northern Lights during your trip, but smarTours will make every effort to help you experience it. If the forecast is suboptimal this evening, your Reykjavik Northern Lights excursion will be rescheduled for another evening. And dont forget, your overnight stay in the remote village of Vik in South Iceland is the best opportunity to see the Northern Lights at their best.

My notes

Get to Reykjavik.

Our guide Margaret was waiting for us.  She directed us to the bus. We are sitting on the bus and Margaret took roll. Molly Maguire is missing. Molly is not on the bus. She was an enigma for this trip. I never met her. Someone said she rented a car and drove to Vik. She never really joined the tour. I guess some people have disposable money and they can do other things like that. Anyway.
Our driver for that day is Rocky.

Bus has wifi SBA RBA 61 pw is SBA 12345.  Bus seats move clockwise 2 rows every day. Except for back rows where you can stay in the back if you want.

Population of Iceland about 355,000.   About 200,000 are in Reykjavik (means “Smoky bay”). 

Drive to breakfast to a town near Gardur.  We stopped at the biggest lighthouse in Iceland.

Breakfast at the Vitinn Restaurant.

Delicious sunny side up eggs for everybody. Ham, baked beans.

We sat with Sandy and Bertie from Los Angeles.

Margaret tried to tell us about our options for the free day tomorrow. There were three different tours we could choose from and she did not know anything about the options. I gave her my document and she read to the group what our options were.

Walk through lava tube cave, a glacier walk, or a trip up the west side of the island to national park.

What was I thinking? Priscilla was considering the glacier. I guess I was thinking that the park tour would be taking us up to another part of the island where this tour does not go. I was thinking I would prefer doing that. Then Priscilla caved and decided to go on the same option. She heard other people talk about the slippery entrance to the cave and you don't want to fall and break or strain an ankle. Same with glacier. It was going to be a little rainy of a day, so glacier walk you also get injured. So that was a mistake. We should have done the glacier walk because the glaciers are melting and they will never come back. Will never have another opportunity to do that again. Oh well.

Drive to museum: Perlan Wonders of Iceland https://perlan.is/

Museum was built using containers that used to hold hot water.

When you enter, you see a huge tall wall.  It is a cliff with birds. At first, I thought they were penguins. Nope. Sorry puffins, I called you a penguin.

On our excursion (the next day) we walked along cliffs like that, but we did see many birds at all. Wrong time of the year.

Our ticket was authorized to access the roof of the museum. It was great view all the way around of the city.

There were other special exhibits, but we did not have access to any other exhibits.

We only had from 10:30 to 11:10 to see this entire museum.  That explains why they did not include any special exhibits.

Suzanna hanging with some statue dudes.

After museum, we can't check into the hotel yet, so we drove to the Lutheran church "Hallgrimskirkja".

At 74.5 metres (244 ft) high, it is the largest church in Iceland and among the tallest structures in the country.

There are over 5200 pipes in the organ.

Lutheran is the state religion. 85% Lutheran. They have freedom of religion in Iceland.

"Hallgrimskirkja".

At 74.5 metres (244 ft) high, it is the largest church in Iceland and among the tallest structures in the country.

There are over 5200 pipes in the organ.

The statue is explorer Leif Erikson (c.970 – c.1020)
It was a gift from the United States in 1930 to commemorate the 1000th anniversary of the Iceland's first parliament in 930 AD.

Leif Erikson is the first known European to have set foot on continental North America (a half a millennium BEFORE Christopher Columbus)
In the year 1000, he established a settlement near Newfoundland, Canada.

We can't check into the hotel yet, so need to kill some time so we drove to the Hofoi house museum.

The location for the 1986 Reykjavik Summit meeting of President Ronald Reagan of the United States and General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev of the Soviet Union.

That effectively was a step to the end of the Cold War. Within the building, the flags of the United States and the Soviet Union are cross-hung to commemorate the meeting.

My picture has a statue of a poet in the picture.

Hofoi house museum.

The Sun Voyager Viking ship.

Across from the ship - new tall dark apartment buildings  - $800,000 USD for a one bedroom

Finally check into hotel:  Reykjavik Centerhotel Plaza   Reykjavik, Iceland     Tel: (354) 595 8550

We walked down Laugavegur street (constructed in 1885).  Lots of shops and restaurants.  We found a great place for dinner.

Dinner

 This was by far the best and most memorable meal on the trip. Priscilla and I walked up the street and looked at several menus. The first one looked very interesting, then every other menu was not as enticing. So, we walked back the to the first place that we saw.

We were escorted to a small table upstairs. There were some very unique options on the menu.

We did not do the the 7-course tasting menu called "ICELANDIC JOURNEY", but we did order the Puffin and Minke Whale.

Smoked Puffin with a 64 Reykjavik Distillery crowberry liquer sauce

Minke Whale -  smoky celeriac puree "malt" sauce

Traditional Icelandic "Flatkaka" - lightly cured actic char, cream cheese, dill, lemon oil

Horse Carpaccio - dates, ricola-mayo, crispy Jerusalem artichokes, parmesan

This option is why we did not order this 7-course tasting menu.  The major thing wrong with this option is the work "Carpaccio".

I was wary of repeating our Peru experience.  At the Peru dinner, Priscilla was seated too far away from and I didn't know what she ordered.  I think I remember that actually had a very small taste of her dinner.  Well, she regretted it later.  She didn't know that "carpaccio" meant the same thing as "tar tar". And the meat was Alpaca. Really! 

So lesson learned, there is no way we were going to order Horse Carpaccio.

We ordered an appetizer. Puffin. Yes, puffin. It was a very small serving, but that was really all we needed. Hmm, how do I explain how it tasted? It was dark meat. About 3 –inch slender cuts of meat. Wow. I was not expecting that. It had a very different, and delicious flavor. I still have no words that I can write right now to help me bring back the experience. I think I can remember smells and sounds. I hear honking traffic and close my eyes and I'm back in Hanoi. I digress. So to explain the taste of puffin. Delicious and I would definitely eat it again.

Next was Minke Whale. That was a "small plate" dinner entree. More meat. A little bit smoky flavor. Robust, significant bite of food. Very delicious. Very expensive. We were still hungry.

We ordered another full entree Lamb shank. Wow. Very Very good.

Yum yum and yum. That was enough food.

Then my dear, sweet friend Priscilla paid for all it on her credit card and she would not let me contribute. Why does that make me feel so uncomfortable. It had just been her birthday previous weeks, so I should have offered to pay.

That was a bit awkward but I recognized and acknowledged my truly wonderful friend and realized this is going to be a great trip. 

Day 3 Saturday October 5 Reykjavik/Optional Wonders of Snaefellsnes Excursion. (Breakfast)

Text from Tour Itinerary  

Today is a free day.

Wake up in Icelands capital city and enjoy a buffet breakfast at your centrally-located hotel.

You can enjoy a day at leisure for independent sightseeing in or around Reykjavik, or you can join a fascinating full day optional excursion where you will discover the Snaefellsnes peninsula in the west of Island with its white and black sand beaches, bird cliffs, spectacular mountains, volcanic craters and charming fishing villages.

The spectacular Snaefellsnes peninsula has captured the attention of people across the globe, as it was featured in the famous science fiction novel "Journey to the Center of the Earth" and in the critically acclaimed movie "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" starring Ben Stiller.

There are several additional exciting optional tours available to book as well.

CenterHotel Plaza or Hotel Klettur or similar

Day 3 Optional Tours

To enhance and make your visit to Iceland more complete and memorable, your tour guide will offer optional tours during your stay. Additional optional tours will be added for your enjoyment, and the optional tours listed below may not be available on all departure dates. Payment should be made by cash in U.S. dollars or local currency. You may also pay with credit card, which may result in service fees. All rates are approximates and are subject to change based on fluctuation of exchange rates and supplier rates. Note that optional tours are non-refundable.

Option 1 Day 3: Wonders of Snaefellsnes Excursion (Approx $190 per person, transfers included)

Join a fascinating full day optional excursion where you will discover the Snaefellsnes peninsula in the west of Island with its white and black sand beaches, bird cliffs, spectacular mountains, volcanic craters and charming fishing villages. The spectacular Snaefellsnes peninsula has captured the attention of people across the globe, as it was featured in the famous science fiction novel Journey to the Center of the Earth and in the critically acclaimed movie "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" starring Ben Stiller.

Option 2 Day 3: Take a Walk on the Ice Side (Approx $240 per person, transfers included)

A glacier walk is a great way to experience Icelandic nature and a tour to Solheimajokull glacier is an ideal way to spend the day. On the two hour drive from Reykjavik, you will pass under the famous Eyjafjallajokull volcano. Just east of the volcano lies Solheimajokull, an outlet glacier from Myrdalsjokull, Iceland's fourth largest glacier. There, you will go on a safe and easy glacier walk up onto the ice field. As we explore the wonderland of ice sculptures, ridges, and deep crevasses, you will learn more and more about these disappearing giants. Our experienced mountain guides will teach you how to use basic glacier equipment necessary for this tour. On the way back, we will stop at the picturesque waterfalls, Skogafoss and Seljalandsfoss.

Option 3 Day 3: Lava Tube Caving (Approx $115 per person, transfers included)

This guided tour lets you explore the hidden underground system of lava caves. You will be equipped with lights and caving gear, as you enjoy the display of colors, shapes and textures, while the guide tells stories of trolls, elves and outlaws. The caves were untouched for thousands of years and offer a unique experience. Lava tube caving is the exploration of tube-like caves hidden right under our feet in the vast fields of ancient lava that covers much of Iceland. You will get to experience moments of profound serenity in an alien environment on this adventurous tour.

My notes

I slept 11 hours last night. Wow. Felt great.

Today is the optional tour day.

After breakfast, we walked to the bus in the rain. It is VERY windy. Temp is 10-11 C 50s in the summer.

We walked to the duck pond and got on a bus that took us to the place where you pay for the tour. We had decided to do the tour up the west side of the island to national park.
I paid $148 cash in USD. If you use a credit card, with service fees I could be as much at $170.

There was about 40 people on the bus. Everyone spook English except for one couple that is German. The guide reserved two seats next to him at the front of the bus for the German couple so he could use the microphone to speak to us in English, then speak directly in German to that couple. We didn't have to listen to another language over the microphone. Thank you! That was greatly appreciated.

There are signs on the side of the road to inform you of the current wind speeds. If the wind is above a specified speed, the bus cannot proceed. The wind will blow the bus around / over! She said it is not uncommon to see a car upside-down.

He said this tour today was almost cancelled because of the winds. They said that the day before we arrived, there were airplanes that sat on the tarmac for 3 hours. They were not allowed to proceed to the terminal to unload passengers.

In 1940, Britain was here for only a year and built an airport. Then the Brits left because of the war. The Americans came here and build another airport. The Icelanders were "spoiled brats" expecting and accepting these gifts.

The wind was strong. "We are going to do flying!"  Seatbelts are on the bus will be tested. It is absolutely mandatory that passengers use seat belts on the bus in this country.

We drove through a tunnel that is 165 meters below sea level. It is 4 miles long. It is a wind aversion tunnel.

Many tours get cancelled in the winter and tours are cancelled if high winds. There are tipped over cars a lot.

Fire and Ice formed the Iceland landscape. You can see the lave steps in layers up to the top of the craggy mountain.

OMG these plants must have very strong root to survive in this wind. There is so much wind. I expected to the cold. I did not expect so much wind. 20 flights were cancelled this morning.

The guide told us to "look at the horses". He has an accent, so Priscilla thought he said to look at the "whores".

We will see swans and pink footed geese. There are dramatic changes in patterns because they are not migrating away any more, they are staying here through the winter. That has only happened in the last 25 years. Global warming?? But the guide wouldn't say.

Huge craggy post-glacial lava mountains and fields that have not been smoothed by the ice. Beautiful, never seen anything like this landscape before. Farmers fields were smoothed by glaciers.

Ten percent of Iceland is post glacial lava fields.

In 2010 there was a huge eruption and there have been three since then.

Most of the time there is hardly any snow at all in the winter.

After a bit of driving, we had a bathroom stop. And we had some bus trouble. Buzzer sounded. He killed the engine because the driver had to fix something. Start engine and a buzzer alarm didn't sound. That is good.

Drive to Ytri Tunga beach on the Snafellsnes Peninsula. Unlike many of the beaches in Iceland, Ytri Tunga has golden sand, rather than black.

We walked on a trail along the top of cliff over the sand beach. It was very windy and very cold.

It sure helps to be dressed correctly. I was very comfortable with my waterproof pants and down jacket.

Tip for this trip:

     Do not use a poncho.

     Do not use an umbrella.

    Do not step on black "rocks" on the lava. They smoosh and they are not rocks.

There are two species of seals breed in Iceland: Harbour seal and Grey seal. But there are no seals here when we visit. The tide too high.

Lunch stop at Tonga farm. PRICES: 

     Soup. Vegetable or mushroom 1,800 ($15 USD)  For one bowl of soup!!!!

    Cheese burger or chicken burger or vegan burger 1,900  ($16 USD) 

    Bacon burger 2,200  ($19 USD) 

   Expresso, cappuccino, and cafe latte is 500 ($4). Hot choc 600 ($5)

Priscilla and I split a chicken burger 1,900. I didn't realize that Priscilla asked for a cheeseburger and I got us chicken. Oops.sorry.

There were shredded flags flailing in the wind at the lunch stop place.

In the restaurant there was a very pretty Asian woman who was wearing a long black leather skirt. I guess that is waterproof.

After lunch, we did another walk at "Strondin". You pass 3 blow holes. It is about 50 or 40 degrees with wind chill 30. The blow holes spray water. Very beautiful rock bays of violent water. 15 minutes, no 20 minute walk to birds, but there are no birds now Path was along top of cliffs, left side of my coat is very wet!

Really didn't expect so much strong, cold wind.

Some Cormorant, eye ducks, arctic turns are aggressive.

10 more minutes till the bus leaves.

We had a picture stop at some water falls.

I took a picture of Dritvik Djupalonssandur mountain with the bus.  There was NO SNOW on the mountain.  The information marker picture showed snow on the mountain.

The bus drove inside a volcano crater! I did not get a picture of that, but it was very cool.

Drive in, drive around the circle, then and drive out.

We parked the bus and prepared for a hike to the Beach.

Walk 1 km down to the Dritvik beach.

I huge beautiful black stone beach.

There were VIOLENT waves and they almost got me! I filmed a movie of a sudden fast wave.  We had run FAST up the beach to avoid the water. 

Our guide said not to get too close to the water.

I almost got wet! All the sudden there was water everywhere. I was filming and everyone start yelling "RUN!!!!" Water was right behind me and gaining speed . I was already soaking wet. My over pants were keeping my jeans dry. The couple next to me in the bus got very wet. She was up to her thighs and him up to his knees in water. Oops I can't remember if the Seychelles beach had black sand but the waves were similar, very very scary for dangerous waves and for swimming.

iceland/D3_IcelandDritvik scare (301).AVI

It was very cold and the salt water ocean spray made everything wet.  The light rain made everything wetter.

The fur around my coat hood was dripping water.  It sure was a good plan to wear water proof pants!

Driving near Olafsvik we saw a jeep in the water! In the middle of a lake!

It turned out to be a training exercise. The car was at least 50 feet out in the water. People were in the jeep! There were at least 5 emergency vehicles on shore.

Shortly after we had bathroom stop and there were more emergency vehicles. Our tour guide verified it was training exercise.

We stopped at the site where the astronauts train. At Vatlaleid pronounced "laiff".

We stopped at Kirkjufell "Church Mountain". Lowest part of the mountain formed early in Ice Age more than one million years ago.

Dinner that night was at a place recommended by two people on our tour. It had this sign out front "Come in and try the Worst Pizza that one guy on Trip Advisor ever had in his life". It was very good pizza!

We had a great time with Fran and Linda.

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Day 4 Sunday October 6  Reykjavik/Seljalandsfoss & Skogarfoss Waterfalls/Black Sand Beaches/Vik/Northern Lights Experience.

Text from Tour Itinerary  

After breakfast, begin your journey through the stunning and diverse landscapes of Icelands south coast. This is the land of Njals Saga, a region of breathtaking scenery and legendary stories.

During your guided excursion, you will encounter the wonderful variety of the south: from the wide plains formed by glacial rivers to the dramatic sea cliffs of Dyrholaey to the spectacular waterfalls of Seljalandsfoss and Skogarfoss.

Along the way, you also savor unforgettable views of the Hekla and Eyjafjallajokul volcanoes and the beautiful village of Vik, Arrive at your countryside hotel, where you will  check in and then enjoy an included dinner at the hotel.

Tonights destination is the remote village of Vik, known for its black-sand beaches and considered one of the most magical places to see the northern lights.

After dinner together in our countryside hotel, we can simply stroll outside to view this amazing phenomenon! Later this evening, simply leave your hotel room for an excellent opportunity to see the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) in this remote part of Iceland.

Vik is considered to be one of the most magical places to take in a Northern Lights experience.

My notes

Our driver today is Siggi.

Todays schedule:

Drive 1.5 hrs. then toilet.

First waterfall stop Celonic. You can walk behind it.

Second waterfall stop, and lunch.

Black sand beach

Buffet dinner tonight.

Iceland · Highest mountain is Hvannadalshnúkur elevation: 6,923 feet (2,110 m)

There is a Ski resort on the right about 30 minutes to drive there. It is only open a few days in the winter because there is very little snow.
Most of the time there is hardly any snow at all in the winter.

In Selfoss. The biggest town on the coast. When they were building the bridge, there was a strike. Not because of wages. Strike because they refused to eat salmon every day!

Hekla Volcano

From Wiki:  Volcano in the south of Iceland with a height of 1,491 m (4,892 ft). Hekla is one of Iceland's most active volcanoes; over 20 eruptions have occurred in and around the volcano since 874. During the Middle Ages, Europeans called the volcano the "Gateway to Hell".

The volcano's frequent large eruptions have covered much of Iceland with tephra, and these layers can be used to date eruptions of Iceland's other volcanoes. Approximately 10% of the tephra created in Iceland in the last thousand years has come from Hekla, amounting to 5 km3. Cumulatively, the volcano has produced one of the largest volumes of lava of any in the world in the last millennium, around 8 km3.

We passed a bit closer and we could see the Glaciers on top of this volcano.

There are three factors are needed for a glacier. Height, temperature, and precipitation.

This volcano erupted 20 Years ago on February 26, 2000.

They predicted the eruption and the warnings were successful.

There are other eruptions with no notice.

This entire area was covered in ash. The eruption lasted a few weeks. Then the rain came. The ash leaked through the surface. Made great fertilizer.

8 weeks later everything was green again. Tons of ash was shoveled into the ocean.

"E15" volcano name has 15 letters.

Since 2010 tourism has grown 25% each year.

Seljalandsfoss waterfall

From Wiki: The waterfall drops 60 m (197 ft) and is part of the Seljalands River that has its origin in the volcano glacier Eyjafjallajokull. Visitors can walk behind the falls into a small cave.

120 feet clearance Foss waterfall.  Prepare to get sprayed with water if you walk behind the falls!

Temperature is now is 53 degrees F now in Sunday 11 am

Seljalandsfoss

x

Next stop was another waterfalls where we ate lunch.

Temperature is now is 53 degrees F now in Sunday 11 am

Skogafoss waterfall on the Skoga River

From Wiki: One of the biggest waterfalls in the country, with a width of 25 metres (82 feet) and a drop of 60 m (200 ft). Due to the amount of spray the waterfall consistently produces, a single or double rainbow is normally visible on sunny days. According to legend, the first Viking settler in the area, Prasi Porolfsson, buried a treasure in a cave behind the waterfall. The legend continues that locals found the chest years later, but were only able to grasp the ring on the side of the chest before it disappeared again. The ring was allegedly given to the local church. The old church door ring is now in the Skogar museum.

At the eastern side of the waterfall, a hiking trail leads up to the pass between the glaciers Eyjafjallajokull and Myrdalsjokull.

Skogarfoss

No drones allowed here!

 Back in the bus.  We see a  view of the Hekla volcano

Hekla

We passed the famous Bra fence. The woman that lives here had breast cancer and didn't need a bra any more so she hung it on fence. then more bras appeared!

 Next stop at the Skogar museum.

Example of sod houses with wood.

These examples are of a place for a very rich family.

We drove by the Katla volcano

Katla volcano

The "most dangerous volcano Iceland is under the glacier".

It is due to erupt any time now.

There are many monitors in place to predict when the eruption will occur.

From Wiki:  It is very active; twenty eruptions have been documented between 930 and 1918, at intervals of 20–90 years. It has not erupted violently for 102 years, although there may have been small eruptions that did not break the ice cover, including ones in 1955, 1999, and 2011.

Prior eruptions have had a Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) of between 4 and 6 on a scale of 0 to 8. In comparison, the Eyjafjallajökull 2010 eruption had a VEI of 4. Bigger VEI-5 eruptions are comparable to Mount Pinatubo's 1991 eruption, while significantly rarer VEI-6 eruptions would be comparable to Krakatoa's 1883 eruption.

Katla is one of the largest volcanic sources of carbon dioxide (CO2) on Earth, accounting for up to 4% of total global volcanic carbon dioxide emissions.


Katla is one of the largest volcanoes in Iceland. Its peak reaches 1,512 metres (4,961 ft) and is partially covered by the Mýrdalsjökull glacier. The system has an area of 595 km2 (230 sq mi).

The caldera of the Katla volcano has a diameter of 10 km (6.2 mi) and is covered with 200–700 metres (660–2,300 ft) of ice.

The flood discharge at the peak of an eruption in 1755 has been estimated at 7–14 million cu ft/sec, comparable to the combined average discharge of the Amazon, Mississippi, Nile, and Yangtze rivers.

Next stop at the Reynisfjara Beach

Black sand beach

Caves to the left and hexagonal columns

Beware of the Sneaker Waves!

A sneaker wave (aka sleeper wave, a rogue wave) is a disproportionately large coastal wave that can sometimes appear in a wave train without warning.

4 pm arrive at Vik Hotel Dyrholaey for one night.   Brekkum, 871 Vik    Vik, Iceland   Tel: (354) 487 1333

Population of VIK is 350 people

They are building more houses.

Before dinner a big group gathered for drinks in the lobby.  We have a very fun bunch of travelers!

7 pm buffet dinner was yummy.

In a big room with many people. Huge tables of a large variety of food.

There was a carving station with lamb and pork. Everyone said the pork was the best.

We had a big selection of salads and sides.

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Day 5 Monday October 7 Vik/Geysir/Gulfoss/Thingvellir/Reykjavik. (Breakfast)

Text from Tour Itinerary  

Our loop of incredible Iceland continues along the Golden Circle, which showcases the countrys most spectacular natural sights.

Following breakfast this morning, depart for a journey through some of Iceland's most spectacular and noteworthy sights as you make your way back to Reykjavik.

We'll head to the famous Gullfoss (translated as "Golden Falls") with its spectacular two-tiered cascade. Iceland's most famous and impressive waterfall featuring a spectacular double cascade.  

Next stop is the Geysir hot spring area and the lively Strokkur, which spouts water every 30 minutes. Get your cameras ready for an exciting show!

The next stop is Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site where the ancient Viking parliament met for centuries on the shores of Iceland's largest lake. 

Here, you can also witness the geological phenomenon of tectonic plates coming apart.

Later, return to your centrally-located hotel in Reykjavik and enjoy an evening at leisure.

CenterHotel Plaza or Hotel Klettur or similar

My notes

Last night, we set the alarm for 1 am and 3 am in hopes of seeing Northern lights. But we didn't see any....

The heater made the room so hot that we opened the window! I slept so much better in between the alarms a cooler room.

Priscilla's alarm went off and I saw it was light outside and I thought it was the Northern lights, but no, it was just daylight.

It was time to get up and the get the day going.

Monday Schedule  

Breakfast at 7

Bags out by 8, depart by 9.

Golden Circle: Drive inland, geyser. Golden waterfall. SeeTectonic plates.

4-6 happy hour. 7:30 dinner.

Reykjavik is 186 away

Electric signs on the roadside show the temp and wind speed and if it is too dangerous to drive on that road.

It is cold and raining this morning.

The sign at the side of the road indicates there is a steady wind with 65 mph gusts.

It was close to the limit, if a little more, the bus would not have gone on the road. We would have stopped.

The bus driver is going slower than normal.

Next stop at the Eyjafjallajokull Visitor Center to see Volcano and glacier and the farm.

Eyjafjallajokul in 2010 

The explosion

My picture in 2019.  Very little snow on top now!

It was difficult to stand still in that wind. It’s a force that pushes you where it wants you to go!

Eyjafjallajokull  is a volcano completely covered by an ice cap.

The ice cap covers an area of about 40 sq mi with a summit elevation of 5,417 ft.

The crater is about 2 miles  in diameter

The area between the mountain and the present coast is a relatively flat strand, about 2 miles wide.

The volcano erupted (in 1967 and) on April 14, 2010. It was a small eruption, but it caused enormous disruption to air travel across western and northern Europe for a week.

People of Iceland were not concerned about the ash clouds: they were more concerned about flooding. Everyone had to evacuate in case the area flooded from the melted ice.

The farms were covered in a soft layer of ash, which provided warmth and nutrition from the ash enabled the crops to grow rather well.

The glacier is white and ash is the dark spots on the glacier.

This farm is experimenting with canola production and making oil. 

SSustainable farming. Use oil in machinery and salad dressing.

Pompeii of the North Museum to show 45 years ago volcano eruption on the island out to our left. The lava is still warm!

You can start a fire with a piece of paper./p>

& 

"Vesman islands" near here is the first time that people controlled the lava flow. They spent weeks of spraying cold ocean water on the lava flow and it stopped 30 feet from the harbor.

So it saved the village. They could still fish and get their boats in and out of the harbor. But they have several feet of ash etc. to remove from the houses.

Poison gas with that eruption so they were required to vacate. This eruption was a surprise. No one knew about that volcano

Driving SE and and now yukky weather now because there is a hurricane near us. Priscilla tried to text the weather screen to me.

On the way to the Golden Waterfall we see beautiful farms. A herd of cows sitting down. You do not see that very often.

Gullfoss waterfalls

At Gullfoss there are two waterfalls.  Upper is 36 feet high,  Lower is 66 feet high.

The gorge is 230 feet deep by 1.5 miles long

In 1907, the English tried to build a power plant here but the daughter of the farmer/land owner stopped it and it became a nature preserve in 1979,

700 feet above sea level.

60 mph winds here.  Temp about 48 F now.

Gullfoss (translated as "Golden Falls")  

Next stop to the Bru Horse Farm for a photo op with icelandic horses

HORSES: You cannot import any horse into Iceland.  These are authentic Icelandic horses. There are no wild horses allowed here. An Icelandic horse can be sold abroad. If an Iceland horse leaves the island it cannot come back.

About $3000  for young. A few million for a more trained . Usually Icelandic horse is sold when it leave the country.

Next stop is the Geysir hot spring area and the lively Strokkur, which spouts water every 30 minutes. this is my picutre!

200 F temp of the geyser water

7-8 minutes

20-40 feet high

We had 1.5 hours here for lunch and to see the geyser. There are four options/places to eat lunch.   Shop, and bathroom.

Priscilla got a delicious salad. Lots of toppings. Only $15 USD

Depart at 2:45

Thingvellir National Park

The next stop is Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

This is where Iceland became a nation, and where the ancient Viking parliament met for centuries on the shores of Iceland's largest lake.

And here, you can see both the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates

Between the plates it is a no mans land. The rift valley between the plates

This is the only place where you can see two plates because of less vegetation here. In other places, the plates are under water.

Table mtn is more than 10,000 years old.

Table (flat on top) because the ice presses on top and flattens the top.

Layers in the wall show each eruption.

Here is Priscilla wandering in no-man's land rift between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates.

The Iceland flag is usually a rectangle, but when the flag has a notch, it indicates it is flying in front of a government building

In 1700 about 19 women were drown for aldultery. The sign said 72.

Plottfiskur n-nthe best horse steak in town.

Priscilla Frakkar

We are in the center hotel again. We got a front room this time.

We ventured out to restaurant for dinner. $23 USD for one fish and chips (sweet potato fries)

2 for 1 happy hour drinks at the bar.

Day 6 Tuesday October 8  Reykjavik/Reykjanes Peninsula/Blue Lagoon/Farewell Dinner.

Text from Tour Itinerary  

Today you will dip into Iceland's fascinating history, unique geothermal wonders and one of its most popular attractions.

Our exploration includes Hafnarfjordur, built on an ancient lava flow; the deep, mysterious Lake Kleifarvatn; geothermal areas at Krisuvik and Gunnuhver; the fishing village of Grindavik; and the country' oldest lighthouse. /p>

Today, you will combine a tour of the fascinating area beyond Reykjavik with a reviving visit to one of Iceland's most astonishing natural wonders.

Your tour explores:

Hafnarfjordur town, built on an ancient lave flow;

the otherworldly surroundings of Lake Kleifarvatn;

Krisuvik, a geothermal field; and the port town of Grindavik.

You will also have the chance to explore Gunnuhver geothermal area and Reykjanesviti light house.

WWe saved the most relaxing stop for last, the famous Blue Lagoon, where you'll bathe in mineral-rich, 102 °F waters like the Icelanders do!

A visit to the Blue Lagoon will give you a warm and relaxing end of the day. /p>

The Blue Lagoon itself is a unique gift of nature, it's electric blue water set in a black lava field. You'll enjoy a reviving bathe in the mineral rich geothermal water before heading back to Reykjavik!

This evening, enjoy a farewell dinner with your group where you will celebrate your experience in incredible Iceland.

CenterHotel Plaza

My notes

Very loud music at 4 am so it was difficult to sleep.  The Bars close at 5 am. Tried to sleep with the window open again, but too noisy.

Tuesday Schedule:  Lobby at 8:20. Depart at 8:30.

Peninsula visit bridge between the continents. You can walk from Europe to America in 30 seconds.

12:45 blue lagoon

7:30 dinner

Oops. I left my Kindle at the hotel in Vik. That is a good excuse to buy a new one.

We stopped at the Presidents house!

The President's house is Bessastadi.

The President is elected.

No security is necessary. Hopefully we will never need it here.

The president is a symbolic figure. He is represents Iceland abroad. He is not a political figure.

There are about six political parties, three are prominent

President is elected for 4 years. The last president was there for 20 years.

It is an absolutely gorgeous day today. I did not wear a coat at that picture stop.

1600 pop of this harbor town where we are driving.

We passed a retirement community. Tall buildings. 

It is Tuesday and the road we wanted to travel on is closed for paving. We had to find an alternate route to drive to get there.

It is an absolutely beautiful perfect day. Except for the road closure because of paving.

Ziggy, the driver and Margaret found an alternate route.

I took a picture of colorful water containers.

Bridge between the continents.

The North American tectonic plate was joined with the Eurasian, African and South American plates.

135 million years ago the Atlantic ocean began to form

65 million years ago the separation between North American and Eurasian plates began.

1967 Neil Armstrong trained in Iceland.

Lunch in a town with a population of 2000.

Our guide Margaret called ahead to the Salthushid Restaurant so they knew exactly how many people and when we would arrive..

All you can eat very very fresh (just cought) fried fish. Very fresh and chips. I paid in USD $16. Good price.

12:30 departure. 12:45 blue lagoon and at 3 pm we will depart blue lagoon.

Blue lagoon is open 365 days a year.

It is a beautiful perfect day.  Sunshine warm. 50 degrees. I left my jacket in the bus.

At the Blue lagoon. You get a wristband, towel, mud mask, drink included. 

 Find empty locker and they had to show me how to lock it. Cclothes off, towel on, carry swim suit. lock the locker.

You are required to shower before entering the lagoon.  Shower with soap. Put suit on. Walk outside.

I had my slippers on but I didn't really need them. Hang towel, take off water shoes. Wade down the ramp into the water.

Nice. Nice. Very nice. Incredible nice. To the left to get mineral mask. Walk across to get cocktail. 4.7 feet deep is the max depth. Cloudy beautiful blue water.

What fabuously refreshing and relaxing experience!

But, OK. I have to comment on Asian people. Sometimes they seems a little pushy. That is being nice. But I can say the same about Americans when I was on a tour with an American who demanded priority and respect also.

Group pix from people who brought their phone into the pool.

I wonder how many people are in the water 100?

I didn't stay in the water that long. My hair felt like straw. I used lots of conditioner on my hair when I was in the shower. 

I was walking around outside and about 2:45 pm it started to sprinkle, rain and get cooler. Ah yes, back to normal.  

6:50 dinner.

3:15 - 4 drive to hotel.

Tuesday 7 pm. Buffet dinner. Ok seafood. I took some pix. The restaurant was almost next to the hotel.

8:30 and we are on the bus for N lights tour.

About 3 it sprinkled as we were finishing at blue lagoon. Then the sky cleared again. Now it is raining, sprinkling.

Driver Facebook page:  nliceland

Last night on the tour.

OMG Sept 30 the driver posted N lites pix . We did not see any lites.

After dinner last night we walked to the bus. Not sure the time. 8:45 maybe. Start driving. Stop look. Drive some more. Stop look no lites. Drive. Some more. No lites. Park look. No lites. Everyone in the bus was in RARE form.

I would call it histerical hysteria. Laughing. A lot. Lots of loughs. Belly laughs. Many people in the laugh fest. Any quip, phrase intonation of Margaret and the driver were doing outside, behind the bush. It set off a group discussion where we were laughing between each addition to eh conversation. Priscilla said we needed a virgin offering to the n lite gods. Margaret translated to the bus driver who now knew he had a unique group with him that night. The driver had a very good camera and tripod that he used to look for lites. The camera can sense colors that the eye cannot see. He kept moving the tripod around, finding different spots to look. Look North. No lites. Oh well. That is the reason many people in this trip chose this specific tour. To see the lites. Every other night on this trip Margaret would let us know if it was worth going out to look for the lites. Theres a number rating 1 to 10. She calls the other tour companies. If they aren't going out, we didn't go out either. Except for the last night. Last gasp effort.

The rating number was 3 last night. But no lites for us. Another bus came to our parking lot. Marg said they called her to ask where we were going. They parked next to us. We moved to the other (darker?) side of the building. The other bus moved also. OK. Half the bus was outside. Looking up, gazing at the black sky. There are some stars. Then another laugh outbreak.

That was a rare example of true optimist travelers bearing through a very difficult uncomfortable trying situation. Everyone was so so very very tired. Beaten down from constant go, go, go and here we are at 11 pm freezing cold wind, shivering, eyes upward to blackness.

Traipse back to our bus seats. Drive put his tripod away. Head home. But eternal hopefuls as we are, I mean Margaret, she pulls the bus over again. Twice to look again and again. Oh well.

He was pleased to have this driver and camera.

I was dying. Really. Priscilla got the front seat. Right behind the driver. It was the correct location given the rotation schedule. But let tell you, it is the worst seat for leg room. No leg space. No foot space below the seat in front of you. Because of a fire extinguisher. No easy access to the storage above so you have to keep everything in your lap. My purse kept falling off the little shelf in front of us. Very very uncomfortable. But you have the best view!!! But it was pitch black.

Get to city hall. 12:30 am. Walk to hotel. Fall in bed. Sleep late. I think Priscilla was up at 7. I had my eye mask on. Didn't make it to 8.

Day 7 Wednesday October 9 Reykjavik/Harpa Concert Hall/USA.

Text from Tour Itinerary

A morning at leisure before checking out of your hotel.

Before noon, your guide will lead you on a short walk to the Harpa Concert Hall, opened in 2011. The building is the first purpose-built concert hall in Reykjavk and houses the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and the offices of The Icelandic Opera. You will be dazzled with its facade of multifaceted glass.  You will enjoy a guided tour before departing for the airport for your return flight home.

Your memorable journey comes to an end as you touch down in the USA later today.

My notes

Wednesday schedule.

Put luggage out at 11.

Check out, then walk to city hall at 12.

Opera house tour 45 min.

Departure.

Noon on the bus.

DDrive to the opera house.

.

Inside/p>

& 

Opera building tour

Iceland said they needed a concert hall for symphonies etc. 

2005 an architect was select.

Then the land was "reclaimed"  This is built on reclaimed land.  This land was underwater when they started.

2007 start building and plan to finish in 2010

2008 40 percent finished and financial collapse here.  But they decided to complete it.  There were a lot of protests.

2011 August opening inauguration with Askenazi conducting.

They decided to finish this very expensive building and it is still NOT profitable today. Taxes pay for keeping it up.

There are 10,000 glass windows.  5% of them are colored. Window from China were installed by workers from China that came here to install the windows.

It takes 45 days to clean glass once a year.

30 wall?  Size 2 m length and 2 m wide.

Crystal is basalt from of windows.

The walls are Coal dust mixed into Icelandic concrete.

195 people in Kaldalon Chamber hall.

8 meter high ceiling.  Pull out table on each seat.

Walls adjust to different angles for sound.

800 people in "birth of silver" hall.

This is a non-acoustic hall.

The Wall can absorb or enhance. Wood on one side and cloth on the other side.

Bleacher seats push into the wall.

500 seats and 40 more on the balcony in the "Northern LIghts" Hall

1800 seats in Eldborg space

Next year, a Marriott hotel with 200 rooms will open.

There is exhibit outside of glacial ice sculptures

Eldborg Marshall.  (??)

Harpa means harp. It is a common name for women. A little girl presented her name and they decided to that iswhat they would name the building.

Harpa is a month in the old Nordic calendar. The first day of the Harpa month is the first day of summer.

Your memorable tour comes to an end as you touch down in the USA later today.

My flight home to Atlanta:  I boarded the flight extremely pissed off and tired. It was my fault.  I had my carry on bag in front of me so the flight attendant noticed the wider size and Delta made me check it. Whatever. Don't want to go home. I miss Priscilla already home. I'm really in a bad mood. I don't want to deal with anything right now.

Back to Top

Other stuff

Agriculture

75% Iceland was covered in vegetation.
300 years after settlement there was hardly any trees.
The Vikings arrived, built houses, boats and now less than 25% trees. But later I wrote “Now less than 1% trees.
Houses are all made of imported wood.
Houses can be made of some of lava rock and tephra. Tephra is fragmental material produced by a volcanic eruption.

There are Birch trees here, but they are not very high. So if you get lost in a forest in Iceland, just stand up.

They get up to 112 MPH winds in the winter.
11 percent of Iceland is covered in ice.
3 factors are needed for a glacier. Height, temperature, and precipitation.

No wheat is grown here. Because the summer is too short.
Potatoes, turnips, carrots, some barley.
Need green houses to grow vegetables.

Animals

Sheep - About 800,000 to 1 million sheep. They are in fields now, but in about 2 weeks they will all be inside.
You never see the sheep in the summer because they are taken up to the hills to feed in the summer.
In the winter, cattle and sheep go inside. Horses are ok outside.
Artic fox was originally on the island.
Reindeer are imported.
Minks are wild on the island now
Are there goats there!

HORSES: You cannot import any horse into Iceland. These are authentic Icelandic horses. There are no wild horses allowed here. An Icelandic horse can be sold abroad. If an Iceland horse leaves the island it cannot come back.
About $3000 for young. A few million for a more trained .
Usually Icelandic horse is sold when it leaves the country.

On the golf course, the ravens take your golf balls to lay in their nest.

Economics and History

High taxes here. That is ok for welfare, education, roads, and health care.
36 percent tax rate.
7-20 percent sales tax.

Education is free. It paid thru taxes. Kindergarten 2 yr old, then schook 6 yr old till 16 yr old. Then college 3-4 years. Then university.
Student loans are available to go to university. Anyone can get the loan. Same opportunity for everybody.
There are five Universities.
They learn English as the first foreign language at 10 years old. At 12 years old, Danish.

Almost 100 percent employment rate here. But in 2008 all banks except one? went under. 95 percent of the value of everything was gone.

There is no military here. Our guide said “We don’t need it. Hopefully.”

Politics – Scandanavia Model - equal rights for everybody
Maternity leave: 6 months for women and 3 months for men. That really helped equality.
Most people are in the middle class. There is no upper, middle class. no classes. More than 90 percent are in the middle class.
This is very safe society. Kids play outside with no worries.
High taxes are OK to have this type of society.
Don’t pay if I go to the hospital. Taxes pay for that.
$12 USD for a doctor apt.
Health care is not bad. But some things could be better.
There are some waiting lists for some operation.
All hospitals are public.



Icelanders are from Norway (Norwegians) and Ireland (Irish).
The Vikings took Irish women for slaves/wives.

He was an outlaw in Iceland. He was kicked out of the country and settled in Greenland. His son Leif Erricson, he discovered America in year 1000. “make Greenland great and take over America!” was their reaction to us trying to buy Greenland.
In 930 establish parliament. It is the oldest one in the world. In 1262 Norwegian king took over. Split up and ended up with Danish till 1944 independence.




Fishing is no longer the most important industry.
Tourism is not number one.
2 is fishing, and is aluminum smelt. The raw material is imported from Australia.

COL - cost of living is high.
Salary teacher per month $3000 USD.
Nurse wage about $4500 USD per month. Then you pay tax on that.
Minimum wage $2800
About 90 percent of the women work outside the home.

Immigration.
There are strick laws. You must have a job confirmed and you must have a place to stay.
You can get temporary permission to stay.

They are working out how to handle refugees. They get about 50-60 refugee per year.

Language

Takk   is Thank you.
Good morning   Goven Dyin

Lava

Lava strains the rain water so the water is good for drinking. No cows are allowed in that area where the lava is straining the water.
Lava is not good for anything else. You cannot use it to build houses. You cannot use it to build roads.
Ice age ended 10,000 years ago. There was miles of ice deep on the island. Plus lava down under the ice.
The ice melted and the island rose. You can tell the difference between pieces of aged lava. Smoother.
Ten percent of Iceland is post glacial lava fields.
2010 there was a huge eruption and there have been three since then.

There are 2 types of lava. Aa and Block

Aa (ah aee) lava is a rough rubbly crusty surfacecomposed of broken lava blocks called clinker. The clinkery surface covers a huge dense core, which is the most active part of the flow.
The loose, broken, and sharp, spiny surface makes walking difficult and slow.
It is a major lava flow type. It is rough and you cannot walk on it.
Aa lavas typically erupt at temperatures of up to 2,010 °F
"Aa" term originates from Hawaiian language where it is means "stony rough lava", but also to "burn" or "blaze".

Block lava flows are more viscous so the surface is flatter but with smooth-sided blocks of solidified lava instead of clinkers. They also move much more slowly downhill and are thicker in depth than Aa flows.
Moss grows on it

Aa lava

Water, energy

Iceland is one of the most tectonically active places in the world.
Over 200 volcanoes
Over 600 hot springs and over 20 high-temperature steam fields that are at least 300 °F

Hydropower is from glacial rivers and waterfalls.
First hydropower plant was built in 1904.

In 1907 when a farmer ran a concrete pipe from a hot spring to lead steam into his house.
1930 the first pipeline was constructed in Reykjavik and was used to heat two schools, 60 homes, and the main hospital. It was a 2 mi pipeline that ran from one of the hot springs outside the city.
In 1943 an 11 mi pipeline ran through Reykjavík,and heated over 2,850 homes.
Hydropower is very difficult on nature.

But maybe Geothermal is better
Geothermal - drill down about a mile. Steam from hot water turns the turbines. It is very clean, friendly. better.
Geothermal power heats 89% of the houses in Iceland.
The steam fields are used to generate electricity and heat for swimming pools, fish farms, and greenhouses.
It is very cheap electricity
Iceland is the first country in the world to create an economy generated through industries fueled by renewable energy, and there is still a large amount of untapped hydroelectric energy in Iceland.

In 2002 it was estimated that Iceland only generated 17% of the total harnessable hydroelectric energy in the country.
The Chinese are constructing geothermal plants.

Possibly start selling electricity abroad, but maybe more people are against that idea. We don’t need to build more plants here. They are concerned for the environment.
The pipeline is bent to slow the flow of the water. If it was straight it would explode.
The temp of the water is 190 degrees F.

Loss of heat through the long pipeline is irrelevant (it doesn't matter). Boiling internal water is everywhere. There is grass growing on top of the pipeline tub along the road.

This is the world's longest geothermal pipeline system.

It is 80 km long with 200 liters per second of boiling hot water.

All towns and all homes are connected to this system. It is a very cheap way to hear your home.

Geothermal pipelines

Geothermal plant

The Wind
They don't use much wind energy. Wind is either too strong or not strong enough,
It is never a steady wind. too variable to be reliable.
Weather is not suitable for windmills.
Not worth the investment in the wind turbines.
They don't need windmills because they have the hot water.



There is a sulfur smell now on this mountain road. We are entering volcano area. So “nobody is having a bad day on the bus, it is the sulfur smell outside.”
There are 3 aluminum factories here.

Other stuff

Elf and Troll
Trolls and elves (not hobbits) are here.
Elves live here. “the hidden people”. They live in the lava stones.
Elves are nice, kind, and helpful. Small trolls are not.
If you move a rock where an elf lives, bad things may happen so you build the road with a curve around the rock.

John Lennon

The birthday of John Lennon is tomorrow (October 9). Yoko Ono is here to light the Peace Light.
Yoko Ono dedicated a column of peace on the island over there. On Oct 8-Dec 9 John Lennon birth and death the lights are on.
Peace on Earth in many languages.
Boat trip to the island is free tomorrow.
Another Lennon story: In Cuba I told my guide that I wanted to see the statue of Lenin. He drove me to to John Lennon's statue in Havana. But that was not what I wanted to see. I want to see Vladimir Lenin statue. That was a lot further drive to another park!

Winter darkness starts in December. When the first birds arrive, it is a major announcement on the radio. . Relief that summer is coming.

SKYR is like yogurt but with less fat and less sugar.

The Mona Lisa of Iceland is the Icelandic Silacs
Neok Saga is famous. In the year 1000. Written on leather skins, feather pens and herbs for ink.
"I loved him madly, but treated him badly" is the translation of one of the sagas.
Saga, I think she's pronouncing it silah means books or stories.

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