Iceland Pictures

Margaret and I on a hike in eastern Iceland near Seydisfjordur. The ferry from Europe comes in here.

Margaret and I riding horses in western Iceland just outside a place called Grundarfjordur. Icelandic horses are a unique breed and are small. It was hard to get mine to keep its head up when we stopped because it must have been hungry.

This is a lake at the foot of a glacier where pieces of the glacier break off and float out to sea. The lake is called Jokulsarlon. Scenes from two James Bond films were filmed here. I remember one where Roger Moore is on skies getting away from bad guys. When he gets near the lagoon a hatch for a submarine opens up with the union jack on it, the submarine appears to be an iceberg. He escapes in the submarine, of course there is a beautiful woman waiting for him in the submarine. It was cold and drizzling this day. There is also a briliantly blue iceberg in the background that the picture doesn´t do justice.

This is near the black sand beach below. This is just some odd lava formation. There are all sorts of odd formations of lava around.

This is near the southern most point of the main island of Iceland. Near the town of Vik. The beach is black volcanic sand. When you go to touch it you think your hand is going to get dirty but it is just sand. There was a puffin colony near here and a lighthouse on the top of that ridge in the background.


On the same hike near Seydisfjordur mentioned above.


Me standing in front of Seljalanfoss in southern Iceland near another larger waterfall, Skokarfoss. This waterfall was cool because you could walk right around it. Of course, doing so resulted in you getting soaked, but it was still fun. Along the ridge behind the falls there were many other falls, none quite as spectacular.

Seljalanfoss, you can sort of make out the path around the back of the waterfall. It was around 40m tall I think.

Iceland Smells Like sulfur

Well not the whole country but most of the water does. Luckily it doesn't taste like sulfur. I am afraid no pictures yet. I am in an internet cafe in Reykjavik and the computer is all locked up so I can't use my USB cable to get some photos off it.

Our little odyssey in rural Iceland is over. It was really fun while it lasted. It would be nice to have a rental car for the entire trip, but the cost of the car and gasoline starts to catch up with you. Also, it is almost impossible to get lost on the roads in Iceland, only highway 1 actually goes anywhere, the other roads generally go to a dead end or loop back to highway 1. Getting lost in Europe would be must easier I would assume.

We were running late on returning the rental car two days ago and unfortunately ran into Friday afternoon Reykjavik traffic. We also had one of those terrible free tourist maps that are ok if you are on foot but when driving you sort of need it to be accurate. Anyway when we finally arrived at the rental return centre I took the map from Margaret and promptly crumpled it up, much to her anger as that was our only city map. I felt quite silly and apologized when I had calmed down, I also had to go find another city map so we could figure out where we were going. We are staying at the Salvation Army guest house in downtown Reykjavik. Mostly because the Hostelling International hostel we full when we tried to book it over a month and a half ago. The Salvation Army is quite crafty and puts together this slick little website that tricks you into thinking that it won't be full of weirdos, http://www.guesthouse.is/. It is pretty much how I would imagine staying at the YMCA would be like. Anyway, I will be glad to leave it.

Before getting to Reykjavik we saw humpback whales and dolphins whale watching. Drove on the road to hades, hades being a place called Nordorfjordor. Was actually a beautiful place it was just the road that was horrific, our poor little Toyota Yaris took quite a beating, it took two hours to drive 70 km. Went horse back riding with a bunch of Icelandic teenagers who were our guides and managed not to fall off. Have been going to museums in Reykjavik, museums that we mostly have to ourselves as no one else is really in them for some unknown reason. Off to Copenhagen in two days time.

Send My Regards to the British Museum

Arrived in London and was gratiously picked up by a good friendAnthony at Gatwich Airport. Stayed with Anthony for three nights inthe south London, around Bromfield I think. We were completelyknackered (british for tired) when we arrived and promptly slept. Wespend the next two and a half days touring around London: BuckinghamPalace, Tower of London, British Museum etc. The crown jewels at theTower were very impressive, but they had the aduacity to place adonation box at the end, needless to say they don't need the money soI put nothing in it. On the whole I found London and littleoverwhelming, extremely large and extremely busy. Would have liked tostay longer to see the museums we missed and to see a play (Anthony'swife insisted we see a play and was quite devastated when we didn'thave time).
We flew to Iceland on July 12. The pilot aborted the landing once. Iam a very good flyer when everything goes well, but when we circledthe airport over the ocean I was sure he was dumping fuel inanticipation of a rough landing. The captain indicated something overthe loud speaker about something wrong with the landing gear, all waswell and Margie was much braver than I ( I had to ask her to hold myhand, I'm such a suck).


We picked up the car with no hassles, a little two door Toyota Yaristhat has served us well so far. The roads here are quite rough inplaces and you would be amazed with some of the mountain passes thatthe road travels through. We have hiked on a glacier and seen so manybeautiful waterfalls I lost count long ago. You could use rolls offilm simply photographing waterfalls. I am currently in a placecalled Seydisfjodour, that you reach by driving over a pass and downinto a fjord. It is where the ferry docks coming from Norway.Although, the ferry doesn't arrive until Wednesday so the town isquiet and sleepy. We went swimming in the town pool last night,haven't been in any natural hot springs yet, hopefully soon. Whendriving in Iceland you notice the lack of mammals, you see some sheep,icelandic horses and the odd cow, but there is nothing else. Iespecially miss trying to hit gophers with the car. Margie hasinsisted on stopping and photographing sheep, she is quite sweet aboutasking so I usually stop if I can.
The food in Iceland has been quite bland, there are cafe's in thetowns but they often sell hot dogs and hamburgers, nothing excitinglike pickeled herring or anything like that. The accomodation so farhas been quite good, we are generally the youngest people at thehostel, lots of older people travelling.


Only halfway around Iceland, should have more stories to come. Idon't have my cable for my digital camera handy right now so I can'tpost any pictures.

Itinerary

Here's the part of the itinerary that is set in stone because flights are booked, anything missing is up in the air still.

July 9, Arrive London, England
July 12, Fly to Reykjavik, Iceland
July 25, Fly to Copenhagen, Denmark
July 28, Train to Stolkholm, Sweden
July 28 to September 12, Taking the train around Europe
September 12, Fly to Montreal from Paris, France

Right now I am in Ottawa on a brief stop over to pick up my travelling companion, stay tuned for updates.