Two Days in Reykjavik

I just spent two wonderful days in and around Reykjavik. The ship is sailing shortly and I will lose my cell data connection, so my pictures and commentary will have to wait to be published once I reach Edinburgh in a few days.

But I will leave you for now, with a silly photo taken at the Blue Lagoon last night.

Last pics of Isafjordur

After the waterfall we headed back to the town but stopped off at a little botanical garden planted and first opened in 1909. It is called Strudur. There's a real jawbone of a whale at one end of this garden which is pretty incredible when you stand next to it (or under it). Huge!!!

In and Around Isafjordur

Dynjandi Falls

Isafjordur Iceland

This is a small town in the northwest of Iceland, in the Westfjords region, and yet another example of diverse and magnificent landscapes. The population is about 2,600. It has one of the largest fisheries in Iceland but also has attracted some high tech companies of late. 

The town has an airport, hospital and even a cultural center. There are regular flights to Reykjavik, which take about 30 minutes. 

Tourism is also growing as small cruise ships are able to navigate the fjord that the town sits on. 

A small group of us had a tour with IG Tours today. The main highlight of the tour was a visit out to Dynjandi Falls, about 90 minutes away via a 5 kilometer tunnel, and a slightly scary yet gorgeous vista dirt and gravel road that wound through the tall mountain range that surrounds the fjord and town. 

Final area pictures around Akureyri

The pictures can speak for themselves. Gorgeous terrain

Pics from Akureyri

Shots from the mud pots, steamy sulphuric springs, and the mineral baths at Lake Mytavn

Akureyri Iceland

Akureyri is a town of about 20,000 in the northern part of Iceland. This is largely a fishing and agricultural area and quite striking landscape. We have rolling green hills, volcanic lava fields, boiling mud pot fields, pretty lakes and hot baths.

We spent the whole day here touring all of these beautiful landscapes, starting with the mighty Godafoss Waterfalls, which means Waterfall of the Gods.

More of Krossfjorden

I must have shot 200 photos. All afternoon it was ooh this and ahh that. So sad when we finally turned around to leave.

Krossfjorden

This totally beats out Alaska.

The Polar Ice Cap

We made it! We found it! It still exists!
It was crazy cool and awesome!!
And damn, it was freaking cold!!!