Goodbye to Iceland

A happy memory of West Fiords. It's been a great trip. As the local advertising says: "Find a reason to go." Takk fyrir Islend.

8pm from my guest house window

Gotta love the long days of summer here. I'm sure the Icelanders will tonight again party like there's no tomorrow. It's crazy exhausting for me, as it's so hard to pull the blinds and go to sleep when it's light at 11pm. It's been a curious experience for sure.

Warning to cyclists

The Icelandic ponies are pretty cute, as is this joke poster in the bike barn at Keflavik airport. I'll be there tomorrow for a 5pm flight home. Weather in Reykjavik has turned blissfully sunny, even hot today. I know it can't last though. Weather back in Seattle is now consistently warm so I'm ready for a real summer.
Been fun.

Corrugated Iron done right

This one is on Bergstadastraeti. I bought a postcard by an illustrator of this one in one of the more upscale Icelandic art gift shops that crowd the downtown core. I am partial to this flamboyant use of house colors because it's a characteristic of Sydney, a city that is basically the complete opposite of Reykjavik in nearly every way.

Another of Reykjavik's toy houses

I like the fact that the flowers in the double hanging baskets match the blue front door.

Turf roofed garage

Cars of Iceland

A photo show of Iceland's monster jeeps on Skolavordustigur street in the downtown core.

What a location for a house

The white speck in the crater is a farmhouse. My map of Iceland isn't detailed enough to name this one of the 15 Westman Islands, but the view from the ferry returning to Landeyjahofn delivered a spectacular view of the volcano Solheimajokull. Then, from the #52 bus back to Reykjavik, I had a great view of the waterfall Seljalandsfoss and the road to Porsmork, on the flank of volcano Eyjafjallajokull. Also got a nice clear view of volcano Hekla. No need for me to shell out for one of the many "Golden Circle" daytrips after this one, via a long distance city bus, costing ISK 8000 return, or about $70. It's great when you can figure things out like this.

Kirkbibaejarhraun lava flow

Hard to imagine that lava flowing 40 years ago, but the neighborhood was radically altered in 1973, and the south end of town lies 16m below.

Queen Anne's Lace on the lava field

A beautiful and tough local plant that figures prominently in local graphic design. I've always admired the delicate tracery of Scandinavian botanical illustration, so it's lovely to see the inspiration growing out of the crumbly barrenness of a pumice field.

Puffin Spotting on Vestmannaeyjar

I found this pair in the Eymundsson bookshop/cafe a block from the ferry terminal. After walking on the lava field above town, I've checked out if my guest house and I'm making the most of the fabulous warm day while I wait for the 13:30 back to the mainland.

Icelandic Irony

This is about as likely here as a flying pig.

Not seen yesterday on the ferry over

Seabird Info Board

The Viking Church near the harbor

One a Day Later

What a 180 degree change!

Live fish display in the harbor.

So you can identify what you're eating,

All things puffin on Heimaey

Walking towards my guesthouse

This street shines bright despite the wet weather, a characteristic of many volcanic islands.

Parked outside the hsrbor

This cruise ship is tendering passengers onshore as the one berth is occupied by a large French cruise ship.

Vestmannaeyjar

From today's 2:45 sailing. A bit choppy so good it was only 35 minutes. Reminds me of trips I've done in the Southern Hemisphere.

7pm on the drive out

The bus dropped hikers at various points on the way back to Reykjavik. This is a camping and hut site called Landmannahellir. We forded several streams on the volcanic gravel road, and it was bumpy going both directions. Worth the price of admission as this is a unique place.

The 2 guys we passed in the tour bus make it

Unpronounceable

Hiking down in the rain

Apparently in the clouds beyond the braided river valley is Eyjafjallajokull, the volcano that blew up in 2010.

From the first cairn 2395 ft

It's a climb of just over 400 feet to this point.

Touring Cyclist

One of the 6 or so cyclists camped here. It's a crazy scenic route in, and you need a seriously tough bike with 28 inch knobblies. My 700cc wheels would sink in this "road" surface.

62 km of a lava dirt road

The Reykjavik Excursions bus ahead of mine (TREX). I took the 7:45am bus from Reykjavik Campsite and it was a milk run, not arriving until after noon. My Hikers Bus Pass cost ISK 12400, or about $100. Cheaper than RE.

Sunday's Trip to Landmannalaugar

My ISK 300 "day hiking map" purchased at the trailhead Info kiosk. Pretty much useless. I did about half of the Suthurnamur hike, then turned back when it started to rain seriously. Supposedly the circuit is 8.5km and takes 3-5 hours.

It's hard not to like the cheerful entrepreneurship here

$8 breath mints in the gift shop of Volcano House.

Nice use of corrugated iron and carpenter gothic

Another pretty one.

Mycologically speaking

In Reykjavik, a juxtaposition of mural and graffiti that works. It's good to see that the graffiti writer didn't feel the need to tag the mural. That shows admirable self control.

Iceland's most famous textile

It cost me ISK 19,900 (about $165), but it's nearly impossible to come all this way and not find at least one. It's expertly hand knitted and not scratchy, despite being made from Icelandic wool. I think it's a nice balance of tradition and contemporary color, plus I know I'll use it in Seattle, because it's so similiar in weather it's uncanny. Like everything here, expensive but high quality. I know how to knit and I admire this person's skill.

Lunch at Cafe Paris in Reykjavik

Today's actually raining, though nothing to a Seattleite with the right raingear. So, I'm wandering around, window shopping then stopping for a meal in a restaurant recommended in The Rough Guide that I've brought with me courtesy of Seattle Public Library. My excellent Saturday lunch of crepe salee (savory) stuffed with ham, gruyere, basmati rice and vegetables, with a side of mushroom sauce. Called Fronsk ponnulaka, it costs ISK 3090 about $26. This is a very popular place with pleasant local servers wearing black T-shirts with things like "If you meet an Icelander and he is strange he is likely elf" and "don't stay up late with troll because in the morning you will turn into one."
I'm heading to Volcano House to see the movies of the eruptions of Eyjafjallajokull, the 2010 air traffic stopper, plus the 1973 eruption on Heimaey, in the Vestmannaeyjar (Westman Islands). I'm going for an overnight on Heimaey on Monday, so this is a good pre trip activity. Plus, as the museum brochure states "The weather is always nice here!"

Lunch at Cafe Paris in Reykjavik

Today's actually raining, though nothing to a Seattleite with the right raingear. So, I'm wandering around, window shopping then stopping for a meal in a restaurant recommended in The Rough Guide that I've brought with me courtesy of Seattle Public Library. My excellent Saturday lunch of crepe salee (savory) stuffed with ham, gruyere, basmati rice and vegetables, with a side of mushroom sauce. Called Fronsk ponnulaka, it costs ISK 3090 about $26. This is a very popular place with pleasant local servers wearing black T-shirts with things like "If you meet an Icelander and he is strange he is likely elf" and "don't stay up late with troll because in the morning you will turn into one."
I'm heading to Volcano House to see the movies of the eruptions of Eyjafjallajokull, the 2010 air traffic stopper, plus the 1973 eruption on Heimaey, in the Vestmannaeyjar (Westman Islands). I'm going for an overnight on Heimaey on Monday, so this is a good pre trip activity. Plus, as the museum brochure states "The weather is always nice here!"

I think a return to Iceland is in my futir

Something to study tonight in my empty 4-person dorm at YHA City Center.

Pure Iceland

Haven't had scenery like this since New Zealand.

Afternoon coffee at Sandholt on Laugavegur in Reykavik

After my wonderful 3 days of driving in the West Fiords, I'm back in town, feeling more than a little sad to be on my own again. The grey weather is Seattle, so I'm having coffee and strawberry tart in this classically Nordic decor.

From the Reykjavik Grapevine

You see these DIY car washes at lots of gas stations here. This story, from a local free we love/hate tourists rag, made me smile. Those brushes are embedded with mud and pumice gravel. Perhaps alcohol was involved in this bathing innovation. Apparently the response to an objecting local was one or more of these idiots waving their privates at that unfortunate person.

Afternoon coffee at Sandholt on Laugavegur in Reykavik

After my wonderful 3 days of driving in the West Fiords, I'm back in town, feeling more than a little sad to be on my own again. The grey weather is Seattle, so I'm having coffee and strawberry tart in this classically Nordic decor.

F66 from Isafiorthur to Kollafjorthur

A worthwhile back road in West Fiords. Narrow, stony, with a couple of mountain climbs to pay attention to, plus some easy stream fords. No one else on the road, which was great. Perfectly feasible with 4WD and intelligent, non-cowboy driving. It's about 25km and would be an excellent mountain bike route with yesterday's sunshine.

700 ISK for the hot pool

The reason to come to Reykjanes in West Fiord. It's fun to swim in a large warm pool with natural hot spring water and territorial terns nesting in the grass next door.

Not much to look at facing north

The Reykjanes hotel looks semi-derelict.

Thursday in Isafjordur

Finally the typical fiord weather, with a couple of cruise ships in port.

Terrain of Isafjordur

Looks like a piece of ginger, doesn't it?

Yesterday's late lunch

It's a long drive up one side of each fiord and down the other, so it takes longer to reach any town. This lunch of codfish gratin in Patreksfjordur was hearty and delicious.

Iceland poppy!

The forebear of a favorite spring flower. Couldn't grow in a less inviting alpine environment.

Iceland's national stuffed toy

Seen today in West Fiords.

Asgarthur in West Fiords

A lovely day's drive with mid summer flowers in bloom.

Lunch in Vegamot

Icelandic meatballs in a pleasant town named (almost) for a classic Australian food item.