Day 8
I had a good nights sleep. The bed was nice and I was pretty exhausted by all of the excitement yesterday. Akureyri is a beautiful town. It reminded me a lot of Brigham City. They had a baseball field and a small music scene and a town square where they often had concerts, very similar to Brigham.
The hostel was very nice. It was called Akurin. My room was on the top floor with a beautiful view of the town. It cost 75.00 for a simple, but very well maintained and clean room.
I had another long days drive with a lot of sights to see.
From Akureyri I headed south. One of my goals is to photograph all of the remaining turf churches in Iceland. There are 5. One has been restored and moved to Reykjavik so I am not counting that one. One of them I was not able to photograph because it was on private property and was closed to the public. The one I am headed to now is called Suarbaer.
One the way there I saw beautiful farm land. There was one particular crop I saw often, but I didn't know what it was or who to ask. I noticed a lady of a dairy farm out in the field and she was walking toward her barn. I parked at the barn and got out of my car. I am sure she thought I was crazy, I told her I was curious about the crops. Her name is Asta and she took me around her farm for a short tour. I told her I was scared to ask anyone and she said "We don't bite." and then laughed. They have a very clean and well kept farm. We started talking about wild edible plants and really connected with each other. The crop turned out to be kind of a kale they plant for the cows to graze on. This was one of the highlights of the trip. We still email each other every few months.
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| Kale? |
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| The automatic milking machine. |
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| Asta's farm |
This is a photo of the church Grund. It seems out of place in Iceland, but in the early 1900's it was one of the country's most impressive churches.
Finally made it to Suarbaer. It was not open and the light wasn't very good, but here is a photo.
Then I got back on highway one and headed to Holar. On the way there I got probably the biggest scare I had while in Iceland. I was driving on a gravel road and going to fast when I drifted into some lose gravel. I had to correct the vehicle and I think if I had been in the smaller suzuki I would have tipped the vehicle. It took me a few minutes to regain my composure.
Traveling in Iceland is somewhat difficult because there are so many small roads. It is difficult to find the place that you are going to. I was looking at the map and GPS and trying to drive and that is not a good combination. If you travel on your own make sure you have a GPS. It is not always accurate, but with a map it is a lot easier to navigate. Just don't look at the map while driving.
This is church photo is one of my favorites. This church is called
Virkishóll.
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When I got to Holar the sun was shinning and it was a beautiful day. I was finally able to go inside on of these turf buildings. It was absolutely fascinating. The women cook in the lower part of the house and it is pretty primitive, but the other parts of the house were beautiful with wood walls and floor. The people slept mostly on the top part and the fire below heated the house. These rooms were inhabited until 1945.
Holar is home to an agricultural college and has been since 1882. It was the last Catholic stronghold until 1522 when the bishop and his sons were beheaded.
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| Church |
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| Map of the college |
It is a calm campus with historical, educational and religious ties. I am glad I made the trip there.
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| UpStairs loft. |
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| Lower room |
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| Kitchen |
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| Nyibaer My next stop was the Grof turf church. This is one of the smallest turf churches in Iceland. |
I loved this place!
I can just image what it would be like in the dark hours of winter to walk the path to this small church and worship with you family and neighbors.
After Grof I decided to drive to Hofsos. It was kind of disappointing as a town I didn't stay there long. I turned around and went back the way I came for a bit.
My next stop was another turf church called Vidimyri.When I opened the door of this church to look inside there was a man sitting just inside the door asking for donations. It kind of surprised me. I don't blame some of these places for asking for donations. There has been a big push in Iceland to charge to see certain things and the Icelanders are in an uproar. Iceland has really been overrun by tourists. The locals aren't sure what to do.
I read that at one of the hot springs, rocks have been rearranged that have been like there for several generations. The farmer is not sure what to do. Put a gate and fence up, have guards or charge a fee.
Now I am headed to Glaumbaer. I have a feeling it will be closed, but maybe I can look around. I am kind of bummed it will be closed because this place really has an interesting museum. Below are a few photos of Glaumbaer. This is kind of a touristy place, but the buildings were very beautiful on the outside. There's not many windows to peek in unless you climb on the roof!
I ate at a nice restaurant in Blonduos today called Potturinn.
A very nice meal! This is the first time I have seen rice.
Oh my I had seen incredible photos. I hope I get out there while there is still color in the sky!
I got back to the hostel about midnight and was ready sleep, but wait the night was too beautiful.
My hostel is on the left of the photo.
Day 9-
In Blonduos I saw some ladies picking berries off the side of the road. It seems like there is a considerable amount of wild food, but you don't see it much in restaurants. I stopped to ask them what they were picking. It is an Icelandic huckleberry or bilberry.
I picked and ate some, then I saw another berry and I asked them if it was edible. They nodded so I ate some of those too. I recognized the berry as a crowberry. I think our Idaho huckleberries are sweeter.
Oh
my heavens, this is a very talented man. His house was unbelievable.
Drangnses is kind of out of the way and it is a very small town probably less then a hundred. The waitresses at the restaurant obviously knew each other well. There aren't any towns nearby so I am sure the employees were locals. I wanted to go to Krossnes a geothermal swimming pool at the top of the world. It's about 40 miles at the end of a gravel road. I wasn't sure if I would have time, but I did. This was one of the things on my bucket list. I wanted to go skinny dipping in the Arctic Ocean, but this is close.
Me!!
Wonderful showers. Everyone in Iceland is expected to shower naked before getting in the pools and they stick by it. The showers had soap and shampoo.
I get out here in the middle of nowhere. The parking lot is full and they will take a credit card at the cashiers. Yes they have Wifi. Iceland is more connected than a person would imagine.
Lone churches along the way.
After looking at the buildings, (It was closed). I came back to the car and starting to get in when man noticed that my tire was flat. He asked if I needed help and I said no I can do it, but after he came back and he saw me struggling he asked again. So he helped me change my tire. He was from Holland and had his own motor home. (Lots of tourists from Europe bring their motorhomes across on the ferry. When I went to shake his hand to thank him, he rubbed the tire grim on my hands. Kind of funny.
After Grof I decided to drive to Hofsos. It was kind of disappointing as a town I didn't stay there long. I turned around and went back the way I came for a bit.
My next stop was another turf church called Vidimyri.When I opened the door of this church to look inside there was a man sitting just inside the door asking for donations. It kind of surprised me. I don't blame some of these places for asking for donations. There has been a big push in Iceland to charge to see certain things and the Icelanders are in an uproar. Iceland has really been overrun by tourists. The locals aren't sure what to do.
I read that at one of the hot springs, rocks have been rearranged that have been like there for several generations. The farmer is not sure what to do. Put a gate and fence up, have guards or charge a fee.
Now I am headed to Glaumbaer. I have a feeling it will be closed, but maybe I can look around. I am kind of bummed it will be closed because this place really has an interesting museum. Below are a few photos of Glaumbaer. This is kind of a touristy place, but the buildings were very beautiful on the outside. There's not many windows to peek in unless you climb on the roof!
Finally made it to Blonduos where I am staying at
Guesthouse Tilraun.
I ate at a nice restaurant in Blonduos today called Potturinn.
A very nice meal! This is the first time I have seen rice.
I didn't stay in town long after I ate and checked into my room, because it was still light and there was one more place I wanted to go before I went to sleep. This is the problem in Iceland. It is always light in the summer!! No time to sleep. I was headed to Hvitserkur, a sea stack that is just off the coast of Hunafjordur.
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This is one of those moments when I should have stayed there just a bit longer because as I was driving back to the hotel the sky looked like this.
I got back to the hostel about midnight and was ready sleep, but wait the night was too beautiful.
My hostel is on the left of the photo.Day 9-
In Blonduos I saw some ladies picking berries off the side of the road. It seems like there is a considerable amount of wild food, but you don't see it much in restaurants. I stopped to ask them what they were picking. It is an Icelandic huckleberry or bilberry.
I picked and ate some, then I saw another berry and I asked them if it was edible. They nodded so I ate some of those too. I recognized the berry as a crowberry. I think our Idaho huckleberries are sweeter.
From Bonduos I traveled along highway one and then up along the Strandir Coast headed toward Drangsnes where I would spend the night, but I had a lot to do and see before that happened.
On the way out of town I noticed a cool yard with lots of iron junk sculptures in the yard. I walked around the perimeter of the yard taking some photos when an older man walked out of the house eating his oatmeal. He was very friendly and eventually invited me into his house.
Oh
Here's his facebook page:
When I told him I was from the United States--Utah. He asked me if I was a Mormon and I said, "Yes." He told me his Mother lived by a Mormon and he was a very good man and a good neighbor. I told him I had a Book of Mormon in my car and would he like to look at it? He said, "Yes, maybe that man is in there." So I went and got the BoM and he thumbed through it and said. No, I am an atheist. I said, "Keep it." and He said, "No, give it to someone who is interested." It was a very fun conversation. He asked if I wanted some coffee and I explained the word of wisdom to him. He said, "What no coffee and no wine?" I told him that keeps us healthy and he said, "I am healthy." I couldn't argue with that Healthy and talented.
Driving from Blonduos to Drangnses was a pretty easy drive. I am staying at the
Malarhorn Guesthouse,
Drangnses is kind of out of the way and it is a very small town probably less then a hundred. The waitresses at the restaurant obviously knew each other well. There aren't any towns nearby so I am sure the employees were locals. I wanted to go to Krossnes a geothermal swimming pool at the top of the world. It's about 40 miles at the end of a gravel road. I wasn't sure if I would have time, but I did. This was one of the things on my bucket list. I wanted to go skinny dipping in the Arctic Ocean, but this is close.
On the road to Krossnes.
Krossnes
Day 10
I am on my way to Isafjordur and the Westfjords. This is the part of Iceland that many travelers miss because it is hard to get to and so isolated, but I wanted to include it in my trip. Isafjordur is the only large town in the area, population about 2500. This day would prove to be a day of isolation. I am attempting to go to the bottom of a glacier and drive as far as I can to the Hornstrandir area. Hornstrandir is very isolated and there are no roads that travel to it. You can access the area by boat. The entire area is a national preserve. I am headed for the red pin.
Its a long drive, but I got fairly close to the glacier.
I went out as far as I could on the road. This area of Iceland is extremely remote. The area just North of here is a nature preserve with no roads at all. Extremely wild with extreme weather.
I was afraid the weather wouldn't be great today, but although it is cloudy and a bit windy it is nice. I have had great weather pretty much my entire trip except for the first day.
I did a lot of driving today and I am spending the night near Isafjordur.
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This is a photo from the other side of the fjord.
This is ISAFJÖRÐUR
ÓSVÖR is a fishing museum that is near Isafjordur. I had to go through a tunnel to get there, but I was sure it would be closed. Even though it is still light until way into the night, Icelanders keep a good watch on the clock and don't keep things open much past 5 o'clock. Kind of annoying if you are visiting the country.
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| Osvor |
Not having a spare tire made me kind of worried. Luckily I was in a fairly large town. Isafjordur population 2,500. I first had to get to my hostel. By this time it was about 8:00 at night.
My hotel tonight is Guesthouse Kirkjubol. Unfortunately there are two hostels with the same name close to each other. It was about 10:00 when I arrived. Very nice facility. I think the best I have stayed in so far and it was only about $60.00NVer
My car and the hostel.
Day 11
The young lady who ran the hostel was very accommodating. She was a nanny in the United States a few years ago and spoke english like an American. I tried to get a hold of the rental company to find out what I should do about my spare tire. I had that stupid phone I had bought that I never really used. Of course, I couldn't speak Icelandic, so when I called that number, I assumed I was getting the answering machine, so I kept leaving a message. I finally asked her what was being said and she listened and then laughed. "It's the operator telling you that you dialed the number wrong." She helped me call them and then she helped me find the tire store in the very large Icelandic town of Isafjordur.
People were continually placed in the path to help me get out of these minor problems. There wouldn't have been any places for the next few days where I could get a tire fixed. That would have freaked me out. After waiting for an hour or so at the tire store I was able to get on my way.
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| These fish heads were drying in the sun. Apparently they sell them to Asian countries . |
One of the most beautiful waterfalls and very remote, unlike the waterfalls near Reykjavik.
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| Dynjandi The next stop is the strangest place I visited in iceland. This farmer retired and spent his retirement days building concrete sculptures and buildings. I didn't get super photos because they were doing some construction work and were in the way. Icelanders are the coolest people. He built a house and churchhouse as well. All out of concrete. The place is in a very remote place in Iceland at the end of a very long gravel road. It was a long drive, but worth it.  Selardalur   I I spent the night in a campground and stayed in a wild camping area. Ok, This is the cool thing about Iceland. This campground had flush toilets, ok they were a bit primitive, but they also had a swimming pool or hot pot. Did I take advantage of this? Absolutely. The wind was really blowing when I was trying to put my tent up. There were concrete blocks laying around and one of the campers told me to put these on the corners of my tent. I was doing this when I turned around and saw this. This was about 10:30 at night. So I grab my camera and tripod and head for the waters edge. The colors went on for hours. My mom bought a huge 60 x 40 photo of this and i get to see it everyime I go to her house.  
Day 12
The next morning, this is what I saw.
On the road to the Ferry Baldur in Flakkarinn where I would load my car and ride across the water to Stykkisholmur on the Snaefellsnes peninsula.
 
There were a few other places that I wanted to visit in the Westfjords but I had to make my ferry connection from Flakkarinn to Stykkisholmur.
I did have time to sit in a hot pot not far from the ferry terminal. I met two boys from Reykjavik who were spending the summer with Grandparents in the area.
 
On the ferry--It cost about $100.00 for me and the car and took about 2.5 hours.
  
I stayed in the Old Post Office guest house in Grundafjordur.
I
The first thing on my list to visit on Snaefellssness
Peninsula was Kirkjufell. My hotel was not far from the
mountain--just down a nice easy paved road. I took many
photos and stayed around this area for some time before
going back to the hotel. This was another really nice place
to stay.
Day 13
I spent today touring around the Peninsula. It was rainy today and I was getting really exhausted.
     My new Hero. I wish I could say her name.  
I spent the night in a campground that was more of a local hangout in a small town called Fludir.
 I met a man here who was camping with his daughters and peppered him with all sorts of questions about Iceland. I am sure that I was the only tourist in this campground. He told me the best way to get to Landmannalaugar on F225.
Day 14
The next day when I woke about 6:00am, my car wouldn't start. I tried to get the attention of some Icelanders, but they wanted nothing to do with me. After contemplating for a half hour I decided to try and wake up the man that I was talking with last night. I walked over to his tent and said. "yoohoo." He answered me and I asked if he could help me start my car. He came out of the tent and said that he didn't have jumper cables in this car. The he got in the car and said, "Hey this is a stickshift. I have a tow rope. You can put it in neutral and then pop it into gear." So he got out his tow rope and hooked it up. He told me not to pop it into 1st, but 2nd when we got through the campground onto the road.
We did just that and it started. I gave him a hug and kind of started crying telling him he was a very nice man. Most Icelanders are very nice. Near the capital Reykjavik, not so much, but city folk are usually not as friendly. I am on my way to Landmannalaugar!
These are some photos on the way. This part of Iceland is quite harsh.
Stong
Hjalporfoss
 
I Picked up a couple from France on the way in. I didn't pick up any other hitchhikers, but I could tell they were OK. They had spent the whole summer here hiking around. Her backpack seemed larger than she was. Aparently this is quite the thing to do with young couples from Europe. I talk with alot of French, Italian couples who were trekking their way through Iceland.
Landmannalaugar
   This store is in the bus that you see in the photo below. 
Pretty Cool!!
Day 15
I am spending the last 3 nights near Reykjavik at Hotel Laxness in the Mosfellsbaer. This was an actual hotel with my own bath. I reserved it almost 6 months before I left and got a really good deal. Today I am doing the Golden Circle--Pingvellir, Geysir, and Gullfoss. I loved Pingvellir. It is the place of the first Icelandic Parliament in AD 930. It also has geological interest as this is where the Nath American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet. Lots of upheaval in more ways than one. I ended up not seeing Geysir, because I have seen Old Faithful many times in Yellowstone and there were just too many people. Gullfoss was amazing, just lots of tourists.
   
Day 16
This is the day I am going down inside a dormant volcano. Yes it is expensive. Don't ask how much.
   From the top of the Volcano    It was a long hike out there and it was really hot. I had worn my woolen socks and I was dying. It was a very cool experience. We went down the hole on a winderwasher elevator thing. The chamber is big enough to fit the Statue of Liberty inside. Really cool experience. This took most of the day and then I went back to the hotel and did some shopping. I bought myself a Icelandic Wool Sweater and some things for the kids.
I couldn't find a place to dump my garbage so I thought I throw it into the big garbage by by where I ate. The owner of the store came running out and started yelling at me in Icelandic. She was apologetic when she found out it was a tourist. I told her I didn't know where else to take it. I finally took it to the hotel and dumped it in there bin.
The day was hot by Icelandic standards. This cute little boy came to the restaurant without his shirt it was so hot. Maybe 60 degrees.
  Last dinner in Iceland.
Day 17
Today I flew home. I went into Reykjavik to take a few photos. This was about 6 in the morning andtheroads were almost completely empty.
 I'm really not a city kind of gal, especially when traveling by myself.
I got mixed up about when when my flight left. I almost didn't make it to the airport on time. I had to find the rental car place first and then they took me to the airport. I left my phone in the car and somehow got a hold of them. They were very kind folks to rush it to the airport for me. Carrental 4 x 4.
 Goodbye Iceland.
Till we meet again.
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