Seaport, Fjords, Mountain Passes, and Villages, WTRD 4

Iceland, Day 3

Today our itinerary is mostly driving from Hohn in the South east to the Fjords in the north east. We punctuate the drive by taking short walks and geocaching, finding two.

The sun and patches of blue sky were visible for short amounts of time earlier in the morning and then the clouds descended once again. Before our drive started, we did a little sight seeing in Hohn, the largest seaport on the east coast,

 filled up with diesel and stopped at a local grocery store to pick up bread, cheese, ham, tomatoes, and apples, refusing to spend $48.00 for two dry sandwiches and sodas at the restaurants and gas station pit stops. Our bill for lunch supplies for the next three days came to $30.00, better but still pricey for the basics we purchased.

As we drove, wispy mists rose from the roads, and spilled down the sides of the mountains.

At last we saw a few mountain tops appear and vanish again behind the clouds. The two lane road snaked along the coast line and around the first of the fjords. When we reached the point where the Bay out of Hohn reached the ocean, we drove out to the lighthouse which wasn't very picturesque, the the walk on the headlands in the morning mist was.

We enjoyed a nice picnic in the car as it drizzled outside and we gazed at the lighthouse in the little village of Egilsstaoir.When in Egilsstaoir, it was already 2:00 pm and we had a choice of roads, one that went over the mountain or around the mountain.

Passed by some large fish farms on the fjord.







We chose the mountain route which was shorter. It would deliver us through some spectacular scenery to our hotel near the Eyvindara River around 4:00. Ribbons of frothy white water tumbled down the terraced mountain sides like frosting on a tiered wedding cake. These ribbons of water were everywhere flowing down from in every direction from the high elevation ice fields, scouring and shaping the igneous rock into nature's sculptured artwork.

Past the hotel, once we checked in is the Seyoisfjordur, a fjord with Norwegian type architecture. Many of the eastern fishing villages have been deserted as younger generations have looked elsewhere for careers. Sayoisfjordur has been restoring their buildings and have expanded their fishing economy as a ferry port and artsy tourist destination.

At the end of the day, we returned to our hotel where we enjoyed a wonderful evening meal. Russ had lamb filets and I had the chicken. I really don't every recall eating a better piece of chicken. It was moist, extremely tasty, and so tender it practically melted in my mouth. Our wait server told us it was grown locally on a farm. Almost makes me want to raise chickens...well maybe not. But if you are ever in Iceland, try the chicken. Oh yes, the lamb was delicious too.

All is well with the Worrall Travel Rs in Iceland.

Wooly Moss, Glaciers, and Water Falls, WTRD 3, Aug 11, 2016

Iceland Day 2

As tired as we were last night, our sleep patterns were confused.  We dropped off quickly before 9:00 pm.  Russ awoke around midnight and finally went back to sleep around 1:30, just about the time I woke up and went back to sleep around  4:00 am.  Maybe tonight we will be a little more normalized, particularly after two nice hikes.

It rained throughout the night and was still raining when we left our hotel late this morning. Roads were wet and treacherous for cars and cyclists.

I wondered about our hitchhikers from yesterday and were wondering if they were trying to dry out from last night's rain as most of the campers we saw today were doing just that.

Visibility for mountain tops and distances beyond a mile on the flat have been poor, but have provided a misty beauty, and soft light for flora photographs. We're pretty sure there are mountains here, but have yet to see them.

Fortunately the first thing on our itinerary was to drive through miles and miles of a flora landscape of wooly moss covered volcanic boulders that were part of an ancient volcanic eruption that was so toxic that the only vegetation to regrow and thrive is a wooly moss.  The moss over the years has decomposed and is slowly turning into enough soil for other types of vegetation to grow...a very interesting soft green landscape.

Our first hike of the day was to the Fjaorgljufur, a deep narrow canyon, cut by glaciers through the volcanic rock.  Many of the cliffed formations reminded us of some of the moss covered formations in the Marquesas Islands.  A magnificent waterfall cascaded down the side of the canyon and splashed into the winding river.  It was very picturesque.

We stopped in the little town of Kirkjugolfio where a national monument has been established for the "church floor".  Natural basalt volcanic columns have been worn down by erosion to an almost uniform level creating a tiled mosaic look for a lightly elevated platform of flat stones that look as if they were laid by a stone mason.

Between our first hike and second hike we drove past mountains that rose into the mist,

long haired sheep in green pastures,

black lava fields,

ice fields and glaciers,

and glacial wash basins flooded by volcanoes that erupted under the glaciers and ice fields causing a catastrophic melt and flooding.

One of these eruptions was in 1999 and destroyed a steel girder bridge. One of the twisted remnants memorializes the event.

Our second hike of the day was at the Skaftafell National Park.  Towering above Skaftafell (but shrouded in clouds today) is Grimsvotn, one of Iceland's most active volcanoes.  Wish we could have seen it.  Thank goodness, it is quiet today and we won't be witness to fire and ice melt. We hiked upwards in the direction of the volcano to see Iceland's most picturesque waterfalls, framed by towering basalt columns that surround it (Svartifoss).

By the time we finished our second hike it was 6:00 pm and were hunggry.  Food here in Iceland (restaurants) is really expensive.  Even the most basic of meals (two ham and cheese sandwiches and two sodas) is about $48.00.  There was a little refreshment stand at the base of the waterfall hike.  We ordered a fish and chips, baby back ribs and chips, and two drinks..$50.00.  Yipes!  Breakfast has been included the last two days, but between simple lunches and dinners for two days, it has cost us $200.00. While we ate on a picnic table under a shade umbrella, it started to rain again.  Sigh!

Our last stop of the day on the way to our hotel was Glacier Bay.  Huge Bergie junks clog the bay and the neck of the river that leads to the bay.  In better conditions, these icebergs look as if they could be quite pretty given the right lighting.

Today in the dimming day and rain, they are not so appealing.  We get back in our car and head for the hotel.  Two big sheep run full steam in front of us to cross the road.  Crikey!  Russ came to a screeching halt about 10 feet from the flying woolies.

It's been another great day in Iceland. The beauty is stark, simple, and fresh.  The flowers are my favorites.

We round the southern end this evening and will head up north on the east coast tomorrow.

All is well with the Worrall Travel Rs in iceland.