After losing a day in Iceland and being stuck on the ship, it was nice to get ashore, even if I was drizzly. But by the time we were boarding our bus, it seemed the rain was over and it started to brighten. We even had some sunshine on and off during the afternoon. Huzzah!! It was chilly and we needed our hats at a couple of stops (I used the day at sea to crochet myself one) but it wasn’t nearly as windy and cold as our stop near the Arctic Circle at Akureyri.
We left around 10, so the morning rush hour was over, and we drove thru a bit of Reykjavik before heading north, then south and east, I think. Our first stop was in the mountains at Lake Kleifarvatn – a large lake surrounded by lava formations. Some were barren, others were covered in moss or small vegetation. I picked up a hunk of lava for my daughter (I’m such a thoughtful Mommy) and took a bunch of photos. I know I said this about Akureyri, but this country is a geologist’s dream! Based on my limited knowledge based on stuff I’ve seen on TV, I could guess a bit at where and how the lava flowed, and there were areas where different strata were obvious, as well as fissures and some interesting formations. And all black! As it erodes, it creates black sand along the shoreline – so unlike the sugary-white sand along the Gulf of Mexico.
As we were driving, we encountered a road grader – they just gravelate (yes, it’s a word, trust me!!) the lava and spread it along the roadways. In more developed areas, they have asphalt paving, but where we were, it was all black gravel. In fact, on the way back, we passed a gravel quarry – they were just carving out the side of one of the lava mountains. If someone came up with a commercial use for this lava, Iceland would be a rich as an oil nation!
From the lake, we drove to its southern end near Krysuvik – a geothermal area. Tho not as actively dramatic as Namaskard in northern Iceland, nor as strongly sulfurous, there were still steam vents, bubbling pools, and colorful mineral deposits. They’d build paths and decks to afford great photo ops. Mom and I took a few videos to show the bubbling, the steam, and the water flowing down eventually to the sea. Plus tons of pictures – again, Daughter will get some teaching aids thanks to her wonderful Mommy. Since it had rained, walking was a bit slippery, but there were few handrails, so we just took it slowly and got back to the bus without damage.
Back to the bus again, back down the mountain, and back on to paved roads, and we were soon driving along the southern coast of the island. The surf was really rough, but I don’t know if our photos thru the bus windows were any good. Along this area, the lava rock was mostly covered in a thick coat of moss. So there were patches of hard, sharp black rocks amid blankets of soft green. Our guide said in the past, attempts had been made to introduce agriculture in this area, since the Gulf Stream keeps it relatively warm, but the growing season is much too short for substantial crops. In some areas, they take advantage of the geothermal resources and grow some veggies in greenhouses. I understand they even grow bananas, but they take 2 years to ripen because of the long, dark winters.
We passed the state prison, but this guide, as well as the one we had up north, said crime here is very low. Of course the entire national population is around 320,000, so it’d be tough to be anonymous in your crimes. And the prison was pretty unimpressive – a chain link fence within a chain link fence surrounding a couple of buildings. Our guide claimed in the past, the prisoners were permitted out on Saturday nights to go dancing. He didn’t sound like he was kidding, but I couldn’t see his face, so who knows.
A bit further on, we crossed a bridge that divided a lagoon from the North Atlantic, then we turned into the town of Stokkseyri, a fishing center settled in 900AD by Vikings. We stopped at a restaurant (the dining room that was a yurt) that specialized in langostine (small lobster) which they boiled up with potatoes. The lobster tails were the size of jumbo shrimp, but the shells were definitely those of lobster. And they were YUMMY!!! They also served salad greens, cucumbers and tomatoes in a very light vinaigrette, and couscous. No dessert, tho – neither place in Iceland where we lunched had dessert. And our guide said they’re famous for their ice cream. I think they were being stingy!! But they weren’t stingy with the lobster! We came away stuffed.
On the way back to the ship, we drove thru Eyrarbakki, a small coastal village. I’m assuming it was to give us a closer look at the way people live, but we didn’t stop and the guide didn’t say a lot – we just drove thru. We returned to Reykjavik via a slightly different route and got back to the ship around 2:30. A few people got off to wander thru the city, but we were pretty worn out and it was mostly overcast and chilly. Besides, we didn’t want to shop, and one city is pretty much like another, right?
The next 3 days, we’ll be at sea, so unless something exciting happens, you won’t hear from me again til Sep 19 when we’re done in St. John’s Newfoundland. This is the last week of the cruise, and I’m ready for it to be done. All this relaxation is making me antsy. I’m tired of climbing in and out of busses, I’m tired of navigating around slow seniors, I’m tired of telling the same stories over and over to new people. I miss my sweetie, I miss my kittehs, I even miss Higgs. One week to go…
MWAH!!
