Archive for September 2024
Glymur Hike
On this trip, we selected a wide variety of overnight hotel accommodations, all of which offered pretty similar and thoroughly satisfying continental breakfast choices. The pub of Hotel Laxness offered most of the usual bread varieties, a toaster, jams, cheeses, hardboiled eggs, oatmeal porridge, beans, breakfast meats, scrambled eggs, smoked salmon, sometimes pickled herring, yogurt, fruit, muesli cereal, sometimes a waffle, coffee, tea, juices that we had become familiar with from previous days.
We checked out of our rooms and set out for a 50-minute drive around the coastline of the Hvalfjörður fjord toward the Glymur waterfall. We didn’t tend to stop on the road to photograph sheep or horses that pepper the landscape but these three had just stepped off the road after stopping us, so I took a quick pic before we continued.
Glymur was one of the more challenging hikes we tackled.
In addition to areas of easy, wide trail, some rock hopping and a bit of hands and feet grappling at steep elevation changes were required.
Research had made us aware of a river crossing that consisted of a log and a cable hand-hold that can barely be discerned in the distance of the photo above (click to enlarge). We all agreed a decision could be made when we reached that point. I’m glad we chose to press on because the route included a pretty cool cave that was worth the experience.
When we dropped down to the river level, there was a couple just crossing that we were able to observe in action. The water flow was a raging torrent compared to the picture of the log crossing Cyndie had seen earlier. I found this example on the web:
This is what it looked like for us:
Mike was putting tension on the cable to reduce the wobble for the person crossing, the same as the guy had just done for the woman he was hiking with who preceded him. As if the water rushing over the rocks wasn’t enough to make it a “no-go” decision for us, seeing that the guy needed to duck under the cable and switch hands to get on the other side of it when reaching the log made it all the more convincing.
It meant we wouldn’t actually reach a view of the high drop of the Glymur Falls, but we were all just fine with that outcome, safe and dry as we were.
On the way back, we ventured to an outcrop that was way more dramatic than photos convey. Mike made a good effort to show the steepness.
We got all the adventure we wanted out of this hike on this day.
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Flowing Meltwaters
It would be remiss of me to leave out one of the rare shots of us soaking in Iceland. I found this image after yesterday’s post had already been published. Instead of adding it after the fact, this shot of three of us tubbing at our Blue View Cabin gets top billing today.
With our breakfast in the cabin, we listened to a replay of the debate between US presidential candidates that had happened at 1 a.m. our time. It was like dipping a toe back into the real world while we were on an adventure in Wonderland.
A quick 20-minute drive brought us to our first hike of the day to explore the falls at Bruarfoss.
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We chose the longer trek (4.4 miles out-and-back) that provided great views of a couple of smaller attractions on the way to the fascinating crevice in the middle of the brilliantly blue Brúará River, which is glacier melt from the Langjökull glacier.
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Our legs got a little break with a 45-minute drive to Thingvellir National Park, where we set off again to add more miles of hiking under very sunny skies.
One thing that still images cannot convey about the variety of waterfalls in Iceland is the majesty of the roar of massive quantities of flowing water endlessly cascading over and around breathtaking rock formations. They are right up there for stare-ability with flaming logs in an outdoor firepit. I could sit and watch the water for hours.
Happily, the four of us travelers turned out to have very similar satisfaction levels and found ourselves equally content to stay or move on with each new experience we encountered.
We were all pretty tickled to find our next overnight accommodations at Hotel Laxnes offered foldout balconies in our rooms.
This was the place with a pub that appealed to locals, a hot tub out back (which we quickly made use of), auto-scoring dart boards, and several game nooks.
We’ve already seen amazing things on this trip so far, but each new day continues to offer more and more. We are having the time of our lives.
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Self-Guiding Iceland
Our fifth day in Iceland started with a casual breakfast in our Blue View Cabin. The makings for a picnic lunch got packed while the Icelandic gales roared outside. We learned about lenticular clouds from Mike, given the perfect visual aids available in the big sky views above.
Setting our own agenda made it easy to switch up our itinerary and visit the Strokkur Geyser before the Gullfoss Waterfall simply because we came upon it first on the route from our cabin. The early hour and intense wind had us wrapped up tight against the elements.
After an extended wait, a construction worker happened by and informed us the big geyser wasn’t blowing. We adjusted our attention to another spot where Mike caught the eruption.
The assault of the freezing temperature and intense wind had us seeking brief respite in the shelter of the coffee shop before setting out again.
The breeze was no less challenging at Gullfoss, but the temperature was warming, and we generated some of our own warmth with the hiking to see the marvel of yet another unique and astounding waterfall.
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I found myself mesmerized by the visual of the spray rising out of the canyon to the top of the ridge where the gusts immediately and emphatically rushed it away.
Given our freedom to choose our agenda, we made a stop for a closer look at Skálholt Cathedral, which Barb had looked up for us.
Thankfully, they had preserved real history on the site, too.
It was a light day for our intrepid explorers and we made our way back to the little cabin for a soak in the hot tub, a little power lounging, and dinner from our groceries, continuing to enjoy the big sky views sheltered from the wind.
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Geothermal Soak
During one of our extended periods of driving across southern Iceland’s barren yet scenic landscape, we listened to a podcast that described proper etiquette for visiting the variety of geothermal pools to enjoy a group soak. There was nothing surprising about the information, but it proved to be assuring in helping me to know I wasn’t dissing some cultural norm out of ignorance.
It wasn’t surprising to learn that shoes must be removed before entering the locker rooms. Nor was it a shock that one should shower naked and wash with soap before putting on a swimsuit. Easy enough. It is the cultural norm. The podcaster said not to be surprised if an Icelander calls out someone who fails to respect these codes of conduct.
Finding the Secret Lagoon took a little sleuthing as the “Alexa-voice” of our GPS seemed to be encouraging us to turn into what looked like driveways. Eventually, we found a parking area in front of the entrance. The wind was gusting strongly, making the air feel cold enough to discourage going into the water.
That’s pretty much the perfect invitation to experience a hot pool. The first thing my senses picked up was the sulfur smell, but that irritation was quickly cast aside by the sensations of being immersed in a large swimming pool’s worth of hot water.
Those of you on social media may be able to find the four of us in the background of selfie photos a young couple probably posted of themselves on their honeymoon. They really looked like they loved themselves almost as much as one another. I assume their phone camera was waterproof.
The pool wasn’t overly crowded. I don’t recall hearing English being spoken beyond our foursome. Regarding how chilly the air felt, the attendants patrolling the facility were wearing winter jackets. The water wasn’t very clear and there was a slimy growth on rocks along the outer edge where the temperature seemed to get noticeably hotter.
None of that mattered. We were soaking in geothermally heated water in the oldest natural pool in Iceland. It was pretty freaking awesome.
We started to get pruney before overheating and used that as an excuse to get out. Who ever wants to get out of a deep soak in warmth?
As I was getting dressed, I heard a bearded older man with Icelandic-accented English inform someone they needed to shower before going in. He then proceeded to engage the attendants to verify they were upholding the rules. It quickly became obvious that the attendants were as foreign to Iceland as all of us tourists.
Secret Lagoon was a great introduction to the realm of luxuriously soaking in the simmering geothermal pools for which Iceland is deservedly famed. It was our first, but it wouldn’t be our last before our visit was over.
With that adventure behind us, we headed not for a hotel but a little enclave of individual cabins nestled up a slope and protected by an electronic gate arm.
Two bedrooms, a full kitchen, a bathroom with shower, and a hot tub out on the deck. Barb and Cyndie prepared dinner from the groceries purchased earlier in the day.
The wind continued to blow, and the cloud formations grabbed our attention all the way through the sunset.
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Greenhouse Lunch
Late in the evening of our third day, an app on Cyndie’s phone alerted her to our first possibility of aurora visibility. It was really chilly out, so I elected to glance through the window while Cyndie, Barb, and Mike stepped out to watch.
It was a good first opportunity, but I was holding out for something much more vivid.
For the duration of our visit, the temperatures danced between freezing overnight and warmed into the mid-40s to lower-50sF during the day (0-12°C). The amount of sunshine and level of wind made a big impact on how nice the days became. We needed to flinch and grit our teeth against the bite of the cold in the morning a few times but were usually rewarded with much more pleasant conditions in the afternoons.
The morning of our 4th day was as chilly as the night before as we set out to hike the circumference of the Kerid Crater.
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The lake that formed at the bottom of the crater was simply the result of the water table level in the area. The lake’s shoreline goes up and down depending on extended periods of wet or dry weather.
It was an easy hike with great views, but the cold wind had us moving briskly. We were eager to return to the warmth of our vehicle. Did I mention it is often very windy in Iceland?
We had a reservation for lunch at Fridheimar Tomato Farm, which happens to be located inside one of their greenhouses.
Noticing a small grocery store nearby and arriving with time to spare, our intrepid planners picked up foods for our meals in the coming days. After reviewing the expense, we discovered the pricing of things was much higher than we realized. Oh well, we paid a little extra for the convenience factor.
It was a bit of a challenge to locate the entrance to Fridheimar. From the outside, I had no clue as to the treasure we were about to discover inside.
It looks a little vacant in that shot above, but when we arrived, the place was buzzing with energy. Large numbers of people were being offered a chance to visit the bar or being turned away as seating was reservation only. We sailed through to a prime table.
The first noteworthy display I spotted was their table of freshly baked bread varieties. We were invited to visit it as often as we desired. Their tomato soup was also “serve yourself” and without limit. There was fresh basil growing at each table with a small scissor to trim and garnish our selections.
I finally remembered to get a photo of my choice before it was half gone.
Roasted vegetables pizza on a tortilla crust with pesto sauce. It was as good as it looks. A side of sliced tomatoes with mozzarella, basil, a pesto drizzle, and a small dish of salt flakes was a treat shared by us all.
This was one heck of a destination restaurant and should not be missed. Just make sure to have a reservation.
From that scrumptious lunch spot, we head for our first soak in one of Iceland’s famed geothermal pools. We chose the oldest natural pool in the country, Secret Lagoon.
I’ll tell you all about our experience, tomorrow.
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Experiencing Iceland
It is not lost on me that we paid for seats on planes that spewed jet fuel exhaust and then rented a vehicle that burned diesel to witness a glacier melting in person.
May all the little changes toward expanding clean energy options continue to gain momentum toward reversing the runaway trend of carbon in the atmosphere.
On the subject of ethical dilemmas, I feel for the people of Iceland in the conflict of benefits vs. costs of the tourism industry. A comment from my friend, “You may have a hard time finding a local!” proved prophetic. Other than sharing parking and walking space with tourists from across the world, our interactions were with the two guides and a multitude of food and drink servers, some of whom shared that they hailed from France, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Poland, and Greece.
In all, we probably held conversations with maybe five locals throughout our visit. Each one became more precious as a result of the scarcity of opportunity.
The island country of Iceland is smaller in area than the state of Minnesota, USA, and has a resident population close to that of the city of St. Paul, Minnesota. Adding a couple of million foreign tourists annually demonstrates why it might seem like everyone around you is from somewhere other than “here.”
From the masses at the airport and car rental companies coming and going without pause to the busy car parks and pay stations, it quickly becomes obvious that the tourists are swamping the number of residents.
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The first local we spoke with was several days in when we were at the bar of a quaint hotel that seemed like a local pub. The other three in my group were trying to educate the bartender/hotel receptionist about their drink requests when Barb noticed this guy politely waiting. She offered him a chance to place his simple order for “2 pints” so he wouldn’t have to wait.
He seemed proud when we reacted like lottery winners upon hearing he was born and raised in the area.
I found it difficult to process the obvious pounding the ground suffers from unrelenting foot traffic at each location of incredible beauty. Add to that the human tendency to violate marked boundaries intended to preserve fragile foliage or maintain safe viewing distances and locations. Those who can afford to travel flock to locations of outstanding scenery and, in so doing, trample the surroundings to dust.
It was humbling to find myself participating, which made it easier for me to simply wait for a turn at a photo vantage point or pause in a hike to avoid widening the path by walking around other people.
Indulge me in posting a few more views of the glacier ice that Cyndie captured.
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When we returned from the glacier and dropped off our ice axes and crampons, the fish & chips being served from the food trailer nearby caught my attention.
As is usual for me, I was halfway through devouring the treat before it occurred to me to take a photo.
I had no idea that it would turn out to be the very best version of fish & chips (my favorite menu item!) I would find during our visit. For those who know of the fish fry at Lost Land Lake Lodge in northern Wisconsin, this fried cod was almost equal, except for the fact it was even better.
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Glacier Hike
Day three had us headed back to the Vatnajökull Glacier again, this time on a tour where we could stand on it, touch it, and even drink from it. It was the second and last guided tour we purchased.
We were fitted for crampons and provided ice picks. While having us fill out our personal information, including any medical concerns they should know about, they offered to take photos of the groups. Even though none of our activities required specially trained responses, both tours we did gave every impression of being well-capable professional guiding companies.
They took our picture again.
We had just ridden in a bus to the point where we needed to start hiking. With a kick of her boot into the gravel, the guide demonstrated how the glacier pushes the rubble up in a ridge which then becomes a lake as the melting happens.
It was a significant hike with a fair amount of vertical gain to reach the ice.
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I looked up and had a flash vision of the photo of climbers waiting in queue to get to the summit of Everest.
Yes, there are a lot of tourists in Iceland. We were tourists, too, so it’s not that I could complain.
The glacier experience was powerful enough, nothing else mattered in the moment. Having this opportunity to step onto such a mass of ice when the drama of our warming planet is melting glaciers to oblivion felt emotionally heavy.
When we reached the gravel transition to gravel-covered ice that soon became just ice, we were given a quick lesson in securely strapping on crampons.
Soon, we were learning about glacier moulins where a weak spot in the ice becomes a pool that drains over time.
Our guide explained that melt water is safe to drink, but it “must be done” by a prone position with our hands on an ice axe. She positioned her axe and demonstrated the pushup position technique before giving us all a chance to try it.
It tasted awesome. She pointed out that the melt water lacks minerals that are contained in well water that has been filtered through the earth into underground aquifers.
Our guide parked us for a moment so she could check on a crevasse to ensure it was still safe enough for us to approach. The height we were allowed to climb on this finger of the glacier was limited to below where serious crevasses were forming.
She also allowed us to step over a deep moulin where, a day or two earlier, she had lost an ice axe. The handle was still visible a few feet down.
The ice scenery was something special to witness. Probably more so because the melting was so significant under the sunny sky this day. This was a privilege that won’t likely be available to future generations.
In 2024, walking on a glacier that is in the process of disappearing before our eyes is a unique experience. I’m really grateful to have had the opportunity.
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After Lagoon
After the exhilaration of the zodiac boat tour, it seemed like it would be hard to keep the thrills at such a high level, except our “super-planners” had packed each successive moment with more to see or do. There would be no time for a letdown. Even travel time in our rental SUV offered a constant barrage of unique and fascinating landscapes to keep our minds overflowing with wonder.
Plus, learning to decipher unfamiliar highway signage and coping with a combination of other unfamiliar tourist drivers and local business vehicles with their own sense of purpose on the narrow Ring Road offered video-game levels of challenge. We relied heavily on the voice directions coming from Mike’s phone plugged into the dash.
The glacier lagoon was the farthest eastward we would travel on the southeast coast, as we then circled back the way we’d come to visit the Svartifoss waterfall in the Skaftafell Nature Reserve. Just an easy 2-mile hike from the car park.
Barb’s step-counter tallied our total distance hiked over the whole trip at 54 miles. (That’s 87km for those of you wondering.) Two miles was hardly a blink for us, although all the hikes tended to involve a fair amount of elevation gain to be climbed, making mere distance an incomplete measure of effort required.
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The afternoon warmed considerably, making our stroll along the trail toward the main attraction more pleasant than we believed possible. Remember, we had been prepared to face cloudy days with chilly horizontal rain pelting us head to toe.
Each time we experienced more sun than clouds, I pinched myself to check if I was dreaming.
Ten miles further down the road, we arrived at our hotel for the next two nights. Appearing somewhat like a motel we might find on Route 66, Hotel Skaftafell proved to be classier than meets the eye. The restaurant was truly fine dining.
When I reached the pomegranate seeds in my salad, I remembered I had wanted to get some photos of our food.
For our entrees, Cyndie selected lamb,
and I chose cod. It was a work of art.
It was the end of only our second day. Wow. Really, just wow.
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Another World
Two things: I’ve described the intense, stiff wind and mentioned our luck with the weather, which applies pretty much to the entirety of our visit to Iceland. The wind was strong enough when we climbed down out of that giant bus at the location of their floating dock, one of the zodiac boats full of tourists returning from the previous cruise had difficulty landing.
The driver needed to come around for a second attempt. In the moment, it didn’t give me pause about what “too much” wind for such outings might look like.
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In an instant, we were on board and speeding away toward the glacier “finger,” bouncing along on the swells the way zodiac boats do.
Suddenly, I realized it was no longer windy. We had been transported to another world that bore little resemblance to our previous vantage point.
I’m uncertain if I remember correctly, but I vaguely recall hearing the distance from the mouth of the lagoon to the edge of the glacier was about 5km. Our guide was quick to provide conversions, so the five could have been miles.
It didn’t matter. It seemed like we must have gone a hundred miles.
Without wind, the blazing sunlight warmed things considerably and rewarded us with sightings of many sunbathing seals. The overly cute aquatic mammals love the lagoon because there is a broad selection of fish to eat and no predators to worry about. Makes for a perfect recipe for photo-happy tourists.
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Our guide described the limitations of getting closer to the icebergs since they are larger beneath the surface and can roll over unexpectedly. I asked about his familiarity with the lagoon, and he pointed out it is never the same twice. Icebergs appear and disappear constantly.
While we were idling as the guide took photos of each group, a significant mass calved away and splashed into the water. It is such a bittersweet experience. I never imagined I would witness this massive power of nature firsthand, but it was such an exclamation of how dramatically this glacier –all glaciers– is/are melting.
When the wave from the calving reached the flow in the picture on the right above, the ice broke into many pieces, and the seal slid out of sight into the water like this happens all the time. It was mesmerizing to have this all occur right before our eyes.
Our guide kept moving our boat around to provide additional spectacular views. Suddenly, he stopped and bent over the side of the boat and popped up with a chunk of the glacier for us to see and hold.
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We learned about the coloring of ice and how the different bands (wavelengths) of the rainbow contained in sunlight are absorbed or reflected based on the amount of air in the ice. That chunk has had all the air compressed out of it.
The return leg of the trip back to the dock brought us back to bouncing on high waves and wrenched us out of that dream world. This was only our second day, and we had probably just experienced one of the most fantastic adventures of a lifetime.
Spending that time close to icebergs in that lagoon was truly out of this world for me.
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Glacier Lagoon
First, let me say this about coughing with congested lungs. When mucus in the airway triggers a cough that clears said airway, the feeling is truly gratifying. When the same thing happens, and coughing can’t improve the endless degree of congestion, it gets really demoralizing.
At least the antibiotics appear to be winning the battle over the infection.
When plans were being laid for our visit to Iceland, the four of us agreed on a level of adventure that suited us. We passed on snorkeling the seam of tectonic plates, exploring caves, whale watching on the high seas, or donning helmets and roping in to learn ice climbing skills.
We did decide to take a little tour around icebergs on a zodiac boat. I’m not much of a boat guy, but I figured it was an adventure I could handle. The reward was greater than I imagined.
Pulling into the parking area of the JÖKULSÁRLÓN GLACIER LAGOON, a finger of the Vatnajökull Glacier (if I have my facts straight) after a 2-hour drive on a mostly sunny day, we found the views immediately invigorating.
I had never stood this close to giant icebergs. Awe-inspiring, to say the least. We were greeted by a stiff wind that whizzed the cold from all the ice past our bodies, doubling our stiffness.
Just wandering along the shore and ogling the fascinating ice flows with the actual finger of the glacier miles away in the background would have been satisfying enough for me.
Little pieces of perfectly clear ice chunks bobbed along the shore, giving us less incentive to check out Diamond Beach, where the tide can deposit the sparkling beauties on the black sand. Those results aren’t guaranteed from day to day.
In a much-appreciated break from the wind, we retreated to our vehicle (holding the doors firmly) for a picnic lunch of sandwiches from our groceries. This became an exercise we mastered after repeated choices to eat out of the wind.
I can’t say enough about the industrious planning by Cyndie and Barb to bring an insulated bag for cold foods, additional bags for shopping, and the smarts to make wonderful selections in buying provisions. We ate superbly on our own.
As the hour arrived for our reservation on the zodiac boat adventure, we were issued fancy-looking suits that may or may not have bought us some minutes in the case of falling overboard. The floatation vest was added separately, on top.
We then boarded the massive bus-on-steroids for a short drive to the floating dock where they make quick transfers unloading previous passengers and immediately helping the next group aboard.
A quick survey by the guide reveals our group includes folks from Australia, the Netherlands, and Texas, in addition to us.
Our guide introduces himself as, “Ben” from France. The English language works relatively seamlessly for interactions but when folks are talking among themselves, I think we heard most languages of the developed world throughout our entire 10-day visit.
The adventure on the water was so spectacular, that it deserves a post all its own. Tomorrow…
I need more rest.
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Relative Something 