 |
| Svarðbæli, abandoned for 70 years |
We didn't have a whole lot planned for our last full day in Iceland, only needing to complete the ring road and visit the last two remaining places on our wish list for the week. The crew was able to sleep in despite the bright sunlight forcing its way through the blinds of the cabin. After coffee and breakfast we readied ourselves once again for another day of adventure, but not before admiring the geothermal water setup in the bathroom. To the best of my understanding, both the hot water and the heat come through the setup below. Just a bit different from the status quo to which we're accustomed.
 |
| View from the bathroom throne. Silver faucet control is for filling the hot pot outside. |
We gawked through another half hour of roadside views until we found the turnoff for the abandoned house we'd read about. Apparently this house was abruptly abandoned about 70 years ago and is open to anyone who wants to walk the kilometer or so from the access road to check it out.
 |
| Erica makes her way |
Not surprisingly, there is a geocache hidden on the second floor that itself provided the inspiration for our visit. Even though I can't completely explain the allure of this old house (albeit in relatively good shape and with a killer view) for our crew, our visit was a memorable one for sure. And not another soul in sight the entire time.
 |
| Madeleine makes the grab |
As has been typical for us during this week, many many photos were taken under clear blue skies.
 |
| Sullivan, king of the mountain |
The last two hours of driving to complete the ring road felt a bit bittersweet and we did our best to soak in the views before we returned to Reykjavik, which greeted us with a little bit of traffic. It's said that the entire ring road could be completed in 16 hours, if completed without stops and within the speed limit. We wish we'd had at least another week on top of our seven days.
Navigating the traffic (which was still minor compared to most places) and finding our hotel close to the airport was accomplished as efficiently as possible in order to maximize our time in the evening at the famous Blue Lagoon. We'd read that it was relatively expensive and has a high tourist concentration but that it shouldn't be missed. The lagoon is filled with silica-rich water that apparently comes from the geothermal power plant nearby(!), all of which is situated in the middle of a giant black lava field. The color is truly striking and the temperature incredibly perfect. There are also strict rules about having to shower very thoroughly, specifically without your suit and with signs pointing to areas of your body to make sure you wash well. All are Icelandic traditions before entering hot pots or thermal pools. We also took off our wedding rings to avoid corrosion. Luckily for us, it was not terribly crowded and was indeed one of the highlights of our trip.
 |
| The Blue Lagoon |
In summary, we absolutely loved visiting Iceland. I hadn't spent a lot of time thinking about what to expect but the striking beauty far exceeded my preconceived notions. We're not really a cold weather kind of family but didn't mind at all because we were so engaged in the landscapes. The folks we talked to had shockingly impressive English skills, which was fantastic because it's been a very long time since any of us has traveled to a place where we do not speak and can't understand any of the language. With this short of a trip, we didn't have much of a chance to get to sit down and talk to anyone for an extended period of time. We regret not trying to plan a bit of a longer stay but would love to return both in the winter to see the northern lights and in the summer to be able to hike some of the trails in the countryside currently covered in the snow. Next time. Tomorrow we head to Amsterdam for a week of urban adventure.
No comments:
Post a Comment