Monday, September 9, 2013

September 8, 2013 – Reykjavik, Iceland (Day 1 of 2) Tour of Blue Lagoon, Viking Museum and Geothermal Mud Pools

Our first day in Iceland included a tour to a Viking museum, the famous Blue Lagoon and the geothermal geyser/mud pools. It is a cold windy day with temperatures in the mid 40’s and a 15mph wind.

DSC00144What is the price of this fuel please? Not sure what the conversion rate of the Icelandic Kroner might be, but this is the price per liter of fuel.   I think it is over $8/gallon.

DSC00145Can you understand these Icelandic road signs.  I’m glad we didn’t rent a car in this country.

DSC00146One of the few high-rise building in Reykjavik. Since the city sits on an earthquake fault zone, there are almost no building over 4 stories.  All new construction must be built with concrete walls.

DSC00147Due to the recent volcano eruptions, there are almost no trees on the island. The clouds of volcanic ash kill all the trees.

DSC00150The landscape of Iceland looks like a moonscape.

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Above, small fishing villages along the shore. Fishing is the primary industry of Iceland. The country claims a 200 mile fishing limit to support the fishing industry. Tourism is a distant second place to the fishing industry.

DSC00153Typical cottage of a fisherman wedged between mounds of sod for insulation.

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Above and below, we arrive at the Viking Museum.

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This replica Viking ship was actually used to sail to Nova Scotia in 2000 in celebration of the 1,000 years anniversary of the Viking cruises to North America. Did not realize that the Viking war ships were basically open air boats with one basic sail and a line of oars to power it. Those must have been some very cold and wet trips.

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Above tells the story of the voyage of the “Islendingur” (the name of the ship) to North America in 2000.

DSC00166Elaine loves the fact that Puffins are so prevalent in Iceland but she was a little put off that they are actually considered a delicacy!

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The people of Iceland are very superstitious. They believe in elves, trolls and things that go bump in the night. It is believed that if a troll does not make it home before sunrise, he is turned to a pillar of salt. The pictures above are an artist’s rendition of trolls caught on their way home at dawn and turned to salt.

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Above, approaching the Blue Lagoon. The Blue Lagoon is an accidental health spa created when a geothermal power plant allowed the water runoff from their process to run into a former volcanic crater. It was thought that the water would simply seep into the volcanic stone and they back to the sea. However, since the geothermal water was actually a brine mixture of fresh and salt water, the water stayed in the crater and formed a crystal clear pool. A worker at the plant who had a bad case of psoriasis asked for permission to swim in the pool. He took a swim and his psoriasis was cured. The Blue Lagoon has sense become a spa with what is believed to be healing waters. The water temperature ranges from a natural 93 to 113 degrees depending upon the day. The ph balance makes it slightly acidic. It is very warm and crystal clear. All the homes in Iceland are heated by geothermal energy. There are so many fissures in the island releasing steam that it is captured and pumped into a system to heat homes and swimming pool, hot tubes, etc. using the naturally hot water.

DSC00176Bright blue stream of water running from the geothermal power plant.

DSC00177The Blue Lagoon before the area that has been corralled and treated for use in the spa.

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Above, note the pile of volcanic rock on the walk to the lagoon. The abundance of volcanic rock is cut and shaped into bricks to build houses and buildings. A brick maker would starve on this island with all the brick that can be cut naturally from the volcanic rock.

DSC00182DSC00183DSC00184The Blue Lagoon with the bathers in the warm waters. There are massages and many health and beauty treatments available at the lagoon year round. Even on the coldest winter day the water temperature ranges from 93 to 113 degrees.

DSC00185Elaine testing the temperature of the water.

DSC00186Piles and piles of volcanic rock.

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The water is clear, but there is a milky white residue of sulphur on everything.

DSC00189Steam arising from the geothermal plant in the background that feeds the lagoon. Below, the entrance to the lagoon, boardwalks over the pools of water and the ever present volcanic rocks.

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Panorama of the Blue Lagoon

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Above, photos of the Northern Lights as seen from Iceland. Don’t think we will see any tonight since it is overcast and rainy.

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Above, the road to the natural geothermal pools. The countryside of Iceland looks like the moon. It is basically a desert of black volcanic rock, no trees and a slight covering a moss.

DSC00200DSC00201DSC00202Piles of fishing nets in a fishing harbor.

DSC00203DSC00204DSC00205DSC00206DSC00207Below, we arrive at the Selton natural hot springs and geothermal pools.

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Above, note the sign warning that the natural hot springs are 212 degrees. Since water boils at 183 degrees, you do not want to get off the boardwalks. The sulfur smell is incredible.

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Above and below, Elaine had to try one of the lesser intense pools of water that measured just over 100 degrees.

DSC00214DSC00215DSC00216Above, the steam coming from the pools of water. Below, the bubbling water as it comes up from the fissures in the rocks.

DSC00217DSC00218DSC00219Sign explaining how the rain water seeps into the rock, reaches the molten core of the earth below and returns to the surface as boiling water and molten mud.

DSC00220DSC00221DSC00222This fellow stepped off the path into the hot mud. Bet he will not do that again.

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We depart the hot springs and drive to a high mountain warm water lake. Note that the road is nothing more than crushed volcanic gravel and nothing but eerie volcanic landscape on each side of the road.

DSC00229DSC00230DSC00231Below, Elaine at the high mountain lake where the Icelanders believe a monster resides. Perhaps they have been listening to the legend of the Loch Ness Monster a little too much.

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Below, all the Puffins Elaine could ever hope to see.

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DSC00239The ultramodern symphony hall in Reykjavik. Reykjavik has a population of just over 320,000 and is the most northern capital city in the world.

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DSC00243Edward enjoying one of the local beers.

DSC00244Above, a church that looks like the space shuttle.

DSC00246Edward found his favorite creature, a polar bear, and wanted to take it home.

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Above, the shopping area of Reykjavik. Christmas Store had a beautiful display but we could not get a good photo of it.

Below, Elaine finds even more Puffins plus a giant Puffin in a shop window.

DSC00249DSC00250DSC00251Map of the city of Reykjavik.

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Quaint pub in Reykjavik where we stopped for a beer and would you believe Edward found that they had “Polar Beer.” After the bartender found out Edward liked polar bears so much, he gave him a free glass with the Polar Beer logo to take home. What a nice guy.

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DSC00255Edward wants this polar bear tapper and the Polar Beer for our home bar!

DSC00254  They also had a vodka from Iceland.  Not bad.  They know how to keep warm in the cold months.

DSC00256A large Polar Beer and a shot of Icelandic vodka! Edward has found a new home!!!!!!

DSC00257Edward having a tough time saying farewell to the Polar Beer.

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