4) Glaciers
a) glaciers melting
b)glaciers cracking
c)walking on glaciers
5) Waterfalls
6) South West Shore of Iceland
7) Black Sand Beaches of Vik
8) Super Jeep off roading in Lava Fields, Mountains, etc
9) Traditional Icelandic Meat Soup & dried fish--YUM!
10) Polar Bears (sort-of)
11) The Alantic Ocean
12) Cliffs off the Atlantic Ocean
13) A downed 1973 United States Navy Airplane
14) creeks, rivers, brooks, and more water than I thought possible
15) Traditional Fishing Villages
16) Farms/churches/jail
17)Post-
a)Avalanche
b)volcanic eruption
c)any number of geologic events!
18) caves
19) cave Houses and cliff houses...
Greenlandic Dogs-- very friendly, very hard and eager workers, beautiful, one of the oldest breeds, predecesors of the husky. They lived in this breath-taking location, under a tall steep mountain, in very nicely kept kennels. We got to meet and play with them before the run. Not enough snow to sled (thanks to global warming), but pretty fun trolleys. We ran for about 4 km (?) out to the Atlantic ocean, where this 1973 USN downed plane was. Then the dogs rested.
They changed the dogs around (two different teams that needed adjustment), and I walked by myself down to the Atlantic Ocean. I wasn't paying attention, and almost got nabbed by the undertow. Talk about frightening!!! I felt like I was walking on the moon; there was only the sound of my breathing in my big snow suit and parka, and the roar of the ocean. Nothing but black sand and stones for km's around. No other people. Amazing!!!
This is kinda going to be my mantra for this blog--look at the pictures!
The Super Jeep Tour stopped at a farm, and we got to pet the most beautiful Icelandic Horses. They ran right over to the fence, wanting nothing but pets and scratches. I fell in love with another gorgeous horse again--I seem to like 'em big and full of attitude!
(Look at the pictures...)
My guide explained that the huge black birds were ravens, not crows. The mosquitos in Iceland do not carry disease like the North American and other ones do, so they do not have the Avian Bird Flu to kill off the birds like we do in Toronto.
Really big seagulls made nests in the cliffs overlooking the atlantic ocean--and they were in full breeding mode. I wish I had a zoom lense!
We saw at least 4 waterfalls today--all far more beautiful than Gullfoss (from the other day). I could have walked behind one, but it was very cold, and I did not want to wear wet clothing all day in the cold...I should have brought an extra change of clothes. (My camera got really wet today--you can see the drops mostly in the glacier photos).
The south-west shore of Iceland is absolutely the most spectacular scenery and geography I have ever seen. It is surreally beautiful. (Look at the pics). The air was incredibly pure and fresh, like nothing I have ever experienced. We could have even drank from the falls, or the glacier run-off, everything is that pure.
We walked under the cliffs on the black sand beaches of Vik--not the beach in the Dentyne Gum commercial (although we ate lunch in a restaurant over-looking that beach--I had traditional Iceland Meat (lamb) soup and dried fish, with bread and butter). The Atlantic Ocean was (again/still) breathtaking, and we had to dodge the surf to tuck in and out of the caves on the shore. Then the tide got really high really quickly, and we got out of there really quickly!
We went to a road-side restaurant/hotel/gift shop area, where they had a real stuffed polar bear on display. What happened was, in 2000, these 2 polar bears came over on ice floats from Greenland (caused by global warming), and were an immediate danger to the locals (polar bears are not native to Iceland). They had to shoot the 1st, and while they were trying to formulate a plan for the second one, he became too dangerous as well. I touched the fur and the nails--kinda like a big samoyed dog!
Not to make light of the situation though--seriously people, stop global warming!!!!
Many of the small farms, villages and settlements were built against the cliffs, but any time there is volcanic activity/earthquakes (of which there are literally hundreds of quakes per week--but only 2-3 on the richter scale) the little villages would get smushed by falling lava boulders. So they started a reforestation program, so the trees will stop (most of) the falling rocks. Then they built a jail, to fit about 50 people, but it proved to be too big, so they turned it into a bed and breakfast. Crime is almost non-existant in Iceland. Because building materials are very scarce in Iceland, they build a lot of dwellings in the side of mountains, cliffs and caves. They are mostly used for nothing but photo-ops nowadays. These are just some of the smart ways Icelanders adapt to their environment.
The last tour of the day was a walk on a glacier. It was getting dark, so the pictures have a lovely blue hue to them. But, if you saw the glaciers in full lights, they are a bit blue anyways. Beautiful. (I know--get a new adjective!!!) They are melting faster than they can be measured thanks to global warming. The huge one I walked on is not expected to last for another 20 yrs or so. It was melting FAST as we were touring it, I can only imagine how fast it melts in the Iceland summers. We had to walk behind the guide, as there were cracks, holes and fissures all over the glacier.
Every stop we made in each fishing and/or farming village, we were warmly and genuinely greeted. Iceland people are so sociable. The weirdest thing is, I can travel around Reykjavik, and see the same person 3 or 4 times in different areas. My mind can barely comprehend that type of intimate society, being from the Big Smoke and all!!!
Our Guide just started his company a few months ago, and bought a new super jeep last week. He was eager to try it out, and we did some incredibly exilerating off roading--all hilly and bumpy and wet and splashy--no place like Iceland to do that!!!
The tour company was http://www.husky-travel.is/ THEY ARE THE BEST!!! Way above and beyond excellent personalized service. It was supposed to be a 9 hr tour, and we were gone 12. Every sight was more breathtaking than the last. I have seriously run out of adjectives. All I was saying all day was: "WOW!" I would give this tour a 13/10. And you all know how critical I can be...this was beyond perfect. Every time we thought we saw the best thing ever, Jon the Tour Guide would say, in that ever so sexy and direct black-humour way that Icelanders have of speaking--"We're not done YET." He answered every question we had--and anticipated every need we had, and brought us to the most magical places in Iceland...
Well, this was the best day ever. My guide, Jon, and my fellow tour-ees Karen and her husband (who's name unfortunately is not coming to mind), and Mackenzie, the lovely girl from Boston who's working at the Kennel, made today the most amazing day. Except for the time today on the beach when I went into the surf, I have not felt alone at all. Iceland is the best vacation destination--they really look after their tourists here, and make you feel welcome and at home every second.
Please look at the photos--they can do far more justice than my words can.
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