Catching an overnight flight from Washington, D.C., we landed in Reykjavik at about 7:30 AM. Since it was raining—freezing rain, I might add—we picked up our rental car and headed out for breakfast. We discovered ahead of time that an American-style breakfast of eggs, pancakes, etc., is difficult to find, so our options were limited and expensive!
My wife’s job provided her with several opportunities to visit Iceland over the past several years. In 2010, shortly after the eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano which disrupted air travel between North America and Europe for weeks. I have included some photos of the area during that time. In September 2020, as the Covid-19 pandemic began to wind down we once again had the opportunity to visit here with friends from Virginia. Where relevant, I may include photos from 2010.
After breakfast, and since it was still raining, we headed off to the Perlan Museum and Planetarium. The facility sits atop six 150,000-gallon geothermal water tanks that serve the City of Reykjavik. Two of the tanks have been emptied, and one contains displays on volcanoes, with actual ash from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano and an ice cave made from snow and ice from the surrounding areas. The ice cave was particularly fascinating.
Afterwards, we visited the Hallgrimskirkja Church. Designed by Gudjon Samuelsson, the church was said to be inspired by the Svartifoss and Skaftafell waterfalls. If you compare them, you can see that the columns of the church are similar to an upside-down waterfall. The church is named after one of Iceland’s most famous poets, Hallgrímur Pétursson, who also wrote the Passion Hymns.
The following day, we went on a Golden Circle tour. This common tour includes stops at Thingvellir National Park, Gullfoss Waterfall, and Geysir Geothermal Area. Our tour concluded with a few hours at the Fontana Spa and Wellness Center.
Thingvellir was home of Iceland’s first parliament, meeting nearly a thousand years ago. A man named Grímur Geitskör was tasked with gathering representatives from each clan and finding a suitable meeting location. Its central location and access to water made it the perfect site. Thingvellir also sits in a unique geographic area on the North American and Eurasian continental plates separated by the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The ridge runs both above ground and underwater. In 2010 I had the opportunity to Silfra Fissure which is an underwater portion between the two plates. Water travels from the Langjökull glacier through porous lava rock during a journey that takes between 30 and 100 years before seeping into the fissure. I have included photos of the fissure below.
One of the highlights of Thingvellir National Park is a visit to the iconic Gulfoss Waterfall. Named for the gold-toned mist that hovers above it, Gulfoss is 800 ft. wide and 70 ft. tall. It descends into a 105 ft. crevice named Gulfossgjufur, which eventually runs into the Atlantic.
The next stop on our tour was the Geysir Geothermal Area, where we viewed the geysers and had lunch. Geysir features many colorful sulfurous mud springs and steam vents, similar to those in Yellowstone Park. Curious George was jealous that he missed a trip, so we had to make a special pit stop for him the following day when we were in the area.
After lunch and a short drive, we arrived at the Fontana Health and Wellness Center in Laugarvatn. This was a great spot to unwind and relax before our return to Reykjavik. We spent about two hours there soaking in the spas. I briefly ventured into the lake, as did others, but it was COLD!! The spa also has a cafe that sells snacks and bread that they make on-site. The most unusual baking method involves making the mix, similar to sourdough, digging a hole in the ground, placing the mix in the ground for 24 hours and letting it bake in the “geothermal oven” in the ground. It was quite delicious!
The next morning, after our cold-cut breakfast and sandwich-making, we headed to the Lava Tunnel, which is about 45 minutes from Reykjavik. On the way, we encountered snow and freezing rain! We puked over to check our directions and were approached by a man on a grader. We thought he was going to tell us to leave the area, but instead, he was just checking to make sure that we were okay. He was a very nice man.
Shortly after that, we arrived at The Lava Tunnel. A lava tunnel is created when volcanoes explode and lava suns down its sides. Depending on the flow and geology of the area, the lava may leave hollow areas underneath the cooling surface. This creates the lava tunnels. Over time, portions of the tunnel may collapse, leaving portions exposed from the surface. This tunnel is estimated to be two to three thousand years old. The rock within the tunnel contained many color variations and the exposed parts with the snow falling were beautiful.
After we visited the lava tunnel, we headed off to Kerid, a volcanic crater lake located about 45 minutes from the lava tunnel. This lake still has part of the caldera, a large portion of the depression created when a volcano releases most of its contents, exposed. This crater is composed of red, rather than black, volcanic rock is 180 ft. deep, 560 ft. wide, and 890 ft. across. The lake is rather shallow, between 20 and 50 ft., and is an aquamarine color due to the minerals from the soil. It is believed that this was a cone volcano that erupted and emptied its magma reserve, and the weight of the cone collapsed into the empty chamber. The water at the bottom is caused by the water table, not rainfall or underground streams. After our day trip and an early dinner, we ventured out in an attempt to see the Northern Lights. No luck on this trip.
On our final full day, we set out to the Jokusarlon Glacier Lagoon. This involved about a five-hour drive across southern Iceland to its west coast. We could book a tour for about 45 minutes after our arrival. We took a duck boat into and around the lagoon. Chunks of ice broken off of the glacier bobbed gently around the lagoon. Someone from the tour company picked up a chunk and passed it around the boat for us to see and take photos of. Unfortunately, this portion of the glacier is mostly gone now. When Teresa and I were here in 2010, substantial portions of the glacier remained intact. A few kilometers down the road, another tour company has set up in a different arm of the glacier (you drive right past it on the way). At this time, I would recommend that tour over the tour we were on.
On our return to Reykjavik, we stopped at several waterfalls, including Skaftatell, Skogafoss, and Seljalandsfoss, which were seen on The Amazing Race television show. We also stopped for a surprisingly good Asian noodle dinner at a small gas station/restaurant in Vik.
We made one final stop at the airport, the world-famous Blue Lagoon. It is suggested that you make a reservation during busy times, but since we arrived around 10 AM, it was not a problem. The over 2-acre facility is a geothermal spa located near the airport in Grindavik and is supplied by water from the nearby Svartsengi geothermal power plant, which recycles itself about every two days. The mineral-rich silica helps skin lock in moisture, remove toxins, and ensure a youthful, firm complexion. Check out the pictures of us with it on our faces!
Iceland was a great adventure, and we enjoyed sharing it with our friends Harry and Doreen!
