Week 2 - Iceland
I love Iceland! I'm almost afraid that the best part of the whole trip was first and everything else will be a letdown. I just can't imagine liking anyway else better. Right now I'm sitting in the sunshine watching the two younger boys frolic in a mountain meadow. J and big C went to Reykjavík, a remote farm isn't as much fun for a 20 year old as for younger kids. Today is Thursday, but I don't think I'll post this until Saturday, we leave on Sunday. I have time to start recapping the past week today, though. Friday was one of the best days I've had in a long time. The Icelandic horse is very popular here and there are many places to take horseback riding tours. We did a short one hour one because I'm the only rider in my family and it's been many years. I had the sweetest, smoothest little quarter horse mare growing up, and haven't ridden since she died at a ripe old age. I didn't think I'd ever enjoy riding as much on any other horse, and based on their stocky appearance I didn't think they'd be that comfortable to ride. They are amazing! They are gaited horses which means they have a fast four beat gait, called tölt, in addition to walk, trot, canter and gallop. They are also incredibly smooth, comfortable and easy to ride. We are staying on a farm where they are bred and trained, but had to go to a different stable to rent them. That ended up being fun, because we drove up into the hills in an area with many hot springs and got an even better view of them on our ride. It felt so good to be back in the saddle, I hardly remember how to ride cognitively, but my body remembered instantly. The kids did well and J was fine too, though a bit sore the next day.
We stayed on the farm for the weekend, I think that might be a good strategy for avoiding crowds, though Iceland could hardly be called crowded anytime. I think it's worth staying places that are fun themselves, so we don't have to constantly be on an excursion. We climbed the hills behind the house and picked bilberries. The kids got tired and went back so J and I got some couple time.
Later I made bilberry jam. Pretty much what we would have done at home on an August weekend, except they would have been blackberries and the view would been different. I guess we're still the same people so still do the same things we love doing, but in a different environment.
Monday we went on a glacier tour and into an ice cave. It was interesting, but expensive and I probably wouldn't repeat it. The most striking aspect was the signs that had been placed at the edge of the glacier in 1940, 1960, 1980, 2000 and 2020. The distance between each sign increased dramatically as we neared the present edge. We all know about global warming, but to see such stark evidence of it is moving. It's estimated that this glacier will be gone by 2165. It wasn't a great tour, but if some of the folks on it change their habits it's worth it.
Tuesday, J spent a lot of time on the phone with Verizon trying to straighten out our international calling plan. That has been a major frustration and we really wish we had gone with another company, so there's lesson number one of what I'm sure will be many. In the evening we went to a volcanic crater right near our house. It was free, and just as fun and educational as the paid tours. Another lesson learned.
C was trying not to smile and ended up laughing
Wednesday we drove up to a national park and found a jagged, rocky cliff coastline, a black volcanic sand beach, and a golden sand beach with seals.
That brings us today, Thursday. Tomorrow we plan to go to a natural geothermal hot pool, Saturday we drive back to Keflavik, and Sunday we fly to Scotland. I'll update about the geothermal pool, then post.