We traveled by coach to view the area surrounding Grundarfjorur, Our first stop was at a beautiful lake in the middle of a huge lava field. The areas around the jagged lava rocks had small plants growing in the rich volcanic soil.
Our next stop was at Mt Helgafell, which means "Holy Mountain." According to legend, this 240 foot tall mountain is the gateway to the afterlife and a popular location for pilgrimages. The legend holds that if you can hike to the top without looking back and without speaking, then you will be granted three wishes. Not sure if that's true, but we were granted some beautiful views of the surrounding countryside.
We visited a fishing village called Stykkisholmur. The town was a delightful combination of old and new. A prime example is the very traditional church building which was just a few blocks away from a very modern church building.
The Norwegian House was originally built in 1832 by a well to do merchant. The house is currently set up so that visitors can get a slice of life from that era. Furnishings from the time period are beautifully arranged in most of the rooms and the attic was a treasure trove of all sorts of memorabilia from that era.
We couldn't help but notice the contrasting views as we traveled through the Icelandic countryside. There were otherworldly views of volcanic scenes with lava flows, huge rock outcroppings, and calderas. Then there were beautiful pastoral scenes with farmland and rolling green hills. Watching the scenery never got old.
There were lots of farms on rolling green hills and occasionally we would pass a waterfall.
The Bjarnarhofn Shark Museum was filled with all sorts fishing paraphernalia and processing tools. This is a working business and this place is the leading producer of fermented shark meat, a traditional culinary treat in Iceland.
The shark used in this process is toxic if eaten fresh and must undergo a lengthy and involved fermentation process. After we learned about the process we were offered free samples of the shark with a drink called "black death" schnapps to wash it down.
Our last night aboard ship we were treated to one of the most spectacular sunsets ever. Then, in the wee hours of the morning we were treated to an aurora borealis. The sky was filled with beautiful curtains of color. It was a sight we will never forget.
Reykjavik became our base as we began to explore southwestern Iceland. Our first stop was at Seltun Hot Springs, a geothermal area that contained fumaroles, hot springs, mud pots, and craters formed by the explosion of overheated groundwater.
The soil at Seltun Hot Springs is yellow, red, and green due to the various mineral deposits created by the thermal features. Sulfur deposits were mined here long ago and used in gunpowder.
