Dettifoss, Lake Myvatn, Godafoss, Akureyri and much more - September 2, 2023

At Namaskar Geothermal area

In the morning, we returned to the old farmhouse for breakfast before heading off on another day of travel. This time, Jess and I opted to eat our meal in the kitchen area, just to experience the full ambience of the place. I liked that Arctic Adventures had chosen such a location for an overnight stay. It gave us a more authentic feel of the nature of life in Iceland.

Jaycee, Kristian, Paul and Cyndy at breakfast in the kitchen

Turf house

According to our itinerary, our first stop of the day was to be the Studlagir Canyon, but unfortunately, it was impossible to go there because of recent flooding. Instead, on an alternate route, we made several stops at places that were not included in the original plan. The first of these was a small Icelandic turf house situated in an open field. Structures like these were the sort of home that many poor Icelanders lived in as recently as fifty years ago. Soly told us his grandmother had been born in a similar structure. 

Inside the turf house

Posing with Jaycee and Cyndy. You can see a second structure in the distance. 

The one we saw was more likely used as a shelter for sheep than for humans, but nevertheless this gave us an idea of the difficulty of living in this country until about seventy years ago. We were often reminded that much of the landscape in Iceland is very harsh and we saw the extent of this at our next stop. The concept of being in the "middle of nowhere" had more meaning when Soly stopped the bus in an area that looked like the surface of the moon.

Moonscape

Too windy for a picnic

In fact, in 1967, Neil Armstrong and other American astronauts travelled to this sparse, isolated land to prepare for their moon landing in 1969. Since then, many directors have chosen Iceland to replicate alien landscapes in science fiction films. For us, standing in this open, grey field was an intense experience, mainly because the wind was relentless. 

The rustic coffee shop

The interior

In this barren area, we stopped at a very rustic establishment for a coffee and bathroom break. This was one of many unique establishments we visited on our tour. Full of wood and other natural materials, it felt like a throwback to another time. I loved it! During this stop, we again mingled with our fellow travellers, fully enjoying each other's company.

Coffee with Jess, Pamela, Cathy and Cyndy

Lloyd, Rosanna, Michelle and Tiffany

Soly, Robin, Tina and Andrew

The restaurant inspired all of us to take many photos, both to document its charm and the unity of our little group. On its walls hung home-made Icelandic sweaters for sale. The table Jess and I chose was special. The bench was decorated with cowhide and the table had a large split in the wood. 

 

I love this pic of Robin and Andrew

Our table.

In due course, we returned to the mini bus to continue our tour. We were headed to the Dettifoss, the second most powerful waterfall in all of Europe. From the parking lot, we walked for about fifteen minutes before we arrived at the falls. They were very impressive indeed. It is hard to capture the power of the water in a still photo, but suffice it to say that with an average water flow of 193 meters cubed per second, this cataract roared 

Tons of water cascades over the edge here. 

A double rainbow!

Similar to the Gullfoss which we had visited on our first day, there were several vantage points from which we could view the Dettifoss. We started by getting as close as we could to the water. Then, we moved away from the noise to a second area where the sun soon created a double rainbow over the falls. How delightful was that?!

Jess, Pamela and me.

Rainbows without water

Soly had given us quite a lot of time to take in this site, so we had fun posing together in front of this glorious scene. We also were able to climb well above the falls to get a different perspective. 

The view from above

Looking back

We had been walking east and then south as we explored Dettifoss, but eventually, we turned around and headed north. There was a second waterfall up river that we were keen to see. It was only about ten minutes away. However, we were now walking directly into a very powerful wind. Not only was it so strong that it was difficult to go forward, the wind also blew grit into our faces the entire time. I was thankful I wore glasses while Jess resorted to putting her mask and sunglasses on. Nevertheless, we eventually gave up this quest. The conditions were just too much for us–we were in an Icelandic sandstorm. I resorted to using my zoom lens to photograph Hafragilsfoss from a distance, then, relieved, we turned around and headed back to the bus. 

Jess fighting the sandstorm
 

Hafragilsfoss as seen through the sandstorm

We headed next to Myvatn for lunch. Here there is another thermal bath, but it had been replaced on our itinerary by the Vók Baths. And so, after eating, we moved on to the Namaskard geothermal area. As we approached the parking lot, we saw a herd of sheep gathered very close by. For some in our group, this was a strong attraction, but Jess and I headed towards the steaming fields in front of us. This was an otherworldly place, as can be seen by the photos I have included below. 

Kristian, Paul, Pamela and sheep.

Stunning place!

Because the ground is replete with underground activity, there is a lot of heat in this area; there is also a very strong smell of sulfur. Certainly, many of the senses were engaged as we wandered among colourful bubbling pools, clouds of steam and barren earth. Absolutely nothing can grow here.

Tourists wander in the geothermal field

Desert.

I was fascinated by a smoking rock pile, while Jess wandered off to get a closer look at small blackened craters; we both could have spent more time in the Namaskard geothermal field. It was like nothing we had ever seen beforehand. 

Steaming rock pile

Blackened craters

At our next stop, Soly lead us to a visual display of the thirteen Yule Lads of Icelandic folklore. According to legend, they are the offspring of two evil trolls who were known to eat naughty children for Christmas dinner. In the thirteen days before Christmas, the Yule Lads either reward good children with gifts, or punish bad ones with a raw potato left in a shoe. Soly told us that he was terrified of them as a child. 

Soly relives his childhood fear.

The thirteen Yule Lads. 

The main attraction at this stop had nothing to do with this legend. Known locally as the "dark cities" or the "Black Fortress", the Dimmuborgir lava formations are the result of an eruption that occurred some 2300 years ago. As the lava flowed across a lake, it began to boil, thus creating stacks of rocks, caves and caverns that solidified into the many shapes we saw in the area.

Some of the lava formations

Rosanna in Dimmuborgir

We followed Soly along a pathway until we arrived at an elevated point in the landscape that seemed the perfect spot for a group photo. We began with a few of us, until everyone could join in.  

Partial group pic

Close-up

The group

Unlike many of the other places we had visited on this tour, the lava field supported plant life. I decided to photograph some of the delicate flowers that had popped up on the ground. It was lovely to see these colours among the black rocks. 

Flora

Then we were off again, with another stop to make before our final destination of the day. We headed to Godafoss, which translated, means God's Falls. The name is associated with both the ancient Norse religion, and Christianity. While Dettifoss personifies power, Godafoss is a representation of beauty and serenity. My travel mates have provide me with many stunning photos because we were all inspired by the attractiveness of this lovely scene. I am including several of them without labels since Blogger is acting up and won't let me add any. In order, the shots below were taken by Jaycee, Robin, and Jess. 

In the following shots, Pamela poses up high (where were you, Michelle?), while Paul is down low, both captured by my daughter, Jess. 

After this long day of touring, we headed to our final destination for the night, Iceland's second largest urban centre, Ayukeyri, with a population of a mere 20 000. We stayed in a larger hotel this time, well within the town. the Icelandair Ayukeyri. For the first time, we were on our own for dinner. 

Jess and I walked downhill into the centre of the town (you can see our feet in the photo above), searching for a restaurant with space for us. We took in some of the local charm on the way. I particularly loved the "dressed" mailboxes along our route–is that a sheep?–as well as the colourful tiles on the sidewalk.

Eventually we found an Indian restaurant, Indian Curry House, which we enjoyed as a change of pace, and where Jess enjoyed a local beer. After Jess captured me in a standard tourist pose, we headed back to our hotel for a well-deserved rest. What a day this was!!