Plates, Geysirs, and One Big Waterfall

Day 1 in Iceland, and we did not start at the crack dawn.  In fact, we puttered around, talked about what we wanted to do, and ate breakfast.  

We had this whole discussion on site seeing, because clearly this had different definition for each of us.  For the girls, site seeing generally meant seeing the sites and/or seeing something unique to the area you are in.  For Dad, site seeing meant driving in the car and seeing stuff and staying in town meant shopping. It was good that we established this understanding early.

Finally, we decided to do the golden circle, which involved the Pingvellir National Park, Geysir National Park, and Gullfoss waterfall.  Piled in the car, we did our first 3-point turn and headed out.  Gill was the navigator, and there was lots of passing around of the maps.  Once everyone had a map except mom and I, things got on the right track and soon we were out of the city and heading for the hills.  

We made our first stop at an overlook with hundreds of little piles of stones.  The view was fantastic, and the stones were intriguing. It was also very very cold.  There was no description of the stones, but when we googled it later, it said that the locals place a stone here every time they pass in reminder of a farm that was destroyed in an eruption.

Piled back in the car, we headed for Pingvellir National Park.  This is where you can see the American and European plates pulling apart.  When we arrived, it started to rain, so we first checked out the Visitor Center, which indicated that the area was also where the chieftains used to have their general assembly and when you saw it; it was obvious why they did.

We walked down along the rocks and followed the paths until we were pretty wet, but felt like we had seen the Site, then got back in the car and headed for Geysir.  The road signs are not great, but it was at this point that we realised that the number on the sign did not indicate the number of kilometres to wherever and instead indicated the road number.  This might make the map reading a bit easier.

Arrived in Geysir; it was a hive of activity with lots of buses and people.  We went over to the hotel and had lunch as this was the recommendation of our book.  Lunch was buffet style and we had soup, pork roast, trout, cod and all kinds of salad.  It wa very very good.  We also had a view of the Geysir field and occasionally saw clouds of steam.

After lunch, we headed out into the moist steam environment that smelled of rotten eggs.  Dad and I waited poised with camaras to catch the event.  Everyone around us was doing the same thing and this because very funny for mom and Gill, particularly as my hands turned purple from the cold, but I got it.

Geysir captured on film we tried to leave, but got sucked into the gift shop where mom and Gill made purchases.  Dad and I got coffee and then choked a bit when mom announced she was having an Irish coffee.  Our Icelandic barista hesitated a moment and then made my mom her drink.

Back in the car we continued on to the waterfall.  Mom went and took a peek, but then let the 3 of us continue until we were right upon it.  It was a wonderful waterfall - the sound, the volume of water, but I could not agree as the sign said that it dwarfed Niagara Falls.

Now that we were really wet, we decided that we had seen the site and pointed ourselves back to Reykjavik and in an hour and half with some last minute circling and manoeuvring, we were in our apartment, and the inevitable discussion on dinner began.  We finally agreed on Fjalakotturinn, which has new Nordic cuisine.

Seafood and lamb were the specialities, and Gill and I had the combination plate, while mom and dad stuck with seafood.  It was all very tasty, and the lamb chops were cooked to absolute perfection.  

Dad ordered a local beer, which our server pounced as a sound.  Imagine saying creek, but only say the cr bit and then hold it or imagine taking a stick and snapping it in half and the sound it makes when it comes apart it the name of the beer, which happened to be spelled GULL.  This made us question whether the famous waterfall was stick-snapping-sound-Foss. Instead of Gullfoss as we had been pronouncing it all day.

We walked back, stopping at the grocery store for supplies.  Not really sure we need anything as the cleaners had stocked our frig with everything you could ever want, but we really like these smoothies called Froosh, and I had to have some more of those.  

I want to bed, and I apparently missed Gill damaging herself while exiting the bathroom.  Dad had to get up and stop the bleeding and then poor Gill spent an hour and a half in bed with her foot throbbing.  She told me this story when I woke up and demanded my victory tea - from a bet yesterday - and I laughed and laughed and laughed.  

What a great way to start the day.