Iceland

Wednesday, June 22, 2016 – Reykjavik

Reykjavik skyline

Reykjavik skyline

Today was our day to explore Reykjavik.  We got up early for breakfast and headed out about 8:15 a.m.  I had repacked everything in my bags the night before, so fortunately I was semi-organized. On the way to Reykjavik, we stopped at Urriðafoss, or “waterfall of the trout.” It is Iceland’s most voluminous waterfall, located on the river Þjórsá.  The falls weren’t as tall as others we’ve seen such as Gullfoss, but they were spread out which probably accounted for the volume.

A hydropower plant is being proposed for this site. Iceland doesn’t need to energy to heat homes and businesses; instead, the power would be used to run another factory to make aluminum for export. The plant is controversial because it would severely impact the volume and rate of the waterfall, which in turn would affect the fish and wildlife. This is a good reminder that even though a form of energy might be renewable, that doesn’t mean it is without cost. Each time we build any sort of energy infrastructure, we need to weigh cost and benefits carefully, and the costs need to include impact on nature, animals, and environment.

Sun Voyager, sculpture as you enter Reykjavik.

Sun Voyager, sculpture as you enter Reykjavik.

After spending two weeks in what was basically wilderness, it felt like we were entering a big city coming into Reykjavik.  In reality Reykjavik is maybe a quarter the size of Columbus, but as Iceland’s capital it has a lot of tourist, cultural, and political attractions.

We started at Hallgrimskirkja, the large church at the highest point in town.  Several of the students went up the tower there, but I decided to wait on that and go straight to the National Museum.  This museum gives an overview of Iceland’s history from settlement to the present. I had a little over an hour, so I didn’t see everything in as much detail as I normally would, but I hit all the high points including various periods of Norwegian rule, Danish rule, and civil war, as well as the role of the church, witches and warlocks (many more men were burned at the stake in Iceland than women), disease and medicine, women’s rights, and technology.  I had not realized that Iceland did not gain complete independence until 1944.

Iceland's Alþingi parliament building

Iceland’s Alþingi parliament building

After the National Museum, I walked toward the harbor to catch a whale watching tour. On the way I stopped to get pics at the Alþingi, Iceland’s parliament building, and picked up a sandwich.  I listened in on a tour leader telling his group about how the president of Iceland got himself elected by buying a house in a rural area and running from there since he knew no one in Reykjavik would vote for him.  Now that he is in office, he gets a stipend to travel “home,” even though he doesn’t really live there.  The tour leader sounded disgusted at the corruption — a common attitude around the world toward most politicians these days.

Reykjavik's Old Harbor

Reykjavik’s Old Harbor

I made it to my 2 p.m. whale watching tour 10 minutes early, only to find I had made a mistake in buying my ticket.  I had bought a tour for tomorrow when I would not be in town, not today — and the 2 p.m. tour today was full.  I was so disappointed until the tour company employee helped me buy a 2 p.m. ticket with a different company.  She actually took me to two competitors before we found a spot. It was a three-hour rather than a two-hour tour, meaning I would have to miss the whale museum afterwards, but I got the ticket anyway.  Our bus would not leave until 6 p.m., which at least gave me time to get back to church.

I was hopeful of seeing a whale on the tour because the morning group had seen a minke, but once we got out to sea, we found ourselves in the middle of a huge fog bank.  We did see three small pods of white-beaked dolphin.  I tried and failed to get pictures — you had to be up front and ready to snap a photo immediately at all times. But I did get a very choppy video of one pod of dolphins as the boat lurched back and forth.

I was also struggling with the big red warming overalls the tour company provides for people to stay warm.  The set I got was labeled XL but was still too small.  It was hard to get them on, hard to tie my shoes, and hard to walk.  After an hour of looking for whales we headed back to shore, and I struggled to get the overalls off.  At one point I thought I might get seasick, but I managed to hold it in.  Some fresh air and putting my head down on a table in the small restaurant helped, and I was okay by the time I reached shore. Looking back, it may be better that I didn’t get on the express boat, because those are much faster, hit the waves harder, and may in fact have made me seasick.

Hvalur whaling boats share a dock with whale watching tours.

Hvalur whaling boats share a dock with whale watching tours.

Throughout the trip, the tour leader told us about the various kinds of birds, whales, and dolphins in Faxa Bay, where both whale watching and whale hunting takes place. A few years ago, a boat full of whale watchers was shocked to come across a hunting boat with a whale strapped to its side.  Our tour operator urged the tourists on board not to eat at restaurants that sell whale meat, and if they found themselves in one, to leave and tell the restaurant owner why.  She also told us the whale hunting ships share the same harbor right behind the whale watching ships.  When I got back to shore and disembarked, I could see she was right.  Two big black Hvalur ships were right there, looking like two death stars docked at sea.

Reykjavik residents watching Iceland play Austria in soccer playoffs.

Reykjavik residents watching Iceland play Austria in soccer playoffs.

After getting back to shore I poked around the souvenir stores a bit, then headed to Hallgrimskirkja.  On the way through the town center, a large TV had been set up in a central square, and a crowd of people had gathered around to watch the Iceland soccer playoff game against Austria. Walking along, every bar and restaurant had set up its own TV in its window, with crowds gathered inside and outside to watch. You could walk down an entire street and not miss a call.

By then the fog had rolled onto land, and the church’s tower was entirely obscured by clouds.  I tried basically heading up and arrived at the church with about 15 minutes to spare. This was enough time to get some pictures inside the beautiful nave of the church, then head up the tower myself. Because of the fog there was no for the elevator, which holds only 6 people.  I went up by myself and got a foggy view all around town from the church tower. While up there I heard a great roar from the crowds below. When I got to the bus, I found out why: Iceland had scored a winning goal with just seconds to spare.  The entire town was celebrating.

Foggy view of Hallgrímskirkja

Foggy view of Hallgrímskirkja

At 5:57 p.m. the other students arrived at the bus from watching the game in the crowds.  We then headed to the overnight rooms where we would be staying near the airport in Keflavik.  I had said goodbye to Tobba at the National Museum and now said goodbye to Sigthor.  Those two really made our trip work, and I felt as if I was saying goodbye to good friends. My room with Danielle was a converted office next to a garage from a former car rental place and still smaller of gasoline, but I was tired enough not to care.

After dropping off luggage, the group set out to find food. The sign said a restaurant was 250 meters away, but it was more like a mile away.  We found a whole area of shops and restaurants, but many had closed early due to the soccer game, and others were either fast food or high end fine dining. Finally we found a Thai restaurant, and I got a stir fry that hit the spot.   After dinner we held a final reflection session at the restaurant, then headed back to the rooms for a shower and a few hours of sleep before leaving for the airport at 5:45 a.m.

Here are some more photos from the day. Click on any photo to enlarge it.

Tuesday, June 21, 2016 – Medieval farm, Soil Conservation Service

Today we did two main things.  In the morning was a visit to Keldur Farm, an Icelandic home that dates to the 11th century. In the afternoon was a guided tour through the Soil Conservation Service‘s interpretive gallery and surrounding land with its director, Sveinn Runolfsson. We capped the day with a final swim.

Keldur Farm

Keldur Farm was built in the 1000s, with a relatively modern addition in the 1830s.

Keldur Farm was built in the 1000s, with a relatively modern addition in the 1830s.

Keldur Farm was settled in 1000 and occupied continuously until 1946.  The farmhouse now belongs to the national park service.  Behind the farm is a natural spring, and it is in a valley so it is protected from possible invaders.  The house is made of volcanic rock with turf on top, which keeps it insulated. It is cold inside, but if the occupants built a fire, the heat would stay in.  Attached to the medieval house is a more modern house where the family lived from the 1830s through 1946.

The escape tunnel comes out through this hillside door.

The escape tunnel comes out through this hillside door.

One very interesting feature of the house is an escape tunnel.  This was not found until the 1930s when the occupants were digging out a latrine. The tunnel goes from the lower floor of the house and comes out on the side of a nearby hill. The theory is this was to be used as an escape hatch in case of attack. At the time the house was built in the 1000s, Iceland was in the middle of a long civil war over whether to remain independent or go back to the Norwegian king.

After the farm visit, we stopped at a place along the road where work crews were digging.  Layers of soil were clearly visible, and Dr. Slater explained what they meant. About a meter from the top was the settlement layer defined by the 973 eruption of the nearby volcano Hekla, marking when the area was settled with people. On the lower levels you could see layers 8,000 years and older, including a large layer of tephra laid down by volcanic eruptions and layers of gravel and rocks brought in by moving water and glaciers.

Soil Conservation Service

An area of degraded land in front of Mount Hekla.

An area of degraded land in front of Mount Hekla.

Driving through the area we could see a lot of grass, mosses, scrub brush, and some trees. But it wasn’t always this way. Centuries of settlement and cutting down trees left the land barren and eroded, so that by the 20th century it was severely degraded. Only black sand remained, with no plants or greenery of any kind. In the 1930s the Soil Conservation Service began efforts to rehabilitate the land by using seeds and fertilizer and restricting grazing.

Now the land is covered in greenery, and the SCS is deploying the same techniques all over Iceland and the world. Besides our group, the SCS is also hosting students from United Nations University to learn these techniques for combating desertification. UNU now has four programs running at SCS on land restoration, geothermal power, fisheries, and women’s equality.

Sveinn Runolfsson describes efforts by the Soil Conservation Service to restore desertified land.

Sveinn Runolfsson describes efforts by the Soil Conservation Service to restore desertified land.

The talk by Runolfsson was one of the best things we did this entire trip.  I loved hearing how Iceland is coming to grips with centuries of land mismanagement and learning how to properly manage and restore the land. There were so many parallels between this story in Iceland and the much larger story of climate change, which is really about how humans have mismanaged land, water, and air resources, and how we can rehabilitate what we have impoverished and learn how to manage it better.

Hearing the story of Iceland’s recovery gives me hope that humanity will be able to rehabilitate to planet, even after the oil, coal, and gas industries have helped lead to its degradation and delay action for decades through a deliberate campaign of denial.

This display shows how extensive the lyme grass root system is.

This display shows how extensive the lyme grass root system is.

From Runolfsson’s talk, I saw several ways the Iceland story parallels climate change today. First, when the SCS was looking for a solution to the desertification crisis on its land, it first tried seeds from other countries, but those plants quickly died. What worked was to go back to traditional knowledge and practices. People in this area had lived in tandem with lyme grass for generations. They used the seeds for making flour, and the root system for making household goods such as rope and brooms. Lyme grass proved to be hardy, winter resistant, and drought resistant — the perfect plant for northern desert conditions. SCS had great success in planting lyme grass with fertilizer and keeping grazing animals off the land.

What this shows is something I learned at the Paris climate conference, which is that indigenous knowledge and practices are what will provide the solutions for the future. Indigenous people from all over the world were a very pronounced presence in Paris. They see themselves as at the front lines of climate change because they are fighting oil, coal and gas companies on their lands — think of the indigenous groups displaced by dams in Brazil, or the indigenous people displaced by the Keystone pipeline in the United States. Yet indigenous people also hold the solutions we need to climate change, which is a point they tried hard to make in Paris. Unlike our practices, theirs are sustainable for generations. This use of lyme grass in Iceland is an example of a sustainable practice that provides the solution for rehabilitating a desertified area.

This display shows the amount of soil erosion over several millennia.

This display shows the amount of soil erosion over several millennia.

Runolfsson said two other things about how the land became so degraded that caught my attention. One was that the Vikings cut down all the trees to make charcoal for sharpening their swords — in other words, they consumed all the natural resources for war and the weapons trade. This is similar to how the military industrial complex, fueled by the oil, coal, and gas industries, is degrading our natural resources to fuel weapons manufacturing and trade along with endless wars. It turns out that resolving our differences peacefully is not just a nice idea, or nice for people caught in the crossfire of war.  It’s actually essential to preserving the inhabitability of our planet.

Second, Runolfsson referred to the misconception that we must produce as much food as possible, especially meat. Inhabitants of the past cleared all the trees to make way for grazing land for sheep, then they grazed the sheep until the vegetation was completely gone before packing up and leaving because they could no longer make a living from the land. This idea that we must produce endless supplies of meat is, in Runolfsson’s words, “a load of crap.” Yet representatives from every society that have come to SCS to learn about land rehabilitation have come in with that idea, and it is very hard to shake.

Lyme grass grows in the foreground. The area in the background still needs work.

Lyme grass grows in the foreground. The area in the background still needs work.

For climate change today, one of the root causes is our idea of endless growth and personal consumption. Meat production certainly plays a role, responsible for about a fourth of climate change, but so does our consumption in general, especially in the United States and First World. The idea that we must have more and more stuff, throw it away, and buy more, requires more and more to be manufactured, which requires more and more resources to produce.  It’s not sustainable, and we must find a better way. Gandhi said that we have enough for every person’s need but not every person’s greed. How right he turned out to be.

Household items made from lyme grass

Household items made from lyme grass

Can humans make the leap to simplifying our needs, going back to basics on our diet, and furnishing what we do use and eat through sustainable practices? I don’t know, but the story of Iceland shows that if we can, a clean environment and prosperity will be the reward. When Iceland’s land was degraded after centuries of misuse, it was one of the poorest nations in the world. Now it is one of the richest, welcoming 1.7 million tourists a year, about five times its total population. So many people want to visit because to see Iceland’s natural beauty, showing that a country that preserves its environment will thrive, while one that degrades it will not.

After a brief stop back at the Soil Conservation Service to gather up our bathing suits, we went for one more swim and hot tub at another Icelandic swimming pool. I got in 15 laps and two tub sessions and felt warm and refreshed afterwards.

Here are more photos from the day. Click any photo to enlarge it.

Monday, June 20 – Þórsmörk Day 2

I had an awful night sleeping in the volcano hut at Þórsmörk.  We were all in one cabin, with the six women in one room of bunk beds.  I got a top bunk, which normally I prefer, but not last night.  The heat was so high that I was roasting most of the night. Although one window had a shade, the other one higher up did not.  The lower bunks were shielded from the light, but not the top bunks, and I apparently left my eyeshade at Lax-a. The bunks were long and narrow, and impossible to get comfortable on.

The upshot is I went to bed early, only to toss and turn for most of the night.  When I last looked at my phone, it was after 4 a.m. and light as day.  I then woke up at 7:15 a.m. with a massive migraine, gathered my stuff as quietly as I could, left a note, and went to the campsite restaurant, got breakfast, and took some headache medication. I noticed that the restaurant had wifi, so I was able to answer some messages before finishing breakfast and heading to the campsite showers.

I got back to the cabin at 9:30 a.m. just as everyone was cleaning up from their breakfast. It was cold, wet, rainy, and very windy.  We had to be out of the cabin by 10, so everyone was packing up to move their stuff to a tent near the restaurant where the 4 p.m. bus would show up.

Most of the group decided to go in a hike to a peak where on a clear day you can get a good view, but I knew I was not up for that, and the day wasn’t clear.  So I hung out again in the restaurant with Sigthor and Bjork.  I did email and journaling for two hours before the group got back. Apparently the hike was very cold and windy, and they could not see much.

We got lunch in the tent, which wobbled in the high winds.  Then a few people set out to see the river, but this time most of the group stayed back.  We hung out on the benches in the community kitchen, and I talked to a guy from Germany who had been hiking through and also got caught in the bad weather.  Susie also helped me marked in yellow highlighter where we had gone on the trip.

Finally I noticed Paul had tried to call me on What’s App, so I went back to the restaurant to get wifi to call him back.  First I had a little scare over my wallet missing until I found it in a small red bag. With the wallet found, I talked to Paul until it was time to board the big bus and head out. We found our little green bus right where we had left it on the sand at the entrance to Thorsmork, where it looked tiny next to the enormous landscape.  We transferred our bags, and headed to the next destination.

Next was Gunnarsholdt, home of the Soil Conservation Service where we would be staying the next two days.  On the way we dropped off Bjork and her daughter, Hekla, who several people in our group had made friends with.  We got keys to our rooms, and I was very glad to have my own room for the first time this trip.  After moving in our stuff, we got together our bathing suits and headed to another one of Iceland’s many swimming pools and hot tubs.  I was so tired that I mostly tubbed, but I did get in 12 laps.

Since today ended up being an off-day, I don’t have any photos, but here is a video of crossing a high-water section of the Markarfljót river taken from inside the big bus.  First we watched a large truck cross the river twice before we attempted it ourselves.

 

Sunday, June 19 – Þórsmörk Day 1

Stakkholtsgjá gorge at Þórsmörk

Stakkholtsgjá gorge at Þórsmörk

Today we visited Þórsmörk (pronounced “thors-mork”), or “Thor’s woods,” named after the Norse god Thor. Njáls saga, considered the greatest Icelandic saga, took place in this and surrounding areas.  A lot of landmarks are prominent, such as Einhyrningur, or Unicorn Mountain, a large rock with an outcrop that looks like a unicorn’s horn.

On the way we stopped at Seljalandsfoss. The falls are a popular spot with a lot of tour buses.  They are notable because people can walk behind the waterfall for photos.  Many weddings are done in front of the falls. I took the stairs and path behind the falls and got some good pics and video.

Þórsmörk is surrounded by three glaciers, which is what gives the area its power – Mýrdalsjökull, Eyjafjallajökull, and Tindfjallajökull.  The first two glaciers come together in a V that marks the heart of Þórsmörk .  This area holds the Markarfljót river, which is really a series of glacial streams that eventually merge. Every year these streams expand from glacial melt, so you can see a lot of levees and earthworks to try to control the river from moving and flooding.  There is only one small gravel road with no bridges, so the bus forged through the streams of Markarfljót directly several times. I was amazed that the bus could make so many stream and river crossings successfully, but it did.

Towering over us were the Mýrdalsjökull and Eyjafjallajökull glaciers. Eyjafjallajökull (pronounced “A-ya fiat-la yo-kult“), contains a volcano that erupted in 2010.  The ash grounded air traffic for weeks. Mýrdalsjökull contains the Katla volcano, which is overdue for an eruption. Its normal period is period is 80 years, but the most recent eruption was 1826, almost 100 years ago.  Katla also usually erupts shortly after Eyjafjallajökull, so Icelanders expect into happen anytime. When it does erupt, it will fill the valley with melted ice, which is why the Markarfljót river fills so much of the valley.

Mýrdalsjökull glacier at Þórsmörk

Mýrdalsjökull glacier at Þórsmörk

Lupine is growing throughout them area. Dr. Slater told us he was here in 2011 with people from the Soil Conservation Service.  They were trying to eliminate the lupine because it is considered invasive.  They came in with huge sprayers and blanketed slope with roundup – but the lupine is still growing so they were not very successful.

Boulders in the Þórsmörk valley

Boulders in the Þórsmörk valley

As we drove into Þórsmörk, we could see large boulders all over valley.  Dr. Slater said they resulted from the collapse of a hill slope in January 1967.  Tons of rocks collapsed, turning all the ice around them into a slurry of fast moving water.  The water took little pieces away, but dropped the bigger rocks here.  Fortunately it was the dead of winter, so no one was around at the time.

We did two hikes. The first was to see a glacier up close: the Eyjafjallajökull glacier with the Gígjökull glacial tongue hanging down. Eyjafjallajökull is the Icelandic volcano that erupted in 2010, stopping air traffic across Europe for several weeks. It was a long hike up and down through pebble sand to the glacier. Aw we approached, we heard water running.   First we saw water seeping out of the side of the mountain, then a stream coming through a fissure in the rocks.  Finally after rounding a large hill, we saw the Gígjökull  glacier tongue with a river flowing in front of it.

Eyjafjallajökull glacier on top with Gígjökull tongue handing down

Eyjafjallajökull glacier on top with Gígjökull tongue handing down

Ice cave at the bottom of the Gígjökull glacier

Ice cave at the bottom of the Gígjökull glacier

Several of the other students crossed the river to go to the bottom of the glacial tongue which formed an ice cave.  Their forms were so small compared to the ice cave, which itself was small compared to the Gígjökull  glacier, which was just an offshoot of the Eyjafjallajökull glacier above.  Yet the entire area is melting.  On the way out we saw photos of what the glacier looked like before and after the eruption.  The glacier was much larger before the 2010 eruption, which took out a lot of ice – but even so the glacier was noticeably smaller now than when last year’s trip visited visited in August 2015.

Stakkholtsgjá gorge at Þórsmörk

Stakkholtsgjá gorge at Þórsmörk

The second hike was through the Stakkholtsgjá, a huge green canyon that leads to a waterfall. As I walked through, I could not help but think about the passages in the Book of John about God separating the heavens from the earth during the creation.  I’m not a very religious person, but I ended up talking to Susie and Bjork, our cook who accompanied us from Agricultural University, about religion. It was impossible not to feel the power of the planet and how small humans are in comparison. Yet humans are also shaping the earth by causing the glaciers to melt and many other things.  I was reminded that if the glaciers around Þórsmörk melt away, then the entire area will die.

Sign to hiking trails and the all important bathroom.

Sign to hiking trails and the all important bathroom.

On the way to our overnight accommodations at the Þórsmörk volcano huts, we had to cross yet more streams.  One of them was particularly large, and our bus driver Sigthor did not think we would make it. Weather was starting to roll into the area, so even if we made it across tonight, there was no guarantee we would make it back tomorrow. We turned around and ended up in a camping area for a couple of hours while waiting for a bigger bus.  I found a bathroom and walked around outside for a bit.

Then we repacked to take just one night’s supplies and leave our big suitcases behind. Finally the new bus arrived, a huge bus from Reykjavik, and got us to our destination safely. We locked up our smaller bus and left it out on the gravel between glacial streams of the Markarfljót  river to be picked up the next day.  Somehow everyone knew it and our luggage would be fine — and it was, though it looked awfully small in the backdrop of the Þórsmörk gorge.

Hiking trail map

Hiking trail map

The volcano huts were a series of camping spots, small cabins, and larger cabins. At the center was a restaurant plus a building of showers and a kitchen for the campers. Several popular hiking trails come through this area, including Fimmvörðuháls, a 14-mile trail at 3,300 feet between two glaciers and a volcano.  Our entire group was in one of the larger cabins, with the women in one room of bunk beds, the men in another.  I got a top bunk. Bjork roasted a leg of lamb for dinner for most people, but I had the veggie burgers and salads, which were delicious, and went to bed early.

Here are some more photos from the day. Click on any photo to enlarge it.

Saturday, June 18, 2016 – Westman Islands

Aerial view of Heimaey Island. Credit: Getty Images

Aerial view of Heimaey Island. Credit: Getty Images

Today was a visit to Vestmannaeyjar, or the Westman Islands, an archipelago of 15 small rocky islands formed by volcanoes off the southern coast of Iceland. Only one island — Heimaey, or Home Island – is populated, with about 4,000 people. Its main industry has been fishing, but tourism is taking over.

House buried under ash in 1973

House buried under ash in 1973

To get to Heimaey Island we took a 40-minute ferry from Landeyjahöfn. Before this harbor was built, people had to take a three-hour boat ride from Reykjavik. The harbor is next to where the glacial river Markarfljot flows into the ocean, and extensive work had to be done to keep the river from eroding away the sand plain. Now that people can visit the Westman Islands on a day trip, tourism has boomed.

After disembarking the ferry, we started to walk around town. A car is not needed because it’s so small, but there are some steep hills. The main story of Home Island revolves around the 1973 eruption of Eldfell volcano, a natural disaster that lasted for months, destroyed many homes, and caused many people to leave the island. We walked on a street where homes had been buried by lava and never dug out. Grass was growing where the roof should have been, with only part of the front door visible.

Volcano museum

Helgafell, an inactive volcano, overlooks the street leading to Eldheimar Volcano Museum

Helgafell, an inactive volcano, overlooks the street leading to Eldheimar Volcano Museum

The volcano eruption of 1973 is so important to the history of the area that Heimaey Island is known as the “Pompeii of the North.” People had no warning of the eruption, but they were lucky because the weather that day was bad so the fishing boats were still in the harbor. Most of the town’s inhabitants ran to the boats with whatever they could carry and went to the mainland. Many never returned.

The island’s experience during these events is memorialized at the Eldheimar Volcano Museum, which was our first stop. It was a long walk up a steep hill, and the weather was as bad the day we visited as it might have been the day the volcano erupted. I was carrying a heavy backpack walking in extreme wind and had forgotten my new scarf, so it took me a long time to get there. I was relieved when I finally did.

House at the center of Eldheimar Volcano Museum

House at the center of Eldheimar Volcano Museum

At the center of the museum is an actual house that had been buried by ash but dug out so visitors can see the effect the disaster had on everyday life. Behind the house an introductory movie was playing that depicted the days, weeks, and months after the volcano erupted, and all the frustrations and disagreements in trying to work with local and national authorities to slow the lava flow and clean up.

It reminded me a lot of all the frustrations and miscommunication around trying to clean up after Hurricane Katrina in the United States. This was a true natural disaster for the people, altering many of their lives forever. Many of them left for the mainland and never went back. Many of them spent months if not years putting their lives back together. Most people lost everything, if not from the volcano itself, then from efforts to get their belongings off the island and ruining them in the process.

House at the center of Eldheimar Volcano Museum

House at the center of Eldheimar Volcano Museum

One thing I looked for after witnessing events of Katrina is what happened to the animals. We know from Katrina that many people won’t evacuate during a disaster if they have to leave their pets or livestock behind. The museum display mentioned one person leaving with his cat and another with a parakeet. It also mentioned the town herding the cows into a fish factory but putting them down because there was nothing to feed them.

After Katrina, Congress passed the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act (PETS) Act requiring disaster rescues to allow people to bring their pets, but livestock is a different issue. I hope we can start figuring out how to care for livestock better in a disaster. For example, in the case of this volcano, perhaps the cows could have been transported to the mainland on a fishing boat and sold or housed temporarily on someone’s land.

Here are some highlights from the museum’s display:

January 23, 1973 – Eruption begins. Almost 5000 people were evacuated, with the sick and elderly first. People left with whatever they could carry – their cigarettes, a cat, a parakeet, their books. Children still wore pajamas. Boats were overcrowded with 50 to 400 passengers, but people still felt lucky because the fishing boats were still in the harbor.

House at the center of Eldheimar Volcano Museum

House at the center of Eldheimar Volcano Museum

Lava flowed from the volcano for months. For the first few weeks the disaster made international news. Flights went in and out of the small airport on the island. The town was like a war zone with fire and ash raining down. Locals went into rescue mode. They took people’s belongings to harbor to be loaded on boats and taken to Reykjavik. Cupboards were carried out with things still in them, even coffee still brewing. Perhaps as many items were destroyed during the evacuation as were actually rescued.

At one point toxic gas began coming out of the crater. One man died, as did birds and animals. Then a big chunk of lava broke off from the main volcano fissure and threatened the harbor. If lava destroyed the harbor, the island would become inhabitable. Town residents debated what to do. They consulted experts, one of whom told them to abandon the island. Finally they tried pumping sea water through fire hoses to slow down lava. They didn’t know if that would work, but it did help.

Today lava covers the west side of Heimaey Island

Today lava covers the west side of Heimaey Island

Finally on July 3, the eruption was over. It had lasted six months. Volunteers came from all over the world to help the island residents dig out and rebuild. 800,000 tons of ash and tephra were cleared out, with 1200 truckloads of ash carried out each day. The town cemetery was dug out by hand.

The disaster is still the largest emergency evacuation of people in Iceland’s history. Although most residents eventually returned, one-third never did because their homes had been buried. There was no warning at the time because we didn’t have the technology to monitor what is going on below earth’s crust. Now we can detect warning signs better and take action sooner.

Natural History Museum

Lunch was at a restaurant called Gott. They had an excellent menu with good vegetarian options including an African stew. After lunch we visited the Sæheimar Natural History Museum and Aquarium.

Toti the rescue puffin at Sæheimar Natural History Museum

Toti the rescue puffin at Sæheimar Natural History Museum

The museum was divided into one side for geology and one for birds and fish. The geology room displayed a lot of rocks and geodes. Most of the signage is in Icelandic. The rooms for birds and fish displayed a lot of stuffed and mounted animals. Then there was an entire room of aquariums, some quite large, featuring a huge variety of live fish and sea creatures.

The best thing was its rescue puffin, Toti. He was found at one-week old and brought to the museum. He is now five. He doesn’t fly but he does have a pool in the back that he can dive into. He also knows the difference between the people who work at the museum and the general public.

Swimming pool

Swimming pool on Heimaey Island. Photo: Guide to Iceland

Swimming pool on Heimaey Island. Photo: Guide to Iceland

Next came the funnest part of the day, a stop at the Westman Islands swimming pool. One reason my backpack was heavy is that I had brought my swim stuff, but it was worth it. This pool is named one of the top pools in Iceland, and we saw why. Water in the indoor lap pool is mixed with sea water making it easier to float and swim and a more natural experience. Outside were small pools, several hot tubs of various temperatures, and two pretty amazing water slides.

Iceland knows how to do swimming pools right. As a user of swimming pools across the United States, I have swum in more than my share of dirty and even disgusting pools. Americans simply will not shower before getting in the pool, and they will not wear swim caps or hair nets. As a result, many pools are full of a lot of dirt, body products such as lotion, deodorant, and powder, and floating hair both loose and in clumps. The university pool is better because there are fewer little kids peering in the pool, and people who swim laps tend to use swim caps. The Y pool is okay in the mornings but awful by afternoon.

Indoor pool on Heimaey Island. Credit: Swimming in Iceland

Indoor pool on Heimaey Island. Credit: Swimming in Iceland

In the United States, swimming facilities manage all this by dumping a bunch of chemicals into the water. This is terrible for your skin – I have to constantly use lotion and even then my skin still itches. In Iceland people are required to take warm soapy naked showers before getting into the pool, and this convention is enforced. This keeps the pool much cleaner and healthier with fewer chemicals.

The day we visited was windy and rainy, but even so we all took advantage of the outdoor hot tubs. The guys started on the water slides immediately with the rest of us watching, but I was itching to try it too. Finally I did it. First was the long triple white slide into a cooler pool – the slide was super fast and the cool water a shock to the system, but it was fun. Next was a shorter and slower red slide into a warmer pool, which was also plenty fast for me.

Water slides at Heimaey Island pool. Credit: Visit Vestmannaeyjar

Water slides at Heimaey Island pool. Credit: Visit Vestmannaeyjar

After a break to warm up in the 42C hot tub, I got my nerve up to try the largest slide, a combination tube and slide into the cool pool. I went up to the top with Lauren, the other older than average student in the group. Of course everyone was watching, so I let a couple of other people go after Lauren went. Finally I said a little prayer, made sure my legs were straight in front if of me with my toes pointed – and I was off. The tube was fast, and I barely remember going on the slide part before hitting the water. When I came up, people were cheering, and Lauren was waiting at the bottom. We hugged each other and pumped our fists. It was good to be 53 years old and still able to slide with the best of them.

Heimaey Island bay where Tobba worked with Keiko

Heimaey Island bay where Tobba worked with Keiko

After the slides, I got in several laps, then tried some diving in the indoor pool. Then we showered up and headed to the dock to catch the 6:30 p.m. ferry back. If anything the weather had gotten even worse, and the boat was rocking back and forth. Even so, I went with Tobba and Andy to the top deck. Tobba had spent much of the time she worked with Keiko in the bay at Heimaey Island, and pointed out to us where this had taken place. I got soaked before going inside and tried to keep from being seasick. Fortunately it was a short trip, and soon we were in the bus and headed back to Lax-a for the night.

Here are more photos that I took on the island including some of the very cute houses. Click on any photo to enlarge it:

 

Friday, June 17, 2016 – Golden Circle and Hekla

Golden-circle-in-Iceland

Today was “Golden Circle Plus.” We did the Golden Circle, which is a series of three sites in southwest Iceland that many tourists visit, but we saw a lot of other things along the way and ended with exploring the area around Mount Hekla. Plus today was Icelandic National Day, which commemorates the day of Iceland’s independence from Denmark in 1944, as well as my husband’s birthday. So there was a lot to cover in one day!

We set off this morning from Hvanneyri with bus and trailer full of our luggage and food. We traveled from an agricultural valley into the highlands. Whereas we had seen a lot of land used to grow crops, especially hay for feeding animals during the long winter, now we were seeing a lot of grazing area. Tobba told us that the horses we saw were set free on pasture for summer break.

Going into the highlands we stopped because a sign said the road ahead was impassable. Our driver Sigthor made some calls and found out the road was okay now but had been impassable earlier in the year. As we moved forward, I could see why – the mountain inclines were pretty steep. Fortunately in the middle of June, we saw only one small patch of snow.

Traveling south we then moved into Iceland’s rift valley, part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates come together. On our right on the North American plate was Hvalvtan, the lake that fed the Glymur waterfall, and on our right on the Eurasian plate was the broad shield volcano Skjaldbreiður.

Þingvellir National Park

Descending into Almannagjá gorge at Þingvellir National Park.

Descending into Almannagjá gorge at Þingvellir National Park.

Finally we arrived at Þingvellir National Park. The park sits on Lake Þingvallavatn, the largest natural lake in Iceland. Across the lake we could see the Steingrimsstöð Power Station, one of Iceland’s first hydropower stations that came online in 1959. The plant drains water from Lake Þingvallavatn into the River Sog to create hydropower. Dr. Slater said when it first opened, it took too much water too quickly and killed a lot of the char in the lake. Now it is used to manage lake levels.

Þingvellir (pronounced “thing-vellir”) is incredibly significant for Iceland in both geology and history. Geologically the park’s most impressive structure is Almannagjá, the gorge on the eastern edge of the North American plate. The walking path through Þingvellir takes you through the Almannagjá gorge, overlooking the 7 km basin between the North American and European plates.

A goose keeps watch at Þingvellir National Park.

A goose keeps watch at Þingvellir National Park.

Historically, Þingvellir, or “parliament plains,” is where Iceland’s Alþing (pronounced “all-thing”) general assembly was established around 930 and met until 1798. This is where Iceland was declared to be a Christian nation around the year 1000, and where Snorri Sturluson was elected law speaker in 1213.

Of special importance at Þingvellir was the lögberg, or law rock. Anyone could step onto the lögberg to give a speech or share important news. This is where the assembly was convened and dissolved and rulings of the law council announced. Because of shifts in the landscape since the Middle Ages, no one knows exactly where the lögberg is now, but two possible sites have been identified.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, Þingvellir became an important symbol of Iceland’s national pride.  Numerous rallies and meetings were held there to push for independence, and on June 17, 1944, the birthday of Icelandic national hero, Jón Sigurðsson, the republic of Iceland was declared at Þingvellir. Þingvellir was designated as a national park in 1930 and a UNESCO world heritage site in 2014.

Laugarvatn

Fontana spa at Laugarvatn.

Fontana spa at Laugarvatn.

The next stop was Laugarvatn, or “lake of the hot springs,” a small town on a lake fed by hot springs under its floor. Tobba went to high school here and recently visited for her 25th class reunion. We stopped at a spa called Fontana, where people could pay about $30 to bathe in the geothermal baths. I wish we would have had time for that, but we didn’t. The restaurant on site sold bread baked by geothermal heat underground. We walked around and saw hot springs bubbling out of the ground.

Geysir

Hot springs at Geysir.

Hot springs at Geysir.

Next was the second official stop on the Golden Circle tour, Geysir (pronounced “gay-sere”), home to the first erupting geyser discovered by Europeans. We found a picnic area for lunch, then walked through a series of hot springs. In the early 20th century, the largest geyser would erupt many times a day, sending boiling water up 60 meters (196 feet), but now it erupts rarely, and we did not see it.

Instead we had a lot of fun with a smaller geyser called Stokkur, which erupts every few minutes, sending water up about 30 meters (98 feet). Tourists line the rope surrounding the geyser with cameras ready to capture the moment. On my first try, I ended up getting drenched. I supposed the wet rocks where I was standing should have been a tipoff that it would be better to stand on the other side, but I didn’t think about that. Fortunately there was a warm breeze, and my clothes dried off pretty quickly.

Gullfoss

Watch your step at Gullfoss.

Watch your step at Gullfoss.

The third stop in the Golden Circle tour is Gullfoss, or “golden falls.” This is huge double waterfall 31 meters tall and the site of a nature reserves designated in 1979. In the early 20th century, the farmer who owned Gullfoss leased it to foreign investors to be used for an electric plant. His daughter, Sigriður Tómasdóttir, filed legal action to keep the plant from being built, and traveled to Reykjavik many times for legal proceedings.

Sigriður lost her case, but the rental contract for the power plant was voided for nonpayment. In 1940 her son sold the falls to the Icelandic government, which designated it a nature reserve in 1979. Sigriður’s efforts to save Gullfoss brought the importance of preserving nature to public attention, and she is considered Iceland’s first environmentalist.

Secret Lagoon

Salmon ladder at Faxi falls.

Salmon ladder at Faxi falls.

Leaving Gullfoss we got a good view of Langjökull, or Long Glacier, the second-largest ice cap in Iceland. If I visit Iceland again, I will have to make a stop here to see the ice tunnels and caves.

We then stopped by another waterfall called Faxi, notable for the salmon ladder next to the falls. The falls themselves are too steep for salmon to swim up, but the ladder provides a series of locks they can use to swim up and down the river. Apparently the salmon do use it, just as animals use animal crossings over highways that people build for them on land. Fish and animals are a lot smarter than we think.

Hanging out at the Secret Lagoon.

Hanging out at the Secret Lagoon.

Next we stopped at the Secret Lagoon, the oldest swimming pool in Iceland heated by geothermal springs. As soon as we disembarked to walk around, a huge tour bus pulled up; apparently the lagoon is no longer a secret. It looked like a fun and relaxing place to hang out — a couple dozen people were availing themselves of the facilities, beers in hand and on the shore.

Around the pool was a set of small hot springs.  One was like a miniature version of Stokkur at Geysir, erupting every few minutes. It was entertaining to watch, though a bit of an anticlimax after seeing eruptions 100 feet tall. There was also a series of greenhouses used to grow mushrooms and tomatoes.

Hekla

The imposing Hekla volcano.

The imposing Hekla volcano.

After a coffee and bathroom break, we left the Golden Circle and headed southwest to the highlands surrounding the volcano Hekla. Hekla is one of Iceland’s most active volcanos having erupted more than  20 times since 874. Europeans of the Middle Ages thought Hekla was the gateway to hell.

Hekla is a stratovolcano, meaning its cone has been built up through many layers of lava, tephra, pumice, and ash. Tephra from Hekla can be found all over Iceland and as far away as the British Isles. Hekla’s last eruption was in 2000, so many people think it is due to erupt soon. The risk is considered high enough that no flyovers are allowed. You can keep an eye on Hekla through the Mila webcam.

Hjalparfoss

Hjalparfoss

Hekla is also a mountain that can be climbed. Dr. Slater climbed it in 2009 and said it took six to seven hours of solid climbing. He went up with a Swiss guy who went back down by using a plastic bag as a sled. That took two hours. There was only a one-hour notice when Hekla erupted in 2000, so climbers might want to take plastic bags with them going up in case they need to get down fast.

We made three stops in the vicinity of Hekla. First was Hjalparfoss, a unique double waterfall joined at the base and surrounded by lava formations. It was a short hike to see the waterfall up close, but the area was swarming with midge flies. They didn’t bite, but they landed on your face and hair and swarmed into the bus.

Locks control the flow of the Þjórsá river at Búrfellsstöð power plant.

Locks control the flow of the Þjórsá river at Búrfellsstöð power plant.

Next was Búrfellsstöð, Iceland’s second-largest hydropower station. The power is generated by a drop in the Þjórsá river used to express potential energy. Here a series of impoundments and dams had been built onto the river just upstream of the plant to control the flow and rate of drop. Our driver Sigthor told us he had worked on construction of this plant in 1968, and he took the bus on the roads over the impoundments so we could see what it looked like. Two wind turbines were also visible.

Down the road we saw an area where tephra was being mined, so we got out to take a look. Tephra is sold to be used in building materials, insulation and ceramics, and there is a huge supply of it around Hekla. It comes in various forms from a fine ash to pieces 5 to 10 mm across to large pieces many feet across, but it weighs almost nothing because there are so many airholes in the rock.

Inside a large piece of tephra from Hekla.

Inside a large piece of tephra from Hekla.

At the quarry we picked up a huge piece of tephra and threw it around like a beach ball until it dropped and broke open. Again the midge flies swarmed us, and I became the subject of wide entertainment by waving my arms like windshield wipers in front of my face. I was just thankful the suckers didn’t bite or I would have been in trouble.

Throughout the drive, we saw areas where the Soil Conservation Service of Iceland had been trying to rehabilitate the land. In one area Dr. Slater had been working with a student to do reforesting. Volcano ash kills plants close to the ground, so the goal was to get trees high enough to resist the ash. We saw birch trees about 15 years old, along with a lot of – what else – lupine.

In other areas, the Soil Conservation Service was using lyme grass to stabilize the sand. They used to distribute seed and fertilizer from airplanes but now use tractors. Without it, the sand shifts so much that it’s impossible to hold water, and it erodes away. It was easy to tell the difference between gray areas of degraded lava fields and green areas that had been rehabilitated with lyme grass.

Dinner was pizza at a restaurant chain in Iceland called Arhus. I was thankful not to eat out of the lunchboxes again, and to have a real bed with a private bath at the Lax-A West Ranga Lodge room I shared with Danielle. We had a beautiful view of a river in the back, and during reflection time Tobba taught the group how to say Happy Birthday in Icelandic so I could send that to Paul. Unfortunately wifi didn’t work in the rooms as advertised, but I was able to get it by walking to the ritzier hotel next door. In case you ever need to wish anyone Happy Birthday in Icelandic, it is “Til hamingju með afmælið.”

Here are more photos from the day. Click on any photo to enlarge it.

Thursday, June 16, 2016- Snæfellsnes Peninsula, Day 2

Snorrastadir Farm offers horseback riding sessions for guests for an extra price, and most of the other students went.  I decided to take the time for myself.  It was very nice to have the place to myself for awhile except for our cook, Bjork.

I caught up on email and social media, then went into the hot tub. After half an hour I forced myself out, but then Emily and Yash arrived to tell us that they hadn’t started the horseback riding trip yet becaue the guide had an emergency with a sheep giving birth.  So I got back into the hot tub for another half hour and was truly able to relax. By the time I got out, showered, dressed and packed, the ride was over and everyone was back. We ate some lunch and set out for the day.

A view of Stykkishólmur from the island lighthouse.

A view of Stykkishólmur from the island lighthouse.

The first stop was the Snæfellsnes town of Stykkishólmur. We climbed to the top of a lighthouse on the shore to get a 360 degree view of the town and the nearby islands. The lighthouse was on a tall island that had been artificially attached to the town by a blacktop parking lot. The view was quite impressive.

Here’s a view of Breiðafjörður, the fjord just north of Stykkishólmur, from the lighthouse:

Memorial to a ship that sunk in 1924 Tobba's grandfather was the captain.

Memorial to a ship that sunk in 1924 Tobba’s grandfather was the captain.

After climbing down from the lighthouse island, I ran across a sculpture in the center of town.  Tobba was there and told us it was a memorial to a ship that had gone down at sea which her grandfather had captained.  His name, Sigvaldi Valentinusson, was listed at the top of the plaque.

After that we were free to explore town for an hour.  I ended up at a small restaurant where I had a bowl of seafood stew with bread and hot tea at and called my husband, Paul. Everyone then met at the tourist center, where I bought a long scarlet and gray Icelandic scarf — the perfect warm scarf to replace the one I lost last year. It was pricey at $54, but it may turn out to be the best scarf I’ve ever had.

The next stop was  the Bjarnarhöfn shark museum. To get there we passed through Berserkjahraun, a 3400-year-old lava field around which revolves another violent Icelandic story.

Berserkjahraun, or madman's lava field, is where a farmer murdered and buried two beserks.

Berserkjahraun, or madman’s lava field, is where a farmer murdered and buried two beserks.

According to the Eyrbyggja Saga, two Norse warriors called beserks were brought to Iceland as slaves to farm.  One beserk fell in love with farmer’s daughter, putting the farmer in an awkward position.  The farmer consulted with a priest, who told him he could promise the daughter to the beserk if the slaves did an impossible task: digging a road across the lava field.  The beserks did it in 30 days. So the farmer told the beserk he could have the daughter if he cleaned himself up.  The farmer made a bath, added boiling water and cows’ skins, which weakened the beserks, then he clubbed them to death.  They were buried in a depression in the road where the horizon can’t be seen. The remains of two large men were found in an archaeological site in the area, so there may be some truth to the story.

Shark jaws at Bjarnarhöfn shark museum.

Shark jaws at Bjarnarhöfn shark museum.

The Bjarnarhöfn shark museum was an interesting if somewhat disturbing stop.  The museum processes 60 Greenland sharks per year, the second-largest shark species in world, native to waters off Greenland and Iceland.  The sharks are not hunted specifically but caught as bycatch from large fishing trawlers.  When we got there, one shark had just arrived.  We got to touch it – the skin felt like sand paper.

The meat is toxic at first and must go through months of treatment to become edible.  First they cut it into pieces and let it ferment for six weeks.  Then they hang it up to dry for three to four months. Even then you can’t eat too much of the meat at once because it is so high in protein and vitamins.  The museum had samples for people to try.  I didn’t try it, but some in our group did.  They did not care for it.

Somehow the shark museum kitty doesn't like shark meat.

Somehow the shark museum kitty doesn’t like shark meat.

I liked the museum’s friendly black and white cat – who apparently doesn’t care for shark.  And I was glad the museum didn’t hunt sharks for the purpose of attracting tourists.  But it saddens me that the huge fishing trawlers we use in the oceans catch creatures as large as these sharks.  A lot of our seafood supply is not fished sustainably, and we are  overfishing the oceans so much fish stocks may crash before mid-century.  Yet little of this is visible to ordinary people who live on land.  It is a huge problem that needs much more attention than it is getting.

After the shark museum, we headed back to Agricultural University in Hvanneryi. Our first week of the trip concentrating on the area north of Reykjavik was complete, and tomorrow we would be packing up and heading to the southwest.

Wednesday, June 15, 2016- Snæfellsnes Peninsula, Day 1

Snæfellsnes map
Today was a huge day, the first of two on the Snæfellsnes peninsula in western Iceland.  This has long been considered one of the most scenic areas of Iceland, a must-see if you visit the country.

After an excellent breakfast at Seljaland, we set out on Highway 54.  The Snæfellsnes peninsula juts 100 km into the Atlantic, and the road follows the coastline all the way out and back. Along the way we made numerous stops at beaches, waterfalls, and hiking areas.

The Snæfellsjökull glacier dominates Snæfellsnes .

The Snæfellsjökull glacier dominates the Snæfellsnes peninsula.

Dominating the landscape throughout our journey was the Snæfellsjökull glacier, a volcanic glacier set near the end of the peninsula.  The volcano is famous as the entrance underground in Jules Verne’s Journey to the Center of the Earth. Although Snæfellsjökull is one of Iceland’s smaller glaciers, it seemed enormous.  As we traveled Hwy. 54, we saw this glacier from every possible angle, with cloud cover and without.

In order, here are the places we saw:

The islands of Hvammsfjord are said to have been put there by trolls.

The islands of Hvammsfjord are said to have been put there by trolls.

Mountain avens, Iceland's national flower

Mountain avens, Iceland’s national flower

Skogarstrond, overlooking Hvammsfjord.  True to its name, which means “forest beach,” this is the coastal area at the entry to the north side of Snæfellsnes. Although the area used to be agricultural, it is now the location for a lot of summer homes.  In Hvammsfjord are countless numbers of islands.  Farmers put sheep on those islands to graze all summer, then collect them in the winter.  Legend has it that the islands were created by trolls trying to dig into the West Fjords peninsula in northwest Iceland to separate it from the mainland.  They took the excess dirt and dumped it in Hvammsfjord to create the islands – but they lost track of time and turned to stone when the sun came up.

We made a photo stop at Skogarstrond.  I got photos of moss campion, a moss cluster with a tiny pink flower, and mountain avens, Iceland’s national flower that looks like a small daisy. We also saw an example of solifluction, a wave pattern created in the sand when the cycle of freezing and thawing separates big rocks from small rocks and dirt. We also got a view of the town of Stykkisholmur, which we will visit tomorrow.

Álftafjörður, or "swan fjord," in Iceland.

Álftafjörður, or “swan fjord,” in Iceland.

Álftafjörður, or fjord of the swans.  It was easy to see where this fjord got its name – dozens of swans were swimming there as we drove by. We got some beautiful photos of mountains reflected in water.

The bridge under which orcas swim at Kolgrafafjord. Alas we didn't see any.

The bridge under which orcas swim at Kolgrafafjord. Alas we didn’t see any.

Kolgrafafjordur. This fjord is frequented by orcas who follow huge schools of herring in search of something to eat.  We stopped near a bridge under which orcas swim into the fjord. Twice in recent years the area has experienced huge herring kills caused by low oxygen.  No one knows exactly why this happened, but it involved 25,000 and 30,000 tons of fish worth millions of dollars.

The imposing Kirkjufell, or "church mountain."

The imposing Kirkjufell, or “church mountain.”

Kirkjufell and Kirkjufellsfoss.  Kirkjufell, or “church mountain,” and its accompanying waterfall are two of the most photographed landmarks in Iceland.  The mountain is 463 m (1519 ft) high. The waterfall has trails all around that people can climb to see it from different angles. We spent about 45 minutes there climbing and taking photos, along with several busses full of tourists.

Near Kirkjufell is Kvíabryggja, the prison where Iceland’s bankers are serving time.  Iceland is the only country to send the bankers who caused the 2008 financial crash to jail.  The prison is a working farm where bankers are expected to do chores. It is minimum security, bound mainly by the frigid river that sets it off from the mainland. Much to the frustration of Icelanders, the bankers were given refurbished cells and catered meals and allowed to ride bicycles around prison grounds. Last year two prisoners escaped.

Fishing and tourist boats in Olavsvik.

Fishing and tourist boats in Olavsvik.

Olafsvik, or “Olaf’s Bay,” a small fishing and tourist town of about 1,100 people.  Dominating the skyline is a modern church designed to look like a Viking ship.  We walked around on the shoreline and saw where fishing and pleasure boats were docked.

Yash sits atop a lava stone house once used to dry fish in Gufuskalar.

Yash sits atop a lava stone house once used to dry fish in Gufuskalar.

Gufuskalar, a coastal area that contains both modern structures, with a 412 m (1351 ft) radio tower, the tallest manmade structure in Europe, and ancient structures in a series of houses built out of lava rocks from the Snæfellsnes volcano dating back to the 14th century.  The houses were used to store and dry fish for international trade during the Middle Ages.  134 houses were constructed, 12 of which are still standing.  We ate lunch in this area and were able to explore the ruins and houses still intact.

The black pebble beach of Djupalonssandur.

The black pebble beach of Djupalonssandur.

Djupalonssandur, a black pebble beach near the old fishing town of Dritvik on the end of the Snæfellsnes peninsula.  The beach is made entirely of pebbles, which makes walking somewhat challenging as your feet sink into the pebbles with each step.  Four huge stones mark the entrance to the beach.  These are what men would have to lift to qualify to work on a fishing boat.  We were allowed to collect two rocks each from the beach.  We were also quite close to Snæfellsjökull, so I took the opportunity to get more photos.

Gatklettur, the natural arch rock on the 2.5 km hike from Arnarstapi to Hellnar.

Gatklettur, the natural arch rock on the 2.5 km hike from Arnarstapi to Hellnar.

Hellnar to Arnarstapi. Between these two towns is an amazing hiking trail along the coast. Although it’s only 2.5 km (1.5 mi) long, it winds up and down cragged cliffs and gives you such spectacular views of rocky islands, sea caves and stone arches that it will take a couple of hours to get through.

Sea cave on the hike from Arnarstapi to Hellnar.

Sea cave on the hike from Arnarstapi to Hellnar.

Thomas and I hiked the trail carrying on a conversation about agriculture around the world in between snapping photos.  Sea birds are everywhere, and we found a lot of eggs that looked as if they had been broken and the contents eaten by foxes.  We also found a few bird legs and wings.  Among the most notable landmarks are the Badstofa sea caves, known for their unique light refraction and colorful interior, and the Gatklettur sea arch. This was one of the highlights of my trip.

Big black lava rocks on the beach at Budir.

Big black lava rocks on the beach at Budir.

Budir, a white sand beach dotted with large black rocks made of hardened lava. This beach is white sand from the sea shells that have washed ashore and broken up over the millennia.  Because the huge lava rocks are still intact, the beach does not have black sand. A notable landmark is the black church.

Ytri-Tunga, known for its colony of seals. We saw one seal playing in the water about 100 feet offshore, with several other seals resting on the rocks behind him.  We also saw two families of eider ducks and an oyster catcher dipping into the water for food near shore. Signs had a discussion of the seal hunt in Iceland, which is not commercial, though I did see sealskin items for sale in various places.

Finally after such a long day of sightseeing, we got to our evening destination, the cottages at Snorrastadir Farm near the Eldborg crater.  I was more than happy to roll out my sleeping bag in the back bedroom rooming with Emily for the night.

Here is a huge gallery of more photos from the day. Click any photo to enlarge it.

Tuesday, June 14 – Inside a volcano, dairy farm, and Viking home

Today’s highlights were climbing a volcano, visiting a dairy farm, and seeing the Viking home of Erik the Red.

This bridge marks a major north-south thoroughfare in Iceland.

This bridge marks a major north-south thoroughfare in Iceland.

On the way we stopped at a farm field to see drainage ditches dug into soil.  Dr. Slater explained that the water table in Iceland is high due to snow melting from the mountains and glaciers.  These ditches have environmental repercussions if done all over Iceland because groundwater runs into sea. This dries out the dirt and oxidizes iron.  Also, the glaciers are receding, and Dr. Slater said Iceland is projected to be ice free by 2100. What will that be like?  A lot of the clean drinking water comes from the glaciers.  Even the hot springs business we saw relies on glacier melt.

We then drove over a beautiful bridge over the glacial river Hvita, which means White River. The farm behind river gets cut off by flooding. Although this was a narrow road and one-lane bridge, it was the main thoroughfare between north and south Iceland.

At another stop we saw a raven’s nest in an old quarry.   I got some pictures of the raven chicks and of some different kinds of flowers.

Climbing Grabrok

Then we arrived at the Grabrok volcano.  I am not good at stair steps up, and these steps were endless.   However, I have wanted to see inside a volcano since I was a kid.  I watched everyone else go up and debated whether to go.  Finally I decided that the first set of steps did not look that bad, and I could take breaks, so I set off.

The first set of steps leading up the Grabrok volcano.

The first set of steps leading up the Grabrok volcano.

With a few breaks to catch my breath, I made it up the flight of steps visible from the ground fairly well — but little did I know that when I rounded the corner, there would be another long flight of steps!  I debated going back down, but I had come this far, so after a short rest I started up those steps too. Unfortunately the hand rail stopped about halfway up the second flight.  Again I thought about going back, but when I turned around and looked down, I started to get dizzy.  Clearly going down was going to be harder than going up. So back up I went.

Finally I arrived at the first crater. I could see into it and got some pictures — basically it was a bunch of hardened lava rocks inside.  I’m not sure what else I expected — had it been molten lava, it would not be open for the public to see.  It was still pretty cool.  However, to see into the second crater required climbing up yet another set of steps with no handrail and walking around the edge of the one I had just climbed.  I didn’t think I would be up for that and sat on the bench.

At that point some of the other students (Danielle, Thomas, and Mitch) stopped by and asked how I was doing. They had already been up on the edge and gone all the way around. They said the view was amazing.  I said I probably couldn’t do it.  Danielle then offered to let me take her arm, and she would guide me up and around.  I hesitated at first because I’ve never been in a position where I needed physical help, especially from someone I barely know.  But it was such a kind offer, and without it, I really wasn’t sure I would be able to get down without getting dizzy and risking a fall. So I accepted, and we were able to walk around the entire crater, see the second crater, and get a view of the town below.

Inside the Grabrok volcano.

Inside the Grabrok volcano.

The crater lip was wider than I thought, which helped, and I was able to hold Danielle’s arm most of the way down.  Thomas accompanied us as well, and we were all able to talk and bond while touring.  On the way down we stopped at what looked like an archaeological site near the volcano and got some more photos.  Finally we made it down to the bus, and I was very happy that I had decided to give it a try at the bottom, even though I had no idea at the time just how many steps it involved.  Had I known, I might not have gone, so maybe it was good that about two-thirds of the steps were hidden from view.

On the way to the next stop we saw the landmark Mount Baula.   It looks like a triangle of rock coming out of the earth.  Dr. Slater said it was made of rhyolite and other volcanic leftovers pushed above the earth.  We also saw endless numbers of waterfalls on the side of mountains. Dr. Slater pointed out that Icelanders were trying to reforest by planting trees, but that it’s a little controversial.  Iceland used to be covered with trees, but people had cut them all down through the centuries.  Now the hillsides were being planted with conifers and birch, but not all the trees are native to Iceland, hence the controversy.

Personally I am not sure why that is so important.  Climate change is threatening the existence of humans and every other species, and reforestation is a big part of the solution for sequestering carbon.  We must do reforestation.  Certainly we should plant native trees because those are most likely to thrive.  But if other species of trees also thrive, why not plant them too?  Variety leads to healthier stock and more genetic diversity gives resistance to disease.  The main thing is to get trees planted to help with absorbing all the excess carbon in the atmosphere.

Dairy farm

Dairy cows line up to be milked.

Dairy cows line up to be milked.

The next stop was the Erpsstadir dairy farm. We heard a talk from its owner, Thorgrimur Einar Gudbjartsson — a really interesting guy.  The farm milks 60 cows a day, considered pretty large for Iceland, and produces 85 to 90 calves a year.  Cows deliver their first calf at 2 years old, and start by milking 10 liters in the morning and 7 in the afternoon.  That amount increases each day and peaks at two months.  Once the cow is pregnant again, milk production goes down until it stops six weeks before the next birth.  Calves are left with their mothers in the barn for 100 days.  The males are raised for two years before being sold for meat. The females are raised to replace the milking herd or sold for meat.

The cows are housed in the barn in winter but get access to fresh pasture on nearby mountains all summer.  They are very happy to hit the fields at the start of spring.  The farm keeps two bulls for breeding, and sometimes they are released in the same area as the cow herd to do their thing.  The cows can live a long time with this kind of life. The oldest cow on the farm was born in 2001. She was the first to come in to be milked when the farmer opened the fence to let the cows into the barn.  The breed is simply called Icelandic — a mix of breeds brought by settlers 1100 years ago.

Milking is done robotically.  The cows step into the milking area one by one, then the sensor figures out where to clean the teats and milk the cow.  The cows are generally anxious to get into the milking area to be relieved of the pressure in their udders.  The cows have access to the milking area 24/7.  If there is a problem, the machine will call Gudbjartsson no matter the time of day or night.

In 2008, the farm expanded into the agrotourism business, building a sales and reception area.  They finished just before the financial crash.  They sell teas, skyr, and lots of ice cream.  The other students each tried an ice cream but I opted to buy some skyr.  It tasted a little like very thick buttermilk, heavy and full of protein and probiotics.

Erpsstadir is named after one of first settlers in Iceland.  When the house and barn were first built in 1985, archaeologists found ruins from some of the earliest settlements in Iceland. This area is a good climate for agriculture, and farming has gone on here for 12,000 years.

Erik the Red’s home

Mitch in the doorway of Erik the Red's house.

Mitch in the doorway of Erik the Red’s house.

The next stop was Eirikstaddir, a reconstruction of the home of Erik the Red. We listened to a talk by a costumed guide and got to try out some Viking equipment.  Erik was from Norway, known for his big red hair and beard, and seemed to get into constant trouble.  At one point, a neighbor killed two of his sheep, so he killed neighbor’s two sons and was expelled from valley.

Erik’s house was made of driftwood and constructed so that all the pieces fit together with no nails, so he could take it apart and take with him wherever he went.  When he was expelled, he headed to the Westman Islands, but gave his household items to a friend to keep. Unfortunately the friend would not give the items back, so Erik killed friend and his son too.  That got him expelled from Iceland for three years — if anyone found him, they could legally kill him.

At that point Erik packed up his house and went to Greenland.  All he found was snow and ice, rocks, sea, and nothing green. But he named it Greenland in an attempt to get more settlers to come thinking it would be a good place to farm.  This is often seen as the world’s first marketing ploy.

Yash and Thomas check out the Viking sword.

Yash and Thomas check out the Viking sword.

Erik also sent his own son, Leif Erikson, to the king of Norway to learn how to be a farmer.  When Leif sailed back in 998, he overshot Greenland and ended up on the coast of Canada.  Unlike Greenland, Canada was actually green, so Leif settled there for a few years.  He then rented his house to Europeans and went back to Greenland where he was made head of state.  Erik died in Greenland in 1005 to 1010.  By then 1,000 Europeans had settled on the southwest coast. Leif died in Greenland in 1030.

After seeing Erik’s house, we got a late lunch, then headed to Seljaland to stay at a farm with guest cabins. This area was the home of Tobba’s grandparents, so close to her heart. She led the group on a “one-hour” hike, while I stayed in the room to catch up on some sleep and call home.  Two hours later everyone was back and exhausted from hiking almost straight uphill.  We got an excellent and much-needed dinner and headed to bed.

Here are some more photos from the day.  Click on any photo to enlarge it.

 

Monday, June 13 – Hvalfjörður

hvalfjordur map4

We started early today at 7:30 a.m.  It was hard to get up.  I’ve been having migraines every morning, and this morning was no exception, but it was a little better than yesterday.  I felt somewhat better after breakfast.

Sea tale

Today was spent at Hvalfjörður, or “whale fjord,” which I did my report on (pdf).  On the way, we stopped at a gas station that had information about whaling in Iceland (pdf), which is centered in Hvalfjörð.  While there, our guide Tobba told us about her role in rehabilitating Keiko, the captive orca star of Free Willy.  Keiko was in bad health from being held for years at a substandard amusement park in Mexico, and probably would have died had he been captive another year.  After seeing Free Willy, children found out the actual orca was in captivity and put together a campaign to free him. A foundation funded by the movie studio provided money to rehabilitate Keiko, and he was flown on a military plane to Iceland because that’s where he had been captured years ago.

Tobba works with Keiko in this still from Keiko: The Untold Story.

Tobba works with Keiko in this still from Keiko: The Untold Story.

Tobba worked with Keiko for a few years, and her work was covered in the documentary Keiko: The Untold Story.  She saw to it he got exercise, got in better shape, and encouraged him to join the groups of wild killer whales.  She said that the first year he was scared and hid behind the boat, but the second year he got a little closer, and the third year he followed them. We know he interacted with them because he came back with bite marks on his side.  At one point Keiko was found swimming with children off the coast of Norway, with parents encouraging the kids.  The foundation had to take out a protective order to stop people from letting their kids swim with Keiko.

Keiko lived six years after being freed, which Tobba considers a great success.  She also talked about what a sea pen would look like — a sanctuary for whales freed from captivity. Hvalfjörður would be perfect — just seal off some of the fjord with a net.  In my opinion this needs to happen, so that parks around the world that have these animals in captivity have an option for how to retire them.  Without an option, places like SeaWorld will keep the whales in captivity even if they are no longer using them in shows.

On a sad note, Tobba also talked about Tillikum, the killer whale who killed his trainer and two others.  SeaWorld has been keeping him in a tiny tank, and he is very sick. Tobba said they are keeping him for his sperm. I hope sometime soon we can make the sea pen for orcas happen, and wonder what that would take: How much money, what kind of negotiations with the government of Iceland, how to get the theme parks to send whales there, how much it would cost to take care of them, how to get accreditation for an ocean based sanctuary, etc.

Whale processing station operated by Hvalur HF, in Hvalfjörður, Iceland. Photo: Arnaldur Halldorsson/Bloomberg

Whale processing station operated by Hvalur H/F, in Hvalfjörður, Iceland. Photo: Arnaldur Halldorsson/Bloomberg

I have visited a number of accredited animal sanctuaries across the United States, and every one had a strong founder who had a vision and made it happen. A sea pen is a little more complicated than a land-based sanctuary, but it is the next logical step for dolphins and whales. The whaling station at Hvalfjörð could be turned into a center for caring for whales retired from captivity, rather than killing whales.  Someone would have to buy it from Kristjan Loftsson, owner of Hvalfur H/F whaling company, and he might be reluctant to sell, but if whaling in Iceland continues to lose money, he might come around. I don’t know who would be the right person or people to lead the charge on making this happen, but this is what I would love to see for the future of Hvalfjörður.

After the talk from Tobba, we drove past the Hvalfur whaling station.  Last year students saw a whale being processed, but this year there was no activity.  I was really glad about that. It happened because Loftsson called off the whale hunt this year, and I hope he doesn’t go back. The whale hunt has become unprofitable. Icelanders don’t eat whale meat, so Hvalur has to sell it to Japan which has an oversupply. Many countries do not allow Icelandic ships carrying whale meat to dock, making it hard to transport. It is apparent that the rest of the world does not want Iceland to continue killing an endangered species just to have the meat wind up in dog food.

Glymur

Glymur

Glymur. Photo: World of Waterfalls

We then went to Glymur, the second-tallest waterfall in Iceland at 649 feet.  Glymur had long been considered the tallest waterfall until retreat of the Vatnajökull glacier in eastern Iceland revealed a slightly taller waterfall in 2011.  Glymur, whose name means “rumble” or “clash,” was a popular destination before the Hvalfjörður tunnel was built, as the road around the fjord runs nearby. Although fewer people visit the waterfall now, it is considered one of the most beautiful areas of Iceland.

Glymur is situated just inland from the end of Hvalfjörður. The waterfall is part of the river Botnsá, which originates from Hvalvatn lake to the east. Hvalvatn is a 4 km (2.5 mi) lake surrounded by four volcanic mountains. The river Botnsá flows out west before falling down Hvalfell mountain into a steep canyon, though which it travels before flowing into the fjord.

Crossing the river Botnsá to hike to Glymur. Photo: World of Waterfalls

Crossing the river Botnsá. Photo: World of Waterfalls

The two-hour hike to the top of Glymur waterfall is steep and strenuous but incredibly beautiful. The trail requires hikers to climb rocky hillsides with only a rope for balance, walk narrow pathways with terrifying dropoffs, crawl through caves, and use a narrow log to cross a raging river. But the reward is stunning beauty with a view of the entire waterfall and the canyon below.

I was not able to climb all they way to Glymur though the photos looked gorgeous.  If I had brought hiking poles I might have been able to do it, but the steep steps and trails were more than I could handle.  I did get to the point where I could look over the river and see people going across the log crossing and up the other side.  Tobba and Susie were very kind in walking with me before heading down the steps to the river.

I lay down on that plateau for awhile, had a snack, then headed back.  I had to get to a bathroom, so our bus driver Sigthor took me back to the gas station.  By then it was open, so I used the facilities and got a snack.  When we got back to Glymur, the four guys were done with the hike, and everyone else was not far behind.

Sheep farm

Yash makes some new friends at Bjarteyjarsandur farm.

Yash makes some new friends at Bjarteyjarsandur sheep farm.

We then headed to the Bjarteyjarsandur sheep farm, a popular destination for agrotourism. Bjarteyjarsandur is a working farm run by three families with sheep, horses, free-range hens, cats, dogs, and wool rabbits. Visitors can book a cottage or camp overnight while learning about the farm and participating in activities. Thousands of school children and tourists visit the farm each year.

The experience at Bjarteyjarsandur emphasizes environment and sustainability. The farm’s main product is lamb meat raised organically, but it also sells artisanal handicrafts. Reforestation and soil reclamation are practiced to minimize erosion. Waste is minimized through conservation, reuse and recycling.

Bunnies!

Bunnies!

We got to hold baby rabbits and bottle feed orphan lambs.  I talked to a Canadian girl who was staying at the farm for three weeks in exchange for helping with daily chores. I also bought a wool scarf to replace a favorite scarf I lost last year.

We then headed to a swimming pool that turned out to be closed, and ended up walking on a black sand beach.  We got a geology and fossil lesson from Dr. Slater and got the company of an area dog.  At one point the students found a live starfish on the beach.  We took a few photos, and then I was really happy to see the students put the starfish back into the water.  There was an incident earlier this year when tourists found a sick baby dolphin on the beach.  They passed him around so much for photos that he died. I didn’t want that to happen in our case, and it didn’t.

Finally we got to a swimming pool in Borgarnes.  Since I hadn’t gotten in a full hike earlier in the day, I went right for lap swimming.  I got in 30 laps before it was time to go, and felt much better afterwards.

Here are a few more photos from the day. Click on any image to enlarge it: