volcano

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.

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.