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Sorry it has been so long we have been busy having fun



July 6, 2009, Monday, The Farm, to Kerw Crater. to Icelandic Ponies, to Skalholt Church, to Geysir, to Gulfoss, to Pinavellis, NP, to Reykjavik, to Hertz, to our apartment in Reykjavik, Iceland.
Breakfast at the farm is 8 to 9, we are awake at 5 AM, so we decide to eat our banana and begin our tour of Iceland.
Our first stop along 35 is Krew Crater, a 55 meter deep volcanic crater, about 3,ooo years old. It is part of a group of volcanic hills and is now filled with water creating a lake.
Just up the road is Skalholt an ancient manor farm and bishopric whose history dates back to the year 1056. For centuries a school was operated here and was a leading education institution in Iceland.
Our next stop if Geysir, the best known geyser in the world. Geysir has lent its name to the English language in order to christen the phenomenon of the periodically spouting hot spring.
We continue on to Gullfoss Waterfalls. It is actually two separate waterfalls. We stopped here for some breakfast and then hiked up to the falls. It is an impressive waterfalls and folks are permitted to hike up close and personal. WOW!
Heading back toward Reykjavik, our next stop is Pingvellir (Alping) NP. This is a national shrine of all Icelanders and on the UNESCO World Heritage List. This place epitomizes the history of Iceland.
Iceland was conceived when the European and North American continents collided. The history of Iceland began in the Age of Settlement (870-930) when large numbers of settlers arrived mainly from Norway, but also Ireland and the Scottish Islands. People began to establish a formal system of government. This NP, Pingvellir, was the site of the founding of Alpingi, the parliament of Iceland in the year 930, and was Iceland’s legislative and chief judicial authority until 1271.
The Pingvellir area forms part of the volcanic fissure zone running right through Iceland. This zone is part of the tectonic plate boundaries of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Over the past 10,000 years the valley’s appearance has been shaped by the spreading and sinking of the Earth’s crust.
Back on the road, we go to Reykjavik to find our little apartment and drop off our luggage before returning the Hertz rental car. The apartment is quite nice and very modern in design. It overlooks the huge cathedral Hallgrimskirka, a major attraction in the city, but it currently is undergoing repairs.
It has been a busy day, can you tell we are trying to jam as much in as possible. A final stop at the market so we can have supper at “home” and relax.
Now this is Iceland and it is July, so we have sunshine 24 hours a day; however, we have not figured the remote control to close the blinds?! There are five remotes?!

July 7, 2009, Tuesday, our apartment in Reykjavik, Iceland.
After a stop at the Tourist Info, we are off with map in hand, on a walking tour of Reykjavik for a few hours.
The National Museum of Iceland is next on out list and we timed our visit to coincide with an English tour. Our guide is very informative and we learn a great deal about the history of Iceland. The ancient artifacts, furniture, clothing, books, documents, and tools help tell Iceland’s story through the years.
As we walked along the main shopping streets, Reykjavik like other capital cities, has lots of “stuff” to sell.
The harbor was our choice for a late lunch/early dinner. Seafood Kabobs with veggies is our choice for a meal, outside on the porch overlooking the ocean. Nice!
Tomorrow will be a busy travel day. Our flight bus will pick us up at the hotel across the street at 4:50 AM.

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