Amongst thunderous waterfalls and lava flows.

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Today was incredible. After a stay at an unusual hotel which looked a bit like a prisoner of war camp we left in 5 degrees of cold. (The hotel was one of the boarding schools which exist in Iceland. Luckily we were staying in the modern bit as the old building looked dreadful. However, not to judge a book by its cover the dreadful building housed an elegant dining room where we had a delicious supper of peppered pork. )

In the morning we headed towards the most powerful waterfall in Europe...Dettifoss! The journey to get there took us over high peaks again with baren lunar looking landscapes. The road to Dettifoss was narrow and made of gravel. We stopped at a small farmstead up in the middle of nowhere. How these farmers live throughout the year is amazing. There was the sweetest little petrol station there which had to get a high vote if anyone starts a travel forum on petrol stations!

The skills of our driver was tested particularly when the car in front would not let us overtake. Still we made it in the end without hitting the oncoming coach! The waterfall was just superb. It thundered down into the gorge below. I do seem to be using that word a lot over here. The walk to the main falls was short and view was breathtaking. The waterfall tumbles into the huge gorge of the Jokulsa-Fjollum river. The photos just tell it all!. A pleasant walk further up took us to second falls where we had a very picturesque packed lunch. We voted this the best place to have a lunch this holiday.

After our lunch we drove onto the volcanic area near the Viti crater. This was an fantastic place which showed what had happened to the landscape after the 1984 eruption. The smell of sulphur was very strong as we made our way up to the crater. The steam was still rising from the crater and the colours ranged from orange to cream to yellow to red and black. The ground was warm to the touch and the whole area seemed baren and desolate.


Later we visited the mud pools and fumerules which bubbled and toiled in the steam. This again was another spectacular site with very few people there. That is what is great about Iceland... the lack of people,so a photographer's dream. The smell was strong again but the atmosphere to odd to describe.

Before returning to the hotel, as the weather was sunny, we stopped at the Godfoss waterfall. Its name meaning 'waterfall of the Gods.'

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Photos

An interesting hotel.
At least the food was brilliant!