Chris and Deirdre Iceland Getaway Day 4

Today was a six-hour small group excursion: Golden Circle Afternoon Small Group Tour from Reykjavik. It started at noon, so we were racing the sun to see everything before dark. Though our guide was not particularly knowledgeable, she was quirky, and I enjoyed learning her story.

Overall, the Icelandic people we met were very sincere and open. Their culture is unique - primarily due to the harsh environment, the small population, and their semi- to total isolation from the world for over 1,000 years until WWII - and they are earnest in their desire for us to understand themselves, their history, and their culture.

This activity was booked through Viator.com.

Thingvellir National Park

Per Google: Þingvellir (Thingvellir) is a historic site and national park in Iceland, east of Reykjavík. It's known for the Alþing (Althing), the site of Iceland's parliament from the 10th to 18th centuries. On the site are the Þingvellir Church and the ruins of old stone shelters. The park sits in a rift valley caused by the separation of 2 tectonic plates, with rocky cliffs and fissures like the huge Almannagjá fault.

Gullfoss Waterfall

Water from the glacier Langjökull flows down the Hvítá River before pouring 105 feet down the Gullfoss’ two stages in a dramatic display of nature’s raw power. The first, shorter cascade is 36 feet and the second drop is 69 feet. The canyon walls on both sides are up to 230 feet and lead into the Gullfossgjúfur canyon.

Geysir Geothermal Area and the Strokkur Geyser

The Haukadalur valley area contains the Hvítá River as well as the geysers Strokkur (Strɔhkʏr̥) and Geysir (which gave us the word 'geyser.') Strokkur dependably erupts every 4 to 10 minutes, but the bigger Geysir erupts rarely. Stokkur usually reaches a height of 49–66 feet, although it can reach 130 feet high. More than 40 smaller hot springs, mud pots, and fumaroles are in the area.

Kerið Volcanic Crater

Kerið, a volcanic crater lake, is part of the Western Volcanic Zone, which includes the Reykjanes peninsula and the Langjökull Glacie. It is located in the Grímsnes area in south Iceland and is only 6,500 years old. The caldera is approximately 180 feet deep, 558 feet wide, and 886 feet across and consists of a unique red volcanic rock. It was almost dark when we arrived, so the pictures aren't great, and we didn't have time to go into or around the crater.

Shopping in Reykjavik

Reykjavik is very much a tourist town. Many friendly Icelanders, proud of their history and lore, are ready to share at the drop of a hat. Likewise, many locally-owned stores and craftspeople sell Icelandic products.

The controversy for many residents is that quaint, historic areas near the harbor were torn down to build large metal and glass high-end chain stores such as Rolex and H&M. These buildings block the view of Reykjavik’s Old Harbor and Faxafloi Bay, and the stores rarely have customers. One local said, "We built them for you," but the tourists don't seem impressed.