Wait just a minute! What's all this part one business? Pick the good parts and get on with it lady! We haven't got all day.
The problem with picking the good parts is that there were so many of them. During this time of year the sun never really sets in Iceland. Oh sure, it goes below the mountains, but there is sunshine 24/7. And when you're in a place as gorgeous as this, you can't stay indoors or go to bed at a decent hour.
Oh. Well in that case, get on with it then!
Thank you. I will...
Day two got kicking with lots of caffeinated beverages and picking up the rental car. We were headed to The Golden Circle, a trio of Iceland's marquis natural wonders.
First on the list, Thingvellir National Park. Iceland had the world's first democratic parliament. Snore inducing? Not quite! They chose the most incredible location for tribal chieftains (aka Viking-esque men) to meet and talk a little policy, on the shores of a glacial lake where two continental plates (North America and Eurasia) are very slowly drifting apart.
After soaking up some national history (and clearing myself of being a witch, they would drown you at the bottom of the falls back in the good ol' days), we headed to our second stop, Geysir.
Now Icelanders are lovely people, but as I mentioned previously, their national tongue is quite difficult. All geysers in the world are named after this one, but they say it like gay-sir. Yes I am, and proud of it! You might reply. But they're really just talking about geo-thermally heated water that turns to steam and blasts out any cooler water trapped above it, so don't get too frisky yet.
The government there is a big believer in social darwinism. While there might be paths to keep you from trampling nature, there are not any blockades or ropes to keep humans out of harm's way. The idea being that if you are dumb enough to get close to the boiling hot water then you probably need to learn a lesson and nobody is interested in paying your medical bills afterwards. We actually saw a group of kids get totally drenched (the water had cooled, so no worries) when their parents urged them to stand on the down-wind side of one of the geysers for a picture. Everyone laughed and ran away from the water without the thought of a lawsuit crossing anyone's mind. How do attorneys here stay in business?
The third and final stop on the Golden Circle tour was Gullfoss, the mother of all Icelandic waterfalls!
The dot standing on the cliff above the massive rush of water is actually Barrett. Mother Nature made us feel pretty tiny that day.
After all of our hiking, oohing, and aahing we drove an hour to what was reported to be the best lobster dinner in all of Iceland. Reports are true!
A starter of lobster bisque, 2 pounds of lobster for 3 people to share, and delicious slices of chocolate cake should have equaled a total food coma. But it was only 10pm, and the sun was still shining. Time for an hour and a half hike to a thermal river! But that is a blog for another day...
Happy Reading,
Megan
These posts are great! I love your storytelling. :) Yay, you're back to blogging! Keep writing my friend...
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