Visiting the Land of Fire and Ice, Part 3

With Andrea behind Seljalandsfoss Waterfall

Who knew that I was a nature person? As a kid my parents would encourage me to put down my book and go outside and play. But those fictional worlds were so much more interesting than playing kickball (at which I shockingly did not excel). And my parents were not exactly what I'd call outdoorsy, so family outings to a park were not part of our routine. Old habits die hard, especially with today's constant beckoning of screens. But getting up close and personal with the beauty of Iceland rejuvenated me in a way I never anticipated.  

Seljalandsfoss was the first stop on our road trip and our first of several waterfalls. Of course I've visited waterfalls before, including the powerful Niagara Falls. But I felt like a kid seeing a waterfall for the first time as we approached Seljalandsfoss. And that was before I realized we could walk behind the downpour of water to get a 360 degree perspective. Color me happy. 

While tourists abound at the most famous locales in Iceland, the sites are not commercial. You can just walk right up to them at any time of the day or night, with no fee required. I was disturbed to learn that a proposal to build a visitors' center at Seljalandsfoss has been floating around since 2017. So far the project has been blocked, and I hope that continues to be the case. For some better images of this waterfall, including a beautiful video, click here.  And as goofy as this might sound, Justin Bieber's music video "I'll Show You" was shot at Seljalandsfoss and is pretty spectacular. You can check that out by clicking here.  

Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, which feeds into Diamond Beach

Pretty much everyone who goes to Iceland explores the sites on the Golden Circle. It's an easy day trip from Reykjavik and can be done by car or on one of the many group tours offered. Of course we wanted to experience those wonders. But when doing my research, I became fixated on visiting Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach. The destination is far enough east that only those day trippers who are up for a 15+ hour outing venture that far. Happily, we decided to spend two nights on the south coast of Iceland, so we had plenty of time. And we quite brilliantly had arranged for a private guide/driver, which was a wonderful way to travel. Hershey shared all kinds of history and folk stories with us as we peered out the car windows at the passing landscape.

This shot of the Glacier Lagoon was taken with my phone, so you can imagine how spectacular it is in person. The "ice cubes" that break off from the resident glacier flow down the Jokulsa River towards the Atlantic Ocean. Some of the ice cubes go off course and end up on the black beach. The ice sparkles and shines on the sand; hence, the name Diamond Beach. For more professional images and a video (shot of course at the most optimal time), click here. 

On basalt rocks

Speaking of black beaches, Reynisfjara Beach was yet another memorable spot. The color of the sand is a result of volcanic activity. But it's the basalt columns and caves that make the location so unique. Climbing up on the columns for a photo isn't highly recommended. But how could I miss an opportunity like this? The basalt is just so beautiful, and I didn't venture that high. 

While tourists are cautioned against climbing on the columns, they're not the most dangerous thing about this location. Nope. That would be the "sneaker waves." Hershey had told us about the waves in advance, but he felt that the weather conditions made the outing very low risk. 

For tourists traveling without a guide, posted notices explain the danger. "Sneaker waves, a.k.a. killer waves, are extremely dangerous waves that occur frequently here at Reynisfjara Beach. These powerful waves arrive without warning and can easily sweep an adult out to sea in a matter of seconds. Exposure to the cold sea water can cause cold water paralysis in the limbs within minutes and your risk of drowning is extremely likely." The notice goes on but we got the point and didn't venture too close to the water or linger too long at the site. To see more images of Reynisfjara Beach and a video of a small sneaker wave, click here. 

On the search for wildings in Pingvellir National Park 

While I could keep writing indefinitely about the natural beauty of Iceland, I will leave you with just one more incredible site. 

Pingvellir National Park is a location most tourists visit, and for good reason. Pingvellir (pronounced "Thingvellir") was where the Vikings held their first annual democratically elected parliament session in the year 930. The site continued to be used for this purpose until 1798 when the parliament was relocated to Reykjavik. 

But Pingvellir is more than just historically significant. The park is full of stunning locations, including an eight kilometer gorge covered with lava rock. (Sadly, we didn't have time to walk the whole thing.)  We weren't surprised to learn that Pingvellir was one of the places in Iceland where the Game of Thrones was shot. We came upon numerous spots during our trip where I could envision dragons dive bombing us or the guards of the Night Watch looking on. A rewatch of the series is definitely in order. For some stills of GoT scenes shot at Pingvellir, click here. And for more on Pingvellir National Park and its wonders, click here. 

If you've gotten the idea that I am now an official member of the Iceland Chamber of Commerce, you've got that right. I have practically been walking up to strangers on the street to tell them about our trip and that they must go to this amazing place. It's a vacation I'll never forget. 

Final installation: Art with Icelandic Themes