Iceland August 2010 - Day 8: Varmahlid - Reykjavik

Today we said goodbye to our lovely summer cottage in Varmahlid. We would spend the last night in Reykjavik before we flight back to Germany tomorrow.
Thus we started a little bit wistfully at 11 o’clock and drove the ring road about Blönduos down in the direction of Reykjavik. We inserted in Hvammstangi once more an interstop and visited the seal centre. A small and affectionately furnished museum in the tourist information. If you have time you should take the time for a stop in this nice museum. Beside stuffed, different sea dogs and seals the visitor gets useful information all around the animal type. Another tip in the small town is the filling station in the end of the town. Here a really service expected us, very friendly Icelanders and one can eat well and favourably sandwiches or hamburgers. It is worthwhile to insert a short rest in Hvammstangi, even if this town lies in 6 km from the ring road.
Further we went afterwards in the direction of Reykjavik. We made a short stop for Bifröst at the volcanos Grabrok, directly at the ring road. Here you can hike to the volano and from there you have an impressive scenery.
The journey to Reykjavik ran quietly and we used the tunnel on account of lack of time again which is not expensive with 900 kr and shortens the distance about at least 1 hour. Who has, nevertheless, enough time, should drive round the fjord Hvalfjördur. In Reykjavik we  had some problems to find our appartment because it was in another building and they forgot the advice. But after I called the staff of the appartment and spoke with a very friendly Icelander, we reached for our apparment.

However, finally, we found the big flatlet and after we made ourselves briefly fresh, we still explored Reykjavik.
Unfortunately, I must say which resembles in the high-level season Reykjavik of any other city. A lot of loud youngsters, show driving by cars and a hectic rush which was very strenuous after one week in the north, nevertheless.
We stay in a nice bar ((Svarta Kaffid) in the main shopping street and there we ordered “Soup in Bread”. This bar we can highly recommend to you.  A great thing and the soup tasted really good. Moreover, we had a good view of many cars which crowded the narrow street Laugavegur to the show over and over again down. Much American Bleck which was polished to bright lustre and was held really in shot drove past. Corvette, Cadilac, mustang…. a whole series of cars thundered the street down.
Then at midnight we returned again in the hotel.

(Deutsch) Sorgen

(Deutsch) Vergangenheit

(Deutsch) Weisheit

(Deutsch) Etwas böse

(Deutsch) Erfolg

(Deutsch) Zielsetzung

Iceland August 2010 - Day 7: Akureyri and Aldeyarfoss

On this day we planned a stay in the nice city Akureyri and the waterfall Aldeyarfoss.  Sunshine and pleasant temperatures welcomed the day.

We drove past on the ring road Akureyri first and further up to the yellow small house Fossholl with the Godafoss. Here we bent inwards on the street No. 843 and it now an approx. 50 km long journey on a grit runway expected us. However, this was in better state than expected and thus we made headway very well. After we drove a very adventurous road we parked the car next to a signboard which informed us about a 2.4 km footpath to the waterfall. Nevertheless the footpath seems to be endless and I think we walked 4.2 km. Partially it was not easy to follow the little white signs during the area.
But then the beautifull Aldeyarfoss excused the long walk. In the mids of basalt there was the waterfall. And the Icelander  was right, it is a rather small waterfall, however, the surroundings makes him a right highlight.

After half an hour of amazement and taking photos we started the way back again. Then in Akureyri we made first of all with the tourist info hold and enquired the pelican crossing of the nice town by foot. Then we searched the botanical garden whose directions only confused and did not lead to the aim. Finally, we found him only by intuition. As a small tip: Of the sign-posting to the hospital follow the hill, because the botanical garden is at an angle towards.
Info boards and a really nicely invested garden expected us. Here beside Icelandic plants one found a lot of other kinds from all over the world. Partially it is done research here after new plants which resist the conditions in Iceland.
Afterwards we went again back to Varmahlid.

Angels new hair styling

Angel, our rosette-mix guinea pig had very long and nice hair. But the last time he was nerved by this hair and you couldn’t see where is the end and the head of this guinea pig. So we decided to cut the hair.

Okay, the new hairstyling is very trendy and lively but I miss his long hair.

Angel before the hair cut:

Angel after the hair cut:

Hedgehof in the compost pile

Yesterday Steffen found an hedgehog in our compost pile. The big question is how he get in there.

Well, in the evening we free him after we build a new, little compost pile next to the pieplant. And after he sat there a while he looked around, eat some cat food we offered him and disappeard in the pieplant. A very cute and nice animal such a hedgehog

The compost pile the hedgehog was trapped

Our new compost pile for the hedgehog

Steffen free him with gloves

Highlights of our trip to Iceland, August 2010

Well, for me it is always diffucult to separate the Highlights of a Iceland trip. Why? Because the hole island is wonderful, amazing, fascinating and breathtaking. And full of natural energy of course.

But now I want to share with you some highlights of our trip anyway:

Flight:

Well we flight to Iceland via the class Economy Comfort with Icelandair. Economy Comfort means that you have access to the launge in Frankfurt airport, more space in the airplane (two seats per side) and better service. And I have to say that we all enjoyed this class. In the launge you have free access to wireless, something to drink and some little food. So we started our trip with beer for the men and of course sparkling wine for me. In the plane we had the possibility to choose good food and drinks, too. And the security check was more better than in the economy class.

Summer cottage and car:
We rent a car from “Procar”, a icelandic little car rental company. And it was perfect, again. Friendly staff and the fact, that we received a larger car and a gps free of charge.

And our summer cottage “Varmi” was perfect, too. As the other one in the South of Iceland it was booked via “Viator.is”

Husavik
In 2008 we visited this little and nice town in the north first. And now again we were pleased of the charm. The harbour, the colorfull houses and the view of the sea. Perfect. The whale watching with the company “North Sailing” was adventurous and we could recommend the whale museum next to the harbour, too. Please stay here for a while and visit this lovely whale museum.

Birdmuseum next to  Myvatn
The whole area of the lake Myvatn is beautifull. But a highlight was the little bird museum with the friendly staff and the lovely primed birds. If you visit the area of Myvatn, you should visit the bird museum, the Dimmuborgir and the bath of Myvatn.

Godafoss:
the nice waterfall lies next to the ring road, so take a break and visit this waterfall

Aldeyarfoss:
this wonderful waterfall is a insider tip. It’s amazing but you should take a half day for the waterfall because of the long walk

Hvammstangi:
This village is next to the ring road (only 6km away) and you should visit it. In the nice little harbour you can find the seal museum, too. For us it was a highlight and beautifull as the bird and whale museum. The filling station in Hvammstangi we could recommend, too. Why? Because there was a very friendly Icelander who helped us with the filling and give us very good hamburger. And the atmosphere in this little filling station was so good because of this Icelander. Super service!

Saudarkrokur
This town is very nice and you should stay here for a while. Colorfull and nice houses as weel as a nice harbour we meet there. We eat in the blue restaurant “Olafshus” and enjoyed our stay and meal there very much. Dieter and Steffen reccomend the Special Burger But you can also eat fish, soup of the day, lamb and other good food for good prices.

Siglufjördur:
It’s a nice and typical fishing village and lays next to a wonderful fjord. The drive to the village was adventurous because of the tunnel and the road along the coast. There you can find a hering museum, a nice harbour, colorful houses and a filling stationg. Here again we were welcomed by a funny and friendly Icelander.

Akureyri:
We enjoyed our stay in this beautiful town very much. The botanic garden is an insider tip for all people who like flowers and plants. It’s a nice place to stay for a while.

Bar Svarta Kaffid:
In this bar and restaurant in Reykjavik you can find the famous “Soup in Bread”. We can recommend this meal because we tried it and the soup was very good. The staff was friendly, too.

Burgerhut Bullan
Another insider tip for Reykjavik. This hut is next to the harbour where the whale watching tours starts. It’s a little and nice hut and a lot of icelandic people stay here to eat a burger. And this burger are very very good. You should eat one of them! The staff is happy and the facility is Rock’Roll like. For us it was the successful ending of our vacation in Iceland.

(Deutsch) Die grundlegende Wahrheit

(Deutsch) Der Klügere gibt nach…

(Deutsch) Kulturelle Entwicklung

Northern lights

August 2010 we saw the northern lights during our vacation in North Iceland. It was fascinating and breathtaking. The hole sky was enlightened with the green northern lights. Here some pictures from this fascinating nature phenomenon.

Iceland August 2010 - Day 6: Peninsula Tröllasgagi

Today we wanted to discover the other peninsula at the fjord Skajafjördur and after a comfortable breakfast we drive from Varmahlid over the street No.46 to Hofsos.  Again we had blue sky, sunshine and pleasent temperature. Iceland appeared once more of its wonderful side and the sunshine dipped the country in strong colours. Black rocks and coasts alternated with full green and puce rock. The distance in the fjord along Skagafjördur is really wonderful and if  good weather you has great view of the small rock islands Drangey, Malmey and the peninsula Pordarhöld. In Hofsos is a nice view point with info board. Here we made a briefly stop and  shot many wonderful pictures. We went to a short tank stop further on the well developed street to Siglufjördur. The tunnel shortly before this sweet small town is really adventurous. Since the tunnel is single-track and 800 metres long. What we are doing if there is a other car?  There are lay-bays for the cars and the rule is that one direction of the traffic always have to wait as soon as a other car appears. This system works very good with the Icelandic people but with the tourists, well I don’t know but in this area there aren’t many tourists.
The small Siglufjördur smelling of fish really counts to a confidential tip. One can make stop in the heringmuseum or anyway in the harbour. There we also made a short stop for a burger at the filling station and found there once more a happy and friendly Icelander.

Then we further went to Olafsfjördur and again about a grit runway. Also here one should adapt the speed again to the blow holes. From Olafsfjördur we further went to Dalvik and, finally, direction Akureyri and then again back to Varmahlid. At 20 o’clock we arried the house and today we decided to have a great barbeque with fish and steak.

We enjoyed very much the barbeque and the boys drank a orginal german Erdinger wheat beer  which we had found the day before in a Vinbud.
We let the evening then comfortably with DVD’s, a bath in the Hot to pot and a glass of sparkling wine end.

(Deutsch) Botschaft

(Deutsch) Sommer

(Deutsch) Stetigkeit

(Deutsch) Glück