“Iceland is not a place to spend time if you don’t like the great outdoors and are expecting a bustling nightlife- outside Reykjavik are few entertainments laid on. But the spectacular unspoiled landscape and relaxed lifestyle are reasons alone for taking a trip”
– More Woman Travel- A Rough Guide Special
“Golden Circle Tour-“Visit Thingvellir, a Viking landmark, See Gullfoss falls, Great Geyser, and a geothermal greenhouse.8 hours,daily at 9AM,tour will pick up at hotel approx 30 minutes prior.”
The Golden Circle Tour redeems my attitude. It was truly enjoyable, and it would be horrible if you came here and did not get to see the natural beauty that lays outside of the city.
I was concerned that being a Tour Bus activity that it would be lame (Disneyish) and that the fellow travelers would be unbearable. Luckily not a single obnoxious person was with us, a quiet group, and I was really wowed by the tour. I was skeptical because I had read this tour is the most common tourist activity in the country, but if you do not have a car, or a knowledge of the land,how would you even find out about any of the countryside? “Pingthar” their National Park, is stunning. Just to see the mountains, and moss covered lava beds was enough.
There was a fair enough travel time too as we were driven out of the city, that I fell asleep in the bus for awhile (not sleeping so well the night before and then sleeping through the alarm- B got us up at 8am, much to my panic). I am so glad I had some foresight to figure we would be tired for at least two days, because I think the bus travel would have been grueling even yesterday. I finally felt fine after getting some food and coffee into me. B is still a little shaky.
So the Golden Circle Tour consists of first stopping off at a Greenhouse which was pretty touristy, but it was warm! We have been really lucky with the weather- only the wind has been trying, although it was blowing so hard it gave B a headache. Today was clear and we had sun for a bit. The Greenhouse was basically a pit stop to sell souvenirs and a place to use the bathroom.
This was followed by a stop at a large crater blown out by volcanic action which you witnessed from above a ravine.
Next we drove one hour (this is where we both dozed) until we got to the Gullfoss Falls, which I found beautiful. We were told at one point in time they were thinking of doing away with the falls and turning it into a harness for electrical power, but a farm girl protested so effectively (even threatening to throw herself over the falls), that they saved the falls in its natural state. The weather was extremely windy, and of course we were all there for one reason with our cameras and video tapes. I found it too cold to spend the allotted half hour looking at it and headed back into the bus.
The scenery on the ride to the Falls is sparse and almost barren, but I find it stunning. You have the mountains bookending the landscape of lava fields and small occasional horse farms everywhere you look. We went through an area where the Icelandic summer cottages are. They looked like mini scaled down colorful versions of their regular houses in the city, very toy like. The tour guide is informative and interesting, filling us in on bits and pieces of knowledge about where we are.
Our next stop was the to see the geysers or as our guide also said “geezers”. There was one that basically performs on command every 5 minutes and then other little scattered hot pots.
You could see this was basically a tourist destination, (albeit a very beautiful one!)which became more apparent as we crossed the road to have our lunch. We dined at the Geyser Hotel, which was a buffet of pickled herring, salmon, smoked salmon, salmon cakes, meat and vegetables (I am pretty much in heaven here with all this fish, water and nature- I never knew how much I missed it). B said between the buffet lunch and Tom Jones soundtrack they had rolling the whole time we were there, that he felt like he was in Las Vegas. The girls next to us laughed and imagined they could easily see Siegfried and Roy joining us.
Outside I requested B to take a picture of me next to the man-made geyser some handy person had constructed on the back side of the hotel attached to the restaurant. Said handy person had rigged up a lawn sprinkler placed in a pile of snow to resemble the action going on across the street. I thought it was very funny in the sense of “man versus nature”.
Post lunch, we rode on to a church, which is more of that beautiful stark Scandinavian architecture, really out in the middle of nowhere with stained glass mosaic windows. I was glad to have stopped there, it was a strange sight to see. B was wondering who the heck drives there to go to services. I imagine that their sense to getting around is a little less defined than ours.
On to Thingvellir. (or Pingvellir, the P being an Icelandic letter that doesn’t exist in English or on my keyboard)- I am embarrassed to say my eyes almost glazed over when I heard we were going to the grounds of the worlds oldest surviving parliament. I was fearing a repeat of a droning lecture like the one that occurs in Philadelphia at the Liberty Bell.
Suddenly though our guide announced we were in their National Park and we drove by more moss covered lava beds and then by actual Tectonic Plates that were separating at our eye level. I was blown away by the landscape. They let us out and we took a walk by this huge wall of Grey Basalt and moss, and climbed to a look-over that surveyed all the mountains and the lava beds. After a good amount of surveying time they drove us back.
As I said, I can’t imagine going to Iceland and not experiencing the landscape. We drove by the now deceased author Haldor Laxness’s house on the way back Reykjavik. It was way out in some remote lava fields, outside of Thingvellir. I feel rejuvenated and completely pleased that I have some knowledge of this country.
We are now back at the hotel room, drinking a little wine, watching the end of “In The Company of Men”. Tonight we have dinner and then tomorrow another tour and then bam! its over. I couldn’t help thinking I have got to look into ways how to prevent jet lag, which basically ruined half of our trip. I can’t help think it colored both our ideas of this city the first couple of days so it took until today to get that real vacation feeling…. I suppose if you feel shitty enough you can dislike any place.
Another side note, I was thanking our good luck in not being able to get here before now. I originally thought it would be “interesting” to come here in January (B doesn’t know about that!). Oh for god’s sake, you wouldn’t be able to see anything(official statistics state average hours of sunlight per day in December: 0.3, in January:04, in February :1.7)except the Aurora Borealis, which would also be great to see, but would it be worth it to brave the cold? I don’t think I am such a trooper.
We are going to try to eat MORE FISH TONIGHT! I wish I could easily adapt the Icelandic diet, fish, lots of coffee (always either a French Press full or a full thermos! with milk and sugar) and black rye bread that tastes like cake.
Of course,Reykjavik totally redeems itself! This is a totally different and more lovable town on Monday night. B took us out for a very gourmet (albeit expensive )meal at Tveur fiskar, a very upscale and not apparently visited by Americans restaurant. They make the kind of fancy food sculptures that B hates. But the food was good, although perhaps a bit too expensive (7,670Kr = $88.16 + 24.50% VAT).I had the two-fish special (Tveir Fiskar), B had the lamb (Lambafillet Poivre). It was all delicious, but outside of our full and satisfied stomachs we both agreed we kind of liked the simplicity of last night’s dinner better.
Of course,Reykjavik totally redeems itself! This is a totally different and more lovable town on Monday night. B took us out for a very gourmet (albeit expensive )meal at Tveur fiskar, a very upscale and not apparently visited by Americans restaurant. They make the kind of fancy food sculptures that B hates. But the food was good, although perhaps a bit too expensive (7,670Kr = $88.16 + 24.50% VAT).I had the two-fish special (Tveir Fiskar), B had the lamb (Lambafillet Poivre). It was all delicious, but outside of our full and satisfied stomachs we both agreed we kind of liked the simplicity of last night’s dinner better.