Akureyri, rhymes with
Tipperary.
Iceland is located on a
hotspot on the mid Atlantic ridge - an active volcanic area, the only place where
the ridge is above sea level, the island spans join between the North American
tectonic plate and the Eurasian tectonic plate, spreading at about 2cms per
year.
Iceland was settled in
about 874 AD by the Vikings.
Akureyri, northern
Iceland, ice free port and centre for the fishing industry.
Woke up this morning as we sailed up the fjord to
Akureyri. Lots of passengers getting off
to join their excursions, ship much quieter.
Went to the morning trivia, joined another couple and managed
to win the prize, a bottle of ship's champagne.
After a light lunch joined our tour group for our excursion.
Off we go, weather holding up fairly well, rather overcast
and cool, no actual rain though rainbows in sight so must be some around.
First stop, potty break for all the old folk. Then straight off to Namaskard thermal area for wafts of sulphur, steam
vents and boiling mud pools.
Next to Dimmuborgir to see weirdly shaped lava
formations. A bit of imagination all
needed to see the formations as trolls, used by the Icelanders to entertain
children especially at Christmas.
Just one of Iceland's many 'Trolls'
A local snack provided for us at the adjacent Kafe, a tasty
bread cooked by geothermal heat underground, served with smoked arctic char and
followed by a bit of chocolate cake, all with a welcome cup of coffee.
Then onward to view the pseudo craters, in the only real rain
we have seen all day, therefore a short visit!
The craters formed when lava met water and formed bubbles which burst to
form circular craters looking just like meteor impact craters.
Lastly to Godafoss waterfall, a quite spectacular waterfall,
best viewed from some quite tricky rocks to clamber over, luckily no accidents
among the viewers and luckily no health and safety notices! Godafoss named because Thorgeir Thorkelsson,
who was chosen from among the Icelanders to decide for the whole population
whether to retain the Norse pagan gods or to embrace Christianity. After deciding for the best practical reasons
to choose Christianity, that was to save Iceland from being invaded by the
Christian Norwegian Kings, and to allow anyone who wished to to retain their
Norse gods "in secret". To
prove his commitment he threw all his pagan idols into the waterfall, forever
thereafter called Gods Waterfall, Godafoss.
And so back to the ship just in time for sailaway.
Then to the buffet for dinner and an almost early night, the
day proving rather tiring.
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