Churches

The cathedral in Reykjavik

The cathedral in Reykjavik.

There are churches everywhere in Iceland. Every little village seems to have a church, sometimes only big enough to seat about twenty people. Beautiful stained glass windows in most of the bigger churches. This is just a little selection for you to see.

A luxurious couple of days!!

We are now at Hofn, which is pronounced like a hiccough on a breath in!!!! HUUB---sucked in!!!!

We are staying at a very nice guesthouse with comfortable beds. The night before last we got VERY wet---at least the tents did. We couldn't eat at the campsite because there was no shelter, so we beakfasted at the Beithdalvisk Hotel, and then jumped into the car to drive to Hofn. We had had quite a nice break---spent the afternoon in the pub catching up on internetting etc. However, it rained like a bastard during the night. Tent sodden, shelter (new) sodden. I got up at 5am and sat in the car writing. The warmest place was the toilet---nicely heated!!! Population of Breithdalvik is about 180----and one of them, the lady in charge of the post office is originally from Rotorua, so she came over for a chat. She married an Icelandic bloke, and they spend most of their time in Iceland, with trips back to NZ quite frequently.

One of the features of the Icelandic landscape is water----the waterfalls are many, and some are SPECTACULAR in their power! Some photos of some of them for you to look at!! You could be stopping every few kilometres to photograph them---if you so desired!!

Grimsey Island

This is best known as Iceland's true piece of Arctic Circle. We took a flight from Akureyri out to Grimsey in a tiny eight seater plane, which was lovely for Ross and Jane who are not the best of fliers!! It was a little bumpy in places, but mostly pretty good.

The little plane that took us to Grimsey and back.

Jane and Ross and a smiling Portuguese woman!!

The photo opportunity place for the Arctic Circle photos.

Ross taking the opportunity!!!

Puffins!! SO cute!!

Puffins

Buttercups!!!

Picninc in the buttercups!! Aida, please notice I am wearing the hat you knitted for me!! You can probably see that it was a little chilly!!!

It's the place to go to view puffins and their antics, and to have a picnic lunch, and to say that you crossed the Arctic Circle. We now all have a certificate to prove that!!!! We had a lovely picnic lunch which Jane had organized from the Akureyri Edda Hotel, and we sat down amongst the myriads of buttercups to eat it. It was really nice.

The Phallological Museum, Husavik

The outside of the Phallological Museum, Husavik.

A sculpture outside the museum, which gives you an idea of what you might find inside!!

Interesting photo, which we all had a bit of a giggle about!!

The casts of the Icelandic Handball team!!!!!

This sculpture is a protest about the drug Viagra. The artist believes that nature should not be interefered with!! And he's probably right!!

Whale watching and the Phallological Museum in Husvik

We decided to wahle watch, and the boat leftt port at 8.50 am for a three hour voyage from Husvik. It was REALLY cold. We had been told by the woman in the office to wear warm clothing----and we did. Several layers of thermals and big jackets. IT WAS FREEZING!!!!!
We saw some dolphins and about three sighting of mincke whales, and NEARLY FROZE TO DEATH!!!!
However, it was an experience, if not in whale watching, in facing death by freezing. A hot chocolate and a cinnamom bun towards the end of the voyage was heavenly food!!!!

We had a great meal of fish and chips after the trip to warm the inner bodies.

After this we went to the phallological museum, which was a great entertainment!! On display were the private parts of many male mammals!!!! Including some interesting human bits and pieces!! View these pictures at your peril!!!!!

Lake Myvatn

We are now camping in the area of Lake Myvatn, and a camping ground called Hlid---not sure how to pronounce that!! I had one of the most intersting drives yesterday---really quite a rough road. The cyclists among us found it a bit bone shattering, and Jane decided after about an hour of that to ride with me in the car.

These corrugations were a killer---even in the car!!!!

The metal road went on and on---and we even took a side road to view a waterfall, which the rental car company would probably not have been too thrilled about. However, we (Jane and I) survived that particular mission more or less intact!!

Akureyri

Akureyri has a population of about 25000 people and is the second largest town/city in Iceland after Reykjavik. It's a beautiful town, made all the more so by a beautiful sunny day. We've had a bit of a lazy day mooching around the town. Ross and I went into town for lunch and a look about, and Jane and Jamie went their own way today. We're having fish and chips for dinner tonight at the restaurant Ross and I had lunch at. Nice fish restaurant serving sushi, and all sorts of seafood treats.

Yesterday at the hotel buffet we ate whale meat (tiny slivers) and puffin (again tiny slivers). A whale would go a long way in those quantities!! Both meats were smoked, They tasted ok, but nothing to rave about. I think the main point of the exercise is to say you've tried it!!!! Politically correct it probably is NOT!!!!!

This is a little church just around the corner from our Akureyri hotel. For such a small country there are MANY MANY churches!!!!

This is the back view of the big cathedral in Akureyri. Very nice inside.

Some beautiful stained glass windows.

They tell Christian stories as well as some Icelandic Christian history.

A floating cross near the altar was very effective.

An Indian Curry House right i.n the centre of Akureyri

Two citizens of Akureyri............

The disabled toilet sign. Iceland as a whole is not well set up for the disabled. Often the toilet facility is excellent, but one has to manoevre up a step or two to get to it, which defeats the purpose a little!!

The Hotel Edda in Akureyri, where we have stayed already for one night, and will stay another tonight. It is partly student accommodation which is not being used by the students during the summer holiday break.

This large P and O cruise liner spewed out a whole pile of British tourists into Akureyri. I don't know how often the cruise ships come here, but will find out.

Siglufjordur

One of the road signs which guides us around the land. Everything is well signposted.

The entrance to the first tunnel we have encountered.

The very modern church at Blonduos

Map

Horse

Horse

Fish drying at Saudakrokur

Jesus on the cross at the cathedral in Holar

Cloud across the mountains

The basalt cliffs at Saudakrokur

The camping facilities at Saudakrokur

The beautiful pools at Saudakrokur

Siglufjordur is a delightful little fishing village, and writing this I'm in a beautiful little cafe called Harbour House Cafe. It's warm inside---about 5 degrees outside!! This afternoon we plan to visit museums and do exciting things like that. There is a folk music museum here which sounds interesting, and of course the herring museum and accompanying show.