Day 5 - Steam and Snow in the Southwest
Sunlight reflects like mercury in the potholes – Siggy tells us that nine days ago the road was smooth, but the weather has been cold and unpredictable. The road through Thingvellir national park is gravel, partly to preserve the unique environment. Iceland, whether by design or accident, is environmentally ahead of the curve. The island's electricity is generated from geothermal power; a 24 kilometre hot water pipeline that forms part of the country's energy infrastructure is so efficient that the water only drops 1.8 degrees Celsius across its entire length.
We round Thingvallvatn, and Siggy tells us that his family has been in this area for more than 300 years. In the distance is his father's summer house; efficient, clapboard summer houses are springing up around this lake and on the banks of throbbing streams throughout the countryside. Tracing our way across highway 37, Iceland seems much larger than it appears on a map. This could be the perfect road trip country – complete with sweeping landscapes, friendly locals, and plenty of opportunities for getting lost or discovering hidden beauty. And although alcohol is expensive, Iceland is known for raucous partying, especially in the summer months when the sun hardly sets.
Icelanders venture out to their countryside summer houses or pack the city's pubs and bars, enjoying local beers such as Viking, brewed with Iceland's pure spring water.
The water is strikingly, undeniably pure. Siggy has a story from a friend of his who worked for a local brewery. The local company wanted to brew a major commercial beer from abroad. They sent water samples to the company, only to receive a reply that to send new samples – of "untreated" water. The company couldn't believe that water sent from Iceland was so pure. It had come straight from the tap.
Between the national park and Geysir geothermal area, we see the landscape gradually coming into autumn. Iceland has hardly any trees, although the government is involved in a large planting project, but the ground mosses almost glow in rich greens and the beginning of yellows and reds. The first snow has just happened early that morning, and although the fields are clear, the mountains are dusted and making way for winter. Although the weather here is typically mild and the winters are not especially harsh because of the surrounding water, the day's weather is almost bitter with wind and transient rain.
Just as we pull up alongside the Geysir, we see a burst of water from Strokkur, the world's most reliable geyser. Geysir is the original geyser, and it once spouted water 80 meters into the air before it was clogged in the 1950s by troublesome tourists (throwing rocks – not the tourists themselves). Strokkur erupts to only a fourth of Geysir's original height, but it is far more reliable, spouting every five to eight minutes. On foot, exploring the geothermal area is like hiking through a primeval scene, complete with bubbling mud and the stench of sulphur. Some especially wet areas are bridged with planks to avoid the hot mud, and signs caution visitors not to touch the water, which is literally boiling when it comes out of the ground. A few pools are mineral blue and terrifyingly deep, disappearing into fissures the colour of ocean water.
The weather takes a darker turn as we hop on the highway again, trying to beat out approaching tour busses, and head for Gulfoss, the "Golden Waterfall," an impressive cascade to the northeast.
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Back to Travel Diaries
Read the other articles:
Days 7-12 St Johns, Halifax and Journey's End
A Peak at the Inner Workings of the Norwegian Jewel
How to Pour Champagne in a Moving Vehicle
Day 5 - Icelandic Saga
Day 5 - Straddling the Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Day 5 - Steam and Snow in the Southwest
Day 5 - Golden Waterfalls and Pearls of Architecture
Day 5 - Iceland: Tour, Geology and Saga Museum
Days 0-4 Dover to the Shetlands
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Thingvellir National Park
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