Today was the first day I could spend a little time sipping tea in the observation deck. This was because I woke up at about 5:30, a full hour earlier than was required. We were rocking quite mightily again, although not quite at the pitch of a couple night prior.
We were the first ones off the ship. We had 10am tickets to go into an ice cave and we had a 2 hour drive to get there. All the excursion staff were taking off bags and sorting them. We said our goodbyes and loaded up the van for our private tour.
Magnus, our driver took us north. There was another long tunnel, this time going under the fjord. We barely arrived on time but we did. Got our waterproof shoe coverings on and loaded on the bus. It was crystal clear this day and unlike the last glacier we could see all the way to the horizon.
The ice cave was a man made cave in the Langjökull glacier. It was cold, dark, but not windy. Water was dripping in places, we drank a few. They have events and you can even get married there.
After a delicious lunch buffet at their little bistro, we stopped at the Lava falls and Children’s falls. (Hraunfossar & Barnafoss). Children’s falls is created by the river. Powerful, but not high. The Lava falls below are long and enter the river from the middle of the side of the rocks, coming from underground. The most amazing waterfall yet, very different.
On our drive to the next major stop, Þingvellir (Thingvellir), we stopped briefly at a Deildartunguhver thermal hot springs. We drove through an old American military base from World War II along Hvalfjörður. And we drove past more waterfalls and vistas a plenty.
The land is flat, green and had trees in the south. It’s a pleasant contrast to the harsher landscapes we saw from the cruise. Mountains and glaciers are plentiful, but flat lands are much more expansive. Situated on major fault lines of the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates, Þingvellir has all the goodies: green trees, cliffs, lakes and streams, animals and cultural history.
After walking from one end of the site to the other we headed to our hotel for the night, which was located in Hella. Nice, but our room was cramped for three.
We were the first ones off the ship. We had 10am tickets to go into an ice cave and we had a 2 hour drive to get there. All the excursion staff were taking off bags and sorting them. We said our goodbyes and loaded up the van for our private tour.
Magnus, our driver took us north. There was another long tunnel, this time going under the fjord. We barely arrived on time but we did. Got our waterproof shoe coverings on and loaded on the bus. It was crystal clear this day and unlike the last glacier we could see all the way to the horizon.
The ice cave was a man made cave in the Langjökull glacier. It was cold, dark, but not windy. Water was dripping in places, we drank a few. They have events and you can even get married there.
After a delicious lunch buffet at their little bistro, we stopped at the Lava falls and Children’s falls. (Hraunfossar & Barnafoss). Children’s falls is created by the river. Powerful, but not high. The Lava falls below are long and enter the river from the middle of the side of the rocks, coming from underground. The most amazing waterfall yet, very different.
On our drive to the next major stop, Þingvellir (Thingvellir), we stopped briefly at a Deildartunguhver thermal hot springs. We drove through an old American military base from World War II along Hvalfjörður. And we drove past more waterfalls and vistas a plenty.
The land is flat, green and had trees in the south. It’s a pleasant contrast to the harsher landscapes we saw from the cruise. Mountains and glaciers are plentiful, but flat lands are much more expansive. Situated on major fault lines of the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates, Þingvellir has all the goodies: green trees, cliffs, lakes and streams, animals and cultural history.
After walking from one end of the site to the other we headed to our hotel for the night, which was located in Hella. Nice, but our room was cramped for three.
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| Steini, Expedition Guide |
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| Captain Parage Hervé |
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| Peter von Sassen, Expedition Leader |
Into the Cave tour, Langjökull
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| Me, trying to remember to stop and smell the roses |
