Iceland: March to April 2019

Thingvellir National Park - the park is located across both the North American and Eurasian plates.

Thingvellir National Park

Thingvellir National Park - this path takes you through the rift created by the divide between the North American and Eurasian plates.

Thingvellir National Park

Öxarárfoss Waterfall

Geysir

Gullfoss Waterfall

Faxi Waterfall

Friðheimar is a tomato farm in Iceland. The tomatoes are grown in greenhouses and are pollinated by bees. There is a restaurant that serves tomato-based meals.

Friðheimar - Icelandic Horse

Icelandic countryside

Reykjavik Harbor - we went on a whale watching excursion

Reykjavik Harbor

Reykjavik cityscape as seen from the ferry on which we went on the whale watching excursion.

White-Beaked Dolphin - these were the only sea life we saw on the whale watching excursion

White-Beaked Dolphin

After the whale watching excursion, we went to the Whales of Iceland Exhibit. It has a number of life-sized models of various whales. This is a model of a Beluga.

Whales of Iceland Exhibit - Narwhal

Whales of Iceland Exhibit - Narwhal Skull

Whales of Iceland Exhibit

Whales of Iceland Exhibit - Sperm Whale

Whales of Iceland Exhibit - Blue Whale

Whales of Iceland Exhibit - Minke Whale. Some Icelanders still eat whale and this is the species which is consumed. I had a chance to taste it a few days later. I didn't enjoy it as it had a weird smooshy texture and very fishy taste/smell.

Whales of Iceland Exhibit - Humpback Whale

Whales of Iceland Exhibit - Baleen

The Icelandic Sagas were written between the 13th and 14th centuries and chronicled the stories of the first Icelanders. This is a museum dedicated to the the Sagas and had some very nice wax sculptures of some of the people in the Sagas.

Saga Museum - Viking Helmets

Saga Museum - Papar

Saga Museum - Hrafna-Floki

Saga Museum - Ingolfur and Hallveig

Saga Museum - Skalla-Grimur and Egill

Saga Museum - Celts in Iceland

Saga Museum - Vinland. Vinland was a region of North America which was explored by Leif Erickson around the year 1,000 AD. It is thought to be located around Newfoundland and was called "vinland" because of the wild grapes that were found growing there.

Saga Museum - Vinland

Saga Museum - Freydis Eiriksdottir

Saga Museum - The Althingi

Saga Museum - Thorbjorg Litilvolva

Saga Museum - Thorgeir Ljosvetningagodi

Saga Museum - Gudmundur The Good

Saga Museum - Snorri Sturluson

Saga Museum - The Black Death

Saga Museum - The Battle At Orlygsstadir

Road to Snæfellsnes - most of this road was very desolate with very few habitations other than the occasional farms. We went miles without seeing other vehicles.

Road to Snæfellsnes

Road to Snæfellsnes - The kids built a snowman on the side of the road. Even though it was pretty ugly, Henry was so proud of his creation.

Road to Snæfellsnes - Building a snowman on the side of the road

Road to Snæfellsnes

Kirkjufell

Kirkjufellsfoss

Iceland Zoo - Seals

Iceland Zoo -Cows

Iceland Zoo - Pig

Iceland Zoo -Cows

Iceland Zoo - Rabbits

Iceland Zoo - Reindeer

Iceland Zoo - Arctic Fox

Iceland Zoo - Mink

Iceland Zoo - Goat

Iceland Zoo - Icelandic Horses

National History Museum - Farming tools and nails

National History Museum - Icelander skeleton

National History Museum - Weaponry

National History Museum - Axe heads

National History Museum - Sword

National History Museum

National History Museum - Top of a Bishop's Staff depicting a serpent

National History Museum

National History Museum - One of the first Bibles in Iceland printed on a printing press

National History Museum

View from our room in the Reykjavik Apartments

Black Sands Beach

Vik

Black Sands Beach - Memorial

Black Sands Beach -Basalt Columns

Black Sands Beach

Skógafoss

Skógafoss - because of all the mist created by these falls, we were able to see a number of rainbows

Skógafoss

Seljalandsfoss - these falls have a cave behind them and there's a path that leads hikers behind the falls. Henry and I did the hike.

Seljalandsfoss

Seljalandsfoss - view from behind the falls

Moors and Mountain

Seljalandsfoss

The Settlement Exhibit - Bog Iron, mold, nails

The Settlement Exhibit - Nails, rivets, and knives

The Settlement Exhibit - Axe head and fish hooks

The Settlement Exhibit - 10th Century Hall

The Settlement Exhibit - Model of a 10th Century Hall

The Settlement Exhibit - Viking Boat outline

Hallgrimskirkja - this church is so different than most churches in Europe. It's a protestant church and lacks the decorations and extravagance of the Catholic Cathedrals found in most of continental Europe.

Hallgrimskirkja - Organ

Hallgrimskirkja - Jesus Christ

Statue of Leif Erikson

Big Island, Hawaii: June 2021

Oahu and Maui: August 2018