Iceland Marathon 2014 Part 2

My blog on my trip to Iceland, Reykjavik and the 2014 Marathon (Part 2)

Continuing on from part 1 of my blog on Iceland, Some more pictures of Skogafoss Waterfall:

Weather continued to be fantastic. The photo opportunities were excellent. Standing under the falls this close, you could feel the cold spray on your skin. Get too close and you get wet.

 

Photo Opportunity

 The next photo shows Graham and Zoe on the viewing platform where the views over the surrounding plains were extensive and enhanced by the clear weather and brilliant sunshine. We were very lucky with the weather.

Zoe and Graham on viewing Gantry at top of falls

View over surrounding plains from the top of the falls

Top of the falls

 

Walking route to the icecap Myrdalsjokull

VISIT 4 - GEYSIR

Moving on from a great time at Skogafoss, we drove approximately 1 hour to Geysir. Geysir is a wonderful area where boiling pools broil, streams run with boiling water, the smell of sulphur is everywhere and where Iceland introduced the word "Geysir" to the English language.

The Scene that greets you at Geysir

Broiling Hotpool

If you look into the hotpool (where water it trully boiling) you can see coins.

 See the Geysir as it Shoots into the Air. This one goes off approximately every 5 minutes. You can stand right next to it. The spray vapourises and hits you as lukewarm droplets.

 

 

Standing beside Geysir

Zoe beside Geysir

Finishing up at Geysir, we went to the rather nice visitors centre accross the road wher we had ice cream. I nice way to chill and relax after a hot sulphur visit to Geysir. Next stop Gulfoss.

VISIT 5 - GULFOSS

Gulfoss is only about 5-10 minutes drive from Geysir. Having visited it before back in 2005, I knew that there would be a great visit for Zoe and Graham. I guaranteed them both that they wouldn't be disappointed.

Arriving at Gulfoss, we were struck by the moonscape like horizon in the distance which was the centrally located icecap of Langjökull.

The South Eastern Tongue of Langjökull as seen from Gulfoss

 Having admired Langjökull, we descended a purpose built stair/walkway and the view and noise that greeted us was awesome. In the photograph below you can see the layout of the Gulfoss system which consists of several waterfalls cutting through a gorge into a steep escarpment. Again, because of the sunny weather there was a perpetual rainbow on view.

Gulfoss as you first see it.

The falls in motion

Don't want to fall in there.

The falls behind Zoe and me

Cloudless Rainbow

VISIT 6 - ÞINGVELLIR

Þingvellir marks the crest of the North Atlantic ridge upon which Iceland is built. It is also the ancient meeting and gathering place of the ancient Icelandic people where they set up their first parliament, assembly, the Alping back in the year 930. It is consequentially the oldest surviving parliament in the world

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In the picture above, you can see the valley between the North American Tectonic plate and the Eurasian Tectonic plate. Iceland sits atop the Mid Atlantic Ridge. Its a point where the plates are essentially pulling apart, causing the continents to drift apart at the rate of a few centimeters every year. The North American plate is at the far side (Hills) in the above picture.

The following picture shows the edge of the Eurasian plate. It is a solid wall of rock and is where the Althing sits. It is the beating heart and historical birthplace of Iceland.

So after visiting the Althing, we drove back (another 45 minutes) down into Reykjavik where it was dusk when we arrived. Such a long day.  Tomorrow would be Marathon Day.

Please see My blog on my trip to Iceland, Reykjavik and the 2014 Marathon (Part 3)