Monday, October 31, 2016

Iceland - Inside the Volcano


After the tour, we still had 2 full days in Iceland. 


So, we decided to book another tour as we walked past a tourism center.


It's "Inside the Volcano" - a 5 hour tour for 42,000 krona per person = US$373, very expensive. 
進入火山?!
有没有聽錯,怎樣進入火山(熱度)
不怕,據說這火山已休眠4000年。當初在1974用繩索進入發現這火山洞的 Arni B. Stefansson,他一直覺得這奇特美妙的天然現象不該只沉寂山口下。2004年他開始推動作介紹 Trihunkagigur 火山,期望公眾能進入觀賞火山的計劃,2012年終於實行。
要看這火山的内在美,42000 krona 大概美金$373,貴吧?
我是看了他們的視頻被吸引,雖然覺得貴,但已來了冰島又適時(有運作的日期,冬天期間關閉半年),所以決定親身經驗目睹這天然藝術傑作。
為了要值回票價,我分享照片,你可以看看,不收一毫錢。
The bus picked us up and took us to their center, then a guide led us on a 2 mile hike to the volcano. 


On the way, there are several lava tubes, and we again crossed the North American-Eurasian tectonic plate divide.


After about a 50 mins hike, we took a rest with hot coffee in the small hut they call the "base camp". Everyone got a souvenir bandanna.  Then we put on the helmet & harness and headed up the volcano.
 

After a short hike, we were at the mouth of the dormant Trihunkagigur volcano.


At the mouth of the volcano is a small catwalk and a lift, a modified window washer's rig, that can carry only about 6-7 people into the volcano at a time.


The 'neck' is a little wider, a unique natural phenomenon.


Here the cable lift is coming down slowly.


 400 ft. (150 m) to the bottom of the crater.


 Someone described: It's so large inside that the Statue of Liberty can fit inside with room to spare.


We had about 30 mins to explore the magma chamber, the intense heat and pressure caused minerals deep in the rock to display a variety of gorgeous colors.


Time to go back up.


The rain cleared while we were in the volcano, and we could see the beautiful surrounding views after we came up.


The hut welcomed us back with traditional Icelandic lamb or vegetable hot soup and hot coffee.  It felt good to take off the harnesses.


Then, the 2 mile walk back along the same route.


The guide led us to see one of the collapsed lava tubes along the way.  


Another 50 mins walking back. Our legs were sore by the end of this tour.


During our 10 nights in Iceland, we had just one night when we saw a few seconds of green northern lights.  I am not satisfied.



However, the price of everything is expensive but Iceland is environmental, and has wonderful clean air.


The plume of steam from a geyser waved goodbye to us as we left Iceland.


Sunday, October 30, 2016

Iceland - The south & southeast


Day 5, we stopped at the Eyjafjallajokull information center and watched a film about the Eyjafjallajokull eruption during 2012.  This was the eruption that disrupted flights in Europe & the US.


Nearby is Skogafoss waterfall which is 60 meters high. You can see some tiny people on top, to the right of the waterfall.  We knew there were many steps ahead of us... 


One of the most impressive waterfalls in the country.


There was a little ladder to climb up to the top stream feeding Skogafoss, but it was hard to climb over and back with all the mud. Steve didn't want to try it but I made it with those gentlemen in front of me helping to get over and back down also.


Further east, we visited one of Iceland's finest folk museums at Hof, this museum contains an outstanding collection of farm and domestic artifacts from the past, including this old fishing boat. The entire collection was started decades ago by a 14 year-old boy, and was eventually made into a museum.  


The museum guide told us many interesting stories including about this door ring and the treasure chest it supposedly came from, hidden behind the waterfall.


And several old turf houses.


And a little church, surrounded by beautiful views.  The young boy who started the museum collection is now in his 90's, and was in the little church, chatting with some of the tourists.  He even played the old pipe organ, which was still in working condition, for the few tourists, like us, lucky enough to drop in.  


Then we went on to the black lava beach at Reynisfjara in southern Iceland.  This beach has "sneaky waves", and there are signs up warning people not to turn their back on the water.  The tour guides also warned about the waves.  "Sneaky waves" are a series of several small waves, suddenly followed by a large wave, big enough to knock over tourists.


The basalt rock pillars are taller than me.  This lava cooled quickly, forming these hexagonal shaped pillars.  These formations were the inspiration for the church in Reykjavik (shown in an earlier post.) 
We stayed in Hotel Laki in Kirkjubaejarklaustur for 2 nights.


Day 6, the wide glacier at the Vatnajokull National Park.  In the welcome center, there were several pictures showing how much the glacier has melted in recent times.


我們走在黑沙灘上,我發現石頭陣的心,禁不住嘩,叫相公看。。有人用石頭組成了心!
I found a heart on the black beach, I thought, wow.. who did this? 
Someone in love did it.



The glacier is melting.  The ice that breaks off is perfectly clear.



A little birthday gift from Steve to remember our trip. I was happy to show the driver about my birthday gift, and he was nice to announce to the entire group.  The whole bus sang "Happy Birthday" to me. 


Jokulsarlon, a glacial lagoon filled with floating icebergs. 


There are boat tours to explore the extraordinary site and even some seals swimming in the arctic water. However, our tour did not include the boat ride, and we didn't stop long enough to go.


我們又走去另一處的沙灘。
Then we stopped at the nearby crystal beach, where large icebergs get stranded.  When tide goes out from the glacial lagoon, some of the icebergs are carried out of the lagoon to the ocean.  When tides come back in, some of the smaller icebergs wash back to shore.


我說我要在沙灘寫寫祝賀自己生日。相公就開始寫了。。
I said I should write something for my birthday. Then Steve started to write..



我當然一定要和它留照!
I needed to have a photo with it.



The guide tempted a small group of us to hike to Svartifoss because we still had time that the day, so we went back to Vatnajokull. Due to the rain, half of the main path was closed. Seemed he had never been there before, so he led us to this wrong trail with a lot of mud along the way. He realized it was the wrong trail after hiking for about a mile, so we all turned back to the main path. Then he led us to the main path until the end of the paved trail.  From there a small, muddy little trail continued to the falls.  Some people followed him. Steve and I saw the little trail with mud, and it was raining, windy, & cold, so we gave up and went back to the coach, waiting for them to come back.  The little group that continued on returned soon, only going as far as the lower falls. 
Then back to the hotel.
  

Day 7, from Kirkjubaejarklaustur we headed across the Eldhraun lava field, stopping for photos.  The lava here is covered in a very thick, soft moss, except where tourists have walked through.



We stopped at another wool outlet store & souvenir shop.  This store had windows where you could look down on part of the production line.


The village of Vik.  According to our guide, the word "vik", as in "viking", "Reykjavik", and many other town names, actually means "a small fjord".


Further west we reached the high but narrow Seljalandsfoss waterfall.  This waterfall has a path to walk behind the falls.


With the rain, wind, and waterfall, we got soaked when we went behind the waterfall, which plunges from the mountain.
We headed back to Reykjavik and checked into Centerhotel Plaza again. We had 2 hours to relax in the room until the guide came again.


The evening included a visit to soak in the famous Blue Lagoon spa.
One of the group members had a waterproof camera and took photos for us.


Another person had a smart phone waterproof case & took photos for us too.
After Blue Lagoon, we all headed to an Icelandic farewell dinner at the Northern Light Inn Hotel.


Around 11pm, just as we got back to the hotel, many of us were in the lobby saying goodbye, when someone came in  and yelled that they saw the northern lights. Steve and I rushed out immediately.


The driver was still there, and managed to take some photos with his professional camera.


We saw green lights, moving in fast waves, then gone.


The green colors are darker and clearer in the photos, which use time exposure.  They didn't look that bright to our eyes.

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