ICELAND | Exploring

After our honeymoon stay at the Blue Lagoon, we headed off to do some serious exploring of all the natural wonders of Iceland. Our first stop at Merkjárfoss, which was along the way to our next stay at a Hotel in Hella, we stopped and took some pictures at Gluggafoss/Merkjárfoss. This was our first waterfall, and it was magical since we were the only ones there. I took a few decent photos, but honestly, nothing can compare to the serenity you feel sitting beneath it. It was pretty frigidly cold, and I was still severely sick while wandering about.

The majestic Merkjárfoss.

Some Flora & Fauna around Merkjárfoss. I liked how it looked a little LOTR/Elvish.

Secret path under Merkjárfoss.

Once we got on the road, I found my sense of adventure and could feel the sense of excitement by all the sights unfolding in front of us. I know I was sick, but there was a breathlessness in my lungs from the sheer wonder of what we would see. First stop after Merkjárfoss (last post) that morning was Solheimajokull Glacier (accessible by rental car, it is a smaller glacier coming off the behemoth Mýrdalsjökull glacier), and then Skógafoss.

Isaac ready to go! We didn’t know how many dirt roads we would encounter on the way… Poor car! I don’t think it was built for the harsh landscapes of Iceland.

Pastures at the base of snow/ice capped mountains. Only a few places in the world like this.

Isaac and I really wanted to see a glacier while in Iceland. Luckily we had found one that we were allowed to go to in our rental car; Solheimajokull Glacier. Being from Ohio, I had heard all the theories about how a glacier had moved along and flattened the landscape. From these stories I had an idea of what the scale could look like, but when I saw the glacier in person, I found I had grossly underestimated the size. The Solheimajokull Glacier is melting, and we were there in Iceland’s spring, so you can get much variance in how a glacier looks. Still, its scale is unfathomable, and the idea of holding onto Ice that could be billions of years old is just plain “cool” (I crack myself up). Since I left my wedding & engagement ring at home in a safe, Isaac pretended to fashion a piece of the ice into a ring, how cheeky.

Skógafoss was really very beautiful. It was much busier than our little Merkjárfoss, but the most amazing part of Skógafoss was the trail above the falls. The stairs that take you up are quite a nice workout, but the view from the top is phenomenal. Also there is a trail at the top, that goes for several kms, where you can see many more waterfalls. If we would have known about the falls along the trail, we would have liked to have brought a picnic and hiked further. The trail is at least 2 cars wide with qurans dotting the path signifying the journey of the hundreds of previous travelers.

Another Fabulous thing about Skógafoss is the Fish & Chips Food Van parked in front of someones house. They fry up fresh fish while it lasts. If you’ve got cash on you, it’s beyond delicious!

On our way back to Hella to stay at the Stratica Hotel, we managed to spot a historic turf house. Little did I know that I would encounter more turf houses in a few days, but for a moment, I was like every other tourist driving by. I managed to get Isaac to stop for the occasional landscape photo of passing mountains & fields.

Modern Turf House

Original Turf House nearly fully restored

My ham of a Husband insisting on his photo first. 🙂

Turf House remains from Viking Era & restoration project by local community.

Vastly different landscapes

All Images copyright 2016 by Kelsey Lakia & In LACE Photography. For reproductions/enlargements, or for commercial inquiries please contact me today

 

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