Saturday, August 25, 2012

Iceland

Church cemetery near Hotel Glymur on the Hvalfjordur (whale fjord)

Cemetery fenceline on the Hvalfjordur

Cattle, sheep, and Icelandic horses abound

Horses are small and short-legged, but hardy

Iceland is a hotspot for volcanoes, geysers, and hot springs

Scene at Arbaejarsafn (an historic farm in Reykjavik)

A Reykjavik bar and grill

Walkers, bicyclists, and skateboarders only on Reykjavik's main streets

A modern interpretation of gothic architecture, the Hallgrimskirkja  is the dominant church in Rekjavik, here seen inside the clock tower

We visited Iceland for a few days and found it entrancing.  Its landscape is volcanic and bleak, its parliament goes back 1100 years, and its people are hardy and friendly.  The capital, Reykjavik, is small but remarkably cosmopolitan.  Our travel plans have us going to Scandinavia a few times over the next three years, so we'll be back to Iceland to explore some more.