First few days in Iceland stopping at hot springs, waterfalls, black sand beaches and glacial iceberg lagoons.

Arriving in Iceland

We flew on a short redeye to from Boston to Reykjavik on IcelandAir. Word to the wise, make sure not to pick seats near the toilet, they will keep you up all night. We picked up the car in the dark and went straight to the Blue Lagoon to relax as the sun rose over the silica-filled water. Got a few green drinks to recharge, and then off to see the city.

Blue Lagoon sunrise
Rainbow Road

We walked through the flea market where Janet got a cool wallet made of fish leather, and Lou and I searched for coffee. Ruth made our first yarn stop at the Handknitting Association, and Janet took a nap. Had dinner at Snaps Bistro and enjoyed some of their namesake schnapps before heading to the hotel for a solid sleep.

On Sunday we got bagels at DEIG Workshop and then headed out of town on the innumerable roundabouts. Made a quick stop in Hella for hotdogs and a selfie at the roadsign, and then on to waterfalls.

Hella Sign

We stopped first at Seljalandsfoss which has a path behind the waterfall, which was sensibly closed due to the ice buildup on the path. Ruth led us to the hidden Gljufrabui, where we put our jackets and camera protection to the test in the mist.

Gljufrabui entrance
Seljalandsfoss stickers
Gljufrabui Gorge
Gljufrabui Gorge

Then back in the car and on to the impressive Skogafoss. We got there right as the sun was setting behind the mountain, so I ran to catch a view of the rainbow in the mist.

Skogafoss Icefall and Rainbow
Skogafoss Icefall and Rainbow

Finally we got to Kirkjubaejarklaustur (which we referred to as Klauster) for a night at the hotel. Dinner was excellent, and I went out looking for northern lights after but was stymied by the cloud cover.