Another early rise on a grey morning – I was up earlier than Frank so I got to break the news to him that while he was asleep, the Capitals had won their playoff game and were now one win from the Stanley Cup. That woke him up!
We breakfasted on fried eggs and the stuff that looks like Canadian Bacon and then I packed the picnic lunch before we headed out on the most touristy of routes: the Golden Circle. We didn’t really do the actual circle since we had done part of it yesterday so we really did the northern upper arc. We had another otherwordly morning drive with clouds so low and thick that we often couldn’t see the cars in front of us. We had planned to reverse our strategy from yesterday and stop at the various sites on the way out then do the long drive back but the dark greyness of the morning convinced us to keep driving and hope that the skies cleared. So off to the farthest point of the day: 
Gullfoss or “golden waterfall.” It is a beautiful tiered waterfall with easy access and lots of good vantage points. By the time we got there, our cunning plan had come to pass and the sun was out. Therefore we got to see not only the amazing waterfall but also panoramic views of the mountains around us. It was truly breathtaking.
But that was not to be the most spectacular site of the day by far. Next stop, a mere 10k down the road is the Geysir hot spring area. Yes, this is the place that gave us the word geyser and where regular eruptions occur. The granddaddy of them all, Geysir, hasn’t erupted regularly since a 2008 earthquake but when it did, it was bigger than Old Faithful. The nearby Stokker geyser is still very active – erupting every 8 minutes or so – but is slightly smaller than Old Faithful. The most amazing thing about this area wasn’t the natural wonders but the commercial bonanza that had sprung up around it. There weren’t many people at the hot springs themselves when we were there but there were busloads of tourists in the 
Visitors Center which was an amazing shopping mall. Whoever came up with this was an absolute genius! They even have a clothing line names for the place. Very impressive.
By now it was lunch time and we needed to find a place to picnic. We drove along the road looking for a place to have lunch when we came upon a small layby stuffed full of cars. Brúarfoss is a little know waterfall compared to some in Iceland but it is easily one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. If you needed any evidence that God exists, this is it. The water is an impossible blue. I can’t even describe it and the pictures don’t do it justice. We found a place on the rocks by the water to enjoy our sandwiches and snacks and just soak in the sunshine and quiet roar of the water. Absolute bliss!
We left the unplanned but amazing stop to head for an Icelandic treasure: Þingvellir National Park where the Mid-Atlantic Divide is slowly ripping the island apart. According to Wikipedia (which matches the placards in the park BTW): “The park lies in a rift valley that marks the crest of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the boundary between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates.” 
Apparently the plates are moving apar at a rate of 2cm per year which doesn’t bode well for Iceland. This beautiful and historic place is where the local government of Iceland met for nearly a thousand years up until the 18th century. It’s where executions took place and apparently a fair amount of Njal’s Saga is set there. (I have to read that book when I finally get unpacked!) One of the amazing geographic characteristics is Almannagjá, a fissure or crack in the rocks that is so large cars used to be allowed to drive through it. Oh sure, there’s a waterfall too but those seem to be a dime a dozen around here. 🙂
The sun had held out for the entire excursion and as we drove back to the city we found ourselves tired – and sunburned! We spent a few minutes working on some “business” stuff: apparently buying a house occasionally requires some paperwork even when you are on vacation. Once that was completed, it was off to dinner at a lovely little place called Messin at the edge of the tourist district. It does fish and does it well. There are no 7 course tasting menus here, or puffin/horse/whale dishes. Just fish served in frying pans with buttered potatoes and salad. Frank had the ling with fennel, chili, ginger and brandy (and breadcrumbs so none for me) but I had the arctic char with honey, almonds, and lemon and no breadcrumbs. Absolutely delish! A short walk back along the harbor and it’s time for tea and off to bed. We have more hiking to do tomorrow.
Today’s data:
Drive: 253 km
Steps: 24,336 (11.8 miles)
Waterfalls: 3
Average price of an Icelandic knit sweater: $250
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