Dizzo is back from the Frozen North

[dizzojay]

So yesterday, Mr D and I flew back from wonderful Iceland.  Although this had been our fifth visit in 18 years, the country never fails to amaze and inspire me.  Walking down from our apartment into Reykjavik and seeing all our favourite landmarks; Hallgrimskirkja, the big church; Laugavegur, the main shopping street, Mal og Menning, our favourite coffee shop/bookstore, really made me feel like ths was a home from home.

Iceland, in geological terms, is a very young country.  So young in fact, it's technically still a work in progress, and so its landscape is very savage. There are lavafields, geothermal spots, big jagged rock outcrops that have been sliced and scarred by glaciers, and haven't had the time for natural forces to erode them smooth.  A large proportion of Iceland is classed as desert because it is so barren.

Yet, at the same time, especially in the Summer, Iceland has it's share of verdant green meadows and summer flowers.  It's signature flower is a purple lupin (an Alaskan import) which grows wild and in vast numbers which can't even be guessed throughout the island.

And, having been wilting in 30 degree temperatures here in the UK, it was so refreshing and energising to actually feel cool - even if it was just for a week!  temperatures ranged from 9 degrees to 13 degrees while we were there.

We had the opportunity to meet up with a lovely Icelandic lady called Audur who I met at Heathrow three years ago on the way to JIB, and we spent a nice couple of evenings with her.  It helps to see a country from an entirely new perspective when you talk about it with a local!

So, now we're home, and reflecting on another great week in the Land of Ice and Fire.  I'm sure it won't be our last!

Big Iceland picspam below ...




Purple Lupins

Acres of purple lupins, as far as the eye can see ...






Aspects of Reykjavik ...

Harbourfront


A regular visitor to Reykjavik harbour

Mal og Mennig - our favourite little bolt hole.  Cappuccino surrounded by thousands of books ... what's not to like?

Schmoozing with the locals

Evening sun from our apartment window

Angry skies over Reykjavik

Midnight sun from our apartment window

Harpa - concert hall

Hallgrimskirkja

The Governor's House on Reykjavik harbour, famous because this is where, in 1986, Regan and Gorbachev sat down and opened dialogue between the USA and the USSR.
This understated little house in a quiet corner of a harbour on a chilly rock in the middle of the North Atlantic was the first domino in the tumbling chain of events that ended the cold war.

Reykjavik's main shopping street, Laugavegur in one direction...

... then the other!

Hallgrimskirkja in low evening light


Icelandic landscapes

Glacial spray from Gulfoss

A bit breezy at Gulfoss!

With our Icelandic friend Audur at Blue Lagoon hot springs

The Blue Lagoon lava field with Audur

Mr D at Seljalandsfoss (underneath the waterfall)

Summer meadows

Seltun geothermal region.  Basically, walking around on top of an underground volcano!

Seljalandsfoss

Summer meadows and waterfalls

Waiting for the Geysir

Boom!

Mr D admiring the geysir

Summer flowers

Hot springs around the Blue Lagoon

Seltun

Thingvellir National Park.  This is the edge of the American continental plate

Cottages marking the site of Iceland's first parliament which was formed at Thingvellir in the 10th century.  It is the world's oldest parliament in the true democratic sense of the word.

The rift between the American and European continental plates


Quirky Iceland

If you like seafood, you've died and gone to heaven

Mr D wants to take it home ...

Iceland has a very active and open LGBTQ scene.  This is the 'very understsated' back wall of their Reykjavik LGBTQ centre headquarters.

Who couldn't love a country that has one of these?

World cup fever has no limits apparently!

Comments

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

I'd like to visit one day - I do wish they'd stop whaling though. I wonder if Icelanders have arguments with people from the Isle of Man over their parliaments' relative ages!

[dizzojay.livejournal.com]

The whaling is a sad aspect of Iceland that I wish didn't exist, the trouble is, it would be hard to go anywhere if you discounted every country that has a black mark against it. Even we have fox hunting, hare coursing etc, so we're not without a stain.

It's interesting, and I don't know if there is a growing feeling there, but we went on a whale watching tour, and the tour guide pleaded with everyone on board not to eat whale if they see it on a Restaurant menu, and also to encourage other visitors to Iceland to take whale watching tours because they want the Government to see there's more money to be had in live whales than dead ones.

I think the parliament race would be a close run thing. The Icelandic Parliament was founded in 930. I understand the IoM one is also about 1,000 years old?

[jj1564.livejournal.com]

I'm pleased you had such a great time and got to meet up with your friend - did you just get chatting to her at Heathrow or was she going to JIB? I love the main shopping street, it's a bit less crowded and frantic than Oxford Street! And the Penis Museum is so bizarre, I had to look it up! No wonder it's the only one in the world, hee hee! The lupins are so beautiful, it must be a fantastic sight.

[dizzojay.livejournal.com]

We did have a great time. I met Audur at Heathrow when we were both on the way to JIB. She saw my T shirt and came over to talk :)

Reykjavik is such a lovely city. It has a very cosmopolitan feel about it, but it's quirky and very unique too. And speaking of unique, the penis museum is - well, what can you say? It's a penis museum!!!

I was fascinated by the lupins. It was the fact that they were all the same colour, I've never seen anything like it! I must have seen literally millions upon millions of lupins in that week, and without exception, every single one of them was purple!

[moondropz.livejournal.com]

I loved the pictures. Iceland is a beautiful country! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and vacation with us, hugs!

[dizzojay.livejournal.com]

You're welcome - glad you enjoyed it :)

[fanspired]

Wow, your pics and description really make me wish I could visit Iceland. I think I'd love it. Geologically, it sounds like it has a lot in common with New Zealand, even down to the imported lupins! :D

[dizzojay.livejournal.com]

I hope you get the opportunity to go to Iceland one day - if you ever need a tour guide ... *points to self*
Iceland is very much like New Zealand, they're both very young, volatile countries. I didn't know NZ had a lupin explosions as well though. How odd!! :D

[milly-gal.livejournal.com]

I'd love to visit one day, thank you so much for taking us on your journey with you ♥ Gorgeous pics, I wish they'd stop whaling, but at the same time very country has a cloud, doesn't it? And it's such a beautiful place.

[dizzojay.livejournal.com]

As I saiad to Anne-Marie, the whaling is a sad aspect of Iceland that I wish didn't exist, the trouble is, it would be hard to go anywhere if you discounted every country that has a black mark against it.

It's interesting, and I don't know if there is a growing feeling there, but we went on a whale watching tour, and the tour guide pleaded with everyone on board not to eat whale if they see it on a Restaurant menu, and also to encourage other visitors to Iceland to take whale watching tours because they want the Government to see there's more money to be had in live whales than dead ones.

I hope that makes a difference one day!

x

[katleept.livejournal.com]

Thank you for these lovely pictures and tidbits of history!!! This is one of the many reasons why I love the Internet and the friends I've made through it: always getting to see and learn something you may well never would have otherwise!! Thank you again for sharing!

[julchen11.livejournal.com]

What a fantastic post! The pics are impressive and you and Mr. Dizzo look great! I'm absolutely sure I'll visit this country one day!
Thank you for taking us with you and for your report!

[metallidean-grl.livejournal.com]

So glad you had a good time. Looks like a beautiful country. I'm sure I'll probably never make it there in my lifetime, as there are so many other places to visit, but it is something definitely to look into, if ever.......

I love the architecture of some of the buildings there. The concert hall, in and of itself, is very interesting.

The lupins remind me a lot of bluebells here in Oregon. Very pretty.