Last post from Iceland: Golden Circle and Reykjavik

[urbpan]

On our last full day in Iceland, we took the Golden Circle tour, which is the standard day tour for tourists. From the bus, I was fascinated by the landscape: miles and miles of rugged cracked lava fields, coated with gray-green moss.



We stopped at a geothermal power plant. This is the view across from it.


We went to Gullfoss (golden falls). This couple was drinking coffee and enjoying the view of the glacier.


The falls are pretty impressive.




Then we went to the hot springs, where the word "geyser" (geysir) was coined.




This geyser is named Strokker, and erupts every 5 minutes or so.




As you know, I'm a fan of wildlife in man-made habitats. This is a white wagtail. It pursues insects over open areas, and parking lots are just the ticket.


Dramatic skies and plumes of steam were prevalent features of the countryside landscape.


This rainbow straddles the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates.


The crowd is standing on the North American Plate looking across to the Eurasian plate, at Þingvellir National Park.


Ridges indicate where the plates stretch apart from each other.


I clambered to a point in the middle, and became a minor tourist attraction myself.


The two plates separate about 2 cm per year. At the end of this path is a spot marking the first Parliament in the world, the Alþing. Representatives would speak at the base of the cliff so the echo would carry their words.


Tiny pink alpine flowers looking at Iceland's largest lake, Þingvallavatn.


I'll ease us back to Reykjavik with this picture of some urban Coprinus atramentaria (the alcohol inky, or "tippler's bane").


Lief Erikson stands in front of the National Cathedral, which is still impressive even covered in scaffolding.


Nearby, a juggler practices. (We encountered this happening twice in Reykjavik.)


Young people party late in Reykjavik. We heard noise outside our hotel from midnight to almost seven in the morning. This couple is still awake at 6 a.m., being curiously regarded by me and my gull neighbor.