Cometsgirl

Once again, my chair in the sky awaits me. Today I am traveling to the great northwest to celebrate my grandson’s High School Graduation! Yay!

This is my last grandchild to graduate living full-time at home.

Here’s what comes next. I visit my grandkids twice a year while they are in college. The Fall visit is without structure. However, the Spring visit is all about women’s basketball!

I’ll have a new team to root for – the Colorado State Rams. Just can’t wait!

Nathan and I enjoy each other’s company. It’s true of the three other grandkids as well. It’s such a gift.

I’m so proud if Nathan and relish this time to celebrate him.

Congratulations! You’re off to great places. Today is your day. Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way! Dr. Seuss

The mountain is out to offer a greeting.

Traveling mercies.

Yesterday we left the Westfjords, and then made preparations to leave Iceland this morning.

Images along the way caught my eye.

Not yet spring.

Cairn figure standing tall.

Rock bowling, anyone?

Smiley face.

Stationary.

Pizza!

Traveling mercies.

We began Friday morning with coffee just down the street from the hotel.

Then off to visit the Samuel Jonsson Museum. A short drive to the turnoff road, and my friend informed me it was 15 miles and was an hour drive. What?

And yes, it did take an hour.

We rocked and rolled, shook and shook some more.

But it was a stunning drive.

At last we arrived at the museum.

The work reminded me of the outsider art I have seen in Georgia.

Then it was time to “Shake shake shake, shake shake shake, Shake your booty, shake your booty” once again.

It was an awesome experience of beauty, birding, beach play, and body toning.

But wait, there’s more!

Late in the day we went Puffin searching.

This time the rock and roll, shake shake shake drive was 2 hours. Each way!

With winds at 50 mph, and 32°. I had to hang on to my hat! And hold on to my walking stick. And hope for the “best” as I walked along the high cliffs. Soaring was a possibility. The cold was brutal.

My friend shared this image with me.

Wow!!

And then it was time to rock and roll again. Filled with the experience on the cliffs, it was still a long and winding road back.

A couple of days ago we retraced some of the route we had taken north to Isafjördur. Our destination was Patreksfjörður, located in the south Westfjords.

We drove over some of the same roads that brought us up north. It’s always interesting to see things in reverse.

Nearing Patreksfjörður, we turned off down a dirt road to see the Golden Beach.

“Rauðisandur beach or the Red Sands Beach is a one of a kind beach in Iceland located in the Westfjords. What makes this beach so special is that it is not black like most beaches in Iceland but it is red or golden. The sand changes color from red to golden-yellow.”

While there my friend wanted to paint, so I found a place to pull over. Nearby were several sheep with their recently born lambs.

The adorable sheep paid little heed to us, walking on either side of the car.

Eventually they sauntered on up the road.

Following their lead, we sauntered off as well, stopping briefly at the final resting place of Garðar BA.

“It is Iceland’s oldest steel ship and it sits on the beach at Skápadal in Patreksfjörður. The ship originally came to Iceland during World War II. In 1981, the ship became dangerous and unfit for use, and was therefore sailed to the shallow shore at Skápadal in Patreksfjörður, where it still lies.”

Sunset over Patreksfjörður for our arrival.

Traveling mercies.

Patterns really interest me. I see patterns in both the obvious and the not so obvious.

A flat white at Heimabyggð, in Ísafjodir was the perfect way to begin the day yesterday.

A pattern made by a breakfast waffle and syrup.

After breakfast, we set out to find waterfalls. The first stop was Bunarfðss.

Walking along the area of the waterfall, I took note of some patterns. One budding out, others “stapled” on a rock.

We visited the town of Flateyr, where the oldest bookstore in Iceland is located. I was immediately charmed by the woman who greeted me. She is the grandaughter of the founder who opened the bookstore in 1913

I learned about the Flatbird Project, where local artist Jean Larson decided to paint 13 resident birds on walls of certain homes and buildings in town.

I spotted a couple of ducks in the grasses a short time later.

I’ve saved the best for last, the pattern of reflection. Driving north to return to the hotel, mountains, partially covered by snow were reflected in the waters below.

“The way is long if one follows precepts, but short, if one follows patterns.” Lucius Annaeus Seneca

Years ago my traveling friend and I were on a ferry from Maine to Grand Manan Island in Canadian wsters. Standing on the deck, a gentleman proclaimed it to be a large day. And it was.

Yesterday was another large day on a ferry. This time it was the Brjánslækur ferry which was traveling two and one-half hours from the Snæfellsnes peninsula across the Atlantic Ocean, to the Westfjords.

I love to travel by ferry!

Talented tire kicking and placing for a tractor to board.

Then we were off!

We made a brief stop at Flatey Island to load several hundred pounds of fish.

Then on to Branslækur, where we disembarked and headed north to Isafjördur.

That’s our road up ahead.

Glorious views.

A good portion of the drive was under construction; a challenge at times, but the views were worth it. Plus it was the only way to get where we were going.

Twists and turns and after one descent, we pulled into a parking area, and there it was… Hundafoss!

We followed the path to the viewing platform to see the mid falls up close.

From there, more gobsmacking beauty as we made our way to Isafjördur.

The drive took 3 1/2 hours to navigate a normally 90 minute route, thanks to views and road construction. It took awhile, but it was surely worth it.

Traveling mercies.

After dinner at Hotel Búðir two nights ago, we decided to drive further down the Snaefellesness Peninsula.

It was just a 20 minute drive. Of course it took us 3 hours. You can do this in Iceland this time of year, as sunset is at 11pm. And really, it’s never totally dark.

We drive all the way to Snæfellsness National Park at Malariff.

What fun it was to stay up late!

At 6:15am yesterday morning the Icelandair grounds crew secured our plane at the gate at Keflavik airport, Iceland.

I had returned to Iceland! At last.

Flying overnight, the northern lights made an appearance – across the aisle. From my seat this is what I saw.

Dawn brought views of Greenland.

After deplaning, a quick wheelchair ride to Customs, luggage grab off the baggage carousel, car rental, and we were off!

The 2-hour drive from the Keflavik airport to Búðir took us 8 hours. A combination of constant photo-op views and a roadside nap, was in keeping with our style of travel.

Every direction held views. Almost more than I could hold in my soul.

We arrived at our destination for the night, Hotel Búðir. Our plan for three nights was thwarted by the flight cancellation. Still, one night in this space and place, was enough. For now.

Traveling mercies.

To continue the saga of traveling to Iceland….

Today finds my friend and I in Minneapolis. We flew here yesterday as my friend found the quickest way to Iceland was to change airports and airlines.

We will fly out of Minneapolis on Iceland Airlines instead of Chicago on United.

Rebooking was arranged at 2am after our flight was cancelled. This was a real feat.

Tonight we are scheduled to soar to Reykjavík.

In the meantime… it turns out Minneapolis, our hotel in particular, has been restorative.

We walked into beauty,

Quieting,

Stillness,

and deliciousness.

I have loved the sight and sound of airplanes taking off and landing.

And sitting outside listening to the rumble of flight.

Soon to walk across the road to soar. Traveling mercies.

During the boarding process last night, the pilot promised us northern lights viewing. I assumed it was because this was the Inaugural United Airlines flight from Chicago to Reykjavik. Yay!

Then, as I got settled into my fancy seat, and pictured turning it into a bed, complete with bed linens from Sak’s 5th Avenue, there was an intense conversation nearby. Flight attendants, a maintenance guy, and the pilot.

It seemed there was a problem with the battery. Back and forth. Back and forth. Eventually it was agreed we should all deplane in order for the battery to be exchanged.

It was 10:30pm for a 9:30pm flight. Next came an issue of vouchers to use to find something to eat. People spread out to find something still open as free snacks were running low.

11pm. Jazz was closed.

Wait, Starbucks was open!

Just as we joined the long line, an announcement called us all back as boarding would begin shortly. Whoopee!

Then came the announcement that a pilot was needed as our Captain had timed out. Oh. No.

At midnight, the dreaded announcement. The flight is canceled. The inaugural flight that wasn’t.

No Battery. No Pilot. No flight to Iceland tonight.