Cometsgirl

When I travel I often say “now this is really away”, because it is very much away, off the beaten track. This night finds me on a new level of away. 

Tucked up in the hills of middle Iceland, abutting a glacier, I am away. 

So how did I get here?  After my morning pastoral time, we took off to drive around the Vatnsnes Peninsula. One of the shorter distance around peninsula, it might have taken a couple of hours to circle around. But as usual it took us twice that. 

So many vistas to pull over to marvel at and to photograph. 

The M indicates a layby for pulling over on the narrow road so oncoming cars can pass. We took it to mean a photo pull off spot as well. 

This was a day to get out of the car and walk. A dirt path from the road led to a beautiful cove. 

Using found materials near the cove, I created an impermanent art installation. 

People flocked to view the piece. 

Continuing the drive we took a beautiful walk high above the coast. From this vantage point we had a good view of the 15 meter high haystack. 

Icelandic horses gathered at the end of the peninsula drive. 

Before we departed this area of Iceland we enjoyed a late lunch of nachos, a surprising find in Iceland, and actually pretty tasty. 

 Finally we were on our way to our next lodging destination. Along the way we found Iceland’s version of fall. 

Turning off the Ring Road we twisted and turned for 45 minutes until at last we arrived. Away indeed. 

A beautiful day from start to finish. 

To paraphrase Robert Frost, stopping by a field on a sun-filled morning…

Seated at a table overlooking a field colored by morning light of the season of fall, I ordered a second cappuccino. I’m in the mood to stop and gaze at my view. 

I’ve had extraordinary views this past week, mostly through the windshield as we traversed north Iceland and the Westfjords. 

This place, however, has pastoral written all over it. 

I find bustling around in my life serves me well. I suspect stopping occasionally to sit with the view both outside and inside myself is well worth the time. 

I have roads ahead this day, but for awhile I have stopped. 

After a surprisingly good night’s rest, and waiting for 9am when the supermarket would open and a cappuccino could be had, we left Holmavik. It was decided that as long as we were in the Westfjords, we should take the road less traveled across the Westfjords, then down to the Ring Road. 

While it was wet and windy, the drive was gorgeous. Empty as well. We saw few cars, but hundreds of sheep. 

As we came to the last turn of our awesome road adventure, we were gifted with a rainbow. I don’t recall seeing the color purple in rainbows, but it is always evident here in Iceland. 

After checking into our full-house hotel, we left our laundry at the front desk and drove to a nearby town for dinner. I had the best cappuccino I’d had in days. 

We dined alongside the water at Sjavarborg restaurant, enjoying the views, the Fried Halibut and the Tiger Prawns. A taste bud treat!

Of course we had to share ice cream for desert. It was like no ice cream I’ve had before. Yum!

After dinner we drove past a do-it-yourself car wash. After a car wash incident on my 2016 trip to Iceland, I vowed to just drive a dirty car. But after getting the car so covered in sprayed dirt, with substantially reduced visibility, we had no choice but to wash. Two travelers from Maine assisted with the car cleansing. 

Once clean, we set out for a short end of day drive. 

Gathering to bed down for the night. 

As am I after this most excellent unplanned day of adventure. Looking back over the past 24 hours, I would not change a thing. It’s not often we can say that when we’ve faced unexpected and challenging changes to carefully made plans. I’m grateful I can do just that as my day comes to an end. 

The Lord Almighty grant us a peaceful night and a perfect end. 

Waking up in Holmavik in the Westfjords this morning, I realized the memo about visiting Holmavik in September had gone missing. 

The memo that announced the “closing” of the town on August 21. While I was viewing the eclipse at home, this town of 375 souls was preparing for the coming winter, when there will be just 4-5 hours of daylight. 

One of the two restaurants closed. The grocery store reduced its hours and no longer served breakfast in its cafe. The laundromat ceased operations. The hotel would issue an additional key to be used to open the hotel when returning to your room after looking for food and services. 

Surprisingly, we found a real bustle of activity at the church just down the road. As we walked around the church taking photos, cars swarmed into the parking area. It was time for choir practice! We were amazed at the number gathering in this town that otherwise had ceased opportunities to gather. 

Holmavikkirka was open for the business of singing. Indeed. 

Now I shall turn on the car music system, and sing my way south. 

Traveling mercies. 

Today we traversed across north Iceland to the Westfjords, an all day drive as we poked along, stopping for photo ops and short walks. 

We left Akureyri in the rain. 

We were in and out of rain and sunshine. 

The photographs describe the drive far better than words. 

Now settled in Holmavik, we have decided this is too remote and empty a place to remain more than tonight. We just need to have greater community surrounding than we have found here. Besides, most businesses have closed and there is not a cappuccino to be had! We’ve arranged for lodging tomorrow night back in “civilization”.

For now we are bedded down in the Wesrfjords. 

Traveling mercies. 

Today was waterfalls day. Up early, for us, we headed east across two peninsulas. Destination waterfalls.  

This was a beautiful day for a road trip.

Up first, Goðafoss. Flowing through a lava field,  the falls are an important part of Iceland’s history. At the National Assembly in the year 1000, the law speaker, Þorgeir, was forced to make a decision on Iceland’s religion. After 24 hours of meditation, he declared the country Christian. On his way home he passed the waterfall near his farm, and tossed in his pagan carvings of the Norse gods. Hence the name, Godafoss. 

On the 1000th year anniversary of Christianity in Iceland, þðrgeirskirkja (church) was erected nearby the falls

We discovered  blueberries were ripe for the picking alongside the path to the falls. 

On the drive to the next waterfall, we came across an area of thermal energy fields. The scene was “other-worldly”, and had a really strong smell of sulphur. 

About an hour’s drive on down Route 1, we arrived at Dettifoss. A 2.5 kilometer path led to the falls. 

This one of Iceland’s most impressive falls, with 400 cu meters of water thundering over the falls every second. 

Selfoss, located not far from Dettifoss, and along the same river was beautiful as well. 

Returning to Akureryi, we came upon Iceland’s version of fall. 

 Tomorrow we head to the Westfjords. Traveling mercies. 

In an earlier blog, I spoke of having perks and privileges  in my life. I wondered what I might do with that privilege. 

Yesterday, while visiting the Lutheran church in village of Ólafsfjörður, and talking with Pastor Sigríður Munda Jönsdöttir, I learned about an outreach program they have with children in the community once a week. The children have recreation, snacks, and are taught about church in the manner we would consider Sunday School. 

Of particular interest to me was how the children of this outreach program, have an outreach of their own. They collect gently used toys, hand knit items, and candy to be sent to children in “white Russia”.  I understand this area to be Belarus. 

I made a donation to this effort. I’m intrigued to learn more about this when I return home. 

This day’s intent was to sustain my soul. And, oh my, was my soul fed!

The day began with breakfast where I made my own waffle and brewed my own cappuccino. Kind of a do-it-yourself meal. 

After breakfast we walked down the hill to Akureyrarkirka, the Lutheran church in town. Morning worship began with a climb up 100 steps to the church entrance. 

Worship, led by a chick priest, was a children’s service to welcome the children in the parish back to Sunday School. Lively and filled with folk mass music, the children and the priest sang, danced, and prayed. It was charming. We visited with her following the service, talking about the importance of children worshiping IN the church. 

Following church we set off on a road trip around the Tröllaskagi peninsula.  We were treated with amazing vistas and views. 

We stopped along the way to visit a beautiful little church in the tiny town of Hörgársveit. 

From there it was up the eastern side of the peninsula. The drive included several tunnels through the mountain. 

Gobsmacking scenery. 

In the village of Ólafsfjörður we stopped to visit Ólafsfjörðurkirkja, only to find another chick Lutheran priest. She and Beth had a lovely conversation. I chimed in occasionally. As we prepared to leave, the suggestion was made that we three pray the Lord’s Prayer. Standing, holding hands, we prayed in English and Icelandic. Beth and I used separate versions of the prayer, so three prayer voices were heard at the same time. With a resounding Amen, we all shared a “moment”. 

From there we continued to the very top of the peninsula. We stopped for cappuccino/lattes and sat outside to enjoy. 

Continuing down the western side, we were further gobsmacked. 

Returning to the hotel just before dark, we are hoping for Northern Lights this night. They were a no-show last night. 

Today’s sustenance included food for the mind and for the body. 

The abundance continued this day. 

Breakfast at the hotel with a lovely view of the outside patio, covered and colored by the rain. 

We then walked down a somewhat steep hill to town, knowing the return later in the day would be a challenge. Up and down the hill, along with a day of walking around town, was food for the physical well-being of my body.  Besides, I needed to break in my new hiking shoes. 

 A visit to the Akureyi Museum of Art was food for the mind. 

The exhibit Balanced-Unbalanced by Rúrí – Jafnvægi-Úr Jafnvægi, “put art on the scales”. The scales weigh human history and the history of earth.  Rúrí questions “the inconsistent relationships between e.g. economy and water resources, war and peace”.  It was time well spent viewing her interpretion of balance. 

 Stemning, a photography exhibit by photographer Friðgeir Helgason, captured road trips he had made in Iceland and Louisiana. Similarities in colors and the environment were surprisingly evident. 

A light lunch of creamed vegetable soup and home baked bread fed my body, tempering some of the recent food ‘excesses”.

Dishes stacked awaiting to be filled with soup was art in its own way. 

Shopping provided me the opportunity to support local artists. 

Even shopping in the supermarket was a chance to support local businesses. 

Sunset provided treats for my spirit. 

We were told that the Northern Lights were a possibility this night. Stay tuned. 

For now, as they say here when parting, Bless bless. 

I have returned. It feels wonderful!

The clouds and sunrise during descent were magnificent. 

First stop upon arrival, cappuccino/latte time.

Our destination today was Akureyri, in the far north. Drive time was to be about five hours but with our style of travel it took nine. Lots to see along this unfamiliar route. We did pull over twice on the drive for 15 minute power naps. Amazing how fast we can fall asleep and just as amazing how rejuvenated we felt. 

I thought about sustenance today. Sustenance of body and soul. This day I filled up on both. 

Food for the body. 

Breakfast was served just after midnight on the flight. ABUNDANCE. 

Fish and chips for lunch, and ice cream for dinner. Hey, I’m on vacation. 

Food for the soul. 

The views I saw today filled me to the brim. 

Landscapes and vistas on an extraordinary scale. 

Sheep and Icelandic horses. 

Now it is time for rest. The Lord Almighty grant us all a peaceful night and a perfect end.