Thursday 9/1/16

Wow!  We were really tired last night!  I had set the alarm  for 5:30, but was so fuzzy-headed last night that I didn't notice it was for PM not AM.  We woke up at 20 after six and jumped in the shower and hurried down to breakfast.  We really had plenty of time, but I hate feeling as if we are behind.  The bus ride was lovely.  We have moved north and west and are staying for the next two nights in a small town of Stykkisholmur.  Our first stop this morning was at the Borgarfjordur, a lovely fjord with a beautiful waterfall and a river that was very glacial.  We then stopped to see the town where a famous writer, Snorri, lived in the 13th century.  He wrote down all of the folk legends and sagas about Iceland, but instead of writing them in Latin, he wrote them in the Icelandic language.   Just a bit down the road we stopped at the Deildartunguhver thermal area.  The pipeline that runs from this area to surrounding towns is 74 km long and the 100 degree (212 F) water runs at 50 gallon per second!  We had a beautiful day again today - about 50 degrees and bright sunshine.  We saw many mountains, glaciers, and lava fields on on ride along the peninsula.  We stopped for lunch in a small town and had a vegetarian buffet and then went into a museum that explained about the early settlement of Iceland via audio tape.  It was very well done.  We boarded the bus again and stopped by a river where many people come to go salmon fishing.  In high season, permits for fly fishing of salmon run from 1500 to 4000 dollars per day!  At this time, the rate is a (mere) $300/day.  Kevin Cosner and Quentin Tarintino have both fished nearby.  Our guide is also a fishing guide and he treated us to salmon that he had caught and smoked.  He has also written a book on fly fishing in Iceland.  On our way to the hotel, we had one more stop to make, Helgafell Mountain (Holy Mountain).  It was only about 250 feet high so was an easy climb.  The legend is that you have to climb the mountain without looking back, face East, and make 3 non self-serving wishes and they will come true.  The short drive to the hotel was through lovely countryside near the water and when we got to town, the bus driver gave us a brief tour of the town and the harbor.  We checked in and then went for a walk down by the harbor and then across to another small island that sported a short lighthouse at the top.  The views from the top were wonderful and by the time we got back to the hotel, it was time for dinner.  Tonight's meal was huge:  cod (which I thought was the main meal, chicken with a variety of veggies and homemade ice cream for dessert.  The ice cream was drizzled with loganberry sauce - yum!  Again there does not seem to be time to post pix, but will try to get some on soon.