We went for a short walk along the river before breakfast and took some pictures. It’s very beautiful here! Breakfast was good with some skyr yogurt and fresh fruit along with eggs, bacon, cucumber and a cappuccino!
We headed to Reykjavik and to the Reykjavik Museum, which was well done! Lunch was at the Hofnin Restaurant, which overlooks the harbor, and we had paella with seafood/chicken and cream of asparagus soup.
After lunch, we walked around the harbor and then poked in a few shops. The guys grabbed a coffee and then we headed back to the car.
About an hour drive to Pingvellir National Park (pronounced Thing-vet-leer) gorge that is in a rift valley where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet, making it one of the only places in the world where you can visibly see plate boundaries above ground. We saw Law Rock, a rocky outcrop in the park that once served as the central platform for speeches, announcements, and law declarations during the annual gathering of Iceland’s national parliament. Next was Almannagja (Everyman’s Gorge), within the Pingvellir National Park, and it marks the eastern boundary of the North American tectonic plate and is part of the Mid-Atlantic Ride, which is still widening at about 2.5 cm per year.
After the hike at the park, we headed back to town and had dinner at Olverk Pizzeria and Brewery and split a pizza with pepperoni, spicy honey and cheese and a salad.
Headed back to the hotel where John and I had a glass of wine and chatted about our trip while Vance and Michelle hopped back into the hot tubs. One more full day to go!
Brief history of Reykjavik:
It’s believed to be the first permanent Norse settlement in Iceland, established around 874 CE.
The name, Reykjavik, means “smoky bay” due to the visible steam from nearby hot springs.
For centuries, it remained a small farming and fishing settlement.
It came under Norwegian rule in the 13th century and later Danish rule in the 14th century.
In 1752, the Danish king granted the land to the Inland Trading Company to develop the area.
A wool workshop was founded and marked the beginning of industrial development.
By the late 19th century, Reykjavik began to grow as a fishing hub and later a center for trade and education.
Iceland declared full independence in 1944, and Reykjavik became the seat of the new republic.
It is Iceland’s largest city, home to over a third of the country’s population.
Known for its clean energy (geothermal and hydro).
It plays a central role in Iceland’s tourism, technology, and creative industries.
One of the two hot tubs on the property. This one is just left of our balcony. The River Varma runs right by us.The hotel behind me and all of the hot springs in the background. My gray is VERY noticeable now! YIKES!The falls on the River Varma.
An Icelandic tripod drying rack to air-dry fish and meat.A land snail making its way to wherever. The hot springs on the hotel property.John took this one and the next one at the museum. There was so much to look at so we didn’t take many pictures. Wooden planks with incised drawings tied to the Last Judgment. Iceland officially adopted Christianity around the year 1000, so art from 1000-1200 is basically “early centuries of Christian Iceland.” Mt. Hekla and the Pjorsardalur – one of Iceland’s most important early-settlement archaeology areas. In 1104 CE, Hekla erupted and spread pumice across the Pjorsa Valley. That ash layer is a big deal for archaeologits because it acts like a “time stamp” in the ground. Farms in the valley were buried under volcanic material, and the preserved remains give evidence of daily life in early Iceland.Downtown Reykjavik The penguin insisted we get our pic with him, lol! The restaurant we ate at is right in the background – The Hofnin.Seafood paella – yummy!A large mosaic mural on the exterior of Reykjavik City Hall.Love this name of this bar!!!! Plus I had to take it as our friend, Di, has a cat named Tipsy!A historic hand-operated water pump that’s been preserved as street landmark. I always find a little beauty……And a cat…..LOL!So had to get a pic of this as we live in Wendell, NC and this was in the parking lot at Þingvellir National Park in Iceland.This thing was monstrous!!!! A souped up Mercedes Sprinter van most likely used for off road excursions.I know what this means, but still found it humorous! At the bathroom at the Þingvellir National Park.We’ve arrived at Þingvellir National Park
The boardwalk running through the rift valley-the place where Iceland is literally being pulled apart. One of the rare places on Earth you can, more or less, walk between tectonic plates on land. One of the smaller rift paths/fissures off the main boardwalk routes.A viewpoint along the higher ground near the rift edges.Beautiful valley down below.A path through the rift, under Iceland’s soft grey sky.Law Rock behind John.A little bit of wildlife.Time for a brew and some pizza!It was VERY good!
Love how they make it rotate to keep the heat even!A night cap while we discuss our trip and all we’ve done so far! It was after 8pm, but you’d never know it as it the sun doesn’t set until almost 11pm this time of the year!
