Wed Aug 27 – Aukeyiri, Iceland
After Reykjavik, Aukeyiri is the country’s second biggest city. The population of 20,000 people is so big that it requires an airport with one whole landing strip.
We meet Oli outside at 9am. He’s a local from the city and is our guide for the day. We have a private tour to the Lake Myvatn area for some unique sights (plus some waterfalls, because this is still Iceland)
We start at Godafoss Waterfall
We move on to the massive Lake Myvatn (and an impromptu stop for nearby ice cream)
We next hit Dimmuborgir meaning "Dark Castles" in Icelandic (and also the name of a Norwegian black metal band). Dimmuborgir has mountains, caves and tunnels formed by large volcanic eruptions a few thousand years ago. It is also the home of the mischievous 13 Yule Lads that come out for the 13 nights before Christmas.
As we hike around, we see lots of lava rock. The Yule lads stay hidden.
For lunch we stop at a local spa. We get an excellent beef goulash, plus they have local rye beer. Score!
QUICK PAUSE FOR AN ICELAND PSA
In Icelandic, the phrase 'Payment required' is used for Pay To Park, and the word for that is: "Gjaldskylda".
This name is in front of every landmark. This is NOT the name of the site. So many people taking photos and telling others they went to Gjaldskylda.
Don't be that tourist.
Ahem. Anyway... we arrive at one of the coolest sites in Iceland: Námafjall.
This is an active geothermal area filled with steaming holes, bubbling pits, and colored mineral deposits. It feels like walking on Mars.
A few videos to show more of this place. Apologies for the wind noise.
We continue our trip and wind up at Grjótagjá. This used to be a thermal bathing area until the mid 70-80s, when volcanic eruptions ripped tectonic plates apart. We go to see those plates. Those eruptions opened up a a cave here, famous only because, on GoT, Jon and Ygritte had sex in here (and Jon Snow learned that he knew nothing).
Did you find the hidden brewery in today's page? Well, we did. Myvatn has it's own little brewhouse, so of course we stop to check it out.
After a few more stops, we arrive close to port.
Oli takes us to a local ice cream place, and we even stop at a supermarket to pick up snacks to take home
Also, the stoplights here have hearts. I'm not sure how to feel about that
We arrive on the ship in time to get dinner and head out on deck as the ship sails out through Eyjafjörður, one of Iceland's longest fjords
It's 10pm and I think most of the ship is asleep. We end the night closing down the bar as the band plays 80s pop hits.
Tomorrow, more whales
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