These are all cut off because Insta but basically the weird volcanic/glacial landscape is unlike anything I’ve been to in North America and it was honestly exhausting trying to capture all of it on camera. There are people who live in the nicest looking towns I’ve ever seen at the base of these mountains. That last one is Hvammsik Hot Springs. Look it up
Geyser is one of the only words in English that is borrowed from Icelandic. Geysir, Iceland has the second-tallest one outside of Steamboat. I saw this one blow but my camera wasn’t ready in time. The surrounding landscape was gorgeous, though
Kerið Crater is a crater lake. It’s not as big as Oregon’s Crater Lake but at least they gave it a name instead of just [accurate noun] [accurate noun]. Anyway, it formed similarly, where Earth popped a pimple and left a scar. That is, after the volcano erupted, the cone collapsed into the empty magma chamber. The water level represents the water table, not rainfall. This was the only sunny portion of the entire day 😂 😭
I’m pretty sure every waterfall in Iceland is fed by glaciers. In fact, Gullfoss has little colonies of ice or snow on the sides that either wish to be a part of a glacier in their next lives or are simply bidding farewell to their melted ancestors. Please help solve climate change so their little dreams aren’t crushed
This is Þingvellir National Park. These epic fissures are the Flekaskil Rift, where Icelandic parliamentary democracy, the Alþingi, was born in 930 CE. This site is one of the of the few places on Earth where you can walk between two tectonic plates. The plates here are Eurasia and North America. The plates are splitting at a rate of about 2cm per year and the Althingi regularly felt earthquakes and witnessed eruptions over the course of their 1000+ year democratic deliberations (a democracy interrupted only by Norwegian and Danish colonialism that is now long gone. The Althingi has been returned as law of the land). The Althingi is one of the oldest parliamentary democracies on Earth. Iceland has grown by several meters since their first assembly. History is metal as fuck, kids
Skógafoss Waterfall is actually dozens that just keep going and going down a giant canyon that constantly threatens both death and spiritual enlightenment. The further you hike it the less you remember civilization. Cruelly, the only reason I had to turn around to was to return my rental car in time. My legs are jelly
Seljalandsfoss Waterfall was extremely cool. These glaciers are just constantly regurgitating all over a wide landscape. This one you can actually walk under a pouring portion of it. I did and got soaked. It was great. There’s also a waterfall cave/canyon you can walk into. More than slightly magical
Lava Centre Museum. No actual lava yet but that seems to require a much more dedicated itinerary than I am able to swing this trip. The last time I saw lava in person was in Guatemala. I forgot how much I miss it
![Kerið Crater is a crater lake. It’s not as big as Oregon’s Crater Lake but at least they gave it a name instead of just [accurate noun] [accurate noun]. Anyway, it formed similarly, where Earth popped a pimple and left a scar. That is, after the volcano erupted, the cone collapsed into the empty magma chamber. The water level represents the water table, not rainfall. This was the only sunny portion of the entire day](https://sp1.picnob.com/p/pt_6825492547556964167258_0_1ae42ff8e36f7c7203712ed82dfd3322.jpg?o=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&h=20d35610bfe11c6091fc864ea64faf84)
