Our visit to a foreign planet

We are convinced Iceland is not another country, it is another planet.
Driving along in our SUV named the Polar Bear, Drew, Eric and I continually find ourselves buried deep in a terrain completely foreign and different than the geography we were just in a few minutes ago. There are mountains covered in waterfalls everywhere...everywhere. The largest glacier in Europe, lava fields, hot springs (Iceland has so much thermal energy boiling under it, it would not surprise us if the entire country just exploded one day), lush green fields, rocks covered think with moss, vast black sand beaches, rock faces that look as if it were impossible for them to form naturally that way...the list goes on and on.


We have trekked off to so many waterfalls and beautiful terrain. I think our favorite though, was talking to a local who gave us secret directions to a natural hot spring next to a river, nestled in the most breathtaking valley, with more waterfalls flowing off the mountains than we could count.

(Above is a picture that doesn't do it close to justice)

The country is littered with off road trails, and consequently, a huge number of the largest jacked up trucks I have ever seen. Iceland begs you to explore and trek off on to rough paths and into no-mans-land. The country´s main road which circles the whole island, actually turns to a dirt road for large sections.

(This is a picture driving down the main road. There are always sheep!)

Last weekend we attended a huge fish festival in a small town that turns from1,200 people to about 30,000 for the festival. The festival is all about friendship and fish, so consequently, there is as much free fish and sea food as you can eat, and people all over the town opening up their homes. The best part of the festival for us was that I really think we may have been the only people not from Iceland there, and most definitely the only ones from America. It was so ´Icelandic!´

We had a few goals on the trip and one was to meet the Prime Minster, or President of Iceland. Not likely of course, but a goal. We found out where both of them lived/worked and we were (naturally) turned away at both places. We were only turned away though, after literally walking right up to the President´s front door of his house and the maid answered. But yet, here we are in the middle of this fish festival in a small town and who walks literally right up? The Prime Minister of Iceland! I saw someone else shake his had while he walked by, and I didn´t know who he was, but after randomly shaking this strangers hand in a suit, we found out that he was the Prime Minister! Our trio and the Minister had a nice chat, and I went back to up him afterwards and talked to him a bit more while we enjoyed Popsicles together. True story...me, the Prime Minister, and Popsicles.


We also stalked, flanked, and caught a sheep which was one of our goals as well. Those guys are fast over Iceland´s rough terrain!


Now in just a few days we head home. So hard to believe. We will put up another post or two, and Eric will definitely be putting more rad photos up when we get home.

Jonathan