Nomads i Norden 5: Exploring Reykjanes Peninsula

We rented a car for the weekend and set off to explore. And before anyone asks, no, we did NOT try to go to Grindavík to see the effects of the eruption....at least partly because we weren't allowe to. We did get close enough to see the police barricade, which was about 10K from the town. Only residents are being allowed in, and only to collect their belongings.

Yes, it was a wee bit chilly--45F, 6C, with a stiff breeze. But if you can't go out on a day like that, you probably shouldn't go to Iceland in late November!

Most of this post is going to be photo-heavy and light on text. Mostly just photo captions from here on.

The Lighthouse at Garður....oldest and tallest in Iceland

View across to Snæfellsness Peninsula

Typical Icelandic farm.

Lonely church. There has been a church her since the 1600s.

Odin, outside the Viking World museum.

Hotel Duus, from across the marina

Grilled cod. The restaurant at the hotel was amazing!

Skyr for dessert! But Kaffi Loki's is stll better.

The Bridge Between Continents

I'm in Europe, Lars is halfway to America!

NOT smoke from the nearby volcano, steam from a hot-spring.

Looks like mud, but it's perfectly dry volcanic sand / ash.

Still have to stomp your boots to get it off!

Heading for the hot springs.

Geothermal power plant.

Very old lava everywhere.

At the hot springs, Gunnuhver. From the website Iceland Travel:

"The name of the area comes from a legend about an angry female ghost, Gudrun. A priest trapped her spirit in the hot springs 400 years ago. Iceland’s largest mud pool resides at Gunnuhver; it is 20 meters (65 ft) wide of violently boiling earth. A unique characteristic of the Gunnuhver hot springs is that the groundwater here is 100% seawater, unlike other geothermal areas on the island. Colorful minerals in the ground provide vibrant hues. The ground temperatures here are over 300°C (570°F), so visitors must tread lightly and stick to the trails."