Iceland
Recent Articles
Seltún, Krýsuvík Geothermal Area
During our travels through Iceland, we stopped at Seltún, in the Krýsuvík geothermal area on the Reykjanes Peninsula. Even in a country filled with dramatic landscapes, this was an extraordinary place. The ground itself seemed alive. Seltún lies within an active geothermal region where heat from deep beneath the surface warms groundwater. As that water […]
Basalt Cliffs of Pingvellir National Park
Standing before these towering basalt cliffs is Marty during one of our visits to Þingvellir National Park. At first glance, they appear to be nothing more than rugged rock walls sculpted by time. They are the exposed edges of the Earth’s crust, formed by powerful volcanic forces that continue to shape Iceland today. These cliffs are made of basalt, […]
Skogafoss
There are many extraordinary places in Iceland, but the waterfalls were among the most spectacular experiences of our trip. Around nearly every turn in the landscape, another waterfall seemed to emerge from the cliffs, glaciers or volcanic mountains. Yet some stand apart because of their beauty, and this was certainly true at Skogafoss. Skogafoss is one of Iceland’s […]
Blue Lagoon
There are places that feel almost unreal when you first arrive, and the Blue Lagoon is one of them. Set in the middle of a rugged volcanic landscape near Grindavik, the lagoon appears as a soft, milky blue oasis surrounded by black lava fields. Steam rises into the cool Icelandic air, and as you step […]
Leif Erikson Statue
In the capital city of Reykjavik, standing prominently in front of Hallgrimskikja, is this statue honoring Lief Erikson. The tall bronze figure faces west toward the Atlantic Ocean, a fitting direction for the explorer believed to have sailed from Greenland and reached North America nearly five centuries before Columbus. The inscription on the base reads: […]
Jukulsarlon Glacier Lagoon
As we drove along Iceland’s Ring Road in the southeastern part of the country, we stopped at Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, one of the well-known natural sites in Iceland. This lagoon is filled with floating icebergs that have broken off from an outlet glacier of Vatnajokull. Vatnajokull is the largest glacier in Europe by volume, and it […]
The Bridge Between Two Continents
When we visited the Reykjanes Peninsula in 2016, we found one of Iceland’s extraordinary places: The Bridge Between Two Continents This short metal walkway stretches across a narrow, rocky raving. The ravine marks a section of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates slowly pull apart. Iceland is the only country […]