So anyway I got picked up at the hostel at 8.30-ish. I went with a few people too, three Americans who were also in Reykjavik and then the other six were people from a cruise ship which was sailing from Norway, Faroe Islands and England! Damn I would love to cruise in that route one day. Seems like an awesome retirement plan. I didn't get the chance to know the names of the Americans but they were fun people and also the only people I talked with during the whole day hah.
View from on top of the hill at Geysir
Our first stop was Geysir which is a geothermal area. The area consists of hot springs and a few geysers. Some are still sprouting hot water but there are also a few which no longer do. There is also a hill where we can climb up to see a great view of the area. It reminds me of Tangkuban Perahu back here! I kinda realise how Iceland and Indonesia are quite similar heh.
Bubbling hot, you can like feel the heat nearby!
There's the famous Strokkur Geyser which sprouts water at like 20 metres high. And it sprouts every 3-10 minutes-ish. I counted like it sprouted at the 3rd minute and then the 10th minute after the previous explosion. This makes it difficult for us to record/take photos of it sprouting hahaha. I was holding my phone on my left hand and my DSLR on my right. Whenever it sprouted I was trying to record on my phone and shoot on my camera. I failed at taking a proper video of it sprouting but I managed to take a few continuous shots of it sprouting so... Win win!
Strokkur!
After Geysir was Gullfoss waterfall. I would say it's the 2nd grandest and most beautiful waterfall after Niagara! Although Niagara is big, there's something about Gulfoss that makes me feel really awed by its power and structure. There are actually two water-falls in Gulfoss (you can see it in the photo later). In the past there was a foreign investor who wanted to use it as an electricity generator but thankfully they failed to do so. Such natural beauty! I'm so glad it is protected now.
Don't mess with Gullfoss
You can walk pretty near the waterfall. Almost froze my ass off there cause it was freaking cold due to the spraying water. And I was only wearing like 2 layers heh. You can also take a walk up from the waterfall area to have a higher point of view of the waterfall. It was a pretty windy day and it was quite cold but I enjoyed walking and admiring Gullfoss :)
Froze my ass off taking this photo. Super cold!
After Gullfoss was our last stop which is Thingvellir national park. When I arrived there I knew that some scenes of Game of Thrones were shot there! It looks pretty similar indeed. Thingvellir was the site of the world's oldest parliament, when the first settlers to Iceland from Norway came in the late 800 AD. It is a truly scenic place and a lovely area to take a walk and enjoy nature's beauty.
A walk at Thingvellir :)
Thingvellir to me is an amazing place too cause it's a place where you can walk along tectonic rifts! Before we arrived there we were driving along the Eurasian tectonic rift. And then when you arrive there you'll be walking near the American tectonic rift. And these rifts grow apart 2cm per year! As I walk along the rifts and touch them with my hands... I feel so amazed by earth really. Such wonder happening right in front of my eyes. Our world is so beautiful!
Walking along these was just amazing
After Thingvellir we made our way back to Reykjavik. Thankfully we can choose where we wanna be dropped off. So since it was still like 4.30 PM I decided to explore more parts of Reykjavik and I got dropped off at the Harpa concert hall. So thankful to our wonderful guide, and the lovely 3 Americans I met for the lovely day! I highly recommend Iceland Horizon to those who are visiting Iceland. They also offer other tours, not just Golden Circle :)
Harpa Concert Hall
Harpa Concert Hall is located at Reykjavik Harbour and it's one of the most beautiful concert halls I've seen. The design is really unique and the interior design is just wow! Modern and artistic. Sadly I didn't get the chance to see the hall itself, just walking around the inside of the building. Pretty shutter happy inside there. Lots of people were taking photographs as well.
Inside Harpa
About an 8 minute walk from Harpa, along the coastline, there's the famous Solfar or The Sun Voyageur sculpture facing the sea. It is created by Jon Gunnar Arnason and I really love how it is located near the sea, in fact facing it. I don't knoww why but the sculpture reminds me of Of Monsters and Men song "Little Talks" where the lyric goes like "Cause though the truths may vary, this ship will carry our bodies safe to short". Pretty nice place to sit by and watch the sea. However it was a pretty windy day that Sunday and I just want to get out of the harbour for a nice hot drink haha.
Solfar // The Sun Voyageur
Walking along the Harbour I went to find a nice restaurant as recommended by my Lonely Planet Iceland Guidebook called the Sea Baron, famous for their lobster stew. After walking along the harbour I found it! The restaurant was full when I entered but thankfully as I placed my order, a few customers left. I shared a table with a lovely British lady. The restaurant is super cosy and you eat with other people on long tables so I love the communal feel to it. And yes, please try their lobster soup cause it's super awesome especially after walking in the cold weather! :P
Saegreifinn AKA Sea Baron
It was 6 PM when I finished eating so I spent the rest of the evening walking along Reykjavik once again. I just love that city and exploring its nook and crannies make me happy. I walked along Laugavegur which is like one of the two main shopping streets in Reykjavik. Reykjavik on Sunday was rather empty. Quite a lot of shops closed at like 6 or 7 PM. There were not as many people as the day before or when I arrived (Saturday and Friday). Still loved the walk though!
Laugavegur! Love the colourful ground
(Not all of the street ground is painted though heh)
I ended my day at Cafe Babalu, also mentioned in my LP Guidebook. Love the inside of this cafe which makes you feel at home. And oh gosh they serve the best carrot cake I've had so far. So good that I da-baoed it back to the hostel for breakfast the next day. And also I wrote my postcards at the cafe. I wish I could stay longer there but I felt guilty for hogging the place for too long. Although to be honest you won't wanna leave that awesome cafe heh.
Cafe Babalu. Must try their carrot cake!
My third day in Iceland was such an earth-mazing day. Seen so many wonders that our planet has and the places I went to were breathtaking. Also, walking along Reykjavik was just sweet and lovely. To be honest this third day wasn't much planned (except for Golden Circle). So without any plans, I just let my feet take me anywhere after dropping off at Harpa. Well I always feel that sometimes having no plans is the best plan of your trip! :)
Alright see you on the 4th day!
No comments:
Post a Comment