Golden Circle Tour - our last day

Wet this morning (but only a little). This had been predicted as apparently it’s snowing in the mountains in the north.

This is our LAST day in Reykjavík and the last of our holiday. We fly home tomorrow.

We have a very brisk walk to the bus station to be there at 7:30 am and are very pleased we checked its location out yesterday. 

First stop is the UNESCO-listed Thingvellir National Park. Located on the northern shores of Þingvallavatn (Iceland's largest lake), Þingvellir (anglicized as 'thingvellir') is Iceland’s first National Park. It is also the location of the oldest existing parliament in the world first assembled there in 930 AD. From the viewing area, the Almannagjá canyon between two tectonic plates can be seen: this is a great example of continental drift. 

It was just gorgeous here and on all 3 of our scenic attractions today we are given ample time to look around.

Yet again the most wonderful visitor facilities. Continuing my WC theme from yesterday: environmentally sensitive and creative architecture for a room with a view!

We pass through small pockets of forest - birch trees. The day is bleak and you can hear the wind - a stark contrast to the magnificent weather yesterday but it’s great to experience both!

The next stop along the Golden Circle is the highly active Geysir Hot Spring Area with boiling mud pits and Strokkur which spouts water 30 m into the air every few minutes.The area became active more than 1000 years ago and comprises more than a dozen hot spring holes. There is one actually called ‘Geysir’ and although one can only see steam emerging from its surface these days, its name was adopted to represent spouting hot springs all over the world. 

Our final stop is Gullfoss, a waterfall located in the canyon of Hvítá river in the southwest of the country. The beautiful glacial Hvítá river rushes southward in three steps into a narrow canyon. The wind was icy here and blowing with tremendous force - a bit like the water - and this was truly a magnificent waterfall.

And we could just glimpse Langjökull glacier, Iceland's second largest glacier, in the distance. 

Fun fact: Iceland is completely self-sufficient with regard to food - we pass through farm lands but crops are only for animal consumption. Iceland has greenhouses for food production.

The weather worsens and we are very fortunate to have finished our tour. We have a long drive back to Reykjavík and the landscape is beautiful: green, craggy, steam gushing out in places and misty.

We have also been very lucky that despite being in a big bus, it was only half full, so it was a smallish group. Our guide was very organised and informative.

We were dropped off in town mid-afternoon - thank goodness! We made a beeline straight down to Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur, the iconic hotdog stand.

The chain has been in continuous operation since 1937 when the first stand was set up on Austurstræti street at the very centre of the city by the grandfather of the current owner, Guðrún Kristmundsdóttir. In the 1960s, it moved two streets north to Tryggvagata.

We had to battle freezing wind all the way ducking in behind every alcove along the street as we went and at one stage walked through the department store H&M to warm up and get out of the wind. After over a kilometer of this we finally arrived. [MF ready to kill me (again) I think … you have to work for your lunch!].

There was a queue but not long and the hotdogs did not disappoint - a great (late) lunch! The hotdog (pylsur) is very popular here and comes with the standard hot dog condiments (ketchup, sweet mustard, raw onion) as well as crispy onions and remolaði (a mayonnaise-based sauce with sweet relish).

[Even Bill Clinton visited this hotdog stand in 2004!].

We made our way slowly back to our hotel popping into shops along the way using the same strategy as before and also looking at (mainly) Kathmandu-type sports shops which abound here - 66° North appears to be the Icelandic equivalent (a Gortex man’s parka was 99014 ISK (=$A1074 !!!)).

Stopped for a coffee for the (cheap - er) price of about $A8 each.

Out we went again - I could have just gone to bed to be honest. I have had a cold the past few days (caught from MF of course!). I wasn’t looking forward to the cold wind again!

We bought some Skyr (pronounced “skeer”) at the supermarket for breakfast. It is an Icelandic dairy product with a texture and tastes like very thick yogurt like Greek yogurt (apparently … I’ll let you know in the morning!). 

Then back to our pub (the one we went to yesterday): another hamburger but this time with a beer and schnapps (they call it ‘snaps’!). Very cosy - a mix of locals and a few tourists like us (it only has about 10 small tables inside so it’s not very big!). 

Then back to the hotel to pack for our VERY early departure tomorrow (ugh!!). 

MF saw this on the way. Very apt for Iceland.

Walked 11.2 kms.