Saturday August 5, 2023
Seated at a picnic table in a hilly green landscape. No trees. Bare mountains in the distance. Sky mostly grey.
Two massive waterfalls pour into the same milky pool right in front of me. It’s like the smaller brother of Niagara. Beautiful and impressive.
This morning we’ve taken it easy. I still woke up early and beat the crowds to the shower. But then we had a leisurely breakfast, did some reading and finally broke camp.
In the hamlet there was a little supermarket where we stocked up again. Iceland produces much lamb, and Sisi surely takes advantage of it.
Then we followed the main circular road of Iceland, route 1, direction northeast. Wide, almost American-size valleys, rivers at the bottom, treeless green mountains on both sides. The horizon is formed by more shades of green and high table mountains. The sky is filling with grey clouds and I feel that the rain is not far away.
In the middle of the valley Didi saw smoke and we debated between a big waterfall or a hot spring. Didi was right, it was Godafolls. The local indigenous name for the Victoria falls in Africa is Mosi-oa-Tunya meaning "the smoke that thunders". Well, that would not be a misnomer here. It’s impressive. And strange enough, virtually invisible in the flat valley floor.
We eat lunch overlooking the falls, and afterwards we walk along the trails and later sit next to the water for a long time. Even the sun comes out to give us a better view.
Finally we return to the car and continue east. We hope to take a campground near Myvatn and stay there a few days and explore the surroundings.
When we arrive we set up the tents, and are suddenly beset by gnats. Like mosquitoes but they don’t bite. But they get into your ears and eyes and everywhere else. Didn’t experience that before in Iceland. They even sell mosquito nets for your head.
In the large kitchen tent there are no gnats. Inexplicable.
We stay there as long as possible before turning in for the night. There are six picnic tables in that tent, and soon they fill up with groups of Germans, Dutch some French and the occasional orientals.
Just like on other trips we don’t meet any young Americans. Only old Americans on luxury cruises. Where are the young Americans?
It is still completely daylight, but I am going to take a shower now. So long!
PS: I am a man, completely devoid of any sense of fashion. Nevertheless, even I can see that being a tourist nowadays requires a uniform. It consist of special, breathing clothes, preferably grey in color. And in combination with pants and jacket. I feel a bit marginalized with my regular clothes
PPS: the Icelandian language is definitely related to Dutch. Nice example: the president of Iceland is called the ‘voorzitter’ (but written very differently, (forseti) but pronounciation is the same). ‘Voorzitter’ is the Dutch word for ‘chairman.’ And there are more similarities. But I don’t understand a word when they speak it. Fortunately everyone speaks English.
2025-02-16