Rain Makes Rainbows
Day 3 — Snaefellsnes to the Golden Circle
I used to think Hawaii owned the “volcano market,” but I was wrong. Producing more than a third of the world’s lava flow, Iceland’s terrain has been created and is still spotted with volcanoes. (Volcanoes and those plastic-covered hay bales previously discussed.) Some are active, most are dormant, and many former volcanoes are now cratered mountains covered in thick, soft spongey moss, grass, and flowers. This month, Iceland made the news when Mount Fagradalsfjall began erupting. There is a live stream showing lava spit from the top, running down its side on massive wall-sized monitors at the airport. (After Matthew saw the active volcano from the airplane, it wasn’t a surprise when Topher and Eric joined him in a campaign to climb it before we leave.) Sitting atop the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates, which are literally pulling Iceland apart, an inch a year, it’s no surprise that seismic activity, geysers, and hot springs are also prevalent. It’s common to see plumes of steam from the ground, floating into the thick clouds. I’m starting to think Iceland is where clouds come from.
It’s well documented that when the Wagners hit the road during the height of the pandemic in an RV trip across America, we had daily dramas with the RV. So it wasn’t entirely surprising when we hopped in the car for today’s trek across the country that the engine light would go on. After getting lucky and figuring out how to switch the language settings from German to English we diagnosed the trouble as “needing engine coolant.” Three gas stations later, we found a lovely guy who explained pouring water in the engine is all we needed to do. Apparently, in the summer you use water and in the winter, antifreeze. He was happy to assist and we were back on the road. First stop. Gullfoss.
Gullfoss waterfall is massive. Not as big as Niagara Falls, but there are similarities. Water cascades over massive boulders from high atop a mountain and continues to cascade in large steps down the mountain. There are two viewing areas to see the falls, two parking areas, and one massive gift shop/restaurant. Called Gullfoss because of the golden hue on the water and the occasional rainbow on sunny days, there is another competing theory to its name. Once upon a time, a farmer named Gygur lived at Gygjarholl. He had a lot of gold and couldn’t bear the thought of anyone else possessing it after his death, so he filled a coffer and threw it into the waterfall — which was afterward called Gullfoss — the “gold waterfall.”
Regardless of the name origin, it was extraordinary. It was also freezing cold and we couldn’t tell if it was rain or spray, but I was thrilled when Eric suggested we leave the kids to explore and go in search of hot chocolate. At 6:30pm, the café was mostly closed except for soup and hot drinks. (Option to add rum or whipped cream to your cocoa. Yes, please.) Then it was off to the next stop.
Like the “Golden Triangle” tour in India, the Golden Circle is a loop of the hottest tourist attractions. Unlike most countries, Iceland means this literally. Though the Icelandic word for geyser is “hver.” The most famous hver is called, “Geyser” which translates to “he who blows high.” It’s one of the few words adopted from Iceland into English. All geysers are named for this one. Located in the geothermal valley of Haukadalur, Geyser has gone quiet since an earthquake in 2000, but his companion Strokkur still blows with great regularity.
The very best part about seeing the geysers was listening to Christopher’s reaction when they erupted. He jumped back, whooped, and looked like a little boy who despite understanding the geyser was about to blow was completely caught by surprise with a childlike wonder. In other words, he was adorably cartoon-like and made me laugh. We met a lovely Brit and her bestie, who in a small world coincidence has an aunt who lives in Arlington and we quickly connected that we were one friend removed. Vacation travels are the best because everyone is so incredibly friendly and for the most part in an exceptionally good mood.
After climbing to the top of an adjacent mountain to get a better view of the steaming, bubbling valley below, Matthew coined a new word, “perspection.” The height he argued provided exceptional perspective on the area and gave you a better perception of the experience. The kids teased him mercilessly for observing how different everything looked from the top of the climb and I observed that hot chocolate was no longer holding me and it was time to find dinner and our hotel.
The hotel was charming and made me wonder once again, why we weren’t checking into places before 10pm. The check-in area was a magical log cabin in the woods and we stayed in an adjacent traditional-looking long version of modern Icelandic architecture. The place felt very Frank Lloyd Wright, unassuming and functional built into the landscape with natural colors and materials. Bonus. We’d get to stay here for two nights. Tomorrow morning is the much anticipated glacial snorkel and touring of the rest of the attractions on the Golden Circle.
