Out in The Country

We headed out of Reykjavik today to the southeast side of the island.  Because we’re approaching winter the sunrise is well after 9:00 a.m. which gave us time to get to our first stop before the sun rose.  

Churches seem to have a very similar design with a red steeple roof and white walls.  This one also has a cemetery attached which was the highlight of the stop.  In addition to the traditional headstone, many of the graves also had little stone angels, cherubs and birds.  Some displayed pictures of the departed.  Sunrise gave the whole scene a special glow.

Our next stop was a historical Viking house.  It was on a hill which made it particularly cold with the strong winds whipping around the point.  The house was covered in what looked to be thick grass bricks.  We could not go inside but it did give you perspective on what a harsh life they lived.

We had a long drive to our destination, so the afternoon was spent sightseeing through the bus windows.  The countryside is a mixture of flat pasture with grazing sheep and jagged mountains formed by volcanic activity some as recent as 2010 when an erupting volcano brought European air traffic to a halt.

Our final stop before our hotel was at a roadside field which held a herd of Icelandic ponies.  The horses are wooly, short and stout and very friendly.  The minute we came up to the fence they all came galloping over to investigate their visitors.  They definitely were not afraid of being pet and would somewhat aggressively let you know it. 

Our hotel for the next two nights is The Ranga.  Named one of the best in Iceland, this charming hotel displayed rustic charm with outdoor hot tubs and wooden beam interior.  The restaurant had many gourmet offerings in a relaxed setting.  They also cater to those looking to see the Northern Lights.  Before you retire for the evening you can let the front desk know if you would like to have a wake-up call if there is a light display during the night.  Of course our group automatically opted in.  However it was not to be tonight since we were under complete cloud cover.  I believe everyone welcomed a good night sleep.

Tomorrow: Waterfalls and glaciers.