The Golden Circle

We started off the day with a critique session before boarding our bus one final time to drive The Golden Circle.  Our first stop was at 
Stokkur which is a national park with a winding rock walled path that leads to a pleasant, if not spectacular, waterfall.  Another path takes you over a meandering river with more photo opportunities. We re-boarded our bus for our final waterfall of the trip.

I think one of our favorite stops was getting to pet the Icelandic horses.  We got another opportunity to interact with a larger herd today.  They are so friendly and photogenic.

Our next stop was Thingvillir where hot steam escapes the earth from a rock field of vents.  This eerie scene also includes a geysir that erupts every few minutes to the onlookers' delight.  Right before blowing, a giant bubble forms over the opening,  the water shoots high into the air and then repeats the cycle.

Gullfoss is a spectacular waterfall which you can view from both above and below.  It is very wide at the top and drapes over several tiers of rocks before reaching the bottom.  The force of the water creates a gentle roar.  The mist was banded by a rainbow when we arrived which gave way to a glow from the setting sun.  Ice on the paths made walking a little tricky but manageable.  We finished the stop at the bottom awed by is force of nature.

Although our full day left us tired, several of us dined at Epotek as a final meal before our farewell dinner on Saturday.  With offerings of small plates as well as full meals everyone found something to their liking.  Ira called at the end of the meal to let us know the Northern Lights were visible.  Some went to the church to shoot while others of us went to the lake.  The ambient light from the city made this a more difficult shoot, but those who tried were rewarded with pictures.

Tomorrow: Around Reykjavik