Land of Waterfalls and Glaciers

The photo workshops with Liza and Ira are meant to sharpen your photographic skills in scenic settings.  Part of the learning takes place in the critique sessions held several times during the week.  Each student comes to class with 5 images to be reviewed by Ira and Liza.  The critiques are tailored to your skill level, so someone that is fairly new to photography will receive appropriate praise and criticism. This morning we held our first one which was surprisingly good for this early in the trip.

After lunch we were back on our bus for sightseeing in the area.  Seljalandfoss was our first waterfall stop.  These are the waterfalls you see in photos, tall and powerful with thousands of gallons spilling each minute.  With a short climb you could actually go behind the waterfall for an interesting perspective.  This was our first lesson in taking photographs where the objective is to slow down the look of the water to a cottony flow.

Our next stop was Skogafoss Waterfall, perhaps one of the most famous in Iceland.  You can walk right up to the edge of this one, but you better have your raingear on if you have hopes of remaining dry.  The force of the water creates a mist that rises all around it soaking anyone nearby.  On the one side of Skogafoss is a stepped trail leading to the top where a viewing platform allows you to look down on it.

Our final stop for the day was the Solheimjokull Glacier.  You could see the ice mass from the parking lot where the trailhead takes you out onto the ice.  The glacier is partially covered with very dark volcanic sand which deceptively covers the ice awaiting ice below.  After a short hike, you arrive and the beginning of the exposed glacier.  We ran across several well equipped groups returning from a day of ice hiking.

The forecast was good for light viewing today with the skies clearing after an afternoon rain.  Just as we were finishing up dinner, the hotel manager announced there was a showing of lights.  We threw on warm clothes and our camera gear and heading out to a viewing ridge.  The pictures you see of spectacularly green skies look more dramatic than what you see in person.  It takes the dynamic range of the camera’s sensor to capture the dancing lights.  We all got our shots in before the rain forced us back inside.  An hour later we were all back outside with a more dramatic show awaiting us.  After less than an hour another shower forced us in for the night.

Tomorrow: Black beaches and the wreck of a plane

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.