Iceland, Day 5

Eyjafjordur

Leaving for a day trip out of Akureyri early in the morning, we enjoy a mixed clouds and sun day, very crisp and cool. 











Akuyeyri from across fjord

Better views today without the rain, overlooking Akureyri, the Eyjafjordur and snow-capped mountains. We cross valleys with farms and sheep and cows, rivers and valleys, climb mountains almost to the snow line. It's pristine land. There are more trees, planted in groves, all fairly small pine, birch, and others.

mountains in northern Iceland

Tree farm

River in Iceland

Cloudy shadows

Husavik

Our destination is Husavik, a town in the north on the Skydfandi bag.  Population 2000, it is the principal whale watching destination. Whales can be found around Iceland most of the year, but move south to give birth. Our group is going out on a boat for 3 hours of whale watching, but Jim and I opt to spend a relaxing morning around the picturesque town.

OAT going whale watching

Husavik harbor



Church in Husavik

First we watch our pals leaving on their boat in the harbor.

inside Husavik church



across from Husavik

Then we look at the buildings along the waterfront street. A church from 1907 built with Norwegian wood, that has a pair of candelabra dating about 1600.

Husavik

Husavik park

Husavik

Ducks in a Row, Husavik park

Husavik park flower

A lovely public park has a stream, pond and small waterfall as its centerpiece. A variety of ducks and colorful flowers. And then we dine on the famous Icelandic hotdog. It just seems to have less fat, crispy outer skin on fresh toasted bun, I personally like the fried onion pieces for extra crunch along with ketchup (but Jim likes chopped onions and mustard).  And for his favorite snack, Jim munches on a package of fresh carrots at the harbor.

Husavik park

Husavik



First hotdog in Iceland

Jim eats Icelandic carrots

Husavik whale museum

We rejoin our group, who saw many humpback whales, and visit the Husavik Whale Museum, the skeletons are surprising, I never knew that whales had "hand bones". Whaling is currently allowed within limits, the Icelanders are fairly split on whether it should be banned.

Godafoss

Leaving Husavik, more dramatic northern scenery, and we reach Godafoss, that's "God Falls". It's a surprise on the flat valley that the river suddenly plunges in an arching falls around volcanic rocks. The name comes from the time of Christian conversion around 1000. The pagans were resistant, but in this area a compromise was reached that all would convert officially to Christianity, but could practice pagan rituals inside the home. A village elder threw his pagan symbols off the waterfall for God.  Also as part of the compromise, horsemeat was allowed to be eaten. Christians abolished horsemeat as it represented to them a pagan ritual...Wow! That explains perhaps a general western distaste for the idea of eating horse?

Godafoss

Marcea at Godafoss

Godafoss

We drive back with clouds forming over the mountains, and get a nice view of Akureyri on our way back.

Akureyri evening appoach

making Icelandic pancake

Then a typical OAT treat, we go to dinner in a local family home. Our hosts were a family of 6, four boys including 3-year-old twins, 6 and 12. Our meal was traditional lamb stew with vegetables, plus pancakes for dessert that are more like crepes.

Our Iceland host

We talked about education for kids, home ownership that is prized for Icelanders versus renting, some of their political issues, television programs. Icelanders watch many European and American shows, that may have subtitles, or may be dubbed over. They like the subtitles, and it enhances the learning of other languages (the 12-year-old boy did quite well). The dubbing, for a series, leads to a problem of identification if the speaker dies! The new voice "isn't right"!


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