Reykjavik & Golden Circle in Iceland

#ReykjavikGoldenCircleIceland

Solfario
As we get to leave on our Golden Circle Tour, i first visited the seaside boardwalk in Reykjavik to view The Sun Voyager which the artist Jon Gunnar Arnason created as a dream boat to represent
 hope, progress and freedom

 

The Golden Circle
It takes about one full day to complete taking in Thingvellir National Park,
Geysir Geothermal area and Gullfoss Waterfalls

The Best Selection
On the road for a 300km (190 mile) journey
Rental vehicles are an option, but i took a Tour Bus with professionals who know the road conditions (depending on what time of year) plus are familiar with the route and all admissions paid up front
 (for parking your rental) so saving time to actual see this amazing geography 

Thingvellir National Park 
Its that part of the world where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet
(it moves 2.5 centimeters or 1 inch apart per year) thus creating
 a dramatic landscape

Daily Quakes
In this area earthquakes happen everyday but are too minor to be felt plus there has been no volcano eruption for over 2000 years, but still are not considered extinct

Underwater Site
Another fact i did not know many people come here for the diving and snorkeling because of the tectonic movements which has formed ravines
So from that they fill up with the meltwater from Langjokull Glacier, which has travelled underground through a very porous lava rock that acts like a filtration system which creates the clear
blue waters to explore

Silfa
It is the most famous of these ravines and is considered one of the worlds top dive sites
But it requires a drysuit certification ( because the temperature is only 2C of 35F ) at least ten logged dives and then verified by a qualified guide on site

 Park Rangers on Patrol

Why you ask the strict rules;
1) The moss that covers the lava rock throughout the area is incredibly delicate, so those who decide to veer on the marked routes have damaged much of it which will take years to recover

2) When people throw coins into (i guess they think its a wishing well 😕) the heavy metals have seeped into the lake which has raised it to unsafe levels

3) People staying at the campsites here have been known to leave behind their waste, hard to believe that humans are this stupid or ignorant 

 Gullfoss Falls 
The early history of this area; some foreign investors wanted to harness the falls for electricity which would have destroyed this marvel of nature

Sigriour Tomasdottir
She was the daughter of one of the owners and was strongly against this idea and through fierce determination plus eventually through her lawyer Sveinn Bjornsson
(who would become later the first President of Iceland) they got the contract annulled

Property of Iceland
Then Gullfoss became the property for the people 

KeyTip;
 There is a sculpture memorial for Sigriour that sits by the falls, so look for
 that on your visit

 Gullfoss Falls Facts
1) In Icelandic Gullfoss means Golden Waterfall as it has a yellow-brown color due to the fact that the glacial water carries a lot of sediment carved from the earth

2) It has the largest volume for a waterfall in Europe, plus was named in the top ten of the world for
just its awesomeness

3) It was protected as Nature Reserve in 1979 for all of us to enjoy

Ring Road
We were traveling on the Route 1 that circles the entire island
The 1300 kilometers (821 miles) connects most of the inhabited areas  this country

The Thaw
Iceland has hundreds of rivers with many originating from glaciers, spring meltdown fed
streams or runoff type waterways

Earth Heat
Because of its unique geological setting, Iceland gets to leverage its geothermal energy which provides heating plus hot water to 90% of homes and businesses here

White Water Rafting
There are rules to follow if your considering doing this sport here in Iceland
Depending on the river there are age restrictions, safety procedures and of course
 environmental responsibility

 Reykjavik
 It translates to smoky bay and with some interesting facts

1) Its the most northern capital city of a sovereign nation

2) First settlement here was in 874 AD

3) The language comes from a North Germanic history which is related to Norwegian, Swedish and Danish, so from Old Norse that was spoken by the Viking settlers

4) The country does not have a military (but is part of NATO) plus the police here do not carry guns thus why the city and country was named the safest in the world

5) Beer was banned until 1989 because of prohibition era.
But the fishermen returning from overseas would return with some gifts 😅 while others would come up with their own mixture of using non-alcoholic beer and a shot of
Icelandic Brennivin (schnapps)

 The Harpa Concert Hall
 It uses a glass facade in geometric shapes that changes color during the
day with the sunlight 
It opened in 2011 and is home of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra plus Icelandic Opera

 Brokey Yacht Club
 It is the oldest and largest in Iceland

On The Road 😀
Thanks Iceland for many amazing adventures and memories