Thrihnukagigur Volcano Iceland

#ThrihnukagigurVolcanoIceland 
After being dropped off from Reykjavik (30 minutes) we begin our 1.6km (1 mile) walk to
 the base camp

Cost
Now this adventure is not cheap ($400 US)
 But it includes one or two guides, instructional briefings, plus the fact we are able to go
 and view the magma chamber
Which is the only opportunity in the world to do this type of journey
 

 

 Volcano History
Iceland averages a volcanic emission every three to four years because of the Eurasian and North American plates that are grinding here

Of the 130 volcanoes located here, the active ones which are located under icesheets are called subglacial eruptions
This creates many of the prominent topographic features here in this country

Interesting Facts

A) Although harsh, the lava fields are often covered in a thick layer of green moss which contrasts with the dark rocks
B) At the Eldhraun location it was used by the Apollo 11 crew to train
 for their moonwalk
C) The Dimmuborgir lava fields has served as a filming location for several movies plus the HBO Series; Game of Thrones 
D) Inside the Viogelmir lava cave, archeologists have found
 Viking-era bones and jewelry
E) After the 2010 eruption at Eyjafjallajokull it created two new craters which were named after the sons of Thor; Magni and Mooi

Street Sign
Well i never expected to find one out here 😆

Fun Facts
Stop Signs at one time were yellow, but changed to the universal color of red in 1954
The sign shapes do have meaning; Octagon always means Stop, Diamond is used for Warnings, Rectangle for Speed Limits and Directions, plus a Circle typically warns of a Railroad Crossings

Unusual Markers
In our world we do have some unique ones, such as kangaroo, camel or dogsled crossings
But this one i took a photo of, SHOULD be included on that list jajajjaja

Basalt Lava Rocks
This is a natural filtration system which produces some of the purest water on Earth
But its a decades long process, as the glacial meltdown (plus rainfall) takes many years to slowly seep through the layers of porous rocks before emerging into the springs
Because the water is so pure, it requires a minimal treatment before reaching the taps as no chlorine or other chemicals are needed

Founder
As we get near, i am told by one of our guides that Thrihnukagigur (Three Peaks Crater) was discovered in 1974 by cave explorer Arui B Stefansson
 Which then opened the area for this unique type of Ecotourism in 2012
He was lower by his friends using a ropes to become the first human to see the magma empty chamber after a period of 4,000 years of inactivity

Unforgettable Experience
This is the only volcano in the world where visitors can descend to
 the bottom

Base Camp
This unique facility is flown in by helicopter (also the elevator inside the volcano) each season then removed 
The area is only accessed by guided hike and no driving is allowed to here, as the location is in the water reservation area for Reykjavik

We Get a Safety Briefing
 Then fitted with helmets plus a harnesses and i would also suggest bringing a jacket, as the
temperature really drops once inside the volcano

Centre of the Earth
The final steep climb of 50 meters (150 feet) to our unique adventure

Our Transport
The special lift can hold seven or eight people depending of size
 with a total of fifteen for each tour to the floor
It is based on those to wash windows of tall buildings but modified as an open scaffold system
for viewing

 National Geographic
 They used a bridge apparatus to cross the crater as their were filming a documentary inside
 the volcano
After that, a non-profit company started in 2004 which developed the current tour

Claustrophobic
Had one of the six grab my arm;  just close your eyes and use visualization of this as an open space, within minutes we had lots of vastness

Rough Beginnings
At first we were bouncing from side to side but then the area opens up as we are
 lowered 120 meters (400 feet)

Secure
Look closely and you can see the safety cables to guide us
to the bottom

Massive Scale
I used one of my fellow visitors to highlight the size of the
magma chamber

How Big 
 The height could fit the Statue of Liberty, with room to spare
 and the ground space is almost three basketball courts

Science 101
The walls of the magma chamber are that colorful due to the mineral deposits from the
volcanic activity
A) Red caused by iron deposits,
B) Blue is created by sodalite,
 C) Yellow is the result of sulfur
D) Green comes from copper

Reasons of Empty
Instead of the chamber being filled up and plugged with the cooling lava, the magma appears to have simply withdrawn through tunnels plus arteries
Scientists call this as a "pristine collapse" as the area remained intact instead of a
cave in or solidifying

Bottomless Pit
So because this magma had to go somewhere
 One NEEDS to follow the safety markers on the floor, as there could certainly be a crevasse or an
 abyss with your name on it waiting for you

Kaleo
The band from Iceland did a music video of their song "Way Down We Go" inside the magma chamber Which created a visually stunning backdrop and also showcasing their roots
 from this country 

Volcano Facts
A) There are more than 1500 active on Earth with the tallest Mauna Loa in Hawaii

B) The largest in our Solar System is Olympus Mons on Mars

C) The ash is not soft as it consists of sharp rock fragments which can be carried for hundreds of kilometers that are dangerous for airplanes

Dangerous Example
 With the 2010 Eyjafjallajokull eruption
It caused unprecedented chaos with over 100,000 flights cancelled over an eight day period, costing the airlines billions of dollars of lost revenue

Return Ride
 The entire tour (including the hike) takes about four hours
Have a hot drink or a bowl of soup (lamb or vegetable) at the base camp to warm you up
 before the return transportation back to the city

Things To Know
At the base camp before you trek back to the dropoff / pickup point

 The Lava Shop
It has apparel (sweaters, hats, gloves etc) with the "Inside the Volcano" logo plus other souvenirs
related to the tour
 These items are only available here physically and not online through the website

Funds Future Visitors
All which helps keep this experience to stay open for upcoming
 adventurous travelers

Thanks Thrihnukagigur Volcano
 For a journey i will never forget in my lifetime!

Terry Travels B&W Photos #1

#TerryTravelsBWPhotos1

 Marrakech
 Heading to the Medina, which is a historic walled city with a maze of alleys containing
souks, shops and traditional buildings
It is a controlled chaos that at first can be overwhelming, but you learn to embrace it

 Palma de Mallorca Spain
On my way to La  Lonja district
The area now is a Gothic Architectural masterpiece that was back then a prosperous 15th century merchant exchange center
 But its history also includes use as a prison, hospital and for gunpowder storage 

Gulf of Mexico
Flying an Amphibious Plane designed to operate on both land and water,
with the earliest design in 1910 that featured plywood floats

 Which I can honestly tell you
 that my aircraft does not have those old features 😅

 
 New York City
Tried to get tickets; no go as the Foo Fighters were the last musical guest
 ( his favorite band) for David Letterman
 Which that weeks show marked the end of his 33 year run as host

 Belarus 
 Found this vintage work vehicle while in Eastern Europe which was built by the Minsk Tractor Works
 It exported to over 100 countries, so it was a major producer from its beginnings in 1946
This was part of the Soviet Union industrial recovery during those times

 Charcoal Drawing 
Was thinking of all of the steps in life we take to achieve something
 important to ourselves

Iceland
Leaving the Langjokull Glacier which took 18 months to tunnel
 it out for walkable tours 

Arctic Circle
Heading to Grimsey Island then hiking towards the North Pole

 Reykjavik Iceland 
Dragon Heads to pay homage to the Vikings and their ships that were called Drakkar
which is from the Old Norse word "dreki"

 Sweden
Up Close in Stockholm with a reminder to everyone, whatever your passion is DO IT NOW
As time waits for no one 

Alta Badia 
Getting ready to take on the mighty Dolomites
#HikingDolomitesItaly

South Island New Zealand
The Moeraki Boulders, which according to Maori legend comes from the remains of a
shipwreck that washed ashore
One rock is that of the Captains body from this doomed vessel

Salzburg Austria
The name translate to "Salt Castle" as the area had an extensive sodium chloride mining operation during the Middle Ages
My quest today is to have a meal in the oldest restaurant in Central Europe,
 located within the St Peters Abbey

Salamanca Spain
Was told to look for the "hidden" Astronaut figurine that was added during a restoration in
the 1990s by the the stonemasons
I am still searching 😄

Madrid Spain
Heading out with my mates for a few "adult" beverages
With over 15,000 drinking establishments, we should not have a problem finding a few

Volga Riverboat

#VolgaRiverboat

The ship MS Surikov (named after the Russian painter Vasily Surikov) was built in Austria and has been refurbished many times
On board it had very basic amenities plus small cabins about the size of a railcar sleeper, but it was equipped with a modern navigational system, so clean and safe
That is all i require as i explore some remote areas of this part of the world

 

My Route
 It covered 1400 kms (870 miles) through a network of connected waterways, the Volga River
and the Moscow canal

 The Volga River
 It is the longest in Europe (3,520kms or 2,194 miles)

Fun Facts;
A) It was an ancient trade route used by the Vikings that connected Scandinavia to the Persian and Central Asian markets
This was done with built settlements that acted as trading centers on the Volga
B) The river has eight massive reservoirs created by dams, which then formed the largest chain of artificial lakes in the world
C) It is home for the sturgeon and its caviar which unfortunately has been severely impacted by overfishing and also through environmental impacts
D) The river delta is the largest in Europe with much plant and animal life

The Water Network
 With the Baltic Sea, White Sea, Black Sea and the Sea of Azov all connected with a system of canals and waterways then add in the Volga plus all her rivers
You then have all the passages linked together and part of the global ocean system

Mother Volga
Perhaps that is why its part of Russian folklore and often called this name

Syzran Bridge System
Also known as the Alexandrovsky Bridge, its part of the historic railway crossing of the Volga River that opened in 1880

This at its time was a major engineering project which was a symbol of the countrys growing industrial strength and transportation network plus helped connect the important regions of the empire
 that was before very isolated

Boo
Unscheduled stop, but made some new friends jajajaja

Mandrogy
The village featured some colorful wooden log houses with the intricate carvings that would of been the traditional style of 18th century Karelian settlers
Also noticed a Russian banya (bathhouse) plus a wooden windmill and some local artisans

A Toast
But they did have a Vodka Museum with some tastings, so to my hosts
Za Zdorovie "to your health"

 Canal Locks
First of twenty to enter

Early History
A) The earliest date back to Roman times and was used by the Vikings who had simple gates in a dam that would be opened to allow the boat to be swept downstream
Now going to an upstream passage, that was a difficult and manual process
B) Then the first with two gates (known as a pound lock) was built in China around 984BC
C) The first European pound lock was built in the Netherlands in 1373 but different by using guillotine gates that moved up and down
D) Leonardo da Vinci then improved the pound gate design by coming up with a V-Shape (called a mitre gate) that was held shut by the water pressure, its still widely used today

Modern Times
Locks are typically built of reinforced concrete, with the gates made of steel or other
durable materials

Goritzy
This village is generally only accessible by river and is famous for its Monastery of Resurrection which is an Orthodox female convent

The Nunnery
 It was also known as the place for imprisonment for those who had fallen out of favor with Ivan the Terrible, one was his fourth wife Anna Koltovskaya 

Vladimir Lenin
Took this photo as we sailed by which is a reminder of the past history
Still a very polarized figure, with his supporters that praised him for establishing a revolutionary state and his critics that condemn him for making a violent dictatorship that led to the deaths of millions

Yaroslavl
Founded in 1010 which makes it one of the oldest cities in Russia and at one time served as the capital during the Polish occupation of Moscow
(more in-depth writing #SaviorTransfigurationMonastery)

Power Grid
One of eight hydroelectric power plants built on the river during the Soviet era which today only accounts for 18% of the energy needs
Natural Gas is almost half at 46%, with nuclear around 19%

Slow Travel
Entering the lock which in total took about 25 minutes during the process of
filling then exiting

Kalyazin Bell Tower
This is what is left of the former Monastery of St Nicholas after the Uglich Dam was constructed,
 so after the old town and church was submerged, but the tower was left standing

Holding Service
Today a small pier has been added so tourists can visit and the Orthodox Christians site,
and sometimes they have a mass in the belfry

Uglich
One of the oldest cities of Russia with a founding date of 937 AD and known for
 its architecture plus culture

Uprising
Also a significant piece history occurred here as Tsarevich Dmitry (son of Ivan the Terrible)
was murdered
 This lead to turbulent period of the countrys history known as the
"Time of Troubles"

Many Places of Worship
The recurring theme on this tour was the amount of Churches and Monasteries you encounter
As of the latest count, there were 38,649 Parishes, 972 Monasteries (474 Male & 498 Female)
and 21,849 Churches

My Canal Travel History
As i experience my last go through, i thought of some of the other famous
 ones i have been to

A) The Panama; which connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
B) Suez Canal; allows the Mediterranean and Red Sea  to create a water channel 
C) Welland in Canada which is part of the St. Lawrence Seaway system
D) Venice and its network of waterways
E) Amsterdam system of canals

Chime Numbers
It is good luck on New Years Eve to ring the bell sixteen times
Eight bells to mark the end of the old year
 and eight more to welcome in the new

Pikes Place Market Seattle

#PikesPlaceMarketSeattle

Pikes Market (named after the street) is the oldest Farmers Market (1907) in the United States
 It was saved from demolition in 1969 with a strong public movement which eventually lead to its designation as a historical district

KeyTip
There is no admission fee as you walk through the nine acre area
 With a vehicle, the market has its own parking garage starting at $6.00 per hour 

 

History 
The market idea basically got its start as the price of goods kept rising, but the farmers and other producers did not see any of those profits plus the locals were angry with the higher costs
So a local Councilman identified an ordinance in the City bi-law giving Seattle authority to set aside land for Public Markets, so then the vendors could sell directly to the paying customers thus
eliminating the "middle man" 

Beginnings
Thus in 1910 the first permanent building called the Sanitary Market was built with additional stalls being added later
Also local entrepreneur Frank Goodwin got things more organized and also constructed many of the permanent structures, which a few are still standing today

Early Challenges
 During World War 11 when the Japanese American farmers were incarcerated, it impacted the market as many businesses and stands were lost
In the 1950s and 1960s with the rise of supermarkets, the market fell into disrepair with a lack of customers

Modern Era
Then in 1971 a public campaign  was started to save the Market, plus to invest capital into it which lead to the forming of The Pike Place Market Preservation & Development Authority which still manages it today 

Mannings
It was the first Coffee Bar to open in the 1908 at the market then in 1971 Starbucks launched, which in the beginning was selling only whole beans, spices and teas.
Then it all changed (for all of us 😉) in 1984 as it started serving espresso based drinks

Remembering Its Beginnings
In 2008 Starbucks released the Pike Place Roast 

Three Girls Bakery

It was the first ever business to be licensed to women in Seattle that opened in 1912 and it still operates at the market today
This was during those times that women were fighting for their rights as humans; 
 be able to vote, own and manage property in their name plus birth control and reproductive rights

Owners & Operators
For those humble beginnings the Market has now over 500 Independent Operated Businesses plus has expanded and includes 450 residents in affordable housing,
This is showing its philanthropic roots through its
 Pike Place Market Foundation

Social Services
With that organization it also helps with a free clinic, a senior center and recreation facilities
All which is a commitment to be a resource for its community and not
 just a marketplace

The "Flying Fish"
It is a tradition here since the 1930s, as it is tossed when a customer makes a purchase from the front counter to the back to be wrapped and prepared
It started out as for efficiency purposes but has evolved into entertainment, which can be seen on webcams now if you cannot be here in person

Magnificent Seven Public Markets

Its an International Alliance that shares its knowledge and collaborates on sustainability to  preserve their operations as cultural landmarks
I have highlighted a few; La Bogueria in Barcelona Spain, Sydney Fish Market Australia, Markthalle Neun Berlin Germany and Borough Market London England  

Farmers Market
From my City of Halifax and is the oldest continuously operating trading center
 in North America

Royal Proclamation
 It was established in 1750 by Governor Edward Cornwallis to ensure a supply of fresh food for the colony that was founded just one year earlier

Present Day
 It still operates with over 100 vendors offering a wide range of local produce, baked goods, artisanal crafts and international foods while still retaining its historical
 connection to the area