Ottawa Canada

#OttawaCapitalCanada

Chosen as the capital by Queen Victoria in 1857
 The city has the largest population of bilingualism for French and English in Canada
 They have made both as the official languages here
 
Green Roots
In 1885 Ottawa was the only place in Canada with all its downtown streetlights run by electricity,
 using steam engines that utilized the waterpower from the nearby Chaudiere Falls
This replaced the older coal oil lamps, putting Ottawa ahead
 of any American city at this time
 With modern times, the country of Canada is at 80% for its electricity generation from clean sources
 like hydropower, wind and solar
 

The parliament building roofs are of this color for several reasons
A) Energy Savings; the added insulation provided by the soil and plants significantly reduces energy costs for both heating plus cooling
B) Stormwater Management; acting like a sponge it absorbs the rainwater which helps control the amount of water entering the drainage system
C) Air Quality; the plants absorb carbon dioxide plus other pollutants
D) Habitat Creation; its a living landscape for various forms of wildlife 

Recreation Areas
Over 1300 parks (the city operates) with a wide range of amenities that includes 2000 play structure stations, trails and sport courts
 Also Ottawa has 800kms (500 miles) of bike routes that include multiuse pathways, rural trails
 and some off road options

 

Name Origins
From the Algonquin word "adawe" meaning to trade

Initially the area was known for its fur industry, but that declined with the Hudson Bay and North West Companies moving their operations further north

Original Trans-Canada Highway
 The Ottawa River plus its canal system moved massive quantities of lumber for the British and American markets
Then in the late 1880s the railway network within the country expanded which opened up the industrial growth for the area

Parliament Buildings
Originally constructed between 1859-1876 with the Centre Block being redone after the 1916 fire
The iconic Peace Tower (92 meters- 302 feet high) is certainly the focal point of the structure and was built to commemorate the contributions to the First World War

Fun Fact
There is an observation deck at the Carillon with its 53 bells, which is played by a "carillonneur" and those performances were broadcast live from the tower

Composite Makeup
The wall is made up of multiple materials, highlighting the stone which came from quarries in Europe,
 United States and Canada
The rock posts and wrought iron fencing were used in keeping with the theme of the Gothic Style
 that was chosen for the entire complex

Hidden Features
A) Secret Passageways; the office of Opposition Leader has a hidden door that is blended into the wood paneling leading to another room
B) Apartment; the Speaker of the House of Commons has a three-room retreat that includes a living room, bathroom and bed
C) Unfinished Elements: after the 1916 fire and its rebuild, the architect intentionally left around two hundred building features (such as blanks walls, windows) unadorned
 saying that the Parliament is a "living, changing institution"
D) Hidden Pub; when the original House of Commons was built the bar was located in the basement, which is now closed 
E) The Clock; during the fall time change in Canada  (the mechanism
 cannot be turned backwards) so it is stopped for an hour to get the correct setting

Emblems
Found mine for Nova Scotia in which each Province and Territory is
 represented here in stone

Did You Know
A) Nova Scotia; its coat of arms was granted in 1625 which makes it the oldest 
B) Continuous Carving; it has hired Dominion Sculptors for over one hundred years to carry on this work, as it is a ongoing project
C) Themes; with each Provincial or Territorial plaque it always includes flora and fauna, for example maple leaves for British Columbia or wheat for the Manitoba
D) Indigenous; starting in 1978 it has added the cultural and historical perspectives to the carving program of the buildings

Gothic Style
The many figures i found here was common during this architectural style which was aimed to evoke the grandeur of medieval cathedrals and also to the grotesque
To teach about the Good and Evil

Also at this location, some of the carvings where of a hybrid design
that was inspired by the prehistoric fossils found on the site during the construction phase

 Another was of the fish-tailed dragon
 which was in the theme of the structures nautical vibe they were trying to create

 Fourteen Museums
 Which as a Canadian is you want your capital to be; displaying our cultures, history,
 heritage and achievements 

My Top Three
A) Canadian War Museum; on November 11th the sun shines through the glass purposely to illuminate the headstone for the "Canadas Unknown Soldier" in the Memorial Hall
Also look on the north part of the building for the Morse Code Windows
which are designed to spell out "Lest We Forget"

B) Museum of History; with over 4 million artifacts including a large collection of First Nations Art plus totem poles, a water gallery featuring a 19 meter (62 feet) long blue whale skeleton 
It has something for everyone

Diefenbunker
It was built during the Cold War as a top-secret central Emergency Government Headquarters that was a four storey underground facility

A) John Diefenbaker; nicknamed after this Prime Minister who commissioned it, but actually never visited the completed site
Pierre Trudeau was the only one who was here during its operational period
B) Gold & Beer; the lowest level was built to hold the gold of the country incase of a nuclear attack, plus the personal storage of "on site" beer 😀
C) Survival Time; the facility was designed to house 535 government
and military personal up to 30 days 
 The tunnel was purposely designed to be 378 feet long to divert any explosions on that end

Nova Scotia
We had our own Diefenbunker in the northern part of my Province that was built in 1964 for the same reasons as stated above
Now its being repurposed as boutique hotel 

Sparks Street
It became the first outdoor pedestrian street in North America,
after its conversion in 1967

"Full Circle"
 The original owner Nicholas Sparks (who was a settler and farmer)
after he purchased the land in 1821,
created a path so he could walk through his property  

Famous Five
The statues honor the women (Emily Murphy, Nellie McClung, Louise McKinney, Irene Parlby and Henrietta Muir Edwards) who successfully campaigned to have women
declared "persons" under Canadian Law
Which opened the door for females to be appointed to the Senate

Rideau Canal
It was built as a secure military supply route between Montreal and Kingston after the War of 1812
This was an inland alternative to the St Lawrence River
 which was vulnerable to American attacks

Fun Facts
A) Manual Operations; most of the 45 locks are still worked by hand, as it was when the canal first opened in 1832

B) Engineering Marvel; used a "slackwater" system which was building dams to raise the water levels of the existing rivers and lakes, instead of digging new channels around the rapids

C) Bytown; with this new construction settlement plus all its workers, it brought prosperity to the area
and it eventually was renamed Ottawa 
Unfortunately around 1000 workers died (mostly from malaria) as the area was at this time full of swamps with its mosquitoes

D) Rideau Namesake; French for "curtain" as Samuel de Champlain seen the rivers twin waterfalls which gave him this thought 

E) Beaver Tails; the iconic pastry got its start in 1981 with a kiosk selling during
 the winter skateway on the canal

Climate 
The Capital is the seventh coldest in the world, so in Canada you embrace your surroundings
Thus the canal is the planets longest naturally frozen skating rink, which would be the equivalent
 (in area) to 90 Olympic sized hockey rinks 

Chateau Laurier Hotel
The rumor is the building is haunted after its builder Charles Melville Hays died on the Titanic days before its opening

He was a prominent American railroad executive who moved to Canada in the early 1900s with a vision to build a second transcontinental line across the country
Building the hotels along this route was his plan to elevate tourism plus his Grand Trunk Rail Company
but he never got to see his dream fulfilled 

Hearsay
That the furniture for the hotel was on the doomed vessel, which has not been verified as the ships cargo manifest had it not listed
But for sure the Belgian sculptor Paul Chevre survived and ironically his work of Sir Wilfrid Laurier bust is in the hotel lobby

Antique Car
Catching a ride in the vintage auto, perfect way to end this trip
 with an area that has so much history

South Beach Miami

#SouthBeachSoBe

The area was started as a coconut plantation in the 1870s, but failed as the rabbits and their other "friends" from the animal kingdom would eat the young shoots
Once this venture ended, the land was acquired by John Collins (and his business friends) who provided the financial backing to connect the island to the mainland
 With this Collins Bridge (worlds longest wooden span that opened in 1913) it started the development of this island from its mangrove swamp beginnings 

 

East Coast Railway
Henry Flagler was the co-founder of Standard Oil, so used his acquired fortune to follow his vision to build a transportation and resort empire in the state of Florida
After he bought this small rail line he progressively expanded south, also building luxury hotels at the stops along the route
 This included St. Augustine, Ormond Beach, Palm Beach and finally Miami

Julia Tuttle
Was a local landowner who convince him to extend his service further south by offering a significant amount of her land for a hotel and his railroad infrastructure
But it took a severe freeze in Central Florida (1894-1895) that spared the crops of Miami, to make up his mind to invest in the region

The Impact
Once the trains arrived the development was instantaneous
 With Flagler helping by building water / power systems, streets and his Royal Palm Hotel
The city then Incorporated in July 1896

Overseas Railroad
Not to be deterred and thinking like an entrepreneur, he decided to extend the track
from the Florida mainland to Key West
The reasoning was to take advantage of its deep-water port that would benefit with the increase in trade, because of the opening of the Panama Canal
This project was called the "Eighth Wonder of the World" which spanned 205 kms (128 miles) with a majority of it over open water via a series of bridges and viaducts
It was completed in 1912 after seven years of construction only to be heavily damaged
 by a hurricane in 1935.

After this natural disaster the company was left in dire financial straits, so sold off the remaining roadbed plus bridges to the State which converted them into Route 1 Overseas Highway

Miami Beach
It experienced an economic boom in the "Roaring Twenties" attracting wealthy business
 people and celebrities

After the 1926 Hurricane and Great Depression
The area was built in the Art Deco style, which was a vibrant move forward after all the negativity
 of the past few years
With this bold idea, the city was hoping to attract investors plus tourists as an exciting destination  

Flamingo Hotel
The start of the resort business for the area (by using some interesting marketing ideas) to attract the wealthy and the famous was by the pioneer developer Carl Fisher
He used Biscayne Bay for speedboat races and other themes on his site

Fun Facts
A) Imported Birds; six flamingos from Africa for the park at the hotel
B) Rosie; nickname for the mascot and baby elephant to promote the property
 as an exotic vacation destination
C) Presidential Visit; Warren Harding was persuaded to stay for the entire winter season
 with the persistence of Fisher
He offered "free accommodations" plus highlighting the areas recreational facilities of golf and fishing 
The publicity was a success for both the hotel and for Miami Beach
 as Harding praised the area

 Dark History
A) Rum Runner; Duncan "Red" Shannon was killed by the US Coast Guard
on the water in front of the resort
B) No Jews; in 1935 some players from the New York Giants baseball team were refused entry, until the manager threatened to remove the entire team

South Beach
 At one time it was a retirement community, but later was known for its drug activity 
With its geographical location to the Caribbean, it was an ideal entry point
  for the gangs and its narcotics smuggling from South America
Then add in the large Spanish speaking population (that would help facilitate
 communication) plus assist the trade networks for the cartels, you had an ideal setup
Also with the film Scarface and the TV Show Miami Vice, it told the outside world not to visit 

But then a major revitalization began in the late 1980s which helped get the Art Deco Historic District designated as a National Register with over 800 preserved buildings
 
Plus the city had a growing role as an International Financial Centre with legal business dealings in Latin America, which led to a construction boom in high-rise office towers
Then Miami decided (not to be so dependent on tourists) to build a Convention Centre which led to hosting many large gatherings

Man-Made Land
The area is not "natural" but from extensive dredging and is periodically replenished with sand
from the seafloor to prevent beach erosion

Venice of America
The six Venetian Islands (Biscayne, San Marco, San Marino, Di Lido, Rivo Alto and Belle Isle) were made almost entirely from sand pulled up from the bottom of the Biscayne Bay, which then created the exclusive waterfront real estate

US Army Corps of Engineers
Starting in 1968 this organization has been the "sand recycler" for here, but they know it is a race against time with the increased strength of tropical storms and hurricanes
One solution is to (full circle event) to restore mangrove trees and other aquatic vegetation to work as the natural systems to reduce the storm risks

"The Most Beautiful Boot Camp in America"
During World War 11 (1942-1945) over a half a million soldiers trained in Miami Beach as it was designated as an Army Air Corps Base
The hotels were converted into barracks plus the dining areas became mess halls with the troops using the beaches, the ocean and even the pools for training purposes plus received specialized
instruction on chemical warfare

Marine Life
As i found this layered concrete mural, some fun facts of the sea creatures to
 be found here

A) Bottlenose Dolphins; only fifty percent of the brain is sleeping during that time
 so they can continue to breathe
B) Sea Turtles;  they get rid of access salt from their bodies by "crying"
which can look like they are shedding tears 
C) Seahorses; have no stomach, so must eat almost constantly to stay alive
D) Clownfish; can change sex in their adulthood

Famous Structures
After Hurricane Andrew, local architect William Lane was commissioned to design
(what would become) the iconic lifeguard towers, which have become symbols of South Beach

Each of the 36+ towers have an unique design, shape and color scheme
Falling back on its mid-century architecture history of the area
 plus of course the Art Deco past

The Park Central Hotel
Known as the Blue Jewel of Miami it was the favorite getaway for the
Hollywood Royalty of the 1930s. 
It became the 100th property to join the prestigious Historic Hotels of America (1993) and the first from South Beach to make that list

Original Famous Residents
A) Benjamin Green; a pharmacist who came up with the formula for Coppertone

B) 5th Street Gym; training site for boxer Muhammad Ali

C) Gianni Versace: his legacy lives on as his mansion, The Villa Casa Casuarina  now operates as a luxury boutique hotel (with its swimming pool and its 24-karat gold tiles)

D) Peacock Inn; Charles & Isabelle opened the first hotel in Miami (1882)
 The site is now Peacock Park, to honor these trailblazers role in the growing of Coconut Grove

E) Al Capone; put the property in the name of his wife to avoid public scrutiny, as this "famous" gangster was not welcomed in the city
After his release from prison (tax evasion)  he lived his final years in Miami,
 after passing his body was buried in Chicago

Muir Woods

#MuirWoodsNorthernCalifornia
The area is the remnant of the ancient redwood forests
 They can live for over 2000 years, making them almost as old as the dinosaurs

The Beginnings
When a local water company had business plans to build a reservoir and log the trees in this area
John Muir asked his friend William Kent (who was a politician,
 conservationist and philanthropist) for help
He ended up buying 600 acres and gave 295 acres to the US Federal Government for protection
as a national monument

National Park Service
Once Kent was elected to the US House of Representatives, he co-introduced the legislation to establish this organization which manages Muir Woods plus other parks and monuments within the country

Annual Rings
It serves as a climate record and captures a trees personal history
A) Light and Dark; together represents one years growth
B) Wide; show years of plentiful rainfall
C) Narrow; harsher conditions
D) Fire Scars and Cracks; a tree struggling to survive

Location
The Redwoods are found along the Pacific coast from central California to southern Oregon
They are best suited to be around 80 kms (50 miles) from the ocean, so then they are protected from the wind, the salt spray and also have a constant source of moisture

Living Giants
Bohemian and Cathedral are the biggest trees here at the Muir Woods

How Large You Ask
I took this photo purposely with humans to show the comparisons
The highest is over 115 meters (379 feet) with a width of 4.2 meters (14 feet) which makes it the worlds tallest living thing
 The mature trees range in age of 500 to 800, with the oldest over 1000 years old

Differences
Sequoias grows larger in bulk but is less vertical than the Redwood 
They can be found in
Yosemite and Kings Canyon National Parks

Fog 
The Redwoods can only flourish here on the Northern California coast because of its summer fog
as this provides critical moisture during that dry season
So with the winter rains and the floodplains of streams (that periodically overflow)
 this supplies the levels of water that is needed for the rest of the year 

Fire
It clears the forest floor of duff ( decaying organic matter) which allows the redwood seeds
 to reach the mineral soil
It also recycles the nutrients and can enhance wildlife forage
Finally the National Park Service conducts prescribed burning to re-establish fires
 natural role in the forest

Thick Bark
Its spongy plus fibrous which is 15 to 31cms (6 to 12 inches) thick, so it insulates the mature redwood against fire damage, insects and disease

Interesting Facts;
A) The Redwoods intertwine their roots with each other, which helps them gain
 stability and support
 to offset the "top heavy" effect because of their height
B) Despite their massive size they start from very small cones, that are only
 about  2.54cms (1inch) long
C) Some adult trees can "clone" themselves from sprouts, which helps them survive forest fires
 and the effects from other damage 
D) Their enormous canopies can contain an entire ecosystem which supports a wide variety
 of plants and animals

The Sierra Club
Founded in San Francisco 1892 by John Muir
 It had a mission to protect and preserve the wilderness
 plus our natural resources

Fun Facts
A)  Charter Members; had 182 who joined during the first five months with a wide
range of backgrounds.
 A banjo teacher, taxidermist, the inventor of the cable car and even the founder of the Pasadena annual New Years Eve Rose Parade
 All paid an annual $5.00 fee (around $135.00 today)

B) Beatles Song Connection; one charter member, botanist Frederic Bioletti was the first cousin
to the barber in the song Penny Lane

C) Earthquake 1906; the building where the club was founded was destroyed during that terrible event
With the first meeting then being held at the California Academy of Sciences
 which ironically John Muir missed

Environmental Movement
In the 1960s there was a proposal to build hydroelectric dams in the Grand Canyon, which would of resulted in flooding and lost land within the park
The Sierra Club launched a massive public relations campaign which resulted in a compromise among the Colorado River basin areas thus the national reserve was saved

Yosemite Park
The club began a fourteen year campaign to convince the government to put the area
 under federal management
John Muir and President Theodore Roosevelt did a camping trip together in Yosemite, which became a pivotal moment as he showed the Commander in Chief "the value of the untamed land"
After Roosevelt became a strong advocate for conservation
which culminated in 1906 act that combined Mariposa Grove, Yosemite Valley plus the surrounding
 high ground into a larger National Park

10th Mountain Division
Many Sierra Club members provided technical knowledge, training and survival skills
 for this elite unit of the military at Camp Hale Colorado

Alaska
Beginning in the 1980s, the Sierra Club had a major involvement in the states land and the
 Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) 
It has lobbied through litigation plus pressuring financial institutions against oil drilling on this land

Today 
In 2025 it has remained active in environmental advocacy
It challenged a permit for a nuclear-waste disposal facility in Federal Court
  and won the case
Pushing for more renewable energy over fossil fuels,
responding to government policies
As the fight continues

United Nations
Signed on June 26th 1945 by the representatives of the 50 original Member States
President Roosevelt was the principal architect and designed it to ensure postwar peace plus security through a system with the major Allied Powers

They used this park for his memorial as the ancient redwoods in Cathedral Grove symbolized
 the Presidents ideals and faith

Quotes from John Muir
"The mountains are calling and i must go"
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks"

Bondi Beach Australia

#BondiBeachAustralia
The Aboriginal name of Boondi means "Water Breaking Over Rocks"
Once private land, it was declared a public beach in 1881 after the local government intervened to prevent that right from being terminated

Fun Facts
A) The original blue-green exterior of the Apple iMac computer was named "Bondi Blue" from the colors of the water here at the beach
B) Filming location for many films and the reality TV Series Bondi Rescue, which has brought the area to an international audience
C) In the 1930s & 40s gymnasts would entertain the visitors with their skill in the sand, which led to the term "beachobatics"

 

The Bondi Surf Bathers Life Saving Club

Iconic Ocean Pools
In 1929 the Iceberg Winter Swimming Club was established by the Bondi Surf Bathers members
 Some who wanted to continue their swimming plus fitness regime during the colder winter season
But now both are run as separate entities

Interesting Fact
It requires its members to swim on three of four Sundays per month and must be fulfilled for five consecutive years to maintain your good standing

Bondi Surf Bathers 
Founded in 1907, this volunteer organization is the worlds oldest lifeguard outfit
It has performed over 27,000 rescues to date 

Black Sunday
In 1938, there were 35,000 people on the beach that day because of a heatwave, then a series of massive waves swept around 200 people into the sea
 The 70 Bondi Lifeguards rescued dozens, but unfortunately five lost their lives

The area has always been known for a powerful rip current at the south end of the beach, so much that the locals call it the "Backpackers Express"
 Because the tourists who are unsuspecting or just do not heed the warnings, then often
 get caught up in it

Summer Olympics

In the beginning of this idea to host the Beach Volleyball competition here were met with much backlash plus protest
The area would be off limits for months; with cultural events, local tenants plus businesses would face a huge disruption

But then home town pride kicked in, so the 10,000 seat stadium was constructed in just six weeks
 and as history has showed us;
Bondi was everything the City of Sydney (plus the country of Australia) was trying to project to the world
Fun, Friendly and a Little Cheeky 

Coogee Coastal Walk
From the local Aboriginal word "Koojay" which means stinking seaweed from the decaying kelp that would wash ashore
The infrastructure was the result of the State Government project to create work during the 1930s Great Depression

Few Things to Look For

A) MacKenzie Bay; located as you leave Bondi before Tamarama 
 It sometimes has a sandy beach depending on shifting tides and seasons
 Occasionally staying concealed for years

B) Gordons Bay; it is a protected aquatic reserve and home to an underwater trail
It allows divers or snorkelers to explore by following the chain and concrete drums

C) Whales; from the clifftops plus lookouts you can spot humpbacks during their
migration from May to November

D) Shark Arm Murder Mystery; in 1935 on Coogee Beach when a tiger shark was captured for a local aquarium, it brought up a human arm with a distinctive tattoo.
This led to an investigation that uncovered a complex murder plot

Waverley Cemetery

 

Did You Know

Each type of coin left at a headstone holds a different meaning

A penny signifies that you visited and want to thank the veteran for their service, a nickel left at the grave means you trained at bootcamp with the deceased serviceperson, while a dime suggests you served with them 

History
The cemetery was established in 1877 and is known for its
Victorian and Edwardian monuments

Sculptures by the Sea
Its the worlds largest free outdoor exhibition

 Humble Beginnings
 The exhibition was held as an one-day event to now with its global reach that attracts
 500,000 visitors each year
It is a temporary gallery that runs for around three weeks each October, as remember we are dealing with the coastal location plus weather so the window to view is short

Moving Forward
The event has a "Decade Club" to acknowledge the artists who was exhibited for at least ten times, with a few reaching Double Decade Club status 

Aboriginal Carvings
Near the trail look for the rock drawings, which is a form of ancient storytelling 
I read the engravings were done by "Pecking" the soft sandstone with pointed stones or seashells
 then basically connecting the dots to form the lines

Wedding Cake Island
The name is derived from the white caps that break over the rocks
or
 The large amount of bird droppings (guano) which can appear to be like an iced cake

Fun Facts
A) A young pig managed to swim to the island in 1922 then got stranded, with initial reports of noises from the uninhabited rock, a local man went out and rescued the little guy
The next day in the newspaper a nicknamed was born; Porky Crusoe
B) ANZAC Day commemoration, the local surfers paddle out with beer and drinks to toast and honor those fallen war heroes
C) Australian rock band Midnight Oil  did an instrumental song after being inspired by the island, its called Bird Noises
D) Swim Challenge; a 2.4km single lap open water event which many
 consider a "rite of passage" to compete

Sunsets
The vibrant orange and red colors are caused by the suns light traveling through more air, which it then scatters the shorter wavelengths thus allowing the longer wavelengths to been seen

All that being said, Bondi Beach faces east with the sun going down in the west, but its still awesome

Continuing After Sundown
People gather on the north shore of Bondi to have drinks, picnics or watch
 the last surfers catching waves

Grateful
It is visited by around 3 million people, i feel fortunate to have been one of those
So as they say in Australian "Thanks Heaps" Bondi 😎

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!