Reflection Time:)

So long farewell Land of Fire and Ice. You sure do know how to put on a show. As we fly back home, I still can't quiet believe these past couple of weeks actually happened. The wide variety of landscapes blew me away (literally and figuratively!) This trip made a meaningful impact because it wasn't just a trip to see some sights, but a trip to really learn about how these landscapes form, grow closer as a group, and experience a taste of a different way of life and culture. This is the longest I've ever traveled, so I was not sure what to expect. I am a person who likes a schedule and a plan, but I enjoyed the exploration and "go with the flow" aspect of this trip. Things do not always go as planned or have to be planned, and most of the time that is for the best. Iceland helped me rediscover my love for art. I enjoyed sketching the landscapes of rocks we saw right in the field. It is a calming and peaceful experience to observe the tiny details of the landscape. Learning about geology made me appreciate the landscape so much more because I now have a better understanding of why the land looks a certain way. The beauty of Iceland comes with a dark side though. The Eldheimar Museum put in perspective the destructive power of volcanoes, and the reality that the landscape we have been seeing formed through extreme processes. Nature is powerful. However, nature is also fragile. Seeing the glaciers helped me concretely grasp how the warming of the earth has dramatic effects on the landscape. Hearing and seeing where Langjökull glacier had been only 76 years ago, and learning the ice cave we stood in would most likely be gone in 100 years is extremely sad. Something so magnificent that has thousands of years of history preserved in its ice will melt away, and be gone forever. This how's how important sustainable living and practices are for our world. Lastly, this trip would not be as meaningful without the people. Being with the same people for 21 days gave me the chance to spend time and get to know some people I do not normally see around campus. The past few weeks gave us time to bond whether from communal pool showering, conversations on hikes, or playing Bananagrams. I think it is so important to learn about others interest, likes, dislikes, and how they think about the world to understand a person. We all have different perspectives on life, but we can come together and be in total awe of all that Iceland has to offer. 

Day 19 Monday May 30, 2016

Last Day: Exploring Reykjavik 

Adams Family Pin Ball anyone?

The Pearl. Hot water from the geothermal plant travels here. 360 degrees view of city up top.

Ship statue 

Day 18 Sunday May 29, 2016

Yesterday was our last field day to hike. We took a ferry over to Vestmannaeyjar Island for a packed day of hiking. The ferry ride over was short, and  started off the day with the treacherous hike up Heimklettur Cliff. The strong smell of fish lingered in the air, but as we hiked higher and higher it was replaced by the smell of sheep poop. Steep slopes, wooden ladders, stairs, and narrow sheep trail made up our path to the top. The climb upwards was slow and steady for good reason. The view as we climbed just got better. At the grassy top we saw a 360 degrees view of the island, small islands, ocean, Iceland, and the Eldfell volcano which erupted in 1973. We had a picnic on top while Dr. Ranson gave a short lecture about the volcanoes history. After the slow decent down, we made a pit stop at a gas station for a celebratory snack. Dr. Suresh got an entire bag filled with French fries, so we had a fries break every few feet on our way to the volcano. Such Americans:)

Eldfell loomed in front of us, and we started our vertical climb to the top. The climb had less obstacles  than the cliff, so we arrived at the to in pretty good time. The volcanic rocks were a variety of colors, but the orange/red ones were my favorite. I took off my gloves and put my hand in some sand. Heat. My hands grew warm and then got hot. Wow! I wandered over to some rock formations where I found a whole with heat waves coming out of it. The volcano is hot hot hot! We sat by the various vents keeping warm. Dr. Suresh even  geothermal lay heated up the french fries! We then headed to the Eldheimar Museum which was built over an excavated house buried by black pumice from the volcanic eruption. The audio tour was eye opening, and revealed the horrors of such a destructive eruption. However, Icelanders are resilient, and fought for their town. 417 houses burned, but everyone was evacuated either by fishing boats or helicopter. The eruption lasts 5 months, and is considered "the Pompeii of the North." During the clean up process, one man died from falling asleep when toxic fumes were still prevalent. The island grew 20 percent in size, which Dr. Ranson got to see he island before (1968) the eruption and now. I think it is amazing that a few thousands of people made it off the island because fishing boats were in the harbor since there had been a bad storm earlier. The reality that we were literally on an island with a volcano set in. Despite the danger, 2/3 of the people moved back, and dug their town out of pumice. They live in beautiful homes right next to a volcano. Wow. We ate dinner at Gott in the town which was a great end to a great day. This was the perfect way to end the exploration of nature in Iceland. Onward to Reykjavik for one last day.

Hike up Heimklettur Cliff

View from the top: Eldfell Volcano on the right

Chilling (more like heating up) on top of Eldfell Volcano

Day 17 Saturday May 28, 2016

The past two days have been filled fill adventure. We moved to Skógar for two nights which is a little town situated near a huge cascading waterfall called Skógafoss. Huge green pastures with tons of sheep and lambs lie right behind the hostel. On Saturday we visited Reynirsrjara Hálsandefshellir pebble beach and cliffs. The columnar basalt was textbook perfect, and the crashing waves beautiful. Our big adventure for the day was hiking to the top of Skógafoss Waterfall, and on the the trail next to the rushing river far below. Just when I thought I had seen the most beautiful part of Iceland, I have to think again. Every turn there was a new view below. The cliffs were steep and covered with vibrant green moss and grass. Birds soared by gliding with the wind. We saw many many giant waterfalls which took my breath away. The hike was a difficult climb, but I loved moving forward to catch a glimpse of the next view. I felt like I was in a fantasy land where I should see fairies at any moment peaking out from the moss. A mound of dirt topped with grass looked like the Stone Table from Narnia. Around 5:30pm, we headed back to catch our 8:00pm dinner reservation of Icelandic cod.

Day 15 Thursday May 26, 2016

 Yesterday we drove all day from Sólheimer to Vagnstadir which is a tiny tiny place in southeast Iceland. The girls are in the three little cabins, and everyone else is staying in the main cabin. We definitely switched from roomy accommodations to rustic living. Despite the chill, I love the cottage. Almost as if we were living in the prairie with Laura Ingalls. The hostel is situated in a grassy plain with dramatic mountains and a view of crashing waves in the distance. Quite a combination. The rain from yesterday let up, and today had pretty blue skies, fluffy white clouds, and sun. Our sleeping area was quite toasty, but the entrance was quite chilly. I pulled out my wool sweater, and warmed up quickly. I now know what sheep feel like! We spent the majority of the day at Brejöamerkurjökull which is an outlet glacier of Vatnajökull. This glacier is the largest in Iceland. The glacier and mountains were in the distance and a wide lagoon flowed out into the ocean. The wind was the most intense wind I have ever experienced (possibly 35 miles per hour). We were all layered up. I had three pairs of pants on (those rain/wind pants are key), snow gloves, two pairs of socks, sweaters, my dad's fleece hat, and my rain jacket on. The layers worked well. The temperature was not bad, but the wind chill definitely was prevalent.

Icebergs were floating in the lagoon. Some of the ice was extremely clear, while other were such a deep aqua blue. The blue color comes from the interplay between light and ice crystals. In the 18th century some people walked across this glacier by foot because crossing the river was too dangerous. By the 1870's, there was a glacial path for people to use. Loose sediment mounds or terminal moraine were near the lagoon which acted as a dam to create the lake when the glacier melts. I sat on the volcanic basaltic rock and sketched the icebergs floating in the choppy water.  About ten seals swam close to shore and did little flips in the water for us. We then walked by the water almost all the way to the glacier. The wind pushed us along as we shuffled to our destination. The blue ice constantly captivated me during the journey because I had no idea that ice could have such a vibrant color. The way back took about an hour, as the wind was against us. I warmed up quickly though, and we pressed onward. It was a difficult hike back over the moraines, but definitely worth it. We were all wind blown in the face and had crazy tangled hair. Lunch on the bus was a nice break before we went to the coast to see the icebergs quickly (due to the wind) float into the ocean. We headed back to the hostel for a relaxing few hours before a delicious home cooked vegetable pasta dinner. The adventure today was exciting, and I am looking forward to our hike tomorrow deeper into the glacier.

The girls' cabins

Brejöamerkurjökull outlet glacier

Day 13 Tuesday May 24, 2016

After a rainy day yesterday, it was nice to see the sun shining. Around 10:30am we walked next door to sesselijuhús center for sustainable development. Though it was sunny, the wind was very intense! A lady working there spotted us, so she and a man talked to us about Sólheimer community.  It was started in 1930 by Sesseja Hreindís Sigmundsdóttir as an intentional living community home for children with disabilities. She went to Germany to study, and she was the first Icelander to study academically about disabilities. Since at that time most children were put in institutions, this was a new idea. Today there are 100 people living in the community, and 43 of the people have disabilities. They are older now, so some people no longer work. Those who are younger have jobs at the organic bakery, greenhouse, candle making shop, or woodworking shop. The products are then sold, and the money is put back into the community. Their main goal is to include people, so there are people from other countries and families that live here too. The community has a sustainable mindset with agricultural practices such as composting, but it is not an off the grid eco village striving to be completely sustainable.

I asked about school in Iceland for those with disabilities, and the lady said that there are programs (like the US) in the school systems for children with special needs. This community is now for adults with disabilities, so it is a place we're they can work and live in the same place. I think the idea of an intentional sustainable community including everyone despite their differences is a really fascinating idea. It is not perfect though, and I would be interested to learn more about the people who live here and how the community works. The man took us around the community where we saw the shops and an exhibit about Reynir Pétur Ingvavsson. He walked around the entirety of Iceland (32 days) in 1985 to raise money for Sólheimer and awareness about disabilities in Iceland. The exhibit had huge wall murals with his picture and a map of where he walked. We then headed to the beautiful modern chapel before heading to the nearby town of Selfoss for lunch.

After lunch we split up to explore the town for a few hours. I wandered into a wool shop called Handverksskúrinn with a few people to look around. A cohort of eight ladies run the shop hand making all the wool products. After almost buying a sweater last night, I decided to invest. It will be a sweater that will serve me well in the coming months and in the future. The lady in the shop , Liney Tómasa, told me she made my sweater. After wandering around and sitting in a cute used bookstore for a little bit, the group headed to Lerid Crater which had water pooling in the bottom because the chamber collapsed. We walked around examining the basaltic rocks which formed 6,500 years ago from a possible steam eruption. They were red, purple, and blue in color due to oxidation. We then headed back to cook pasta for dinner. Today was really interesting to learn about the unique community of Sólheimer since my sister Carolyn has Down Syndrome. I wonder if there are other communities like this that also focus on sustainability in other parts of the world.

The original children's home

Reynir Pétur Ingvavsson

Wood working shop

The greenhouse

Day 11 Sunday May 22, 2016

I woke up from a pretty good sleep, and took a quick shower before everyone got up. The sun and blue sky finally came out! I did not need my hat, scarf, or gloves. I had a lot of energy today, so I explored the harbor while waiting to head out. There were beautiful red steel ships in the harbor just waiting for a journey out to sea. Around 9:00 am we started our long drive to Bergheimar. I could 't really sleep at all, so I listened to music and watched the incredible landscape pass by. There were patches of green grass, clear blue water, and even circling eagles over a mountain. We had a lunch stop in a gas station, and then continued onward to Grábrókargígur crater for about an hour. Wow, the wind was quite strong! We stood on top of the crater and looked out into the distance. This crater is part of the Ljósufjöll volcanic system in the Snaefellsnes volcanic zone. It is less than 3,600 years old which is quite young in geologic terms. The rocks we stood on were alkali olivine basalt where olivine was likely the first mineral to crystallize. We attempted to reconstruct the geologic history of the area by ordering different geological features we observed. Most likely basaltic, sedimentary, and more basaltic layers formed first. Then a glacier most likely came through which explains the valley we were standing in. Then a fault and intrusions in the basaltic layers formed. Lastly, the volcanic rocks we were standing on formed. The picture below shows the landscape with the features were observed.

Around 8:00pm we pulled into Sólheimar eco village community situated in a grassy plain with snow capped mountains in the distance. An older lady waved us over to our next temporary home. As soon as I put my foot through the door, I felt at home. The building was beautifully made with simple but interesting artwork and furniture. Everyone was re-energized and excited for our stay. Our host, Queen Kolla as she likes to be called, has such a big heart. She started this center twenty three years ago as a vacation spot for cancer patients and their families. Everyone who works there when patients stay are volunteers. Her dear friend passed away from bone cancer, so she promised over his coffin that she would devote herself to helping those with cancer. She only had 10,000 Krónur (~$83) to build this facilities, but with lots of donations and teaching china painting classes she pulled through despite her brother's doubt. The logo for the center is a sick dove held in human hands. The wings are free so it can fly away if the dove gets well. She taught us that the sweetest phrase you can say in Icelandic is "elskar min" which means "I love you my dearest." Kolla served as a great reminder for me to be constantly thankful for the people in my life. No matter what, there is something positive in each day to be thankful for. Even if there isn't any sun, you can make your own sunshine and "always look on the bright side of life."

View from on top of crater. Reconstructing geologic history.

Entrance to the eco-village

Logo for the cancer center designed by Queen Kolla.

Day 10 Saturday May 21, 2016

I got up feeling much better than the previous day. Tiredness had hit me, but a two hour nap yesterday did wonders. I woke up to a delicious smell coming from the kitchen where Dr. Ranson, Dr. Suresh, Amanda, and Phoebe were making a vegetable egg skillet. After a slow morning, we eventually split up in to two groups. Five people including Dr. Suresh went on a stroll along the coast and saw dolphins. Dr. Ranson led the rest of us on an adventurous hike. After having difficulty finding trail head, we eventually found the small house and sign saying Talknafjödur 10 km. We headed up the fjord hoping to get to the ridge to see the town below. We chose the road less traveled (or really never traveled) and walked on the rocks and fluffy moss. We had a nice lunch: peanut butter and Nutella sandwich, apple, and Icelandic "Digestive" chocolate covered cookies. Taste a lot better than they sound! We continued onward and upward getting a great thigh workout. Watching every step we climbed and climbed. We hunkered down by some piled up rocks and sat on the warm fluffy moss. I suggested playing the quiet game, and we looked out in the distance admiring the valley, fjord, snow capped mountain peaks, and water in the distance. We continued onward determined to get to a ridge that showed an overlook. We moved horizontally compromising to try to see our town Bíldudalur below. We were rewarded with a beautiful view of the road and part of the town below. After another moment of silence enjoying the view and sounds of waterfalls in the distance, we slowly made the descent downward. We saw a a frozen pond in the distance and with two swans through the binoculars. We made our way down and headed back to the hostel. We've had some nice time to relax and are planning on making soup for dinner. This is our last night here before we head south.

View halfway up the fjord.

Day 9 Friday May 20, 2016

Driving along the  Westfjords: oldest part of Iceland

Dynjandi("thundering noise") Waterfalls: 99 meters high

Day 8 Thursday May 19, 2016

Up at 8:00am for breakfast. Driving by 9:15am along the dirt one way road to Látrabjarg cliffs. The Westfjords are so pretty. The drive along the coast was magnificent. We saw aquaculture fishing farms in the water, but we were not sure if they are for exporting fish or if there are not enough fish to meet demands in Iceland. We also passed by a steel boat made in Norway in 1912 sitting right on the coast. With the crystal blue water behind it, the scene looked like something from a idealistic painting. We got to the cliffs a little after 11:00am. Due to the erosion of the cliffs and possible wind, we were advised by the guy failing of a cliff sign to lay down when looking over the cliffs. The wind was minimal, but still quite chilly. We layered up with rain pants and rain jackets to keep warm. This is the most western part of Europe, and the largest bird cliff in Iceland. It is 14 kilometers long! You could see the cross sections of lava layers created over 13 million years ago making it the "oldest geological strata in Iceland" (info sign). Tons of birds rested in the cliffs. I bird watched through my binoculars mesmerized by the beauty of the birds, clear water, and huge cliffs. Hiding in cliffs nearby were a few puffins! Yes, we finally saw them. I laid down to watch them turn their head and flap their wings. They are beautiful. Their orange beaks have so many different shades. I also sat by the cliffs, and sketched the huge cliff out in the distance. I just wanted to sit there forever gazing at every inch of the landscape. Eventually we all came together and headed down back to the bus because our stomachs growled calling us to food.

The drive back again took my breath away. It is crazy to think how such an explosive volcanic eruption could create something so beautiful. We arrived in a small town where Thor convinced the Heímsendi Bistro to open early for us to eat a late late lunch. Most of us ordered Halibut because they just caught it fresh yesterday. You could hear the chef sharpening his knife ready to prepare our meal. They even went grocery shopping right before just for us. The presentation was beautiful, and the wait worth it. We walked along the coast before heading back to the hostel for a little time to relax.

Day 6 Tuesday May 17, 2016

I slept like a rock. I woke up at 8:30am, and I had a great shower and good breakfast. Our first stop of the day was the Bjarnarhöfn Shark Museum right outside of Grundarfjördur. It was a little farm house by the grassy mountains complete with sheep, lambs, ducks, chickens, and a excited border collie. We learned how sharks are caught and prepared for human consumption. The Greenland shark likes cold deep water. People have been hunting shark in Iceland since the fourteenth century. The shark is cut up and put in a wooden box for six weeks. Then it is hung to dry for four months. By then the toxins have leached out and people can eat it. The industry sounds a little fishy to me by how they "accidentally" catch sharks when fishermen catch fish, and it is not known how many sharks are actually caught through bycatch. Nevertheless we each tried a tiny sample of the squishy salty tasting shark meat.

We went back to Grundarfjördur for lunch, and then meandered through the town. Our big adventure of the day was a hike on the Egilsskard trail up the Helgrindur mountain right behind our hostel. As we started walking, there was a woman walking down the mountain with her dog. It is surreal that just outside of her house are beautiful grassy mountains towering above. The path turned from rocks to the thick straw grass covering the hills and mountain. The expanse of land was again stunning. I felt like I was in the Sound of Music climbing every mountain. "The hills are alive!" We reached a beautiful waterfall which most of the group crossed. Emily Anderson found a geode stuck in a rock, so we went exploring for pieces in the pyroclastic debris. It reminded me of hunting for geodes in Quincy, Illinois by my Great Grandmother's house. Happy memories. I also found an awesome rock with possibly silica inside and some kind of blue copper carbonate. A little piece of moss was growing out of it. We also climbed up high and sat enjoying the view of the waterfall. The majority of the group had continued climbing to the ridge. Eventually we walked back with Dr. Suresh to start the vegetable chili dinner. Yum, yum, yum.

Geode!

Home sweet hostel

Day 5 Monday May 16, 2016

Today was absolutely a beautiful wonderful ride. We started the day around 10:30am after a nice breakfast in the hostel kitchen. Our ice cave tour wasn't until 5:00am, so we took it easy in a little town with various shops. We had lunch at a gas station which can I just say how nice Icelandic gas stations are. I had Icelandic meat soup served in a china bowl. We enjoyed the conversation and sun streaming through the windows. I asked Thor about popular Icelandic music and he said there is a band called "Soul of John" that has been popular for 30 years. I'll be on the search for a good CD. Our bus we fondly call the "Golden Egg" had maintenance issues, so we proceeded to push the front of the bus in the parking lot to get it out of the way of the other cars. Wow. That bus is heavy. It quickly got replaced, thanks to Thor's dad, with the 45 passenger van now called the "Golden Goose." We are riding in luxury now. We all miss the cozy Golden Egg a little though.

We stopped at Deidartunguhuer thermal spring which produces 180 liters of water per second. The largest amount of output in the world. The water is 212 degrees Fahrenheit so  keep back, Haetta! We also stopped at Snorri's Pool which is the oldest bath in Iceland. This was the start to Icelanders' love for community at pools. Our long awaited stop, Langjökull glacier and ice cave, was absolutely fantastic. We rode in a huge vehicle with gigantic tires up through the snow and mountains to the ice cave. Our tour guide's grandfather was one of the first scientists to go on a scientific expedition of this glacier in 1875! As we drove up the glacier he pointed out places where the glacier used to be, but has now melted away for good. The expanse of land and snow covered mountains was spectacular. Inside the cave, we could see the layers of snow and layers of ash from the 2010 volcanic eruption. The compacted snow, fir, surrounding us was not ice yet. In 70 to 100 years the glacier I stood in will most likely all be gone. Melted away carrying hundreds of thousands of years of captured ice.

Despite my two layers of gloves and wool socks my fingers and half of my feet froze numb. I guess I need more layers! Our last stop was to the Hravnfossar Barnafoss water falls which were created in 800 AD! By now it is 9:30pm and the sun is setting. I sat on rocks and took in the spectacular view. Watching the sun set was a wonderful way to end the day. I just can't comprehend the beauty of the landscape. Today was good, no today was great. Time for sleep.

Day 3 Saturday May 14, 2016

Our day started much earlier than anticipated. I woke up in a groggy state due to the fire alarm going off at 3:00am. False alarm thankfully, but a chilly trip outdoors. Today we traveled around the peninsula just south of Reykjavik. The day started with gray skies, haze, and a misty rain. We made five geological stops studying the layers, grain size, color, and types of rocks. On Stop One on highway 42 we analyzed the fine sediments in horizontal layers and the coarser material. The layers are ash from a volcano which are visible due to erosion. The ash layers formed first, and then lapilli, angular coarser material, truncated the layers because it settled there later. From the slope of the layers we tired to analyze where the origin of the eruption occurred. We also stopped by the Green Lake,  Krysuruvik-Seltún (mud ponds and steam vents), the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and lighthouse stop. We took took the laborious trek from the Eurasia to North America and back. The ridge moves 2 cm each year! I found it really interesting to learn about and see examples of different formations of the rocks such as the pillow basalt which form underwater when lava comes in contact with the cold seawater.

For lunch we stopped at a gas station and then continued onward to the famed touristy Blue Lagoon. The food must of had caffeine in it because we beautifully broke out into song on the bus. Bohemian Rhapsody soon transformed into early 2000's songs. The landscape changes so drastically, and it is absolutely stunning. It transforms from green mossy rocky hills to flat white mossy rocky terrain. The Blue Lagoon was definitely a treat. The steamy water and silica facial was a great way to relax. The water comes from a nearby geothermal power plant. After they separate the stream from the liquid, water and minerals are left. We then headed to dinner near the hostel. The salad restaurant was quite good, and the walk back through the park was a great way to end the day. I loved learning about volcanology today by actually seeing everything in front of me. I can't wait to see what more Iceland has to offer!

Thursday May 12, 2016- First Day in Iceland

At 7:00am Iceland time we land in the Keflavik International airport ready for the adventure that awaits us. I slept on and off during the five and half hour plane ride, so I felt somewhat refreshed. We were greeted with chilly air as we walked into the airport. We were greeted by our host Thorleifur Fridriksson who graciously invited us to his home for a delicious breakfast. The bread, jam, cheese, and meat was the perfect start to the day. The architecture of the homes is beautiful. Buildings are sometimes European styles because Denmark ruled Iceland for many years until 1944. Our host told me that white was the modern color to paint homes, but the architect who built his home used three bright colors. He is reprainting his modern house white with yellow accents. Got to keep up with the newest fads. He then took us on a walk to the community pool. It is the place of relaxation, excersise, and play for Iclenders of all ages. Water slides, hot tubs, olymipic size pool, and sulfur smelling sauna made for a relaxing first activity complete with required communal showering before and after by the shower police. Reykjavik City Hostel was our next stop. I'm excited to stay here with so many people from all over. It is in walking distance of downtown. After eating and napping, we took the city bus to a Furman allum's house for a delicious Icelandic meal. Icelanders love their bread and cheese. So do I! The night would not have been complete without experiencing Euro Vision singing competitions on tv...comical to say the least. The first day was a success, but we are all ready for those hostel bunk beds. Day one... check!

Driving from the airport to Thorleifur Fridriksson' house.