dr_wu002
Well-known member
These trip reports are winding down for my Iceland trip as was our trip at this point. The text for this one is really just an expansion of the four-word phrase, "Here are some pictures" but I do have a few impressions to justify a paragraph or two, even if it were mostly driving.
Iceland is, for the most part, circular with an amoeba-like shape sticking out in the Northwest... this area is called the West Fjörds and until recently it was the most inaccessible part of Iceland. There are lots of towns along the coast but previously you had to go by boat or horrific mountain passes to get to them... now the roads are slightly improved (Roads ≠ Death here anymore) and there's even an insane, 15km tunnel bored right through a mountain.
This was a driving trip, but for the first time in my life a driving trip that genuinely felt like a hike. Now, I did something godawful like 16 or 17 hours of driving this day so it really did feel like a hike. But the sheer remoteness of this region, the lack of anything (except the road) manmade, and the breathtaking beauty made you forget for a long time that you're driving and not just floating along the landscape. Go to this picture website -- there are a lot of unlabeled photos I uploaded (about 100) and I'll explain them in a series of impressions listed below:
http://community.webshots.com/album/393874493XhCveV
http://community.webshots.com/album/394595370aJWSLL
The Arctic Ocean
Those of you who know me, know that I have anti-freeze for blood. I'm obsessed with the cold and New England Winters could be summer for me (I’d live in Antarctica for the New England Summer – Antarctica’s Winter!). So, the first time seeing the Arctic Ocean was a momentous occasion for me. It was almost like a pilgrimage for me, going to a place (Arctic Circle) that for me ever since I was a kid represented something so romantically cold. It felt surreal to be there and the combination of the deep Fjörds (100’s of feet deep), clean, crisp and sunny day and the cold water gave the Arctic the most intensely deep blue that I’ve ever seen.
Wild Horses
Something I never thought I'd see ever and especially not in Iceland was wild horses. The Icelandic Pony is a Viking horse and a pure breed that has not changed for 1000 years when they were first introduced on the Island. They are shorter than the usual horse but very hardy. There are a lot of horses that are semi-feral in that maybe at one point in the recent or distant past they belonged to a farm but no more. These horses were shaggy and unkempt but beautiful and hanging out near an abandoned farm area. They crossed the road in front of the car (the leader was quite apparent) hand headed down to the coast by the farm area. It was quit a site.
The Tunnel
Iceland has a bunch or really weird tunnels that are totally unlike anything you'll find in Boston. Unlike the big dig which is ‘cut’ through clay and sediment, Icelandic Tunnels bore directly through solid rock. And they make no effort to cover this up -- the walls of this tunnel are just fresh, cut rock. Also, the tunnels are just one lane (usually) and have cutouts every 100m so that if there's oncoming traffic you can pull over and let the car go past. They are also poorly lit. The tunnel in The West Fjörds connects a few smallish towns and is an astonishing 15km long and splits half way through into two directions.
The Fjörds
I guess you just have to drive these to experience them. Roads along Fjörds make getting from point A to point B on the map very long and tiresome. Except for one section (with great hiking supposedly) the main road follows each and every Fjörd at all points. This means you have to drive along crazy dirt roads along the coast which usually end up crossing the mountain at the end of the Fjörd on some horrific mountain pass. The benefit though is that there's nobody on the road and you can literally stop right in the middle and get out and photograph as long as you want. We traveled at night (24 hours of daylight here) and were able to do as we pleased... just getting out and soaking in the beauty every 1/4 mile or so. It made for a long day but it was much more like a hike in that it unfolded slowly with a startling sense of amazement and wonder. One of the most stunning instances of scenery that I’ve ever experienced.
-Dr. Wu
Iceland is, for the most part, circular with an amoeba-like shape sticking out in the Northwest... this area is called the West Fjörds and until recently it was the most inaccessible part of Iceland. There are lots of towns along the coast but previously you had to go by boat or horrific mountain passes to get to them... now the roads are slightly improved (Roads ≠ Death here anymore) and there's even an insane, 15km tunnel bored right through a mountain.
This was a driving trip, but for the first time in my life a driving trip that genuinely felt like a hike. Now, I did something godawful like 16 or 17 hours of driving this day so it really did feel like a hike. But the sheer remoteness of this region, the lack of anything (except the road) manmade, and the breathtaking beauty made you forget for a long time that you're driving and not just floating along the landscape. Go to this picture website -- there are a lot of unlabeled photos I uploaded (about 100) and I'll explain them in a series of impressions listed below:
http://community.webshots.com/album/393874493XhCveV
http://community.webshots.com/album/394595370aJWSLL
The Arctic Ocean
Those of you who know me, know that I have anti-freeze for blood. I'm obsessed with the cold and New England Winters could be summer for me (I’d live in Antarctica for the New England Summer – Antarctica’s Winter!). So, the first time seeing the Arctic Ocean was a momentous occasion for me. It was almost like a pilgrimage for me, going to a place (Arctic Circle) that for me ever since I was a kid represented something so romantically cold. It felt surreal to be there and the combination of the deep Fjörds (100’s of feet deep), clean, crisp and sunny day and the cold water gave the Arctic the most intensely deep blue that I’ve ever seen.
Wild Horses
Something I never thought I'd see ever and especially not in Iceland was wild horses. The Icelandic Pony is a Viking horse and a pure breed that has not changed for 1000 years when they were first introduced on the Island. They are shorter than the usual horse but very hardy. There are a lot of horses that are semi-feral in that maybe at one point in the recent or distant past they belonged to a farm but no more. These horses were shaggy and unkempt but beautiful and hanging out near an abandoned farm area. They crossed the road in front of the car (the leader was quite apparent) hand headed down to the coast by the farm area. It was quit a site.
The Tunnel
Iceland has a bunch or really weird tunnels that are totally unlike anything you'll find in Boston. Unlike the big dig which is ‘cut’ through clay and sediment, Icelandic Tunnels bore directly through solid rock. And they make no effort to cover this up -- the walls of this tunnel are just fresh, cut rock. Also, the tunnels are just one lane (usually) and have cutouts every 100m so that if there's oncoming traffic you can pull over and let the car go past. They are also poorly lit. The tunnel in The West Fjörds connects a few smallish towns and is an astonishing 15km long and splits half way through into two directions.
The Fjörds
I guess you just have to drive these to experience them. Roads along Fjörds make getting from point A to point B on the map very long and tiresome. Except for one section (with great hiking supposedly) the main road follows each and every Fjörd at all points. This means you have to drive along crazy dirt roads along the coast which usually end up crossing the mountain at the end of the Fjörd on some horrific mountain pass. The benefit though is that there's nobody on the road and you can literally stop right in the middle and get out and photograph as long as you want. We traveled at night (24 hours of daylight here) and were able to do as we pleased... just getting out and soaking in the beauty every 1/4 mile or so. It made for a long day but it was much more like a hike in that it unfolded slowly with a startling sense of amazement and wonder. One of the most stunning instances of scenery that I’ve ever experienced.
-Dr. Wu
