During the two days at sea on the way to Iceland the weather has greatly improved and we have blue skies and a brightly shining sun. Akureyri, on the north coast is the first of two stops in the Land of Fire and Ice, or Ice and Fire, depending on what you read! The sail here has taken us, during the early hours of the morning, briefly over the Arctic Circle. Slobro looked overboard but couldn’t see it, unlike when we crossed the equator and there was a bump he said. It is not getting dark in these parts until around midnight and the light comes at about 3.30am.
Akureyri sits at the end of the 37 mile long Eyjafjorour, Icelands longest fjord. We have a full day ashore here on a tour out into the countryside.

The town itself is quite small and the town highlights section of the drive is quite short, there is a colourful central shopping area and the impressive double towered church overlooking the harbour area.

The drive out into the countryside is awe inspiring, we were blessed with the one day in ten average ‘sun out’ day in summer and it got up to 19C. Green fields and rolling hills rise steeply from the fjord. The green keeps going when we get up onto the largely treeless long ago glaciated plateau.

Our first stop is at Godafoss Waterfall, the ‘Waterfall of the Gods’. So named because, according to Icelandic sagas, the then king after converting to Christianity through his statues of the Norse gods into the waterfall. Pretty impressive landscape!
I may need correction, but Iceland only has a 10% permanent ice cover, there is plenty of snow though in winter. Greenland on the other hand has an 80% cover. This gives rise to the suggestion that Iceland should be called Greenland and Greenland should be called Iceland.

Next stop is to view Lake Myvatin, situated in the centre of a geologically active area and at the heart of a major lava flow several thousand years ago. We have several stops in these parts to look at different aspects of the volcanic activity. A walk around the lava field among remnant eroded rock formations, quite eerie in places. Then on to a ‘small’ crater field, the circular depressions caused by ‘pops’ in the lava flow now covered with grasses. Great views of the lake from here.

Iceland is nicely located over the point where the North American and European tectonic plates are grinding against each other. As a consequence earthquakes and volcanic are not uncommon. Hence land of ‘Fire and Ice’. On the way to our next stop at a hot springs sight we pass by an exposed fissure in the rocks showing where the two tectonic plates are pushing up against each other, at a rate of 2cm a year according to the guide.

The hot springs sit at the base of a tree ridge line where they bubble and hiss away, strong sulphur odours waft around the site.

The drive back to the ship takes us the same way we came. Few alternative routes in the country. Overnight we cruised around the island to the southern side and docked at Reykjavik at 12 noon, but didn’t leave till 11pm. We decided here on a city tour around the town. Stopped for a photo of the old house where Reagan and Gorbachev met to end the Cold War and the on to the skyline dominating Lutheran Church. Apart from the organ, the inside was quite austere and in line with Lutheran traditions.

Then onto an open air museum where traditional Icelandic buildings have been moved for preservation in the face of the city’s expansion. It is the site of an historic farm area, with original turf river structures still in place. Interesting stop. The Icelandic horses very friendly!

After a short time back on the ship we took the shuttle back into town for a wander and some dinner. There are quite a few tourists about due to three cruise ships bring in port.

Souvenir shops selling the usual array of stuff, trolls are an ever present temptation for the shelf back home. Resisted. One particular restaurant was a great temptation for those wanting a traditional tasting plate of Icelandic tit bits.

Homealone was not particularly keen, the menu shows how to use what is available. Contrasts with back home where we have crocodile, camel, kangaroo, goanna etc ! So we settle for the dependable old fish n chips, with a local Viking ale.

Allthego was able to negotiate with the waitress to acquire a Viking ale glass to join the others in the cupboard back home.

After dinner and farewells to those Nordic heroes, Eric the Red and Leif Eriksson , it was back to the ship around 8pm to settle in for the night. We are off now for two sea days bound for Greenland.