Looking back over my photos from our first full day in Iceland, it really was a full day!  Beginning near our hotel in Selfoss, our tour leader, Thorunn, and bus driver, Haflidi, took us to Hespa, a local wool studio to learn about wool dying using natural ingredients and traditional techniques.  It was fascinating to learn about which ingredients produce various colors and to see the process.  Wool clothing is a staple in every Icelander’s closet and a popular tourist souvenir, so it is an important industry for the country.

(For all pictures, click on the image to see full screen view.)

Next, we were off to circumnavigate the Golden Circle, a ring of natural highlights which are a huge tourist draw.  Being the high season and tourism numbers being way up in Europe, we weren’t the only bus to pull in at each spot.  The nice thing was our bus was full-sized like the others, but only 16 of us had to get off and back on.  If you are going to do a guided tour, small-group tours are the way to go!

Our first stop was at Gullfoss waterfall, just one of MANY waterfalls in Iceland.  The country is full of them!  This one was really special, though – absolutely breathtaking!

Geysir was a fun and fascinating stop for us.  The main draw was the geyser that periodically spouted boiling water a couple of hundred feet up into the air.  I watched it 14 times, and Bruce witnessed 16 spouts.  (I was hiking up the hill to get a birds-eye view and missed a couple.)

That geyser put on a show for us!  The wait was no more than ten minutes each time, and the people gathered around to watch enjoyed the show.  We had packed a couple of sandwiches made from the hotel’s breakfast buffet for our lunch, so we sat on a bench and ate while watching for the spouts. (Don’t tell Hotel Selfoss!  In our defense, we both had eaten light breakfasts and skipped the hot food buffet.  That’s my rationalization, and I’m stickin’ to it!)

A note about the cost of food in Iceland:  It is EXPENSIVE, unless you pick up some groceries at Bonus or Kronen.  Take Subway, for example, the dreaded sandwich chain that has taken over the world.  A foot-long will set you back $15, and a three-course meal in a mid-range restaurant will cost about $50.  Add a domestic .5 liter draught beer to that, and you’re looking at about $9.  If you think you are going to go really cheap by eating at McDonalds (Just say NO!), your McMeal will cost you $14.

Having done my research, I already knew that we would have some talkin’ to do about the meals that wouldn’t be included on our tour.  Bruce and I both decided those included meals (The first one was Arctic Char, a fish similar in appearance and taste to salmon—delicious!) would be enough.  We were fine with shopping at Bonus or Kronan (similar to Aldi or Lidl) for some skyr (Icelandic yogurt similar to Greek yogurt, but better!), an apple, and a sandwich.

The grocery prices in those two stores were quite comparable to Publix in the U.S., and it was a fun experience.  I love shopping in markets in foreign countries to see what the locals eat, check prices, and look at all of the different products—especially chocolate! (I bought a lot of it…)

Wow, I sure digressed!  Where was I?  Oh!  Back to the Golden Circle!  Next stop:  Thingvellir National Park.  (That’s how it is spelled in English.  Check out the link to see the Icelandic character for “Th.”)  A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it has an interesting history.  This Wikipedia article gets into much more detail, but suffice it to say the park is a site of historical, cultural, and geological significance.  It is also one of the most popular tourist destinations in Iceland.  The biggest draw is that you can see the continental drift between the North American and Eurasian Plates.  It’s not just the visible cracks (faults); there is a canyon clearly demonstrating the existence of plate tectonics.  It was an appropriate location for the world’s oldest Parliament, assembled in 930.

Although it was a full day on the Golden Circle, there was still time in the afternoon for a swim at the local Sundlaug (pool).  Not only did I get in a good swim workout; but, I met five Icelanders to gift my U.S. Masters Swimming Fitness Series caps to in the process!

Next up: Waterfalls, Puffins, Glaciers, and Beaches! Oh My!!

Note: If small group travel is of interest to you, I highly recommend Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT). Although Bruce and I travel together, they do not charge a single supplement for those who travel on their own. Singles also get their own room at hotels. If you book, you can get $100 off your trip by providing my name and customer number (Elaine Krugman, #3018126) as the person who referred you. I will also get $100 off future travel– a win-win!