After having four days of sunny and warm (for Iceland) weather, our luck ran out.  We knew it would.  It had to!  We had fabulous weather during our Canadian Rockies trip last summer as well as in Italy this past April.  The same good weather continued during our Utah National Parks trip in May.  For this trip to Iceland and Scotland, we knew it would be expecting way too much for more of the same, so we were prepared.

Although we haven’t checked in luggage since prior to the Canadian Rockies trip (carry-on backpacks and roll-a-boards have become our standard travel choice), we were still able to travel with warm and waterproof gear with room to spare (for chocolate!).  That gear came in handy on this cold, gloomy morning on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula.

We visited the entry point to Jules Verne’s Journey to the Center of the Earth, a 1959 science-fiction movie I never saw.  A glacier-peaked volcano, volcanic rock formations, and black-sand beaches are features of this area, and there is also a beautiful brown-sand beach that we visited.

Along the way, we stopped at what was supposed to be a panoramic viewpoint; however, the clouds and smoke from the erupting volcano obscured the view.  I opted to make a beeline to the cute sheep grazing near the road.

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

To get to Budir Beach, we walked past a lovely little church and through the Budahraun lava field.  Off in the distance, we could see the glacier and a handful of waterfalls pouring down the volcanic mountain.  It was so quiet and peaceful; nature at its best!

My favorite part of the day was the four-mile coastal walk we did to see the bird cliffs full of nesting birds, lava fields, and black sand beaches.  I felt like I was walking through a National Geographic documentary!  It was so amazing to see so many birds perched in the crevices of huge volcanic rock formations and to hear their chirping and squawking. 

It wasn’t until we arrived at a viewpoint at the top of the cliffs that I realized I had left my spare camera battery in my backpack on the bus, and my battery was about to die.  This is the only shot I was able to take of this cute mom and baby, which turned out a bit out of focus:

Fresh battery in camera, we stopped at the park’s visitor center and were greeted by this little guy acting like he owned the place!  He (she?) flew in one day, and has been visiting on a daily basis ever since.  As soon as they open the front door, he swoops in and takes over the reception counter.  The staff members think he may be somebody’s pet that got away, because he is so tame and will eat out of your hand.  They are hoping to find the owner soon, but if they can’t, he sure seems to be happy in his new home!

Our final stop was to hike up to Saxholl Crater via the Saxholl Stairway.  The top of the crater is 130 feet high, and the award-winning metal stairway was built to prevent further erosion of the crater from hikers.  The 525-foot stairway of 384 steps wraps around the side of the crater and was constructed in modules in such a away that it can be removed without leaving permanent traces.  The hike up was invigorating, and had it been a clear day, the view down into the valley from the top would have been spectacular!  The erupting volcano had caused the sky to fill with smoke, however, so the conditions weren’t best for photography.  Still, I can’t complain; at least it wasn’t raining!

Back in Stykkisholmur, the afternoon was free, so I took advantage of the pool, which I could see from our hotel room window, just across the small park.  Swim caps in hand to give away to the locals, I was off!  Check out the water slide in the link above.  It was beckoning me after my swim workout, and I hadn’t ridden on one since visiting a water park as a kid.  I gave it a try, and it was terrifying and fun at the same time!  It’s not the best thing to do repeatedly when you have Meniere’s, but I couldn’t resist taking a second ride.  After that, I was definitely DONE.

Dinner was on our own, so Bruce and I walked over to the hot dog stand after my swim.  As a pescatarian (for the most part), I eat meat and poultry as little as possible; however, I had to give this Icelandic thing a try.  Yes, Icelandic hot dogs, called pylsa or pulsa in Iceland,have reached cult status. 

This is what makes these dogs different:  First, the main ingredients are a combination of (mostly) locally-sourced lamb, beef, and pork spiced with a unique blend of spices.  Icelanders like to tout their lamb as being the best (just like the Kiwis do in New Zealand).  They graze freely on lush, open farmland; and, the meat is organic and high quality.

The key to properly cooking these dogs is in the timing, so they are firm to the touch and snap when biting into them.. 

As for the toppings, well, they are interesting!  Although hot dog stands offer all sorts of different topping combinations, the iconic Icelandic dog must be ordered with “everything” on it, at least the first time you try one.  This includes fresh and fried onions, ketchup (made with apples and tomatoes for a sweet and tangy flavor), Icelandic sweet brown mustard (“pylsusinnep”), and remoulade sauce.  All of this is loaded into a warm, fluffy steamed bun.

Sound gross?  I thought so.  Was it good?  Yes!  Meistarinn’s dog was so good that we went right back to the window to order another round.  (As a side note, we can’t say the same Baejarins Beztu Pylsur in Reykjavik. They may have been the first hot dog stand in Iceland, and President Bill Clinton helped make it famous by eating there, but they aren’t the best in our book.  The dogs we were served were luke warm, and the toppings were not as flavorful.  We passed on ordering seconds).

Given the high cost of eating out in Iceland, the 2720 ISK ($20) we spent on four hot dogs for the two of us was a bargain.  Besides, it was fun, and a very Icelandic thing to do!

Coming up next: A Day in the Life of an Icelandic Horse Farm

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 w