Land of Ice and Fire

23 januari, 201624 januari, 2016 / Leya / 39 kommentarer

On leaving Vik, the landscape slowly turned into even darker earth colours. A last glimpse of the church half way up in the mountains.

Just around the mountain ridge, the landscape opened up to the sea again.

A glacier river graced the crossroads. Mýrdalsjökull in low light.

Arriving at Seljalandsfoss, Vestmannaeyar just sat in my lens…again.

The sun setting over the faraway islands, almost made me forget the Bride’s veil, Seljalandsfoss, waiting for us on the mountain.

Fire on the left hand side – and ice on the other..

I do not understand how someone could have managed to get behind the falls this day – the icy path made us stay away from trying…But, as you can see, someone did.

I wonder what sort of shoes you must wear to manage this! Where is the path? This is the rail to the steps…

Windows capturing the last of the setting sun over Vestmannaeyar.

We slowly returned to Reykjavik, silent and very satisfied with this glorious day.

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Travel theme: Future

23 januari, 2016 / Leya / 16 kommentarer

I hope for a green and brighter future, but alas…this is my potential scenario.

Cee’s Black &White Photo Challenge: Anything that Starts With the Letter S

23 januari, 201623 januari, 2016 / Leya / 5 kommentarer

Silhouettes, Icelandic sun and sky – for Cee and the letter S.

WPC: Optimistic

22 januari, 201622 januari, 2016 / Leya / 27 kommentarer

Spring!

New Life!

Need more optimistic thoughts? Click here.

Thursday Thoughts

22 januari, 201622 januari, 2016 / Leya / 48 kommentarer

I have been helping an old friend moving to a home for elderly and disabled people. Yesterday I helped her packing up the last things and putting everything into place. We went through all her paintings as well, to see how many she could use on the new walls and where to put them up. And the rest…I do not know…

She has been diagnosed with Alzheimers. Once she was so smart, sharp tounge and vivid mind and memory. She was even a candidate for a TV prize contest. These last three years…she has been losing everything…and now she can no longer manage on her own. She was also a famous dog breeder for 30 years and won international as well as national fame. Her last dog she could no longer take enough care of, so two weeks ago we went together to the veterinary to put him to sleep. Tough on her and tough on me.

This is so sad, the whole situation. So many people suffer from this disastrous disease. And my old friend has no family, no children – only a half brother. And they have not got along the last 20 years.

She has nobody – but me. Luckily, the last two years she has found a good friend in a new neighbour coming over with some food and cookies – and sometimes some company. I am so glad she is there, as I live 60 kilometres away and cannot visit every day.

When I came up the stairs, she met me with a weak smile – ”I don’t like it here, they are all numb and dumb…cannot speak or understand what I’m saying”. She moved in two weeks ago, after we had been working hard to get her this apartment as she was so alone and needed company in order to eat properly and function socially. She had help four times a day and got food and cleaning as well.

”They are not kind to me here”, she says. ”I want to move.”

We have known each other for 40 years. Now I am searching for my old friend behind those gentle eyes…but I’m afraid she might no longer be there.

CFFC: Blue or Purple Flowers

20 januari, 2016 / Leya / 23 kommentarer

Who does not love blue or purple flowers? Join in with Cee’s challenge this week!

Click here for more beauties.

More South Iceland Magic

20 januari, 201620 januari, 2016 / Leya / 35 kommentarer

Leaving Eyafjallajökull, the golden light followed us on our way to Skógar and Skógafoss (60m high and 25m long).

The water sprinkled a cold and frosty shimmer and our shadows grew even longer.

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Not many people here – and even fewer ventured close to the foss…icicles formed directly in your hair.

Just around the corner, there is an open air museum where the houses are free to visit. The 18th century typical turf cottages with furniture and all.

The sun very low but our spirits high when we entered the car again for Vik, the southernmost village in Iceland. In my memory, one of the most enigmatic places in this part of Iceland – and indeed it still is!

The chocolate brown cliffs and seastacks…

and the black sand rustling…

in the roaring waves…

slowly turning into gold in the setting sun

Pure magic –

I wanted to stay in that moment alone –

In these surroundings, Njal and Gunnar, in the old Saga, lived and died…Markarfljot is not far away…They did not believe in the same Gods, but the two of them were the best of friends. Standing by the sea tonight I could imagine, maybe…why.

But, within an hour the sun would be gone, and we just had to catch a last glimpse of Seljalandsfoss as well. After all, I believe she is a ”she”, letting down her laced veil for us who cannot walk her to the altar…

SL-WEEK 29: Snow

19 januari, 2016 / Leya / 25 kommentarer

The challenge this week at Sylvain Landry, is Snow. Just returned from Iceland, naturally my entry will be some sturdy, Icelandic horses. 15 degrees below zero – they stand close together against the strong wind, awaiting the night fall.

Heading for South Iceland

17 januari, 201617 januari, 2016 / Leya / 59 kommentarer

As we only had a few days in Iceland, we wanted to show our friends a piece of Route No 1. Luckily we were blessed with a sunny day, even though the sun this time of the year only is up between 11 a.m and 4 p.m.

We started off around 10 a.m to be on the road for the sunrise.

And soon, the sky turned yellow and orange, revealing the hot springs steaming.

On our right side, the sun was awakening, and I waited for the first rays to hit the mountains on our left side. A creamy lilac across the snowy white.

Soon Hekla, the most famous volcano – and one of the most active ones (last eruption 2000) – crowned the wheaten landscape in all her glory. The farms still there below her snowcapped face.

Faraway at sea – a glimpse of Västmannaeyar with Heimey. We wanted to go there with our friends, but unfortunately the ferries took a longer route this time of the year. And I can still, vividly, remember how heavy the sea was last time we went. And, how sick I got from it…

These islands are otherwise well worth visiting. Maybe best in summer though. Puffins and other birds nesting, and you can still see the lava stream from the latest eruption burying houses and almost the harbour as well.

Along the south coast, the road is straight and easy to drive. The beautiful low, golden light followed us throughout the journey.

For today, we finish at Eyafjallajökull. Further along the road we will visit Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss – and of course Vik, with its black beach and roaring waves.

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A Taste of Reykjavik

17 januari, 201617 januari, 2016 / Leya / 40 kommentarer

My greatest love in this beautiful city is of course the symbol of Reykjavik, Hallgrimskirkja (1937, 74,5 metres, and named after the Icelandic priest and writer Hallgrímur Pétursson.) by architect Guðjón Samúelsson. The church is spectacular in many ways – not only from the outside, but also the inside is serene and breathtakingly beautiful.

We arrived late in the evening this time, and walked slowly up to her in the freezing cold, Icelandic darkness.

In front of the church stands the Leif Eriksson statue. A gift from the US 1930 when the Icelandic Parliament, AllÞingi, celebrated its 1000 year jubilée. The Viking Leif Eriksson was the son of Erik Röde, who settled in Greenland. Leif himself was the first white man to discover America.

Let us go inside. My greatest love here is the magnificent organ.

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Houses in Reykjavik have to be strongly built for the rough climate. Some old wooden houses are being restored to show the old architecture – on which of course the new one is built. But I doubt any new house here has a wooden structure.