Travel

Lens-Artists Challenge #65 – Pick a Place and Catch its Spirit

/ Leya / 52 kommentarer

Last week Amy challenged us to share images of the countryside and/or a small town. This week Tina is hosting, and she is ”…asking you to look a bit farther afield. Each of us at some point has visited a place that holds special memories. It may have been a small town, a big city, or even better, an entire country.  We’d like you to capture the spirit of a place that is vivid in your memory. What was it that drew you in and why did it capture YOUR heart?”

 

I guess many of you already know where my heart lies – Iceland. I have been returning to this country again and again, for more than 30 years now. There is no end to the fascination. This is my attempt to find out Why.

The vast, open landscapes

The mountains and glaciers

The fresh air

The volcanoes and geology

The flora

And maybe most of all – the Light

– morning

– evening

– and night

There is so much more of Iceland to love – horses, waterfalls, lava landscapes, hot springs… and beautiful Reykjavik with Hallgrímskirkja of course.

 

Hopefully you are all inspired by now – Patti, Tina, Amy and I are looking forward to seeing your special places!

 

 

 

Thursday Thoughts – The Whaling Station

/ Leya / 18 kommentarer

Hvalfjörður is situated in the west of Iceland, and the fjord is approximately 30 km long and 5 km wide. The place has an interesting history.

During WWII, a naval base of the British and American navies could be found in this fjord. One of the piers built by the United States Navy is today used by the Hvalur whaling company for the processing of fin whales, partially for the domestic market, and mostly for export to Japan. None of this in 2019 though.

The origin of the name Hvalfjörður is uncertain. Certainly today there is no presence of whales in the fjord; while the only whaling station in Iceland is still located here. In the past the fjord also contained many herring fisheries.

Today the old buildings, and some newer ones,  are still standing for the workers at the station, even if there were no workers this year. Only goats…

Outside the main building, we came across this lovely man and could ask him about old times, the navy men, the whales and the Japanese workers. In fact, as a young man he had worked as a whaler here himself. Now he was just trying to repair and maintain the houses.

Some of the small houses looked inhabited and we could see through the windows how cosy they were inside. A bit small, but much better than a tent. They could maybe be rented by tourists? I asked – but no, the government did not allow that. The huts were deemed too simple. We learned that they had no toilet and no kitchen. There was this main building for that purpose.

 

Tuesday Photo Challenge – Stone

/ Leya / 14 kommentarer

Tuesday Photo Challenge – Stone

Frank, of dutchgoesthephoto, challenges us to bring him stones this week – here are mine! Also from Ireland, and I think one of the broadest stone fences/walls I have ever seen.

 

Thursday Thoughts – Centre of the Earth

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In Jules Verne’s  A Journey to the Center of the Earth, Stapi is the last stop on the route the protagonists take before they climb Snæfellsjökull and enter the interior of the planet through a tunnel in the crater.

We didn’t intend to try any of these possibilities, but to hike along the coast line of the peninsula from Arnarstapi  to Hellnar.

We encountered (I think you could say that…) spectacular landscapes this morning – the likes of nothing I had seen before.

Steep cliffs and birds, birds, birds…on this ca 4 km hike.

Amazing colours everywhere, almost no fellow hikers, sun, blue skies and no wind. Who could ask for more?

Island 2019 1069-Redigera

The further we went, the more the landscape opened up and the magnificent coastline became visible – with all its small rocks and islets –

– a spectacular archipelago.

Struggling through some rugged lava formations, I suddenly spotted three killer whales, orcas,  in the blue waters ahead of us. I only got one shot working…then they were gone. But wow, how happy I was! I had never seen them live, in their natural habitat.

Gatklettur Arch

Gatklettur Arch – after some searching, we finally found it on our way back to Arnarstapi.

And the soft evening light kissed the earth. I sat down among the flowers, and listened to the strong feeling of Love for this Country, the stillness in the air, the beauty of this place. I watched the young girl, lying there, contemplating – and wondered if she too had seen the orcas…. To me, they were the icing on the cake this Icelandic summer’s day.

We returned to the two villages, Arnarstapi and Hellnar, the next day – just to savour their beauty once more before heading north… There just might be another post.

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday Thoughts – Hidden Hot Spring

/ Leya / 25 kommentarer

Hunting hot springs in Autumn would have been great – but left them in Iceland. In Sweden it is getting colder now, and there is no more bathing in the sea…so, back to Iceland memories!

We had read about a very little hot pool, hidden in Landbrotalaug not far from the volcano Eldborg on the south coast of the Snaefellsnes peninsula. We decided to go for it.

The weather was splendid and the beautiful white cottongrass grew here abundantly…

Just when we thought we were lost, the hot water tap finally revealed the place.

With Snaefellsnes in the fond, we spotted the little pool – right out in the wild landscape. Two tents and a couple of people were there already. The bath can only take 1-2 persons at a time, so, Patience – and you will be greatly rewarded!

Wish I were there again!

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #62 Silhouettes

/ Leya / 59 kommentarer

This week Patti is our host, and she challenges us to find silhouettes. If you look for them – they are there, everywhere!

My recent visit to Szczecin, Poland, brought some really good opportunities for silhouettes as well. The harbour trip was one of them.  I also fell in love with an Angel…

Finally, we had to say goodbye to Swedish summer last week – until next year!

Thank you, Tina, for the lovely Precious Pets challenge. And thank you all participants for gorgeous – and sometimes quite hilarious – entries!

 

As always, Tina, Patti, Amy, and I hope you will join us.

Thursday Thoughts – The Philharmonic Hall, Szczecin

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From colour down to black and white – this concert hall is a fabulous piece of architecture. Viveka and I had a good hour’s rest here with a nice cup of coffee.

The architectural design resembles a palace of ice,

and was created by Barozzi Veiga, a Barcelona-based architect’s studio.

Finished 2014, it has two concert halls and can accommodate 1.145 people in all.

The Philharmonic Hall edifice has won many prestigious awards in architectural competitions.

Its greatest success is the European Union prize for contemporary architecture –

Mies van der Rohe Award, 2015.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday Photo Challenge – Fall

/ Leya / 29 kommentarer

Tuesday Photo Challenge – Fall

For Frank this week – my pick is an iconic mountain in Iceland, Kirkjufell. At Kirkjufellfossar we were greeted with rain, but still a neverending stream of tourists who wanted their own copy of this spectacular place. Somehow I am rather happy with the rain falling, and with the ”fallen” icon. Of course I knew I would never get one of those magical shots of this mountain and the ”Church Falls” – I just wanted my own copy, like any other tourist.

I hope you enjoy the Falls too – at least they look totally different from all the glamorous magazines I have seen!