Ísafjördur, Iceland

Iceland has a population of about 382,000 people, with most residents living along the coastline since much of the island is mountainous. In fact, nearly 80% of the country is uninhabited. The dramatic landscape we see today was shaped by the forces of volcanoes and glaciers over thousands of years.

Ísafjörður is our first stop in Iceland. Located in the northwest corner of the island, just south of the Arctic Circle, we won't see a sunset tonight. Our guide joked that there are only two seasons here: eight months of winter and four months of disappointment!

This morning, we set out on a scenic tour to the beautiful Dynjandi waterfall. Thankfully, the rain had stopped, allowing Tim to capture some wonderful photos of this impressive cascade. The landscape here is extraordinary.

The drive itself was an adventure as we experienced Iceland's unique tunnel system. The tunnel is roughly five miles long and features a remarkable three-way intersection deep inside the mountain where the different branches meet. Much of the tunnel is only a single lane, with periodic pull-outs and passing bays. Thanks to well-established right-of-way rules, everything runs surprisingly smoothly.

On our way back to the ship, we stopped in the small fishing village of Suðureyri, where we sampled one of Iceland's finest exports and got a taste of the country's fishing heritage.Read more