Reykjavik to Vik, Iceland.

Very busy day today. We drive to Pingvellir National Park, the site of the ancient parliament founded in 930 AD and still active today. The park is also the site of where the earth is splitting apart due to the forces of the Great Atlantic Rift. We then drive onto Haukadalur, a geothermal area and where Storkkur erupts every 5-10 minutes. Continuing on through to one of Iceland's most famous waterfalls, Gullfoss or "the golden waterfall"
Lunch at Efstidalur farm which is self sustaining and you can see the cattle in barn through the window next to you. Could see a glacier in background
Next is a visit to Fridheimar farm where they grow tomatoes under a geothermal greenhouse. Very yummy tomatoes! There were also some Icelandic horses there, they do rides and teach horseriding.
Porvaldseyri farm visit and film about surviving Eyjafallajokull volcano eruption in 2010. The whole farm was covered in layers of ash, now completely clean and very fertile soil from that. They also have a very good family museum of old household and farm articles.
3 cuts of big round silage bales wrapped in plastic. Many fields with them. The pink ones 10% more expensive but the 10 % goes to breast cancer and blue ones to prostate cancer.
Some farms have hot springs and make lots of many by selling the energy/heat to their neighbours/village. Many "summer house" villages near these springs.
In afternoon drizzle and fog limiting views.
Lots of water, lots of drains. Ash fields, rocky black basalt. Very furtile soil, lovely chocolate colour like north Tassie soil- spud country. Grow anything. Lots of "empty" farm land as many people leave for other countries or to Reykjavik. Large % of Icelanders live in Reykjavik (population 200 000)
Into hotel about 7.30. Buffet at Hotel Katla in Vik. Lots of different food. Smoked or roast horse. Beef tongue. Arctic char fishRead more