Mývatn to Eskifjörður

Slow internet kept me from posting last night. Yesterday’s drive took us through Iceland’s Highlands, a region that is uninhabited, void of roads, but rich in dramatic scenery.

Our first stop was at Dettifoss waterfall, an hour detour roundtrip, but well worth it. Set in a Martian landscape of strewn basalt rocks, these powerful waterfalls open into a scenic canyon.

Waterfalls in this country are commonplace, yet, each one has its own charm. We have seen dozens just off the road. Here is a small sampling.

We made sure we filled up with gas and sandwiches before we left, as there was no restaurant for hours, though we found a coffee-stop powered by generator, in the literal middle-of-nowhere.

We are now in the geographical division called Eastfjords. The charming town of Seyðisfjörður provided the perfect setting for a break and a hike. The mirror-like surface of the town’s salty pond gave good fodder for the camera lens.

Seyðisfjörður

And then the weather turned. Ominous clouds slowly began to cover the mountaintops. And as we neared the night’s destination, the sky opened up and the winds began to blow, which is too bad, because we are in a dream-like setting, on the coast of Eastern Iceland. Our cottage is right on a small peninsula at the end of the fjord and, if we could see them, the views would be amazing. I know this from two sources. First, the guestbook here is full of comments of astonishment for the “magnificent views and scenery”, and, secondly, this morning I got a glimpse of it when I got up, bright and early, only to see it once again disappear entirely under the clouds once again. And it does not look promising that it will clear. Last night the storm got so bad that we could feel the cottage swaying.

Oh well, but I did get to see an arctic fox next to our cottage this morning, and I even photographed it. So, what’s there not to smile about?