Iceland - the human side

It was so lovely today to finally see the human side of Iceland but before that some views of our early morning journey. The rain returned and it was a very cold 5C…….

 Our first stop was truly magical visiting the dark castles of Dimmuborgir. These black lava structures are 2,000 years old and Icelandic folklore describes trolls living in the rocks……and believe me I saw them…..just take a close look at the structures! This area was also used in the filming of Game of Thrones (as were a lot of other parts of Iceland that we have seen)……….

 It was lovely to see the autumn colour in the birches and many small caves where I am sure there were fairies and elves too!……..

 I've bought a book to read to the little ones about a friendly troll but these characters are hilarious…….they are the Yule Lads……….

 and yet another waterfall but it was too cold, wet and windy for the walk……..this was Godafoss the waterfalls of God…….

 As we travelled Southeast the snow topped mountains were a great backdrop for our impressive visit to the Laufas Museum to see the old turf house that was home to several vicars in the 19th and 20th centuries. These homes date back to the middle ages when Iceland was first settled……..

 Elegant side saddle for the ladies……….

 Of course the highlight for me was seeing all the needlework and it was nice to have these rooms on my own as our fellow travellers didn't have the same interest!……….

 The shoes are lined with knitted wool and even the braces were stitched……..

 A wedding dress which was always black…...

 So tonight we have a backdrop of snow tipped mountains and a sea view from the other side….we are in the beautiful port of Akureyri……...