The final stop for today was to the Thingvellir National Park. As we were driving all day we had seen lots of sheep, cows, or horses grazing. It was hard to photograph with my new camera which doesn't take moving objects well.

The national park is where the North American and European tectonic plates meet. It was also the spot of the Iceland Parliament for about 900 years since 930AD.

The Parliament was actually an annual outdoor gathering, so no buildings or structures exist. Important things such as the Declaration of Independence from Denmark are still announced here.

By now the heavy rains had returned showing the erratic rain patterns thru the day on the island. The group was to walk left to the big giant flag but there was a waterfall to the right I wanted to see. The guide told me to meet them back at the flag before 4pm so I dashed to the falls to get some pics

The rain was beating and I couldn't see any of my group so maybe not a good idea. By now gale force winds had also moved in. I had to climb a steep path which was quite difficult with the head winds.

At the top was a lookout with the flag showing where Parliament used to meet. There were also panoramic views of the landscape over the horizon.

By now the rain and wind were relentless so I made my way back to the waiting bus. Even with the bad weather it had been an amazing day with some breathtaking sights.

The bus drove around town dropping everyone off at their hotels. Some of the higher end 4* Hotels were on the outskirts of town in industrial estates with no shops and away from all the tourist spots. I had a much better spot next to the big Cathedral for a lot less price.