Hello again, Blogonauts! It was chilly and damp, so rather than go swimming, I decided to stay dry. (For many of you, this may appear to be particularly dry…but I had fun.) Today is my final day in Iceland, and to integrate what I had learned in the last two weeks, I spent several hours perusing the exhibits in the National Museum. (There are a several photos from the museum in the accompanying album.) Unlike most of the inhabited parts of the planet, ...

Hello again, Blogonauts. After several days spent driving, by today my enthusiasm for the steering wheel, gearshift, and questionable automobile upholstery had decidedly dwindled. But my drive to see interesting sites remained high, so I cobbled together a plan. First, take a hike in a genuine forest that sits atop a hill overlooking Reykjavik. The spot offered a nice view of the town. There is a museum, of sorts, on the hill, and in the museum was an ice crea...

Hello again, Blogonauts! The average visitor to Iceland spends only 2-or-3 days in the country, hangs out mostly in Reykjavik (plus soaking in the Blue Lagoon hot spring), and if they take one day-trip outside the city, it is to visit Iceland's "Golden Circle." In contrast, my itinerary has been to spend more than 2 weeks in the country, to bypass the Blue Lagoon and see the Fagradalsfjall volcano instead, and then to devote 10 days to driving the ent...

Hello again, Blogonauts! On my last day traversing Iceland's Ring Road, the sights were dominated by Vatnajökull (VAHT-nah-YUR-kut) or the Lakes Glacier. This giant popsicle holds all sorts of superlatives. It covers more acreage than does the state of Delaware. It is the second largest glacier in Europe (surpassed only by a glacier on an obscure arctic Russian island). As recently as 1996, volcanoes beneath Vatnajökull have contributed to significant...

Hello again, Blogonauts! What can I say about Iceland's Eastfjords? Well honestly, I could say quite a bit. Today was about ogling scenery. And as the adage goes, "a picture is worth a thousand words." By my reckoning, I saw enough natural beauty to empty the dictionary…at least the collegiate edition. I would love to share more actual images from today's leg of the journey, but unfortunately, my ooh-ing and ahh-ing occurred while both hands w...