ICELAND – Seljalandsfoss, Skogafoss, other random fosses, and Skaftafellsjokull Glacier!

After a really good night’s sleep, we’re off to see fosses. A lot of fosses. They’re everywhere! And all… simply beautiful. The first thing one starts to look for is steam rising up in the distance from mother earth… Always head for the rising mists…

Seljalandsfoss

Here, Winnie tries to get a first photo of Seljalandsfoss. Unfortunately it was a very crowded day out here in the boonies, and she had to walk… yes, walk I say… almost thirty meters to get a pic without the hoards of tourists that abound in Iceland. Will it be worth the hike? Okay, how ’bout 10 meters?

Ah, yes. Well worth twice or triple the hike.

As our little trek brought us ever closer the cool mists, I noticed that the nearer we came to the base of the falls, the windier it got from the cooling waters falling from high above us. It reminded me of the downdraft from a thunderstorm, only in miniature. I could almost feel the ground quake beneath my feet, and the roar of the water was intense, especially behind the falls. Feeling the vibration in my chest, I wondered if it was caused by the pounding water falling into the river, or just my heart pounding from the excitement and grandeur of it all. I am still unsure.

Seljalandsfoss

I went around the right side of the falls… most direct route. My camera shooting finger just itching for a chance… Winnie went over the bridge and around the left side of the falls… Can you see which way the mists are drifting? To the left, haha? Anybody? Ferris?

The Thrill of Victory, and…

and the wetness of “de feet”, and de hair, and de clothes, and…

Winnie makes it behind the foss, the fun way!

Loved Seljalandsfoss. Now off down the road. Will we see anything “interesting” and “Icelandic” along the way? Will it be as exciting as Seljalandsfoss? Who knows? Who cares!

It’s “On the Road Again” just to see what’s around the corner… over the hill…

Wouldn’t you just know it? Another “foss”. I should stop taking pictures of waterfalls… they’re all magnificent, even this un-named one (of hundreds). It may be difficult, though, as my camera has turned into a witching stick for waterfalls! And they all, big and small, make my trigger finger itch. No more foss pics. I should probably make that my “Mantra of the Day”. Think it’d work? Nyaaah. (Snork)

I included this pic just because I was intrigued by the snow fence behind the farm buildings. On one hand, it’s a cool natural way to build a snow fence. On the other hand… there could be a LOT of snow built up before it starts to slide. Would you feel safe and comfy living in that big farmhouse?

What a cool place to live. Ultra rich volcanic soil in front for your hay, mountains behind, and it’s all topped with a huge ice field. Ice fields up top form where the snow never completely melts, building deeper and deeper as the centuries wander slowly by. Time and gravity push the ice downward in the form of outflow glaciers that completely encircle the Iceland ice cap.

While this place is scenic beyond words, there lurks a monster within the ice fields. The Eyjafjallajokull volcano awakened one sparkling day in April, 2010. Unfortunately it was beneath several hundred feet of solid ice cap. The volcano blew it’s guts out with much of the molten lava expanding sideways under the ice field. Then some things started going bad… the ice rapidly melted forming water and steam. Think really high pressure building in a stopped-up pressure cooker with the burner turned up way past good sense. Next, the lava flow ebbed and water started falling back towards the molten lava. That’s when the you-know-what hit the fan with a spectacularly explosive eruption. If you remember, it’s 30,000′ ash cloud paralyzed air traffic in the North Atlantic and eastward across Northern Europe.

The Eyjafjallajolull eruption also threatened those living in it’s shadow. Icelanders never give up, though. Farming continued and crops and animals were tended and cared for. Man and nature have learned to coexist through good times and bad in the land of fire and ice. My hat’s off to ya, Iceland.

There’s a major volcanic eruption somewhere in Iceland every three years. Let’s see, when was that last one again? Uh oh, the island is already a year overdue for another “big one”.

We’ve been home about a week. Look what I just saw in the WSJ: http://online.wsj.com/articles/iceland-evacuates-people-living-near-bardarbunga-volcano-1408536550

That must be why they call Iceland the land of fire and ice.

The horses and sheep gotta be able to eat all Winter, too, such that we saw literally thousands and thousands of rolls of hay in the fields awaiting a trip to the barns.

I’m a sheep. This is where I work. Seven days a week. Almost all year. I’m in charge of fiber, milk, and meat production. When the weather’s really bad, I just hang around my home… see next image.

This is my crib. It’s safe, warm and dry. And it’s two-storied, if you count the “den” in back.

I call it my Ram Cave.

These two lower floors are where I eat, drink, and

well, ewe know.

Odd by USA standards, eh?

This is what’s referred to as livestock multi-family living.

And I believe that’s the first barn that I’ve ever seen built INTO a mountain. But I don’t get out much. As I mentioned, people here have learned to live in harmony with Mother Nature. Cooperate and graduate. Or fight nature and perish. Choices

Stay tuned, we’re hitting the road again. Next stop Skogafoss.

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