Our last day

On our last day we decided to do the "Golden Circle" - THE touristic tour. Our first stop was Gullfoss (Golden Waterfall). It is 32 m high and if the sun is shining you find several rainbows around the waterfall. In the year 1907 the Icelandic government wanted to built a power plant. The daughter of the farmer who owned the land threatened to throw herself down the falls if they would destory this unique environment. She was successful and the power plant plan was abolished.
The next stop was Geysir. The old Geysir is not active anymore, but there is a slightly smaller geysir called Strokkur. It erruptes very frequently and sends 100°C hot water 20m into the air. It is not that impressive though. We were rather disappointed. Also by the huge amount of tourists.


The last stop where the plains of Thingvellir. At Thingvellir - literally Parliament Plains - the Althing general assembly was established around 930 AD and continued to convene untill 1798 when it moved to Reykjavik. Major events in the history of Iceland have taken place at Thingvellir and therefore the place is held in high esteem by the Icelanders.


At the Peningagjá, which is a well with very clear water visibility it has become custom to use us as a sort of oracle. You ask a question that can be answered by "yes" or "no". Then you throw a coin in it and if you can see it hit the bottom the answer to your question is yes if not it is no.
Also very clearly visible is the continental crack at Thingvellir. It is a place where the Eurasian and the North American plate are drifting apart. Iceland is growing each year 2.5cm. A magical place through and through.
Back at Reykjavik I dropped Pat off at the Hostel and that's where our paths got separated. She went back to Switzerland and I went off to my new home at Thverholt!