Today was my last day with Svona.
Because it was a Monday and she had to work, her brother who is a school
teacher (a car mechanic specialist) took me for a day trip. There was good visibility today making it
agreeable for sightseeing. We went to
many places including Mosfellsbær, Reykholt, Geysir, Gullfoss, and
around Þingvallavatn
by Þingvellir. Mosfellsbær is where Svona’s borther
lives and he showed me his apartment where he and his wife have an adorable ginger
cat. Then we wound through mountains and
followed a geothermally heated water pipeline in the reverse direction back to
the power station but unfortunately the facility’s gate was closed to visitors. Then we stopped at Friðheimar in Reykholt where they were
growing tomato plants in a greenhouse.
We ate some wonderfully fresh tomato soup with bread at the a restaurant
in the greenhouse. There were so many
foreigners and tourists at the greenhouse restaurant speaking all kinds of
languages. I felt bad for Svona’s
brother because when he tried to order food in Icelandic the employee didn’t
understand him because they didn’t speak Icelandic. So I had to order for the two of us which
felt very odd. Next, we drove to
Geysir which is like Yellowstone National Park in that there are hot springs
all around you and also a geyser that erupts in a consistent manner. Geysir was so crowded with tourists and so very
windy that I was thankful when he lent me a hat to wear. After Geysir we visited Gullfoss, a massive
waterfall that is also crowded with tourists on the walking paths. Finally, we drove back around the northern side
of Þingvallavatn
and stopped for a minute where our common ancestors used to have a farm house
near the lakeside. The northern shore of
the lake was decorated with many summer houses for Icelanders on vacation. Then he drove me back to Svona’s workplace
where both she and Þorunn, another Icelandic relative who I was to stay with,
work in Reykjavik. They showed me around
their workplace: the National Energy Authority.
Then I moved my belongings to Þorunn’s car and she drove me to
Akranes! It was a beautiful drive that
featured going through an underwater tunnel for several miles as a shortcut to
the peninsula that Akranes is located on.
The tunnel is about 3.5 miles long and 541 feet underwater. We passed by beautiful steep mountains and
saw many farm animals grazing by the roadside.
Once we arrived at her house (where I will be eating dinner
but not staying because there isn’t any extra space for me) I was able to meet
her family. She lives with her husband,
Sigiður,
her grandson Siggi Leo, and her daughter Anna along with Anna’s two year old
child Linda. Linda was very cute because
soon after I arrived she ran up to me and said hi which is not normal (I was
told she is quite shy). But quickly the
family realized it is because I generally look like Þorunn’s other daughter
Margaret and Linda must have mistaken me for her. Regardless, after a couple hours Linda warmed
up to me and was giving me high fives and interacting with me as I showed her
the photos I’ve taken so far. I was happy to find that in her backyard, Þorunn has potatoes, rhubard, and green onions growing - all which I love to eat! Hopefully, we can bake some happy marriage cake! After
dinner Þorunn
drove me to the grocery store so I could get breakfast food to keep at the
house where I will be sleeping (the house of one of her daughter’s mother in
law who I’ve heard doesn’t speak any English).
After dropping off my belongings and food at the mother in law’s house, Þorunn
gave me a small tour around Akranes from her car. She was so welcoming and friendly. She showed me the lighthouse, harbor,
swimming pool, bakery, beach and small forest with running trails, the folk museum
where I will be volunteering, and finally some nearby farms where there are
horses that I hope to visit again and learn more about animal care in Iceland
if possible. I am so excited for my stay
in Akranes! It seems like a pleasant
small town that I will be able to get around easily by bike and grow used to
where everything is located during my three weeks here.
I’m looking forward to my first day volunteering at the folk
museum tomorrow! We’ll see how it
goes. I will be working with a girl around
my age so that should be fun!
Here are photos from my day trip:
Driving through the moutains around the southern part of Þingvallavatn
On the right above in the geothermal power station I describe driving by above. Below is Friðheimar the tomato greenhouse where we stopped for lunch. Also below shows the bees being used to pollinate the tomato plants.
Photos from the hot springs around Geysir and the huge waterfall Gullfoss (below):
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