EUROPE – PART 3

Except for two hours on solid ground in Alesund, Norway, we’d spent eight days at sea. In addition to a daily New York Times Sunday crossword, I passed the time working on an old manuscript I’d started many years ago and set aside, never thinking I’d get back to it. Elva read and worked on a couple of jigsaw puzzles. Anyone who knows her would understand how desperate she’d have to be to resort to a jigsaw puzzle. Every evening during our confinement, we watched a movie. Fortunately, Princess offers quite a few good ones.

And another thing. You’re supposed to know when you have COVID. Well, we didn’t!

I spoke earlier of my fascination with Viking history. I won’t bore you with too many details, but you should know that Iceland was founded by Vikings who sailed here from Norway in the year 874. And did you ever wonder where the name and symbol for Bluetooth came from? Well, here’s a bit of Viking-related trivia. Harald Gormsson called “Bluetooth” because one of his front teeth was dead, was the King of Denmark from 958 to 986. His initials “H” and “B” in the runic language were brought together by the clever folks at Intel and the now famous trademark was born. And so, Harald Bluetooth has been immortalized!

The North Atlantic can be angry at times and, although it was a bit rough between Norway and Iceland, I’m sure we didn’t feel her full fury. I thought again of the Vikings, those brave souls who’d sailed from Norway in open boats, carrying their livestock and everything they owned. How had they survived such a journey over 1,100 years ago? How many hadn’t? Eventually, we reached Seydisfjordur, a village of 750 souls with an unpronounceable name. As we sailed into the tiny harbour that sits at the head of a fjord, the winds died and we were greeted by a magical scene, one of the most beautiful places we’ve ever visited in all our travels!

“Sometimes, the best plan is no plan at all.” This is my line and, on our day in Seydisfjordur, it proved to be true. We walked through the hamlet, admiring the lovely houses and the immaculate surroundings before deciding we’d follow a path along the river that runs through its center and try and visit a waterfall we’d seen cascading down the eastern slope of the mountain. We walked past a fisherman standing in the middle of the stream, casting his fly, and found a path running through a farmer’s field that led up to the waterfall. “We’re in luck,” I thought!

It being only two days post-COVID, I wasn’t sure about our stamina, and we hadn’t brought any water. “Just follow the path to the waterfall and see where we go from there,” we agreed. After taking in the beauty of the cascade, we knew we had to continue climbing because the best way to see a place is from the greatest height you can reach. As the photos show, we were right! We didn’t see another soul on the path. Back down in the village, we enjoyed the sun’s warmth and temperatures in the mid-teens Celsius, then took the tender back to the ship. Neither of us can imagine a day on this cruise better than this one, and it reminded us yet again why we travel. It also reminded us why we stay in shape; so that we can walk the path less travelled.

Akureyri, the town we visited next, lies just 100 km south of the Arctic Circle, placing it 300 km further north than Yellowknife. With a population of about 18,000, Akureyri is the administrative, transportation, and commercial center of north Iceland. The Island Princess sailed 60 kilometers up the longest fjord in Iceland to reach it. Our plan for the day called for a visit to the local tourist information center for some ideas on local hikes and attractions. The thing I wanted to see most was the botanical gardens, the most northerly in the world.

Stepping off the ship shortly after 8:00, we started stripping off layers before we’d even walked the first kilometer. The sun had peeked through the early morning clouds, and we were treated to wonderful weather for the time of year and the latitude. The young man at the local youth hostel gave us a map and provided enough local knowledge to get us started on what would prove to be another very enjoyable morning. The botanical gardens were even better than advertised; an amazing collection of plants, well curated and well cared for.

From the gardens, we walked down one of the main drags past neat houses, nice parks, and a first-class outdoor heated pool complete with waterslides, and made our way to the small river that flows though the town, the Gesla. We followed a trail that climbs out of the town. The ‘trail’ turned out to be of the paved, multi-use variety, as nice as we’ve seen anywhere. It was laid out so that you had the impression of not being in a built-up area at all. Other guests on the ship paid a fortune to see the botanical gardens and drive to a waterfall. We had this trail to ourselves with a deep gorge and a few nice waterfalls to look at as well. And we'd never left the town! After 20,000 steps, it was time to get back onboard before the rain hit.

Akureyri is a good example of clever land use planning, and it’s not something I was expecting in this part of the world. While I’m sure the winters can be long, cold, and dark, I can see why people would want to live here. The standard of living is obviously quite high, and the town offers everything one would need for a happy and productive life.

Our third day in Iceland was spent walking around the village of Grundarfjordur, population 872. It’s surrounded by misty mountains and guarded by Mt. Kirkjufell, Church Mountain. Grundarfjordur was one of the first places settled in Iceland and is today a successful fishing and trading center. We walked through the tidy village and on the three-kilometer trail toward Kirkjufell. The weather alternated between rain and dappled sunlight as we tried to capture the mountain framed by a rainbow. There were cascades and waterfalls along the way. Like the other places we’ve visited in Iceland, this village is neat, tidy, and orderly; people are obviously proud of their place. Before boarding the tender that took us back to the Island Princess, I took a photo of the local seiner fleet and the handsome Icelandic flag.

Speaking of the fishery, in 1972, Iceland declared a 200-mile limit on its territorial waters to protect its main industry, effectively banning foreign fleets. European nations, especially the United Kingdom, refused to accept the decision, and many confrontations took place on the seas between Icelandic and British vessels. It was called the Cod War and, long story short, Iceland won. Today, the fishery remains the country’s most important industry. And, by the way, Iceland has neither army, navy, nor air force; just the Coast Guard to protect the fishery and come to the rescue of those in distress.

Imagine if Canada had done the same. I still remember that day in the summer of 1992 when the Hon. John Crosbie, Newfoundland’s representative in the federal cabinet, announced the cod moratorium on the dock in Saint John’s. Heckled mercilessly by the locals, he finally said out of frustration: “I didn’t take the fish from the goddamn water, so don’t go abusing me.” It was a memorable line but a poor excuse for a government that had done nothing to protect the East Coast’s most important fishery. Thirty years later, the cod have not come back, and they probably never will. By contrast, Iceland’s cod fishery remains healthy and vibrant, as are the coastal communities that depend on it.

The capital city of Reykjavik was our final stop in Iceland. We’d decided to rent a car to do the Golden Circle, a route that takes in three of the island’s most popular attractions. This time, we were well served by the agent at Enterprise Rent-a-Car, quite a contrast from our experience in Stockholm. Our first stop was at Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site protected for two reasons: because it’s one of the best places in the world to see where two of the earth’s tectonic plates meet, and because it’s the location of Iceland’s original parliament, the Thing, which met first in 930 AD and is considered to be the world’s oldest. 

The European and North American tectonic plates meet at Flosagja, and the two plates are actually drifting apart at the rate of 2.5 cm per year. The first photo shows where they are separating from one another. As for the Thing, it was where the Law Council met every year, beginning in 930, to make laws and resolve legal disputes. Everyone was free to attend the annual gathering and it probably turned into a pretty great party when the formalities were done with. The other photo shows the Prime Minister’s rather modest summer residence and the small church that stands beside it.

Stop number two was the Great Geysir, the most impressive hot spring in the geothermal area known as the Haukaladur Valley. The geysir is supposed to erupt every five or ten minutes or so, shooting a jet of hot water high into the air. We watched patiently for about a half hour but the best the Great Geysir could do for us was a mediocre belch. The attraction is free, so sometimes you get what you pay for. The lunch we ate there wasn’t free however: $57 CDN for two sandwiches, an orange juice, and a slice of cake. Yikes! On the bright side, the day cost us less than half what Princess passengers paid for their Golden Circle excursion, and we got to do it on our own time and at our own pace; always more satisfying.

Stop number three was Gullfoss Waterfall, one of Iceland’s most popular tourist attractions. Even for one who’s seen Niagara Falls, Kakabeka Falls (near Thunder Bay, Ontario), and Helmken Falls (near Thompson, B.C.) in Canada, I did find Gullfoss impressive. Elva said the best thing about it is the lack of development nearby; quite a contrast from Niagara Falls, also known as “Every new bride’s second-biggest disappointment.”

Back in Reykjavik after seven long hours on the road, we visited the city’s signature landmark, the Hallgrimskirkja, the towering Lutheran Church. Completed in 1986, the building is undergoing much-needed repairs to its outer cladding. The statue out front of Leif Erickson was donated by the United States of America to mark the thousandth anniversary of the first meeting of Iceland’s Parliament. And we loved the stylized viking ship, one of many examples of public art to be found throughout the city.

During our one-day driving tour around Iceland's southwest corner, we saw more agriculture than we'd expected to see, including large herds of sheep and Icelandic horses, and even a couple of golf courses. We certainly made the best of the four days we had here and are thankful for decent weather. Iceland is a country full of surprises! And it's a place we'd like to return to someday for a more extended visit.