Today we woke up at 7am to have breakfast at 7:30. We happened to see one lone Icelandic horse across the river from us. This was quite unusual, as we typically would see them in groups. Our first stop was a waterfall/ creek area located about fifteen minutes away from the hotel. It was absolutely stunning.
The rest of the day consisted of exploring the Snaefellsnes peninsula. The next stop we visited was Ytri Tunga beach.The weather was cold and windy, but we saw a few seals. Also, there were whale bones on the shore. Afterwards, we visited the Hja Goldu Folki greenhouse. This is where flowers, spices and other vegetation are grown in a protected environment against the harsh winds. It was rather impressive how such a small structure was supporting so much plant life. Icelandic people’s ability to adapt continues to amaze me.
The next stop was further along the peninsula. Here we saw a large statue of Bardur Snaefellsas. We also got to take in the view of the coast. The scenery we saw today is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. The rocks formed from volcanoes were absolutely gorgeous, and there was one formation in particular that caught my eye. Our tour guide, Olof, told us a story about how two of the rocks that formed a circle were once two trolls that turned to stone when they kissed. Regardless, this is the only place I’ve seen in my life that I’ve had the view of mountains to my left, and oceans to my right.
Swanson School of Engineering 