To start day 6, we finally got to see the northern lights. I went out three different times throughout the night, and each time the view was better than the last. It was amazing to watch the aurora paint the sky with bright colors. Seeing it in person was something I had always wanted to experience, so I was really glad to check it off my bucket list.
The next morning we were back on the road heading to Reynisfjara Beach. From the overlook, I could see the famous black sand beach, the powerful ocean waves crashing along the shore, and the mountains rising in the background. The landscape looked almost unreal and was one of the most unique coastal views I’ve ever seen.
Later in the day we visited the Hellisheiði Power Station. We listened to a talk about how geothermal energy is used in Iceland and why it plays such an important role in the country’s energy system. After the presentation, we went outside to see one of the plant’s active boreholes. It was really interesting to see the steam and realize that the energy being produced was coming directly from heat beneath the Earth’s surface.
To end the night, we walked around Reykjavík and stopped at a gastro pub where we tried some authentic Icelandic foods, including horse tartare, puffin, pollock, and smoked salmon. The horse tartare and puffin were definitely my favorites and made the meal a memorable way to finish the day.
Swanson School of Engineering 