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Eating and Hiking Around Southern Iceland: A Taste

KennethT
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KennethT

KennethT

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After a 2 year hiatus, we're finally back on the horse (plane)!  This trip was originally planned for summer of 2020 but we all know what happened to those plans.  Luckily, the airline (Iceland Air), all 4 hotels and the car rental company were completely understanding and were more than happy to practically indefinitely postpone our reservations considering that we had prepaid all our hotels to get the best rates.  Iceland was one of the first European countries to open up to tourism with no quarantine period, and by now we don't even need a negative test or anything else - we don't even need proof of vaccination...

 

Be prepared for some amazing, otherworldly landscapes and most probably lots of langoustine!!!  Langoustine is caught locally - unfortunately we just missed their annual Lobster Festival in Hofn which was 2 days ago.  Also popular there is locally caught artic char, horse and hopefully we'll get some reindeer somewhere.

 

Our flight leaves late tonight and we get in around 9:30AM local time.  As usual, I may put up some teasers here and there while we're away, but I'll put a whole writeup together once I get home.

Edited by Mjx
Title adjusted per OP request. (log)
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ElsieD

ElsieD

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Oh goody, I can't wait!  If it's on the menu, try reindeer tenderloin.  I had it once in Norway and it is delicious.  

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KennethT

KennethT

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  On 6/28/2022 at 4:13 PM, TicTac said:

Thanks for taking us along with you @KennethT! 

 

The question is, how brave are you / will you be trying fermented shark!? 😛

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I have no interest in fermented shark... who am I, Andrew Zimmern?  I'm all for trying local traditional foods if they're tasty (crickets, silk worms, etc.), but there's a lot of locals who don't even like it, so why bother?

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TicTac

TicTac

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Posted
  On 6/28/2022 at 4:16 PM, KennethT said:

I have no interest in fermented shark... who am I, Andrew Zimmern?  I'm all for trying local traditional foods if they're tasty (crickets, silk worms, etc.), but there's a lot of locals who don't even like it, so why bother?

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I was unsure if you had a line of Icelandic blood coursing through you....

 

And how will you know if it's tasty or not if you don't bite the bull ......😜 

 

 

KennethT

KennethT

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Posted (edited)
  On 6/28/2022 at 4:24 PM, TicTac said:

I was unsure if you had a line of Icelandic blood coursing through you....

 

And how will you know if it's tasty or not if you don't bite the bull ......😜 

 

 

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Guidebooks and blogs talk incessantly about the fermented shark like they're giving away door prizes to anyone who tries it.  The primary description is "pungent ammonia".  I get enough caustic chemicals at work, thank you.

 

And anyone can take one look at me and know there is definitely not a drop of Viking blood in me... ha!

Edited by KennethT (log)
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Anna N

Anna N

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Looking forward to this and wishing you a wonderful time in Iceland. 

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Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

heidih

heidih

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Find myself salivating literally at the langoustine ahead, and mentally at landscape images. Anticipation is high.

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Anna N

Anna N

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  On 6/29/2022 at 1:20 PM, KennethT said:

Just driving out of the airport the views are impressive!

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They are indeed. A perfect appetizer for what is to come. 

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Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

KennethT

KennethT

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Posted (edited)

Today was a great day filled with amazing sights. Tomorrow should be epic!  From earlier today:

PXL_20220630_190215839.thumb.jpg.4f9671b42b7816b4b3da912631b20e73.jpg

 

ETA: that water color is real - no filter, color correction or Photoshop needed

Edited by KennethT (log)
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heidih

heidih

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So what creates that water color - the underlying formations - like the blue on white sand places?

ElsieD

ElsieD

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Posted
  On 6/30/2022 at 10:41 PM, KennethT said:

It's 10:30PM but it sure doesn't look like it!!

 

PXL_20220630_223549574.thumb.jpg.1c343fee56ae62daafb886efb3f49804.jpg

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They have those same sod storage places in L'Anse aux Meadows in the Northern Peninsula in Newfoundland.  They were used by the Norsemen when they settled the area.

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blue_dolphin

blue_dolphin

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  On 6/30/2022 at 11:30 PM, heidih said:

So what creates that water color - the underlying formations - like the blue on white sand places?

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I'm sure you'll get an on-the-scene response from @KennethT, but I've seen similar water color in glacier-melt pools and lakes in Canada and New Zealand and was told that there's fine sediment from rocks grinding on each other that's suspended in the water and scatters the sunlight to create that milky, aqua color. 

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heidih

heidih

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Whatever it is - it is freakin beautiful  - the kind of sight that makes your body just sigh with delight

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KennethT

KennethT

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Posted
  On 6/30/2022 at 11:30 PM, heidih said:

So what creates that water color - the underlying formations - like the blue on white sand places?

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I had no idea, I had just read about how blue it was. It's not a common tourist spot. What's also amazing is that you can get so close to it! I wish I could post video.

 

Thanks @blue_dolphin!

 

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KennethT

KennethT

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We just got back to the hotel room. Exhausted and need to do a bit of housekeeping before bed. Just took this photo at 11:40PM:

 

 

PXL_20220701_233952776.jpg

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curls

curls

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Gorgeous picture and landscape!

Are you planning to enjoy some of the geothermal pools/springs?

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heidih

heidih

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Posted
  On 7/1/2022 at 11:42 PM, KennethT said:

This was our reward for making it to the summit of Brenninsteinsalda:

 

PXL_20220701_175648329.thumb.jpg.2980ec20a436466b3f9ebf1d6e56ecb0.jpg

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I am hungry. Looks like a bowl of chocolate pudding streaked with marshmallow creme.

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