Iceland, 8: The Glaumbaer Farm Museum

There are many museums in Iceland. Apart from those in Reykjavik, most are small and locally-focused. The Glaumbaer farm museum was on our way as we made for the Snaefellsnes peninsula in western Iceland, and Rickie Stevie gives it three stars for the quality and authenticity of its presentation of farm life over the centuries. It was inhabited until 1947, although there is substantial evidence of buildings on the site going back to the 11th century. Most notably, like much of traditional rural Iceland, Glaumbaer is a sod-built collection of buildings. 

On the way, a very old sod-built chapel

Glaumbaer; note the sod retaining was and its herringbone design

The buildings in the foreground are out-buildings, storage,
tools, machinery

Church adjacent to farm

Long hallway in the main building, off which there are a variety

of rooms: storage, pantries, kitchens, priest's office, etc.; on the

floor above are more living quarters, for farmer and wife, children,

tenant workers, seasonal workers, etc.

Every room had excellent explanatory information,

in both Icelandic and English too

Iceland, 7: Godafoss, Fiords, and Hosfos

After Dimmuborgir we stopped at our next waterfall, Godafoss, and then drove on to Iceland's second largest city, Akureyri, where we had a burned-out headlamp replaced, as well as frayed windshield wipers. From there it was up the Eyjafjordur, over some passes and through some tunnels and then out onto the Skagafjordur, with a stop, soak, and overnight at Hosfos. 

Next waterfall: Godafoss

At this point we are beginning to wonder whether Iceland has
more waterfalls than Thailand has wats (>30,000)?

Another table with a view; during our 11 day circumnavigation

of the island, we never once saw anyone picnicking at one

of these tables, even in late June

A little color along the fiord in, I think, Vik

The road goes ever on, over mountain passes and through tunnels

Some of the tunnels were one-way...something we've encountered
before, in New Zealand and also Italy; as in Norway, for similar
reasons (fiords), they can be relatively long; the longest we 
encountered in Iceland was 7km

In this instance, the oncoming traffic has right-of-way; so you
pull over into one of the many parking bays (in New Zealand
and Italy it's done on a circulation alternee basis) (pardon my
French)

Eventually you get to the other side, another beautiful fiord, 
with a spit

Also bluebonnets

More great coastal scenes

At Hosfos we decided it was time to indulge in the Icelandic custom

of a good hot soak at the municipal thermal swimming pool; the infinity 

pool was heated to mere 80 degrees, so we spent most of our time in

100+ degree smaller pool; bonus Icelandic insight: before entering one

of these pools you are required to disrobe, completely, and shower (gang 

showers); second bonus Icelandic insight: in some of the more remote

regions, the campgrounds lack showers...but are strategically placed

adjacent to the municipal pools

After our soak we decided to just stay overnight at the campground
in Hosfos

Iceland, 7: Krafla, Viti, And Dimmuborgir

Next day, despite rain and clouds, we wanted to see the lake-filled crater Viti and so drove through the large geothermal complex in Krafla Valley. From there it was a short drive along Lake Myvatn to see the weird rock formations at Dimmuborgir.

Above the Krafla Valley geothermal complex

Driving through plant

Viti crater...as much as my little lens could capture

Pano attempt

Borrowed from some of the excellent signage

On the road to the geothermal complex, some wit has placed an
outdoor hot shower; very hot, no doubt

Horseplay along Lake Myvatn

Dimmuborgir is an area of unusual volcanic rock formations, 
formed beneath the sea/lake that once covered the area...lava
spouting up into the waters...

Some see castles, cathedrals, even elves or similar magical people

Excellent signage, however

The elves even give musical performance from time to time

Evidently they were on lunch break when we were
there; interesting historical side note...we used to
have a sheepskin rug like this when we lived in
Dallas...our dog, Fafner, particularly liked it since
it looked like his mother...

We proceeded on...more of the lake

Iceland, 6: Dettifoss And Selfoss

By now you have come to learn, as we did, that "foss" is the Icelandic word for "waterfall." Dettifoss is Iceland's second largest waterfall, and both it and its nearby neighbor, Selfoss, emanate from the Vatnajokull icefield, perhaps a hundred miles away, and end up in the Sea of Greenland, to the north. As with Gulfoss, on the Golden Circle, Dettifoss is a sort of diagonal affair, dropping into the deep trench the river has dug out of the basalt. Selfoss is much smaller that Dettifoss, but it is a "traditional" horseshoe waterfall and can be seen from all sorts of vantage points down the river. But for the waterfalls, this is a pretty desolate part of the world. 

Approaching Dettifoss

Faint double rainbow

Looking at the desolation all around, you wonder where the water
could come from; then you see this monster...

Fuller views of Dettifoss

Walking up-river toward Selfoss

Selfoss, Vicki's favorite

Us at Selfoss

Guided by the neverending bishops' cairns, we proceeded on

To our next stop, the beginning of the huge thermal area just
east of Reykjahlid

We overnighted at a campground in Reykjahlid