The Sulphur Man - 17/05/08

In our last few weeks in Reykjavik before we left for our Ring Road journey we took a couple of short trips around. The first was over Hellisheidi to Hveragerdi and the fishing villages of Stokkseyri and Eyrabakki. In Hveragerdi we stopped at the Eden centre, a tacky agrden centre that used to the be the hub of teenage activity in Hveragerdi. In the villages of Stokkseyri and Eyrabakki was evidence of the importance of the fishing industry to life in rural Iceland, and the stark juxtaposition against life in the city.

Eden Centre

We returned to Reykajvik via Krisuvik, the sulphur spring at Seltun and Lake Kleifarvatn. Krisuvik is a former town which was destroyed by a geothermal explosion at a nearby plant. At Seltun are sulphur springs which you can walk between, smelling the rotten egg stench and giggling at the bubbling mud.

Seltun Sulphur Spring

Lake Kleifarvatn

Just before reaching Hafnarfjordur we stopped at the huge farms of drying hardfish, an Icelandic delicacy which is delicious eaten with butter as a beer snack.

Drying Hardfiskur

We returned to the Krisuvik area when Anthony came to visit us, as well as making a repeat trip around the Golden Circle, but unfortunately my memory card died during that weekend! I have some photos, courtesy of Ant and Simona but the most important ones, Ant and I celebrating Norwich Citys survival with a beer in the hot tub, are gone for good.

Then, the week before we left Reykjavik Simona and I climbed Esja mountain, the mountain which has been overlooking us all winter. It was a fairly easy trek on a lovely clear, sunny day. A good start to the summer season here.

On top of Mt Esja