Iceland Day 5 - From Ice to Fire (June 29, 2017)

Today we'll leave the icy world of South Iceland to the Lake Myvatn volcanic area. This drive will cover roughly 265 miles through the eastern Fjords. It will be one of the longer driving days. We started our day in the small breakfast common area of the guesthouse. Since this is not a hotel chain there were only individual travelers like us. We feasted on the breakfast buffet as usual and took a few awkward family photos in the "backyard" of the hotel which is the tongue of the glacier. 

View from my room

Great way to start the day

Home-baked multi-grain bread

We are in line

Setting up for the shot

The sun is in our face

View without people

Starting our drive

Found a red chair by the Fjord

It's my turn to sit on it

The ring road along the eastern Fjord

Looking further east

Stopping at a vista point to take in the scenery with no one around us

The rocky coast line of the eastern fjord

Me looking out to the Iceland Sea at a vista point

The lone sea stack

After making the couple of short stops for view along the drive, we arrived at our first town - the fishing village of Djupivogur. We'll stop to admire the art work "Eggin I Gledivik" by the sea port, get some gas, and buy our lunch at a local market. 

Stopping by for the funky art work of Eggin i Gledivik

Are all 34 eggs accounted for?

The expedition style cruise ship - National Geographic "Orion" was moored here

A serene view

Stopping for gas at Djupivogur

Gas station convenience store - "Kjorbudin" at Djupivogur

A bit short of bananas

Stopping for lunch break at the Djupivogur port

Enjoying the cold cuts and the orange drink of Tappelsin 

One of my favorites - the "Mjolkurkex" or Milk biscuits

After the picnic lunch at Djupivogur, we continued our journey east and north. We winded our way through endless long fjords and started to make our way north. We stopped by at a view point to take in the cascading water fall from the mountain before we begin to gain altitude going north. 

Stopping by for a a few photos of the cascading waterfall before going up the mountain road to Egilsstadir

Ice capped glacier in the background

At the fall

In Elf's land

The endless road to Myvatn

The landscape had drastically changed when we entered the northern volcanic area of Odadahraun

I get to sit on the white chair

My turn again

Stopping by a traditional Icelandic farm house at Odadahraun

At the sod covered traditional nordic farm house

More sod covered farm houses

A little church in this small village

A view of the desert and glacier

At the geothermal area of Hverir just outside of Myvatn

GG mesmerized and enjoying the strong sulfuric smell of Hverir

Squeezing a smile even with strong scent of sulfur and mosquitos

Bubbling water pool due to geothermal energy

Sulfur and mud

The desert ground at Hverir

The bubbling sulfuric mud pool

After exploring Hverirm, we made our way to the Myvatn area where our hotel - Vogar Farm is located. Myvatn is sort of a local vacation area where locals would come to hike, bike and enjoy the time away from the city life. Our hotel - Vogar Farm is a farm stay where fresh dairy produce is made. The restaurant is right by a cow milking station. 

Checked in at Vogar Farm, room #11 and 13

Our cozy twin bed accommodation with heated floor at Myvatn's Vogar Farm

At the Vogar Farm cafe

Checking out the milking station by the restaurant

Inside the cozy cafe

A large burger for mm

Lamb for gg

Freshly grilled salmon

Lamb stew

Fresh fruit plate for mm which was very costly

Farm-made ice cream to end the night for gg

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Iceland Day 4

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Iceland Day 6