Travel with Julie

The Beautiful Glacier Lagoon

Iceland has so many opportunities for visitors to explore their glaciers. Driving the Ring Road, you will pass several of these magnificent pieces of ice creeping over the peaks and valleys of mountains. Tour guides lead hikes across them or take you on snowmobiles over them. You can even explore the chambers inside a glacier tunnel.  One of the most beautiful experiences on my trip was a boat tour of the glacier lagoon in Jokulsarlon.

The Jokulsarlon Lagoon was formed when the the glacier, Bredamerkurfjall, began to rapidly recede. As it retreated, a 7-square mile lake was created.  Its deepest point is just over 800 feet. With large pieces of floating ice and hundreds of seals feeding off an abundance of fish, it's no wonder Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon is one of Iceland's most sought-after photography destinations. It is spectacular!

Standing on the shoreline is picture worthy on its own. I chose to get up close and personal with the icebergs via a Zodiak boat tour.  To prepare, we were asked to don special flotation suits that also help keep you warm should you unexpectedly fall into the icy water. Our captain loaded us in the boat and zipped across the lagoon at speeds up to 25 mph.

For one hour, we floated alongside chunks of ice that had broken from the nearby glacier.  Each piece was different in size--some as big as a house--and color. Some were a brilliant blue, others were black from volcanic ash or mountain debris. The icebergs change everyday and eventually float out to sea. Yet, the lake is constantly restocked with icebergs as more continue to break off Breidamerkurfjall.  

 

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The Best Tomatoes In Iceland Compliments Of Fridheimar Farm

Photo courtesy of Flickr

Even better than a farm-to-table dining is eating food right where it was grown. Fridheimar, both a greenhouse and a restaurant, offers just that. Fully sustainable and family-run, this tomato farm produces an average of one ton of tomatoes every day.  You may think this is impossible on an island of lava fields. Well, it is. Fridheimar grows its tomatoes in a greenhouse that stretches 1.25 acres and is powered by renewable energy. The plants are pollinated using bees imported from Holland, and because Iceland is so far north, pests aren't really a problem.

Photo courtesy of Flickr

In the middle of the greenhouse is a restaurant. They serve a tomato-based menu (surprise, surprise!) where tomato soup is the star. You can also order a pasta dish, flatbread pizza or mussels. Each table is presented with sour cream, cucumber salsa and fresh butter--all of which are delicious. Tomato-based desserts included tomato ice cream, tomato jam cheesecake and green tomato and apple pie.  Yum!

While Fridheimar's may be a foodie's paradise, everyone will enjoy the cheerful atmosphere and home-cooked food in this farm-like environment. I highly recommend a stop if driving Iceland's Golden Circle.

 

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A Walk Inside An Icelandic Glacier Tunnel

Visiting a glacier is wonderful experience in many ways. I've stood on the receding edge of one, and witnessed the breaking of what appeared to be a very large icicle of another while on hiking trips in Canada. But, the opportunity to go INSIDE one was too exciting to pass up!

My tour began on the edge of Iceland's second largest glacier, Langjokull, where visitors suit up in warm, waterproof jumpsuits and boots.  I came prepared with my own down jacket and fleece lined snow boots. The temperature inside the glacier is a constant 32 degrees. However, waiting to enter the tunnel, the weather on the glacier is unpredictable and much colder.

From base camp, we were driven up the slopes of Langjokull glacier over ice and snow in an all-terrain, eight-wheel-drive monster truck. I was most impressed to learn that the drivers of these trucks have the ability to adjust the air in all eight tires with an app on his mobile phone.  This allows the truck to easily transition from a hard rocky surface where more tire pressure is required, to the glacier where the tires need to deflate enough to grip the ice.

The landscape on the drive to the tunnel was magnificent. The glacier is so barren that it seems like you are on another planet.

When the truck came to a stop, we were a mere few feet from the ice cave. I don't know what I was expecting, but it is a simple opening that leads you 984 feet into the solid ice cap! After clamping crampons onto our boots to help prevent slipping on the uneven icy surface, we began the hike into the tunnel. It was exhilarating!

Inside, we explored several chambers while our guide shared interesting facts and information about the glacier. The further inside the cave you go, the older the ice gets and its color changes from white to deep blue. For the adventurer who would like to get married in an ice cave, there's even a small ice chapel!

Ice caves are very weather dependent and are unreliable and unstable to enter.  The Langjokull cave is the largest man-man ice cave carved for the purpose of welcoming visitors into its icy blue interior. This once-in-a-lifetime experience is high on my recommendation list!

 

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The Icelandic Hotdog -- What's the Big Deal?

Simply google 'Icelandic hotdog' and you will find oodles of writings on the subject. So I had to know what makes these hotdogs so special.

To begin with, these are mostly lamb-based hotdogs. The Iceland countryside is filled with roaming sheep that graze on berries and leaves.  In fact, sheep outnumber people in Iceland nearly two to one, making them a good food source that is organic, grass-fed, free-range and hormone free. But that's not all. These hotdogs are made with a natural casing giving them a delicious 'pop' when you bite into them.

The Icelandic hotdog comes with different condiments than the traditional U.S. hotdog. Order the dog like an Icelandic does and it will be served in a steamed bun and topped with raw white onions as well as crispy fried onions, ketchup, sweet brown mustard and a sauce made with mayo, capers, mustard and herbs. Order a "Clinton" hotdog at the famous Reykjavik stand, Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur (which translates to 'best hotdogs in town'), will get you a hotdog with only mustard—the same way the former president enjoyed his when he visited the stand in 2004.

Icelanders are nuts about their hot dogs, and once you try one, you will see why. And in a country known for being expensive, they are a low cost way to try a local specialty.

 

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Ten Things I Learned About Iceland

There is something about visiting a country for the first time that is exciting and full of surprises. Here are 10 things I learned while on my first tour of Iceland:

1. Iceland is expensive.  Yes, I read all the blogs about the high cost of fuel and food in Iceland, but I have learned to take most opinions on the subject of travel costs with a grain of salt.  After all, how much something costs is all relative to each person's budget. Right? However, I did find spending $25 for one tapas dish and $7.48 per gallon for gas a bit high compared to what I spend at home.  However, there are savings to be had by the conscientious traveler. A few ideas include finding hotel stays that include breakfast in the room rate, and purchasing snacks at grocery stores for lunch. Most site-seeing in Iceland is away from the cities and small towns, so having a packed lunch is a good idea anyway!  To save on fuel costs, consider renting an economy car. A smaller vehicle will be more friendly as well when it comes to parking.  Lastly, look for hotel accommodations that offer free parking. Parking is a challenge in the cities and is only free on Sundays!
2. Gravel insurance is necessary.  There are loads of scary stories on the internet about travelers being charged enormous fees from their rental car companies for minor damage supposedly caused by gravel. Since I wasn't planning on off-roading, I really didn't think gravel insurance was worth adding on to my rental car cost. At the last minute, I decided to add the extra $80 insurance, and I'm glad I did. Gravel is everywhere in Iceland!  Once outside the city, you will traverse smaller roads made of gravel, enter gravel parking lots--even part of the Ring Road is gravel!  I highly recommend spending the extra money for the protection.
3. Rent a 4-wheel drive. I did just fine with my compact two-door, 5-speed economy car, but I have to admit, there were two reasons why I wish I had splurged for the 4-wheel drive: some unavoidable roads would have been better managed with a 4-wheel drive; and there were areas I REALLY wanted to explore that were only accessible via 4-wheel drive vehicles.  So, if your budget allows, go all the way for the upgrade!
4. If you go more than five minutes without seeing a waterfall or rainbow, your eyes are closed!  No lie. I have never seen so many waterfalls and rainbows in all my life! I even saw my first end-to-end rainbow, and it truly does look like gold at the rainbow's end.
5. The weather can change in a moment's notice.  Seriously!  When researching what to wear in Iceland, experienced travelers recommended layers and rain gear. They couldn't be more right. One minute I was enjoying a sunny 50-degree day, the next I was suffering through a blistering sleet storm! My advise? Use your weather app as a mere guideline, and be prepared for anything.
6. Heed the wind warnings when opening car doors.  Ok. I laughed aloud when the rental car guy told me to be careful opening my car doors. I thought he was joking.  Uh...let me just say...he was NOT joking!  During the above-mentioned sleet storm, the wind blew so hard it threatened to rip the car door off and required the strength of my entire body to shut. Yep, heed the wind warnings from your rental car guy--he's not joking!
7. The Icelandic hotdog is as good as everyone says it is. I'm not a huge fan of hotdogs, but when in Rome...right? So, while in Iceland, I sought out the infamous Icelandic hotdog. This "dog" is made of mostly organic lamb (with some pork and beef), served on a warm bun and dressed with onions (optional), ketchup, sweet brown mustard and remoulade (a sauce made with mayo, capers, mustard and herbs). Was it the hotdog, or the I-want-to-lick-clean-off-the-bun condiments, I don't know, but this was one incredible hotdog!
8. There is no guarantee you will see the northern lights. I visited in what is considered "peak season" for a northern lights display. So, with a prediction app in hand, I had every hope of seeing them on at least ONE of the seven nights I was there. Well, apparently the Aurora Borealis gods had it out for me. While other travelers were reporting sitings with glee, I was left in the dark--literally.  I learned that the light display is very random and conditions have to be pristine. But when they do show up, the performance is spectacular!  Maybe next time, Aurora.
9. Eating fermented shark is not a requirement. This is one time I chose to skip the "when in Rome" philosophy!  I had read that fermented shark is a true Icelandic delicacy--one that every visitor must try. Yet, it’s the dish Anthony Bourdain described as “the single worst, most disgusting and terrible-tasting thing” he’d ever eaten. It's also the food that’s so offensive, Gordon Ramsay spat it out. You see, fermented shark is a Greenland shark with toxins that must be squeezed out. Ammonia is also found in its urine and excreted through its skin. The shark is prepared pressed under gravel and stone, then hung and cured for months until a scab-like crust forms. Heard enough? I find no shame in skipping this one!
10. There are a lot of immigrants in Iceland. As someone who likes to "chat it up" with the locals, I found it hard to find a lot of "locals."  It seemed many of the people I met in the service industry were from other countries.  I learned that a little over 10% of Iceland's population are immigrants.  In recent years, there has been an economic boom warranting the promotion of immigrant workers. This has been a good thing for Iceland's continued economic success. Thankfully, English was the common language so that I was able to "chat it up" with everyone!

 

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