Double Landing Gear Failure

This is where Reagan and Gorbechov met to end the Cold War.

This is our first full day of tour.  We got up early as our bags had to be out for pickup at 7:15, and then we were to  be on the bus at 7:45.  It was a little bit of a scramble, but we made it with a couple of minutes to spare.  Before we get into the day, it is worth noting a few of our challenges.  We were only allowed to have two bags (plus two for the bus carry on), but a few days before we left, Bill hurt his back, so carrying things was tortuous.  So, we opted to creatively use three bags, two big checked bags, and a carryon roller board.  All we had to do was pack the roller bag into one of the big bags, and make it work.  But in the airport, Bill’s backpack could be rolled around. 

A hot water pipeline from a geothermal well to Reykjavik.

The next tidbit is our back packs.  They were complimentary from a previous cruise, but since they are water resistant, we thought that was ideal.  Except, while getting ready at home, one of the straps snapped (probably dry rotted).  Well, it was a strap Bill didn’t need, so we swapped bags and headed out. (Theresa's note: My vote was to bring a different backpack.) On arrival, getting out of the airport, the shoulder strap broke.  Sigh.  Well, I can still hold it by the loop up top.  Nope, that started breaking.  So, I’m relegated to throwing the bag over my shoulder, and holding the strap with my hand.  So, today we packed one back pack to just hold stuff on the bus, and the other for carrying.  All set.  We’re off!!

Uh oh...

There was a lot of driving today, and about an hour in, we had our first “comfort stop” (i.e. potty break).  There was a little snack shop and a small grocery store.  After a potty break, we looked quickly at the shop, and then headed over to the grocery store because we had little else to do.  Well, the short walk was about to be too much.  Bill’s left shoe sole disbanded from the toe back.  So, as I walked, the toe flapped, then caught under, then got worse.  In the store we headed right for any adhesive or glue they had.  We found something that might work and began a creative shoe repair. 

Theresa and Mike and MaryAnne

The next stop was by a wall of basalt.  This is where the lava cools into hexagonal shafts.  The bus dropped us off at the far end, and we had the choice of walking back or riding.  Clearly several people presumed my obvious choice was to ride, but that’s not how Bill does things!

 

The basalt wall or hexagonal pillars.  (Hexagons are the Best-agons! --(T Note-Look for the YouTube with that))

Repair.

Well, the adhesive wasn’t doing a great job, but it did help.  On the path back, there was a piece of dirty rope.  What luck!!  I started untwisting it and the bus driver used his knife to saw the three cords off (closest to the muddiest part).  Then I unwound one of the cords into the smaller cords, and started tying the front of the shoe in ways I hoped would hold the top and bottom together without affecting the tread.  It sort of worked.  But it sure wasn’t pretty!!

At the next stop, we had the chance to walk to the rocky shore and find seals.  The walk was a little more “aggressive” from the point of my soles.  But I made it out to the water, and touched the Atlantic.

The Atlantic from a western peninsula of Iceland.

A harbor seal.

Back on the bus, I noticed my right shoe was also disbonding but from the heel to the front.  I squeezed some copious glue in, held it and tied it as best I could.  Then found out we were only 15 minutes from the next stop, so it wasn’t going to bond.  Oh well.  The repair works so-so, but kept popping off of the toes.

They bale up the hay and wrap it for protection against the weather. 
Locally they call them "Troll's Marshmallows"

Look!  Waterfalls!  (many more to come)

A monument to a folklore troll...near the birds.

The next walk was along a cliff where we could see birds huddling on tiny outcroppings.  MaryAnne was kind enough to point out we needed to look for the poo and there might be a bird perched above it.  True.  The shoes held up, but it was clear they would need repetitive inspections and adjustments.

We stopped for a buffet lunch (which was included).  They had lawn clippings, vegetables, pasta salad, what seemed to be lamburgers, and lasagna.  This lasagna did not dethrone the first one for best in Iceland.  There was also cauliflower soup which was actually very good!!

Theresa liked the cave better than the birds.

More repair.  To be clear, this is a random piece of twine, double
wrapped around the foot (anchored in the tread if possible, and
then knotted.  So, it's not going to be pretty, but it is better
 than the shaggy look here!

SNOW!!

Starting down to the black sand beach.

The black sand beach.  And Theresa.

We then went to another location where we could walk on a black sand beach.  The walk down to the beach was visually dramatic.  I found a starfish, and threw him back into the surf.  I found a second, but it wasn’t his day.  The sand and mixed size pebbles did not mix well with my disintegrating shoes, but I got through it.

He went back into the sea.

About the spot where they filmed a scene from Game of Thrones.

On a later walk, we got to see more cliffs and I discovered some clean twine, so I picked that up for more repair materials.  There is apparently a store in our overnight stop, but I’m hesitant about finding a suitable, comfortable, and affordable shoe in the middle of a remote town in Iceland.  But, my shoes became an entertaining focus, as some of the other tourists on the bus wanted to take pictures of the shoes, of me with the shoes, etc.  I can’t imagine this is going to be a flattering thing but I guess it made them happy.  The bus driver was even something between amused and incredulous, and by one of the midafternoon stops, he said it was becoming “art”, which I don’t think meant it was a very pretty repair.

 

We stopped at a lookout that was used in an episode of Game of Thrones.  The waterfalls were visually and audibly striking, and the walk down the steps was easy(ish) except for the myriad of people stopping to try to recreate the scene while being photographed.  Nothing says “original” like 20 people doing the same pose!

Falls, falls, and more falls!

A shark hunting boat from about 1900.

Our last stop was a place that processes shark meat.  Iceland has, for centuries, hunted the Greenland Shark, which is the slowest shark known.  It moves VERY slowly, in all respects.  It stays about a mile below the surface where the water is near freezing, so they have a chemical in them that acts as an antifreeze for the shark.  But in the winter they come closer to the surface.  The sharks live about 400 years, and aren’t even reproductive ready until they are 120 years old.  Long ago, they harvested it for the liver oil, which was prized as a slow burning oil for light.  People tried to eat the meat, but that antifreeze is a toxin, and they got sick and even died.  Undeterred (much like my shoes), they kept trying things, and found that if they let it “age” and ferment, it no longer killed them.  Hanging it to “dry” for three months allowed the urea in the flesh to convert to ammonia, giving it a “golden crust” (as she described it).  With the advancement of electricity, the oil was no longer needed, and they no longer hunt the sharks.  But they still get caught inadvertently.  So, Icelandic fisherman, rather than discarding it, bring it to this place to be processed.  Finally, we got to try some!

OK, we saw a Puffin!

About to try fermented shark.

There were three ways to eat it.  First, you put it in this liquor that sort of tasted like gin.  Give it a few seconds, and then pop it in your mouth.  It was...funky with a salty kick.  Next try it with some bread.  The nice tasting bread offsets the “why are we doing this again” flavor of the shark.  Finally, you just eat the shark directly.  The texture was sort of like a chunk of dryish fat.  I would describe the flavor as “not pleasant”.  It wasn’t exactly gross.  And the flavor was sort of a residual rotting notes with overtones of chemical contamination.  The gin-like schnapps helped to offset the shark but left it’s own mark.  We were happy to get back to the bus to find our second licorice candy and have that aftertaste for a while.

A very close up look at shark skin,  Those are sharp, btw!

Ripening in ways that won't make it better!!

Homey.

Finally, we arrived at the hotel, got our bags, swapped to tennis shoes, and headed down the hill to that “store that sells everything”.  Well, they didn’t really have shoes, but they did have some rubber version of crocs and some deep work boot that was mostly rubber.  Not judging that was a better solution, we’ll go back to the ties for now.  There is an outlet store for 66 North apparently in the place we are staying tomorrow night.  And I can make it with tennis shoes tomorrow for sure.  So, we have options.  Maybe.

I have a feeling this shower is going 
to be messy!!

We spent the whole day getting to, and 
exploring this peninsula.

Post Script:  The volcano erupted yesterday about 9PM, 4 hours after we left the Blue Lagoon.  It was closed all day today but purported intend to open tomorrow, even though the volcano is still going.