Icelandic Protest

Icelandic protesters form a circle around their parliament building in downtown Reykjavik, November 2008. Iceland's financial system was at the forefront of the global economic meltdown and people there were not happy about it.

The Road to Thingvellir

Thingvellir (Þingvellir), which translates to "Thing Field" is the home of the Althing (Alþingi), or National Parliament of Iceland. Having moved to Reykjavik it is still in existence today, making it the oldest such body in the world.

The "Thing Field" sits in a rift valley formed by the pulling apart of the North American and European tectonic plates, part and parcel of Iceland's active geothermal nature.

Iceland-November-2008

The Blue Galoon

3 year old Olivia's preferred pronunciation of "The Blue Lagoon." Iceland 2008

That Darn Duck!

Tjörnin, the city pond in Reykjavik is home to a lot of waterfowl and Olivia wanted to feed them all! She got a little too comfortable with one big gray goose though and he bit her finger while eating out of her hand. "That darn duck bit me!" she wailed.

Grindavik Harbor

Where have all the Vikings gone?

The Viking ship sculpture in Reykjavik is a reminder of Icelanders' early days. It sits overlooking the water and is now watched over by unfinished "viking condominiums" stalled by Iceland's economic disaster and facing an uncertain future.

Sunday driving in Iceland

The road from Thingvellir to Laugarvatn is a great place to get away from the maddening crowds of Reykjavik. Well actually there didn't seem to be any maddening crowds in Reykjavik but out in the countryside it's almost uninhabited so in comparison Reykjavik seems downright frantic, teeming with hustling and bustling masses of Nordic humanity.

Me and the girls at Gulfoss

Joana snaps one of me and the girls during the last gasp of magic hour (which can last a really long time in Iceland.)

Twilight in Iceland

A row of bare trees is silhouetted by the long twilight at the end of an Icelandic day in early November. Coming from New England I was struck by the lack of trees. Most seemed to have been planted intentionally.