Lake Myvatn

Goðafoss

We woke to rain and winds, but the weather improved over the course of the day. This has been the coldest May in 100 years in the wettest May in 20 years. Goðafoss, the water falls of the Gods is named  such because a leader threw his statues of Norse gods into the falls upon the adoption of Christianity.

We're traveling around Lake Mývatn, a lake formed 2300 years ago when lava dammed this area fed by springs. The lake is only two to three meters deep. First, we went to have Hverir which looks like Yellowstone National Park with fumaroles steaming up from the ground and bubbling mud pots. The mid-Atlantic ridge is easily seen here. Iceland was pushed up from the sea by the collision of the American and European plates. 

Dimmuborgir

This was followed Dimmuborgir with its Black Castle lava formations. After lunch we saw the pseudo craters formed by steam escaping from the lava, then exploding creating the crater. 

After leaving the lake we stopped at Laufás turf house, a wealthy vicarage from 1853-1882. A complex of connected rooms which served a community of 10 to 20 people and the local church next to it. On the way back to Akureyri, we stopped at Siggy's summer house, which she shares with her brothers and sisters. A cute cottage on the Fjord. That evening we had a home hosted dinner with Thoririn and Marguarite. Thoririn is the uncle of our guide, Siggy. They fixed a delicious cod dinner and then surprised us when they sang some local tunes on guitar.