Iceland Part I: The Westman Islands and a couple of waterfalls!

Iceland is a trip that we have been planning for a long time, and we can't believe it's over already! This was one of the best trips we have ever taken; it was full of adventure, outdoor excitement, fresh Icelandic cuisine, and of course pure natural beauty.

Iceland is a country of sharp contrasts - where fire and ice coexist because of the volcanoes and glaciers, and where the light from the sun is seen all day and night in the summer, and the darkness of the night is an almost all day experience in the winter. West Iceland experiences relatively mild winters due to the Gulf Stream (they say the winters in Reykjavik are about the same as in NYC), with the summers being in the 50s and 60s. My initial (and continuing) thoughts about Iceland are that it looks like it's the end of the world and the apocalypse is upon us. There is lava EVERYWHERE!

We arrived around 6:15am after a short flight for an overseas trip. After getting our rental car we hit the road old school with no GPS and only a map at our disposal. The roads are so easy to navigate (there aren't too many!) and the signage is pretty well posted. We passed through lava fields surrounded by not so distant mountains that were speckled with tiny waterfalls. At times it felt like we were alone on the road in a vast sea of lava. Simply spectacular.

Our first night in Iceland was on the Westman Islands (Vestmannjayeer). The ferry to the island was about 2.5 hours away from the airport so we had plenty of time to stop at a few things beforehand. About 10 minutes away from the ferry is Seljalandsfoss waterfall. The Icelandic term for waterfall is "foss" and this waterfall did not disappoint. We were able to get up close and personal as we were allowed to climb up and walk behind the waterfall. The mist of the water sprayed on us as we walked around, looking at it from all directions. A very cool sight indeed!

We walked about 1/3 mile to another waterfall called Gljufrabui, which means "Dweller of the Gorge" We were able to get very close with this one! It's about 40 meters high and because there's a big rock in front of it (and a little bit of a walk from the more popular waterfall) not many people notice it. You can wade through the gorge and jump on the rocks on the river (which is what we did) or walk up the rock to see the top.

It was time to head to the ferry so we got in the car and drove about 15 minutes to the ferry terminal. The weather wasn't the best so we opted to stay inside and and chill, where we ended up passing out for a good portion of the 30 minute trip! The rest of the day is a little bit of a blur... we went right to the hotel, and after checking in and having a delicious lunch at a local favorite restaurant, we took a nap to catch up on some sleep before dinner (which was spectacular).

An appetizer - I forget what was under the scallop, but it was GOOD! 

Another appetizer - smoked puffin on the left and gilamott on the right 

After getting about 10 hours of sleep (when does that ever happen??) we awoke to a gorgeous sunny and warm day on the island. Luckily we were able to sleep through the daylight the night before since we brought our eye masks - the hotel (or any other place we stayed) didn't have black out curtains. At this time of year the sun doesn't set until 11:45pm and it rises around 2:50am. During those three hours the sky doesn't even come close to being black! It's a pretty weird feeling... but more on that later on when we watch the midnight sunsets at the end of the trip.

Taken from our hotel room at around 10:45pm

The Westman Islands are a series of islands south of the mainland formed by eruptions about 10,000 years ago. Only one island, Heimaey, is habitable, and it came to international attention with the eruption of Eldfell volcano in 1973. The eruption lasted about 6.5 months and destroyed about 1/4 of the island, while increasing the size by 20%! Luckily everyone was evacuated quickly so no one was killed. Families came back to the island to rebuild, and now climbing the volcano and visiting the museum is a pretty big attraction there (along with puffin watching).

Heimaey 

After breakfast we set out on a clearly marked path towards the volcano Eldfell. They call this area the "Pompeii of the North" due to so many houses and other structures being buried (and most likely preserved) in mounds of lava. We walked past those memorials of houses and schools that were buried 16 meters below where we stood. We continued to get nice views of the town as we walked through the 40 year old lava on either side of us on the way to Eldfell. On our walk we learned that heat from the volcano provided the town of Heimaey with geothermal energy from 1976-1985!

The path met the road a few times. 

We started the somewhat steep climb on the collapsed northern end of the volcano taking breaks to snap pictures of the gorgeous view.

Looking back at the other volcano, Helgafell 

We made it to the top and it was worth it! Once we got up there the wind hit us and all we could do was stand out facing the ocean with our arms stretched way out. We could basically see the entire island, including the teeny tiny airport. We were also able to see the other small islands that make up Vestmannaeyar. This was such an incredible view and was a great start to our week in Iceland.

We made our way to the town and walked to Eldheimer, which is a museum detailing the 1973 eruption and life on the island before and after it. The museum incorporates one house that was excavated and is still intact, including toppled household items left behind. The museum is beautifully done and we learned so much about the island.

The "buried" house

Jon putting together a puzzle.. Good Job! 

The museum 

Before we knew it we had to board the ferry again in order to continue our journey (but not before stopping at a delicious local restaurant for some lunch)!

We came to the island on the recommendation of my second cousin Rob who lived in Iceland for two years. We're so glad that we researched it and spent the night in this quaint and quiet fishing island. It was a fantastic way to start our adventures! Next up, our drive to Vik including a big waterfall, an old Navy plane crash on the beach, a sizable glacier, and Reynisdrangar rock formations in Vik!

Ireland Part IV: Adare Village, the Cliffs of Moher, Doolin, and Bunratty Castle

I was hoping that I would be able to finish all of the Ireland posts a year after going on the trip. I did it with about 3 months to spare! It's funny how I used to spit these out within a week of going on a trip or experiencing something new, and now that we're removed from our two year adventure and have an active 18 month old on our hands it takes just a little bit longer to write. Anyway, I digress...

The last part of our journey had us leaving County Kerry and heading slightly north to County Clare. It was supposed to be a nice day so we decided to drive up to the Cliffs of Moher and then back down a little bit to our lodging at a farmhouse in Newcastle. On our drive up we stopped in the small village of Adare. Adare is often known as Ireland's "prettiest village". The village is famous for its thatched cottages which were built in the 19th century. Now the cottages house restaurants and small craft shops.

Moving on from Adare we drove a little over an hour to the famous Cliffs of Moher. There are no words to describe what we saw here; it was that stunning and beautiful. So I'll just leave you with some pictures. We have MUCH better pictures on Jon's camera, which I'll be uploading soon! For now this is all I have:

We walked out quite a ways down from the entrance in order to get away from the crowds. There were areas that were a little scary to walk by, and if you took one wrong step you might have just fallen off the cliff!

After the cliffs, we drove down towards the water and went to the small town of Doolin. Our friends had told us that they had amazing mussels here, but after looking at numerous restaurants' menus and specials, and not seeing mussels, we settled on some local grub so we could eat.

For the next couple of nights we stayed at a gorgeous farmhouse in Newmarket in Fungus, about 15 minutes from Shannon airport where we had an early flight two days later. Cahergal Farmhouse is off the beaten path, but still within access of many sights. This farm is gorgeous with such bright greenery, animals strolling around the grounds, and space in the house so we could lounge around without being in anyone's way. This farmhouse is what I think about when I think about classic Ireland. We were greeted with homemade scones and tea, and lovely hosts that gave suggestions on what to do since we had a "free" day during our last day there.

Our hosts suggested we go to Bunratty Castle and Folk Park. This is a pretty complete medieval fortress that contains many 15th and 16th century furnishings, tapestries, art, and dwellings, which capture the mood of that time. We strolled from building to building (a house, shop, post office, school, doctor's office, pub) taking in all of the sights and sounds as they recreated the scene from that time. We watched the tasks of typical rural Irish families and saw the conditions in which they lived. We took a nice walk through the gardens, modeled on the original Regency period garden, which supplied fruit, vegetables, and flowers to Bunratty House.

A house 

Inside the castle

Nice view! 

The schoolhouse 

Dr. Jon outside the doctor's house! 

Before coming to Ireland we had read reviews that this place gets super crowded, to the point where it's not enjoyable at all. We also read that it's not very authentic and is a big tourist trap. Had our hosts not suggested it and really backed it up we probably wouldn't have gone. We got there right when it opened so it wasn't crowded at all, and we thought the way everything was set up with period pieces and "actors" was believable and tastefully done.

This trip to Ireland proved to be just what we needed- a mix of outdoor activities filled with amazing scenery, and a flexible schedule that allowed for the much needed down time we were craving. Time to plan the next vacation!

Southwestern Ireland (County Kerry): Killarney, Gap of Dunloe, & the Dingle Peninsula

We left Blarney Castle and drove about 1.5 hours to Beaufort, which is about 10 kilometers outside of Killarney and our home for the next three days. County Kerry is full of magnificent scenery, an outstanding national park, and two well-known loop drives - The Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula. This area is a must for any first time visitor to Ireland.

For our first day we walked the Gap of Dunloe, which is a narrow mountain pass through MacGillycuddy's Reeks and Purple Mountain. We parked the car at Kate Kearney's Cottage, which is a pretty popular restaurant for everyone deciding to attack the Gap (either walking, by jaunting car, bikes, or driving) and set off from there. It's a relatively easy (though long) walk with periods of steep ascents. The sun was shining down so brightly and the beauty is unlike anything we've seen before.

We met a lot of friendly people on the walk and even witnessed a runaway sheep! Poor thing...

The weather held out until we got to a point where we had to make a decision to keep on going or turn around. Although it looked very appealing to keep walking, the skies opened up and it started pouring, and we didn't want to be caught in the mountains during the downpour. So after our three mile walk we turned around and headed back. We dried off and warmed up with some stew and a goat cheese salad at Kate Kearney's Cottage. Yum!

Kate Kearney's Cottage 

Our turn-around point 

The next day we drove around the Dingle Peninsula. We decided against driving the Ring of Kerry (though we saw many parts of the ring as our bed and breakfast was just off of it) because it was super crowded with buses barreling down narrow roads with us driving a stick with the "wrong" hand on the "wrong" side of the road. We were looking for a stress free vacation! The Dingle Peninsula did just that and had amazing scenery of its own. The coastline is full of towering cliffs interrupted by sandy beaches.

We stopped at Inch Beach at the recommendation of our b&b host. Stretching four miles, Inch Beach is very popular with surfers and swimmers and offers a magnificent backdrop as you look out onto the blue waters. It was a very breezy and brisk day while we took some pictures and walked along the water.

Our next stop along the peninsula was the fishing port town of Dingle. It's a good thing we got here relatively early in the morning because it became so crowded with tour buses and the general public after 12. This is a charming town full of pubs that play live traditional music, and shops that sell a plethora of random trinkets and knick knacks. While strolling the streets we found some beautiful artwork to add to our collection, slipped into a teeny tiny restaurant where we had some delicious chowder, and ate ice cream at the legendary Murphy's Ice Cream shop. We had a beautiful and relaxing day in this pleasant town!

Along the drive 

Instead of heading back we drove the Slea Head Loop, which is one of the most famous drives in the area. We headed west from Dingle and hugged the coast as we drove through some of the most breathtaking and dramatic views we have seen. In some places the road was extremely narrow with some sharp cliff-edge bends, which provided some heart stopping moments (although nothing we weren't used to after driving the Amalfi Coast quite a few times!). It was a stunning drive and we're happy that we decided to do it. (More pictures to come from Jon's camera!)

We went into the town of Killarney a couple of times during our stay in County Kerry, mainly for a couple of meals and to walk around the town. I had read that Killarney is swarming with tourists, but it actually wasn't too bad and it's still a nice town to walk around. I don't know if I'd go out of my way to visit it, but since our b&b was so close it made sense to go there. There are quite a few decent restaurants that we ate in and nice streets to walk through.

We had such a nice time in this area of Ireland and wished that we were able to stay longer - isn't that always the case? Next up is the last installment of our Ireland trip - Adare Village, the Cliffs of Moher, Ennis, and Bunratty Castle.