Brilliance TA Sept 3 N Atlantic Part 2 cont'd

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From the Faroe Islands, we continued in a straight line toward Iceland, enjoying a sea day en route. Well, many on board didn't exactly enjoy it as the winds were stiff, the rain was on and off, and we never saw a glimpse of sun. The sea was very, very rough, and the outside temp was around 14 C (need a windproof jacket with a cozy lining to be outdoors in that). And so we came to Reykjavik, Iceland. The ship docked at noon one day, and did not sail until late afternoon the next, so we had the better part of two days in Iceland.

 

Iceland: Everything you've read and all the pictures are true. We rented a car from Europcar, and they were prompt at the pier with a great little Toyota standard shift that drove like a dream and had some get-up-and-go on the hills. It cost us $400 CDN for the two days, but we could park it right at the pier overnight (no charge), and when we tallied up what all the buses and such would cost for the three of us, this was a better deal. Plus we didn't have to wait for the slowest person on the bus to get on and off, and we could stop whenever we liked (which we did).

 

From 1 pm till about 7 pm the first day we drove the Golden Circle road. Did we make it all the way - no. But we were fine with going as far as we did, and enjoying every mile of the journey. Yes, there are highlights along this road, but now I know that this is just one of the great driving roads in the world. Sure we stopped at Pingvellir (or whatever you call it) and looked at the rift between the continents, but while we were there we saw a magnificent waterfall just spilling off a cliff that nobody had ever mentioned in trip reports I read. And every mile we drove was one gorgeous view after another. The two-lane road is narrow with small shoulders that drop off sharply several feet - you can't even think of stopping the car along the road, but there were frequent pull-outs.

 

We got to Geysir, and yes, it does blow often. I was surprised because it was very quiet - just pfffft, and the water shot up. The ground all around there sends up vents of steam. Very nice rest stop there with food, toilets and the works. At this point we made a decision to turn back - no regrets about not seeing everything - and just drove back taking in the rainbows, mountains, glaciers high on the hills, lakes, and meadows of every color of green and gold. And yes, there were horses in the fields and sheep, and two of the sheep jumped right into the road in front of the car, so the speed limit has a purpose.

 

The following day we went to the Blue Lagoon, and drove through a landscape that was completely different from the Golden Circle. Here there are great fields of lava flow, with rocks and boulders spreading almost as far as the eye can see. But they are gorgeous - covered in brilliant green moss and subdued lichens. I expected to hate the Blue Lagoon - thought it would be a horrible tourist trap. But the pool is huge, the water is perfectly warm, and everybody left behind their pushy-bossiness, so it was really a very therapeutic experience.

 

Back in Reykjavik, we had a very good lunch ($150 CDN for lunch and one beer each for three people. Yikes!). Thought about buying some souvenirs, but the prices were through the roof. Really, a tiny little Christmas ornament for $12. Or $40 for a t-shirt. Out of my range.

 

Iceland surpassed all my hopes (although I would have to starve if I stayed there). The thing I loved best of all was after we left Reykjavik, there were no billboards, no gas stations, no flashing neon, no ticky-tacky ads. Nothing but the open road and the gorgeous landscape as far as you could see.

 

Four Sea Days in the North Atlantic: Although it was not a port, I feel the North Atlantic, where we spent four days and nights was a destination. It was unrelentingly cold (10 to 12 C), windy, cloudy, sometimes rainy, and often very rough sailing. We three are blessed with great stomachs, but many are not, and they were laid low on this part of the crossing. I did identify tentatively one new bird for my life list - the gannet- they flew along beside the ship all the way. And we discovered that although we did not get sick, we kept falling asleep - the rocking of the ship was like a sleeping potion.

 

Halifax: Well, after those sea days, the sun shone and it was shirtsleeve weather, and we got off in pretty little Halifax. A bagpiper piped us into port, and we walked the pleasant streets, looking in on the Old Burying Ground, the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, and many little shops. There is a lovely boardwalk all along in front of the pier. Many people took tours away from the port, but you could do a lot worse than plonking yourself down in a nice establishment by the water and having a beverage - which we did. I also got to look at my first newspaper in two weeks; my companions were not impressed, but it made me happy.

 

What I learned: Sometimes the place you build up in your mind is not the place you thought (Faroes). Sometimes the place you thought would be a big yawn is terrific (Portland - Weymouth, and Cobh). Iceland is everything everybody says about it and more. The North Atlantic is fierce - I must re-read "The Cruel Sea" again to appreciate the efforts of those sailors who took on this route in tiny Covettes during WWII.