Yesterday We set off for Borganes in the Northwest of Iceland.  There were famous waterfalls and a wool dyer to see. The next stop was to see the “original” Geysir. It is so called because it appears to be the first one called a geyser and all the others have been named for it, albeit with a slightly different spelling .The original large geyser is no longer performing. 

The most impressive  geological feature was the rift where the North American Tectonic Plate and Eurasian Tectonic plates are pulling away from each other. The movement is in less than inches per year, but the forces are tremendous and the land is scarified for miles and miles with cracks running north and east through out.

There were more falls, and raging rivers as we came to the seat of Iceland government from the late 900’s. I will not recap the last 2000 years of Icelandic history although it is the form of a saga and about as long. Many people died mostly by the hand of others except for those who fell into rivers and lakes. 

After a night in Borganes at the aptly named B59 Hotel (it is located  at 59 Borganes Street) we set out to see goats on the only exclusive goat farm in Iceland where they are preserving the breed of Icelandic goats. The ones that are  not shy will attempt to climb on your shoulder, from behind – or in one case from in front of me.  Here is one confronting Carol in her new bright red poncho.

Neither of us prepared adequately for the wind and rain we have encountered. I now have a new very expensive raincoat which may make an appearance in a later blog. 

We went to see a couple of more falls. I took too many pictures that look like everyone else’ picture from the falls. Then we went to a Greenhouse/Restaurant. We had a wonderful presentation on growing vegetables in a greenhouse with light for 9 months of the years and unlimited flowing HOT water. There is enough that when the sun goes behind the mountain for the winter they flood the greenhouse with hot water to 2 feet down to sterilize the soil for the coming season. All this water is geothermal and is piped in from the nearby hot water sources. They have to drill for cold water separately. The lunch in the restaurant was three different soups, Carrot, Tomato and Mushroom.  YUM

Back to the hotel for a free afternoon with dinner on our own.