Island day 6
Today I took the "Golden Circle" Bus tour. It involved getting onto a bus and being driven around for 7 hours. We saw an implosion crater, two killers waterfalls, a geyser, and their sacred national park, Þingvellir. This national park was the gathering place for the first "all icelanders meeting", the Alþingi -- for instance a 1000 years ago it was decided that Island was to be a Lutheran Christian country and the entire country decided it right there in the national park.
I have to admit, when I first heard the concept, I thought there would be some parliament building in the park -- what a strange place for that. Having seen the parliaments for various European nation, I was expecting some cool old architecture that housed the Alpingi. But no, the Alpingi met in a meadow amid snow capped mountains. Aside some a church and couple of other buildings, there was nothing. Just a very famous meadow.
Did I mention that the Islanders are a strange and proud folk?
In any case, my photoblog tells the story of this bus tour much better than I can. Go check it out!
When I returned to Reykjavik, I logged on and made a reservation for the Hengill Geothermal hike, for the next day and relaxed in my room before going to bed.