West coast of Iceland is much different from the lava mountains of Reykjanes peninsula. Surely, there are still the rocky shores so unfriendly to the marine traffic. Yet, the mountains seem to have stepped back giving space to green pastures and even some farmland.
But to get there we have to endure a 5.3 km tunnel under a fjord. It is a kind of interesting drive as long as one does not suffer from claustrophobia. What better way to take the mind off than to shoot some photos from the moving car?
Great fun and before one knows it ....there is the exit and a toll booth on the other side.
The fee isn't steep at all.
For reasons unknown - just because - we chose Akranes as our overnight destination.
Never been there, that's why!
The Little Guesthouse by the Ocean
(Litla gistihúsið við sjóinn)
Not only that - thanks to his diligent planning and to the Google maps we easily found the place.
Did they expect us? You bet!
We get 2 rooms, a kitchenette and a bathroom.
And a warning: "Watch out, water is VERY hot! " Geothermal of course.
Also: "This is a fishing town and if you smell fish, it is the smell of money."
And that is that.
Later on we shall learn that there is also an aluminum smelting plant nearby and that the town will probably keep on growing because of the industry. Fishing, however is number one.
The town skirts the ocean - or is it the other way?
A high, man-made wall of hefty stones spans from here to the end of town to protect it from the hungry waves. It is hard to imagine the amount of work that had to be done - not only here but in every town we've seen so far.
The ocean and the humanity; trying to outdo each other in a never ending struggle.
Having bought some food on the way to Akranes we are opting for a "home made" dinner and a subsequent stroll through the town.
As always, everything is clean and spacious.
But save for our friendly hostess and a few people leaving the local church we might begin to believe that Akranes is an alien-marked town.
Where are the 6,500 people supposedly inhabiting this place?
Well, it is dinner time and everyone who is not at sea is probably at home preparing a meal. Or they went to Reykjavik, only 45 km south from here.
There are not very many gardens here, and this bunch of lupines, with their backdrop of colorful houses is a definite eye catcher.
"Hey,Sis, a bird!!!"
Even in my retirement age I get teased by Stan!
All right Bro - this one is for you!
Though sure that the bird will not leave any time soon, I hastily photograph the species of a migratory owl (Owlus plasticus) that got here just before the winter - all the way from China.
We love Icelandic windows, for anywhere we go they are anything but boring.
A display after a display, most accompanied by the strands of tiny Christmas lights.
They must look great at night - we wonder what it would be like to spend the entire year here; to experience the white nights of the summer and the darkness of the winter.
Do the people stay or do they travel south?
So many things to ask.
The cat is also behind the window pane. Just staring as if, it too, like the birds above, were made out of porcelain.
Of course they travel, they always have!
The morning at our B&B is very good. Ham, cheese, eggs, tomatoes along with a pile of special pancakes and dark Icelandic bread, butter and jam - all designed to keep us going well into the afternoon ours.
Add juice, coffee and milk and we are good to go.
We are leaving Akranes with memories that will last a long, long while:
The old, long abandoned boat on the wild rocky shore.
The lighthouses on the outskirts of the bay.
And a collection of handbags on the wall of the Litla gistihúsið við sjóinn
Touch and go....touch and go.
Such are the ways of life.
No comments:
Post a Comment