(by Mrs. Reid) Today we explored the capital area beginning with the church tower in the famous Hallgrimskirkja church near the center of Reykjavik the capital area. We walked down to the Sun Voyager statue (like a Viking ship) and then on to explore the Harpa a concert hall with a 360 degree movie of Iceland. Then we wandered down Skolavordurstigur street (painted with a rainbow) to complete our souvenir shopping. We each purchased some books and materials to use in our classrooms. Lunch was hotdogs at Baejarins Beztu the stand where Bill Clinton ate when he visited Reykjavik. We continued shopping on Laugavegur street before heading down to the harbor to buy our whale watching tickets. We visited the Whale Watching exhibit with full life size models of many whales. Using Elding’s, we sat up on the 3rd story of the boat as we headed out. We first saw sea birds including puffins and faraway were some dolphins. We continued out to find minke whales and the highlight was the humpback whale who showed off for us. He or she breached the surface twice giving us great opportunities for pictures. An amazing end to our experience here in Iceland. Both Mrs. Tate and I are excited to see our families and to share what we have learned with our students this upcoming school year.
Photo Credit: Susan Tate
(by Mrs. Reid) Today we explored the capital area beginning with the church tower in the famous Hallgrimskirkja church near the center of Reykjavik the capital area. We walked down to the Sun Voyager statue (like a Viking ship) and then on to explore the Harpa a concert hall with a 360 degree movie of Iceland. Then we wandered down Skolavordurstigur street (painted with a rainbow) to complete our souvenir shopping. We each purchased some books and materials to use in our classrooms. Lunch was hotdogs at Baejarins Beztu the stand where Bill Clinton ate when he visited Reykjavik. We continued shopping on Laugavegur street before heading down to the harbor to buy our whale watching tickets. We visited the Whale Watching exhibit with full life size models of many whales. Using Elding’s, we sat up on the 3rd story of the boat as we headed out. We first saw sea birds including puffins and faraway were some dolphins. We continued out to find minke whales and the highlight was the humpback whale who showed off for us. He or she breached the surface twice giving us great opportunities for pictures. An amazing end to our experience here in Iceland. Both Mrs. Tate and I are excited to see our families and to share what we have learned with our students this upcoming school year.
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Today was the day we have been thinking about for over 9 months--the day we would get to learn more about the eco-schools program and restoration work done by Landvernd (Iceland's Environmental Association). As much as seeing the natural wonders of Iceland was well worth the trip, our real mission was to gain new global environmental knowledge to enrich the work that we do with our students at Whitehall Middle School through the Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative.
We started out our day by picking up Rannveig and Katrin and driving to Sellfoss to drop off some Ecology books written by a teacher who is also a member of Landvernd's board of directors. While at the high school in Sellfoss, we toured the school and got to peek in some science classrooms. Students in Iceland have not yet officially gone back to school, but the youngest students at this school (16 years old, up through 20) were there in the morning for orientation. Next we stopped at a bakery to pick up some sandwiches to eat later for lunch. We hit the road again and drove to the Soil Conservation Society's restoration exhibit east of Fludir. This was a wonderful facility that had interactive displays about the desertification and restoration of the land around the base of the volcano Hekla. Historically, erosion has come about by the pressures of over-grazing by sheep and poor land-management, weather extremes, and volcanic eruptions. The SCS has worked over the last century with farmers and other land owners and officials to build rock walls to block the wind and blowing sand, as well as to plant Lyme grass and other native species. After learning about the SCS's restoration efforts, we headed over to visit some of the experimental plots that Rannveig supervises with 11 year old students at local schools. These plots compare different types of natural fertilizers and grass seeds to see which combinations work best. Students get to come back each year to measure and categorize the plants in their plots for long-term data. Their work will help the SCS and Landvernd continue their restoration work. Our next stop was at a very small school near Fludir. We had a lovely time being led on a tour of the school by one of the teachers. This school is recognized as an Eco School by Landvernd due to their recycling, conservation efforts, outdoor education, and school potato garden, amongst other things. Mrs. Reid and I shared some information with them about the USGBC Green Apple Day of Service that will be held this September, and we look forward to Skyping with this school throughout the year to compare environmental projects. Last, but certainly not least, Rannveig and Mummi took us to the U.S. Embassy in Reykjavik to meet with the Deputy Chief of Missions, Paul O'Friel. It is an important mission of our Embassy to work with the Icelandic government and people to help grow environmental stewardship in Iceland, and to connect Americans to this work if possible. Deputy Chief O'Friel was very interested in how we found out about Landvernd and the work they do, and he wants us to keep in touch. This was an incredibly exciting day, filled with rich connections to teachers, administrators, and environmental champions, and we owe a huge thank you to Katrin and Rannveig for organizing all of this for us. We can't wait to see how our new friendships and partnerships grow moving forward, and the learning opportunities that they will provide for our students. After last night's Viking Feast, and a good night's sleep, we started the day energized and ready to explore the Saga Museum in Reykjavik. The Icelandic Sagas are stories that were written long ago (mostly 13th and 14th centuries) to document early Viking society and history. We really enjoyed the life-like Viking figures--so life-like that one of them was even mechanized to look like he was breathing--and the rich detail in the narration provided in our headsets.
We finished off a busy day of learning with a relaxing soak at the famous Blue Lagoon. This geothermal bath is popular with tourists because of the warm temperatures and skin-soothing mineral and algae content. The lagoon is fed from below with seawater that is heated by molten magma. Fortunately, as it travels 2,000 meters upwards, the water cools from over 400 degrees Celsius a soothing 38 degrees C (100 F). It is very visually stunning with the milky blue water surrounded by towering walls of black lava, and framed with a bright blue sky.
Our final leg of circumnavigating the country of Iceland began in the northwest mountain town of Akureyri. The roads continued to wind up, down, and around mountains keeping us at times on the edge of our seats. The main attraction on the return toward the Reykjavik area were Barnafoss and Hraunfoss waterfalls pictured below. After the falls, we checked into the Viking Hotel in Hafnarfjordur, where earlier in the summer they hold a huge annual Viking festival. We donned our Viking costumes and went outside to take some pictures catching the eyes of tourists. Some even ask us to be in their photographs! Then we were seated for our Viking Feast at the hotel restaurant. The meal began with traditional Harkarl (fermented shark) and dried cod. Not a favorite, not at all! A Viking renactor came out to sing and entertain us during dinner while we enjoyed seafood soup and a lamb shank. Dessert included skyr (like yogurt) with a fruit sorbet. We felt a certain sense of bravery for both completing our circumnavigation of Iceland in 5 days and for keeping the Harkarl in our stomachs!
8-15-15
(Mrs. Reid's reflections) As a geography teacher, I tend to love maps and map technology. I learned a few geography lessons today. Topography matters. Looking at the map key for road conditions matter. These things especially matter in Iceland. We had our longest distance to travel today from Hofn on the east coast to Akureyi in the north. Using both our GPS and maps we ended up on an unpaved road that crawled to the top of a mountain pass in one of the scariest rides I've ever taken. Another well known lesson, what goes up...must come down. The ride down was even scarier with no guard rails most places. I am thankful for Mrs. Tate wanting to be the driver! We really enjoyed the Lake Myvatn area with mudpots, a very large crater to climb, and lava formations at Dimmuborgir. Godafoss waterfall was another beautiful stop on our way to Akureyi. It was a day filled with gigantic ups and downs. Iceland has a way of making their roads more exciting than any rollercoaster! The diversity of so many landscapes was my highlight. (Mrs. Tate's reflections) So here's something not many people know about me: when I get nervous driving over bridges (Mackinac) or on mountain roads, my feet sweat. As I like to tell people, it's not that I have a fear of heights, I have a fear of dying from heights. Luckily, I don't often drive in these situations. Unluckily, I made up for it today. Narrow mountain roads made of gravel, with blind hills, one lane bridges, sudden curves, and no guard rails? East Iceland has that in spades. Did I mention that there was also fog and rain? Yeah, my podiatric sudoriferous glands were working overtime! While Mrs. Reid's navigation skills left a little something to be desired today, she more than made up for it with her friendly chatter that helped keep my mind off of our impending doom. Thankfully, we made it through the mountains in good shape, and were rewarded with sunshine and some of the most amazing sights in this geologically-diverse country. It's hard to pick a favorite today, so I'll pick two--climbing to the rim of the Hverfjall crater near Lake Myvatn, and playing on the rocks at the top of the waterfall Godafoss. I can't wait to see what exciting things tomorrow will bring. Hopefully my feet will stay dry. 8-14-15 (Mrs. Reid's thoughts) We had to fix breakfast in the car and hurry to our 9:30 glacier hike at Skaftafell Glacier. Our hike began with a ride on the yellow limo to the glacier river valley. We hiked up and down over rocks and bits of glacier covered with black ash. When you book a tour you have no way to know the pace or difficulty. This hike went beyond my physical ability so I made a difficult choice once we reached the ice to stay behind by myself. Due to climate change a huge amount of glacier had melted making the hike more difficult and steep this year. Mrs. Tate, persevered with the climb and our guide Freyr. Soon my group disappeared across the narrow ledge of the glacier and out of sight. I was completely alone without a watch in the cold pelting rain that came and went. It was a time to reflect and observe. I watched fist size rocks begin to tumble from high up down to the river below. I saw trickles of water we had crossed grow in their surge. I had the challenge of calmly waiting with nature. It was an amazing time of renewed strength in both mind and body. When we returned from the hike, we peeled off our layers to try and dry them in the car as we drove on to the next adventure an amphibian boat tour at Jokulsarlon glacier bay. So many shades of blue and white in the icebergs, seals swimming, and tasting the pure clean ice from Viking times were all highlights! Luckily, the hotel and dry clothes were next! We were soaked, exhausted, and definitely exhilirated by our experiences! (Mrs. Tate's thoughts) Five minutes into our glacier climb at Falljokull, and all I could think was "how much longer do we HAVE to do this?" Frankly, I was slightly terrified. As Mrs. Reid mentioned, due to warming temperatures in the last twenty years or so, glacial tongues like Falljokull are receding as Vatnajokull shrinks. Just last year, climbers like us were able to walk from the land right up onto the terminus of the glacier. Now we had a roughly 150 foot climb up a gravel and boulder-strewn icy pathway to even get on the bare ice. Oh, and if you slipped, you might just plunge down into the raging meltwater river and be swept away. No biggie. As we got ready to step onto the glacier, our guide Freyr told us to "trust our equipment". If you take teensy, hesitant steps, you are likely to slip. However, if you trust your crampons and take bigger, more forceful steps, you will bite into the ice and move with ease. This is easier said than done when the fear center of your brain is calling the shots. Mustering every fiber of my quadriceps (as well as rousing my tiny, inner adventuress), I tested out Freyr's advice and took a couple of steps across the ice. Observing that I was still upright, I began to move with more ease and speed. Scared at first of the danger posed by moulins (those vertical holes that empty small streams of meltwater to the base of the glacier) and crevasses, I soon moved with confidence across the frozen landscape. Like any great teacher, Freyr modeled positivity and encouragement in the face of our nervousness and the driving rain and intermittent hail. I learned and saw so many cool things to share with my students: how Falljokull is one of the most scientifically-studied glaciers in the world, how glacial mice (moss-covered rocks) form on glaciers near volcanoes, and what would happen if heat from the volcano suddenly melted the ice at the base of the glacier (thankfully Freyr told us about that part at the end of our hike--world's biggest surfboard!) By the end of our alotted hour, I was having so much fun that in my head I asked "is it really time to get off the glacier?" Sometimes living outside your comfort-zone is a surprisingly enjoyable place to be. Freyr holding a glacial mouse. These moss-covered rocks--ejected from one of the five volcanoes under Vatnajokull--form slowly over many years. The moss takes about twenty years to grow on one side, and then the mouse rolls into a new position, exposing a bare side to be covered. Eventually the rock is completely surrounded in a little furry green coat. The Belgians in our group hadn't yet caught the "hey-it's-raining-on-our-glacier-climb" excitement bug from Freyr. The group is encircling a moulin. No one wanted to take the slip 'n' slide to the base of the glacier, so we all watched our step. Many thanks to
8-13-15
Waking up to mostly dry clothes and enjoying breakfast at the hotel, made for a great second day start. First stop was Seljalandsfoss waterfall with a beautiful mossy trail we followed behind the fall. From waterfalls to volcanoes, our main route followed the base of Eyjafallajokull volcano to the Visitor Center educating us about the 2010 eruption and how a local family not only survived but went on farming after the cleanup. Next we arrived at Skogafoss waterfall, where Mrs. Tate climbed 429 steps to the top and I (Mrs. Reid) stopped about half way to take some pictures of grazing sheep on the steep slope. Great views all around! Next we had our first view of a glacier, Solheimajokull. From glaciers to black sand beaches, our next stop was Reynisfjall beach where the wind and rain pelted us and the sea rolled furiously. Our hotel in Vik was next, where we tried to peel out of wet clothing and put on some dry ones for an evening drive to a canyon. Unfortunately the road out to the canyon was questionable, but the drive took us through some strange looking landscapes. From wide black rock and sand glacial rivers to round lava rock formations covered in green moss. Upon arriving back to Vik, the sun poked through so we made our way to the beach for some pictures of the rock formations jutting out of the oceans. At each site we're observing and learning from the diversity of cultures here visiting Iceland. Another day well spent. 8-12-15
Traveling in a new country always presents some new challenges and sense of being a little disoriented. Mrs. Tate really persevered as our driver, while I (Mrs. Reid) fell into the role of navigator! Thingvellir National Park was our first destination where we walked in the footsteps of the Vikings. Where the North American plate and the Eurasian plate meet, the Vikings held their Althing Council (beginnings of democracy) near their Law Rock. The Oxararfoss waterfall was incredible! We visited the frequent erupting geyser Strokkur and other small geysers at Geysir. I was amazed at how close you could get to a geyser erupting at around 100 degrees Celsius! As we visited sites, we've noticed a respect for nature and cleanliness we may not see in the United States. I wonder how we instill that value in our future generations to protect our natural treasures. The final stop for our day was Gullfoss waterfall. High up, the roaring river cascades over cliffs in a canyon covered in green mosses. The whipping wind seemed to try to push us off the trail as we fought our way toward the rock ledge that jutted out near the top of the falls. The weather was intense and the scenery other worldly. At Gullfoss I had to step out of my cautionary comfort zone and onto the rock ledge. As the items are laid upon my bed waiting to be placed inside my suitcase, I find myself reflecting on the lessons I've learned from past travel that will be with me during this journey. My good friend Alex, from Germany, taught me during my first trip to Europe at 18, that the greatest present is the present. He helped me to slow down and enjoy the moment or place we were at while we were there. Travel isn't just the pictures you bring back, but the feelings and experiences you have there. Another valuable lesson learned while traveling is to interact and learn from the people whose home you're visiting. On a trip to climb the Mayan Pyramid, Chichen Itza near Cancun, Mexico, our Mayan guide shared how he had to live four hours from his family during the week without complaint returning only on the weekends to see his wife and small children. He was filled with gratitude at being able to share his knowledge of his ancestors and the sacred site of Chichen Itza. Travel has helped me to understand the world and to respect different perspectives. I will carry these thoughts with me as I grab my bags Monday evening and begin a new journey!
“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes About three weeks away from our Iceland adventure, and I feel overwhelmed by the excitement to experience new places and cultures through travel. As a geography teacher who tries to help students understand diversity and what culture is, I believe my travel experiences better prepare me to instruct my students.
With an itinerary full of extraordinary sites, we are sure to immerse ourselves in the Icelandic experience and Viking history. We spend the first day Aug. 11th traveling to Keflavik International Airport. On day 2, we hit the road to Thingvellir National Park an ancient Viking site as well as the point where two continental plates meet. Following the Golden Circle, we will visit the geothermal area of Geysir and Gullfoss waterfall. On day 3, we’ll visit the Eyjafjallajokull Volcano that erupted in 2010, Skogafoss waterfall, Reynisfjara Beach, and stay in the town of Vik. With only 10 days, we’re planning a packed tour! On day 4, we’ll have to be early to rise to reach our glacier tour at Skaftafell Nature Center. From walking on glaciers, we’ll move on to an amphibian boat tour of Jorkulsarlon Glacier Bay before spending the night near the side of the Vatnajokull Volcano. Exploration on day 5 will include the area around Lake Myvatn and Namaskard Pass on our long drive to Akureyri. On day 6, we finish our final leg of the famous Ring Road completely encircling Iceland. We return to Hafnarfjordur near Reykjavik for an authentic Viking feast and to stay in the Viking Hotel. On day 7, we’ll explore Reyjkavik and possibly take a whale watching tour. Reyjkavik is also filled with Viking history including the Saga Museum. In order to meet with Landvernd, we’re very flexible on day 7, 8, and 9 leaving time to learn about their Eco Schools and environmental projects. From Reykjavik there are many sites to visit such as Hellisheidi Geothermal Power Plant, a soak in the world famous Blue Lagoon thermal pools, and the Krysuvik area with colorful geothermal areas and cliffs filled with seabirds. On day 10, August 20th, we say our farewells to Iceland and return home richer in experience and culture. “Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.” – Anonymous |
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