Enthralled by Iceland’s Unique Beauty
Iceland blew us away! Its breathtakinglandscapes, pristine surroundings and natural wonders, combined with impeccable organization, made this an unforgettable eight-day sojourn for 42 of us Rotarians and Rotaryannes who participated in RCB’s Iceland Fellowship Tour.
Oct 5th: We were literally ‘blown away’ at Keflavik Airport by the strong winds, which threw everyone and their luggage around! Reaching the comfort of Hotel Radisson Blu 1919 in Reykjavik, we had an evening free to discover the sights and sounds of the city.
Oct 6th: We started the day with a visit to the Northern Lights Museum, which provided a lot of factual information as well as folklore, whetting our appetite to witness this breathtaking phenomenon.
The next stop was the site of the Gorbachev Reagan détente talks in 1985-86, which was key to the end of the Cold War and a reduction in nuclear stockpiles.
A visit to Reykjavik’s iconic Hallgrimskirkja Church awed us and many took the elevator to the top of the tower to get a panoramic view of the city. Then on to view world renowned sculptor Einar Jonsson’s thought-provoking sculptures with various philosophical as well as mythological themes.
After a sumptuous lunch, we took a flight to Akureyri in the North. The flight felt like old times… the short journey in the propeller aircraft enabled us to feast our eyes on this amazing ‘fire and ice’ country.
On arrival at Kea Hotel, we were treated to a spectacular rainbow, and soon a second one parallel to the first, snow clad mountains and a beautiful sunset.
At the evening’s fellowship dinner, we ushered in IWC President, Mrs. Sweta Vakil’s birthday,followed by lively music, including our very own Iceland trip theme song.
Oct 7th: Our first stop was the majestic Godafoss, one of Iceland’s many waterfalls in the Lake Myvatn Area. Our drive through an area of extreme contrasts with varied flora, remnants of geothermal activity, lava, hot springs, etc., was a beautiful one. The highlight of the day was a relaxing geothermal bath in the stunning Myvatn natural lagoon. The 30+ degrees temperature in the water was very welcome and a sharp contrast to the 6-7 degrees weather outside. Later at night, we embarked upon an adventurous journey, looking for and chasing the Northern Lights. We stopped at a lonely spot close to a lighthouse. The clear sky enabled us to have our first glimpse of the Northern Lights. It was an awesome sight, spanning the horizon.
Oct 8th: We left Akureyri to travel to our northern-most city Siglufjordur.
En route we went on a whale-watching
excursion. The many humpback whales we saw and photographed ensured that we were not disappointed!
The drive to Siglo with around 11km of long, narrow tunnels, ended in a beautiful boutique hotel set in the bay of this most picturesque town. The Herring Museum gave us an insight into Siglo’s history which flourished as a herring fishing and processing center.
The evening’s revelries began with everyone enjoying chana from the ‘Chanawala’ (Malti Jain in disguise) and his ‘Channawali’ (Sweta Vakil). A highlight of the dinner were the Indian dishes prepared by our very own Anitaben Parikh who managed to sweet talk her way with the Hotel Chef!
Oct 9th: We started the day with a visit to the site of quaint turf farmhouses at Glaumbaer. The 19th century houses made of tightly packed grass and mud provided an insight into the tough living conditions a century ago.
Then on to some awe-inspiring waterfalls near a magnificent canyon. The large, deep crater with the crystal clear water was an awesome sight. These area forms a backdrop to Iceland’s many sagas.
Reaching Husafell, we were treated to another outstanding boutique hotel. A few of us walked around to get a feel of this remote place and a handful ventured into the hot pool, which was very much like a private jacuzzi.
After a convivial fellowship meeting where members regaled one another with anecdotes, and jokes, the hotel provided a gourmet dinner in the stately glass-walled restaurant with a magnificent view of the secluded area. At night we had a fleeting glimpse of the Northern Lights, despite the inclement, cloudy weather.
Oct 10th: The next morning saw us at the largest hot springs in Europe where steaming vapor is forcefully emitted from bubbling pools and rock clusters. The afternoon was devoted to the Langjokull ice tunnel. We were taken to the glacier in specially designed vehicles to cope with the rough terrain where volcanoes erupted and lava flowed many centuries ago. Then on to the next destination – Selfoss.
Oct 11th: Thingvellir, or Pingvellir as it is locally called, is a National Park like no other. This is where Iceland’s tryst with democracy started way back in 930 AD, when the oldest parliament in the world had its first gathering. It is also where Iceland proclaimed its nationhood in 1944.
Gulfoss, the Golden Waterfalls, was another impressive wonder of nature. After a lovely lunch in a unique greenhouse, we were taken to Geysir (from where the word ‘geyser’ originated), with its still active spouters.
Oct 12th: Leaving Selfoss, we drove to the Horse Theatre at Fakasel Horsepark. The dramatic show regaled us with Norse mythology and the unique Icelandic horses thrilled us with their unique gait and performance.
Before leaving for Reykjavik, our last stop was to the Blue Lagoon for a fun-filled dip in the warm mineral-rich geothermal waters amidst black lava fields.
All in all, it was a wonderful trip. Everyone renewed and made great friendships. The icy, blustery weather was no match for the warmth we experienced in the group, making the journey around Iceland an unforgettable one. The camaraderie, jokes and banter made it all the more memorable.
Promising that we would definitely be part of the next such Fellowship trip, we reluctantly bade farewell to each other and to a beautiful country.
– Written by Rtn S V Prasad with inputs from Rotaryanne Sandra Merchant (Excerpts)