Reykjavik, Iceland July 5 2015

The alarm was going off early this morning at 5:50 a.m.  Our excursion leaves at 8 a.m. and we have another full day ahead.

Today we are going to the other side of the island and we are going to see the lava fields, black sand beach and go to the Blue Lagoon.

We are all ready to go and start out at 8 a.m.  Our van driver has not driven a stick shift before (I don’t think) because as we climb our first hill she has it in fourth gear and proceeds to stall out.  She is an Asian guide and driver and responds by saying “holy moses”.  It is quite funny.  She proceeds to try to get started and kills the engine a couple of times, but after burning the clutch up some she gets us to the top of the hill.

We then go through the lava fields and stop at the lake where there is a black sand beach.

Next we stop at Seltun which is a geothermal area with mud pots.  A depth of over 1000 meters and temperatures exceeding 392 degrees fahrenheit.  Seltun belongs to one of four volcanic systems that lie along the eruptive fault on the Reykjanes peninsula.   

  

Then we head towards the hot springs and lighthouse.  This is also the home of the Great Auk Memorial.  They are swift and agile swimmers.  The great auk dove to deep depths.  They were basically wiped out in the 1830 volcanic eruption.  However, a few remained and took refuge on a little island called Eldey.  However they became extinct on June 3 1844 when the last Greak Auk was killed.

Next we head to the mud pots and steam vents of Gunnuhver.  They are named after a female ghost who was buried here.  

Our next stop is going to be to the Blue Lagoon.  We get there at 12 noon and I enjoy time in the water and then go to my scheduled massage (which is in the hot springs) at 1:30 p.m.  The massage in the hot water is heavenly. Thanks to Stu Chang who sent me these photos he took with his Go Pro of him, Jannis and me and our friend Janis B. with the mud on our faces.

On our way back to the ship, Ryan, from Ice Limo has joined our group and he takes us to one of his favorite spots in Reykjavik theHallgrimskirkja.  This is a Lutheran Church.  It is 244 feet tall and is the largest church in Iceland.  The church houses a large pipe organ which has 5275 pipes.  This organ was completed in 1992.

I was curious how many pipes in comparison to the one in the Salt Lake Tabernacle that the Mormon Tabernacle Choir uses.  In my research on Wikipedia, it states that the Salt Lake Tabernacle Organ has 11,623 pipes.  So this one is less than half the size of the one in Salt Lake City.

There is a statute in the front on the church given by the USA to Iceland

The architecture is quite stunning

It is time to get back to the Disney Magic so we can head for a much anticipated sea day.  We depart around 5:30 p.m.

Tonight in the theater Greta Salome, the violinist is headlining the show.

Then it is off to dinner.  I run into Emma on the way.

I have a new headpiece and I am now the Princess in Animators.  My top goes quite nicely, if I do say so myself, with the headpiece.

Considering that it is the bread basket upside down on the top of my head, I think I am liking it and it looks quite good.  Wonder if I can take it home?  LOL.....Just for those inquiring minds, I gave it back!

John Charles got on board today so he is doing a show in the Walt Disney Theater for adults only at 10:45 p.m.  He plays his guitar and does comedy for about an hour.  He is fabulous!  Love seeing him back on the ship.

Then it is off to bed because we are having an inaugural visit to Akureyri tomorrow!