Bruarfoss

While visiting the Golden Triangle, we visited a second waterfall besides Gullfoss. Bruarfoss is a waterfall that my sister found out about through lots of researching on Iceland. It is kind of hidden, and it was not that easy to find. It is between Geysir and Þingvellir Park, just east of 355. You have to go into a summer house neighborhood to get there. You have to earn the waterfall, you might say, but it is totally worth it. The blue of the water is just beautiful.

Edited to add: Due to inquires, the following is best way I can describe how to get there. Take 37 northeast until you pass 355. Right after 355, look to your left (north), and you will see a neighborhood of summer homes. In May 2014, the first two turnoffs (i.e. closest to 355) into that summer home neighborhood had gates. The third did not. Thus after you pass 355, take the third left into the neighborhood. The roads were poorly marked in the neighborhood, but basically follow the road you took in past most of the houses to the back of the neighborhood, there was a very small turnoff to the left with enough room for about two cars to park. The turnoff was not at the end of the road, and it was not marked, but it was at the edge of a grassy area with no houses. There was short foot trail to a creek. At this location on the creek, there was a short foot bridge. My camera recorded the GPS coordinates of this foot bridge as Latitude: 64° 15′ 48.372″ N, Longitude: 20° 30′ 34.308″ W. Cross this bridge and follow the trail to a larger foot bridge that overlooks Bruarfoss whose GPS coordinates are Latitude: 64° 15′ 51.282″ N, Longitude: 20° 30′ 53.322″ W.

Bruarfoss

Bruarfoss

Bruarfoss

Bruarfoss

Bruarfoss

Bruarfoss

Bruarfoss pool

Bruarfoss pool

Bruarfoss pool

Bruarfoss pool

Bruarfoss outfall

Bruarfoss outfall

Bruarfoss downstream

Bruarfoss downstream

Bruarfoss water

Bruarfoss water

Gullfoss

During the Golden Triangle visit, we of course visited Gullfoss. Gullfoss is an absolutely stunning waterfall. It is well worth the visit.

View of entire Gullfoss falls

View of entire Gullfoss falls

Gullfoss, some of the highest falls

Gullfoss, some of the highest falls

Gullfoss, middle section

Gullfoss, middle section

Gullfoss, middle section

Gullfoss, middle section

Gullfoss canyon formed at end

Gullfoss canyon formed at end

Rainbow formed from Gullfoss

Rainbow formed from Gullfoss

Geysir

Day 3 in Iceland. We did the Golden Triangle today. I’ve decided to post photos separately because there are just too many. Iceland is just amazing and amazingly beautiful. So first post today are from Geysir. Geysir, the original geyser from which all other geysers are named, actually rarely erupts. However, there are several other geysers and hot spots near it, and Strokkur does erupt quite frequently.

Geysir

Geysir

Strokkur

Strokkur

Strokkur starting to erupt

Strokkur starting to erupt

Strokkur erupting

Strokkur erupting

Strokkur flow deposits

Strokkur flow deposits

Blesi

Blesi

Fata

Fata

Fata water edge

Fata water edge

Heimaey, Iceland

Day 2 in Iceland. We drove to Landeyjaharbour to catch the ferry to Heimaey. Generally tourists, including us, go to Heimaey to try to see puffins. Unfortunately we seemed to have visited the island too early in the season. We took a cruise around the island but didn’t see any puffins. However the island is beautiful, and the terrain is impressive, all of which is a result of the volcanic origin of the island. On the south side of the island, the effects of the 1973 volcanic eruption are evident. I am disappointed not to have seen puffins, but at least we did see gulls, guillemots, and eiders. Also, our cruise featured a trip into a cave where our captain played the saxophone to demonstrate the cave’s acoustical properties.

We walked around the town a little and had lunch a neat little coffee shop called Vinaminni Kaffihus, which is next to Arnor Bakari, and now I feel like I am gaining the ability to read Icelandic. On the ferry back, we were accompanied by I think almost the entire town. They were going to support the town’s school’s handball team which was evidently playing in the national championships or something like that. The entire ferry was decked out in support of the team, and there were eight buses waiting for the them on the mainland. We briefly discussed that since the entire town seemed to have left the island, that we could invade and take possession of the island like modern day pirates. However, we had no idea what to do with the island, and Icelanders are so nice, we didn’t want to do that to them. We decided just to go to Reykavik for dinner instead.

Island near Heimaey

Island near Heimaey

Heimaey islands

Heimaey islands

Cave on Heimaey, in which our captain played a saxophone to demonstrate the acoustical properties

Cave on Heimaey, in which our captain played a saxophone to demonstrate the acoustical properties

Heimaey shore

Heimaey shore

Heimaey harbor

Heimaey harbor

Colorful ships in port

Colorful ships in port

Street sign. Puffins everywhere.

Street sign. Puffins everywhere.

Eiders

Eiders

Gulls and Guillemots

Gulls and Guillemots

sea urchins

sea urchins

Blue Lagoon

Day 1 in Iceland. I think I got about 20 minutes sleep on the plane. We drove to the western edge of the Reykjanes Peninsula to see the lighthouses in Garður. Then it was on to Iceland’s most visited tourist attraction the Blue Lagoon. Some genius turned what was a pool formed by wastewater from a geothermal power plant into a rather expensive, somewhat posh hot pot to which all tourists flock. It is really cool though. The water color is this gorgeous, cloudy sky blue. Also, they give excellent massages while you lay on a float in the lagoon. When you’ve been on a plane for six hours with no sleep, walking around a wonderfully heated pool and then getting a massage is quite frankly, a great cure for your exhaustion. Walking around the lagoon is great exfoliation for your feet, and they have buckets of silica from the lagoon to rub on your face for a facial. From a geology standpoint, the pool is really neat because you can walk through micro heat spots, not to mention to entire heated by geothermal heat thing. In some areas the pool is warm and in some areas, the pool is hot. The lagoon was also a great place for me to play with my new GoPro camera, which can be used underwater.

The area around the lagoon is bizarrely pretty. It is dark craggily, sharp volcanic rock that is covered with this lush, soft in appearance, green plant. I am guess the green is actually lichen or a moss, but I need someone to educate me on what it actually it.

Power plant which caused the Blue Lagoon to form

Power plant which caused the Blue Lagoon to form

Blue Lagoon

Blue Lagoon

Bridge over Blue Lagoon

Bridge over Blue Lagoon

I'd be curious to know if this bridge is ever not slippery

I’d be curious to know if this bridge is ever not slippery

Not often you see a lifeguard dressed like that

Not often you see a lifeguard dressed like that

Rock edge of Blue Lagoon

Rock edge of Blue Lagoon

Precipitate on rocks

Precipitate on rocks

Surrounding terrain

Surrounding terrain

Lichen? Moss? It covers the volcanic rock

Lichen? Moss? It covers the volcanic rock

Amtrak Viewliner Roomette

This past Christmas I took Amtrak to visit my family in Houston. I took the Crescent down to New Orleans, then after a short stay in New Orleans, I went on the Sunset Limited to Houston. Since the trip between DC and New Orleans is about 25 hours, I decided to get a room instead of just a coach seat. Yes, it is a long trip, but I love train rides. It gives me a chance to sit and read and just watch the world go by.

The train rooms are, in my humble opinion, marvelously designed. The designers managed to fit a whole lot of features in a tiny little space. The features also have to be designed for the constant movement on the train. During the day, the room as two comfortable seats with a fold-down table. At night, it can be transformed to give two comfortable beds. The room also has a toilet, sink, and small storage area. The room is tight, but it has almost everything you need, and there is a shower down the hall.

Both seats with fold down table between them

Both seats with fold down table between them

Right seat

Right seat

Left seat with sink (in closed position) and toilet

Left seat with sink (in closed position) and toilet (also closed)

Fold down sink

Fold down sink

Lower bunk created from the chairs pulled down.

Lower bunk created from the chairs pulled down.

Head of lower bunk

Head of lower bunk

Upper bunk which can be lowered

Upper bunk which can be lowered

Storage area

Storage area

Painted Redstart

Painted Redstart

Painted Redstart

I haven’t even had time to build the warbler section of my bird page. It is going to take a long time to get it fully built. However, I photographed a bird today that I wanted to get the photos posted quickly though. While driving back from a birding trip in south Texas, we stopped at a rest area on 281 near Falfurrias. I walked around with my camera thinking I might photograph a few titmice or something. I did get them, but I was stunned to see two beautiful birds that I have never seen before. I saw painted redstarts! They are not supposed to be in that area or even Texas, especially this time of year. I saw a life bird at a nice little roadside rest area. You just never know what kind of bird you are going to see when you look.

Painted Redstart

Painted Redstart

Painted Redstart

Painted Redstart

Weird Sign

Agapanthus

I saw this weird sign today that I am hoping someone can explain to me. I know it is a joke, but I am fairly sure I am not fully grasping the joke. I know Agapanthus is derived from Greek to mean love flower, and I know it is a genus of flowers that includes what is commonly called the lily of the Nile. Thus clearly, Agapanthus is not going to be attacking anyone. I still feel like I am not fully getting this joke. Can anyone elaborate on it?

Edited to add: This has been proposed as a possible explanation. If anyone can confirm or knows something different, I would love to hear it.

South Texas Birding

I spent the day birding in south Texas. The area around the Rio Grande has some amazing birds to see, birds that you won’t see anywhere else in the United States. Below are a few highlights of what I saw, including some pretty plants.

White-tipped Dove

White-tipped Dove

Red-winged blackbird

Red-winged blackbird

Prickly pear

Prickly pear

Great kiskadee and northern cardinal

Northern cardinal and Great kiskadee

Green jay

Green jay

Plain chachalaca

Plain chachalaca

Northern cardinal and green jay

Northern cardinal and green jay

Cactus

Cactus

Altamira Oriole

Altamira Oriole

Agave

Agave

Guard Snakes

snakes

While traveling through south Texas today, we stopped at a rest area, and I saw these signs. One more reason not to mess with Texas. We have guard snakes. We don’t bother with the police for those defacing public property; we send snakes.