The Skógafoss, on the Skógá River in the south of Iceland, is one of the largest waterfalls in the country with a width of 82 feet and a drop of 200 ft. Due to the vast amount of spray the waterfall produces, a rainbow is often visible on sunny days. And we all know what rainbows signify. That's right, buried treasure. According to legend, the first Viking settler in the area, Þrasi Þórólfsson, hid treasure behind the waterfall. Enticed by this legend, Protima went into the waterfall to find the treasure. This was the last video Protima recorded before she braved the water and pursued the gold and valuables. Farewell, Protima!
Strokkur
Photo by Halli Egils.
Strokkur (Icelandic for "churn") is one of Iceland's most famous geysers. Located in the geothermal area beside the Hvítá River east of Reykjavík, this incredible geyser, which the attorneys at the firm were lucky to see last weekend, erupts about every eight to ten minutes, typically reaching heights of about one hundred feet. Strokkur is close to the currently inactive Great Geysir, which is so famous that the English word "geyser" originates from it. The area reportedly became active more than 1000 years ago and along with exploding geysers features boiling mud pits and lovely views. Our trip was wonderfully organized by Icelimo Luxury Travel. In addition to seeing the geysers, we made it out to the Blue Lagoon, experienced the Northern Lights (okay, some clouds crept in so we didn't get the best view), walked between two continents at Thingvellir (where Game of Thrones is shot), saw the most famous waterfall in Iceland called Gullfoss, and went snowmobiling on top of Langjokull Glacier! Thanks, Icelimo!
The Blue Lagoon
The Blue Lagoon. Looks nice, right?
The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa in a lava field in Grindavík in southwestern Iceland. Originating at 2,000 meters below the surface where freshwater and seawater combine at extreme temperatures, the geothermal water is then "harnessed via drilling holes at a nearby geothermal power plant, Svartsengi, to create electricity and hot water for nearby communities." The geothermal water is composed of three active ingredients—silica, algae, and minerals—and the blue color comes from the way the silica reflects sunlight (algae in the summer may also produce a hint of green), but if the water is poured into a transparent cup, it will have a milky white color! The water is supposed to be great for your skin, but I wouldn't drink it.
Indian New Year in Iceland
Imagine Peace Tower in Reykjavík, Iceland.
Since I am traveling and wasn't able to properly celebrate Diwali, the Indian New Year and festival of lights, I decided to visit the Imagine Peace Tower on Viðey Island in Reykjavík, Iceland.
The artistic vision of Yoko Ono and a tribute to her late husband, John Lennon, the "tower" is made up of fifteen individual beams of light and was envisioned as a way to "give light to the strong wishes of World Peace from all corners of the planet."
In that spirit, we wish you all peace and happiness for the new year.