Post Iceland- The Reflections and After-thoughts

I have been back for a few days. I feel more culture shock coming back to the states than I did when I arrived to Iceland. Part of that must have been the excitement of being there, with the lack of it coming back. Seeing darkness again felt strange. The hot water no longer smells of sulfur- I can not register the scent of the water from which it comes. The food tastes different- more artificial with a lack of the flavor of its origins. America seems to like hiding where things come from- homogeneity is widespread. In Iceland, a country the size of Kentucky, has an incredible amount of diversity and heterogeneity that can be seen, smelled, registered throughout. I kind of miss that place and its amazing unworldly encapsulations.

So, Mr. Dan, to answer your question about the therapeutic benefits and effects from geothermal bathing..Yes, it is quite beneficial! I had always felt a difference in my body- sore muscles became loose and I felt rejuvenated each time I went. A natural boost of energy in your body happens because of the increased blood circulation. I also think the ion exchange in those waters is quite different from anywhere else, and this has its beneficial effects also. One of the lectures I attended with the school was specifically about this, and is very interesting. I recorded it and can share it with you if you'd like. However, you can get an infection also!! I find it kind of funny that this rarity has happened to me. Now, I have been able to experience and feel the living evidence of both sides of bathing in these waters- the beneficial and the 'dangers'.

I also wrote some thoughts after my last meeting with HS Orka while waiting for some pizza:

Iceland has been smart in their utilization of geothermal water and the technologies have progressed a lot since its origins as district space heating within the last century, especially in the last 50-30 years. However, all functions are still distinctively separated, with the exception of space/home heating into snow melting. Can these operations become coalesced and hybridized?
Can the water move as a step by step process rather than all having a direct relationship to its source? As it behaves now, there is more depletion of the water table, shedding light on the inefficiencies of the whole system. One may be able to create more binary, or rather, systems that have more multiplicities in them. This could even create an entire human ecosystem based on a closed cycle and re-utilization of the already used water.
The major point I have noticed is that each operation sees itself as entirely separate from the others (mostly). However, I see everything as linked within the larger system- all connected to the utilization of geothermal water. They all use it, but at different temperatures.
The used water, with a few exceptions, is dumped out into the sea, usually at temperatures warmer than the actual ocean. Sure, the water is warmer around Iceland to begin with because of the Gulf Stream, but I am sure that the excessive release of warmer water into the ocean can add up and have its effects. It maybe be helping in reducing climate change and CO2 emissions, but it may also be contributing to sea level rise and the warming of oceanic waters simultaneously. Pumping groundwater and releasing it into the ocean- this has to create an imbalance somewhere, right?
And the case with abandoned wells- I have learned that they really do not know what to do with it after, as neither do I, yet. Sure, it can become an instrument for measuring the water table, but you can't use a multiplicity of abandoned wells to do the same job. They become abandoned because production was not sufficient or, as re-injection, the bedrock's porosity becomes clogged by the minerals. What else can they be used for?

I hope to synthesize all of my findings in the next month so I can be prepared to take off with it by the beginning of the semester- we will see how things progress, and I will continue to use this as a tool of expression and as a way of keeping track of my thought process, since it has proved to be so successful in me being able to capture details I would not remember. Any advice or thoughts any of you may have is always welcome :)

Day 22- Reykjavik Exploration- Final Day

Having the 24 hour tourist card gave me the incentive to go crazy and visit as many places as possible. With it being Sunday, though, there were limitations I had to overcome and cater my schedule accordingly, such as the bus not running until noon.
I began my day by visiting Laugardalslaug, the largest swimming pool of 14 in Reykjavik, since it opened at 8. I spent about an hour there, trying to build up to the hotter tubs (there are a series of 5, each increasing by several degrees centigrade). I ended up making it to about 42, sadly, the second tub. The steam room was sulfuric, and one of the most intense I had been in. The slide was pretty outstanding also. The tube's top would change every few seconds to keep the eyes entertained- transparencies, colors, cuts, etc.
I then decided to go to the zoo since it was close by and I was able to go for free with the card. It was maybe 10 minutes walking from the hostel and is right across from the Botanical Gardens. It was pretty sad. Its size, as well as the size of the 'captivities' I felt were not adequate for the animals. They had seals, many in a small tank which was unpleasant to see, cows, sheep, horses, and birds such as chickens, turkeys, etc. It was kind of a sad little place. To lift my spirits, I spent the rest of my time walking through the Botanic Gardens, looking for, photographing, and trying to capture the essence of the native flora they had in their collection.
After about an hour, I ran on over to the harbor to catch the ferry to Videy Island. If it was running according to schedule, I would have missed it and had to wait an hour. However, luckily to my surprise, there was a children festival happening on Videy, so they had the ferry running constantly, as there was always a line to get to and fro on each end. It became so severe, they had to call on back up forces, and one of the bigger whale watching boats, came to help dissipate the numbers on either side. This was much better for my tight schedule.
I arrived to the other side and had a light lunch. Next, I decided to explore the wonders this little place had to offer, such as the bird life and earthworks/sculptures by Richard Sierra and Yoko Ono. Can't forget to mention the stunning landscape that was there with amazing views of Reykjavik across the Atlantic.
Once I completed my little hike around, I took the ferry back to Reykjavik, to find out I had just made the city bus (which runs once every hour). That was pretty lucky also. I went back to the National Museum to experience more of its wonders and spend some time finding interesting descriptions and artifacts related to my topic. For example, they had an encased geological section taken from one of the central valleys of the country which illustrates and has registered all of the major volcanic events through ash build up. It was absolutely fascinating.
I then decided to go and check out the geothermal beach. It was kind of disappointing, actually. The sand was golden yellow, as it was imported from Morocco. The whole thing just seemed strange to me. Most of the bathers were in the rectilinear geothermal pool with very few swimming in the ocean, kind of defeating the purpose for it to be a 'beach'. It was hard to tell if that portion of ocean was being fed with geothermal water, but yes- disappointing and out of place. One of the beauties of Iceland is how they use and deal with their geological conditions. I don't understand why they couldn't have used black sand found in many areas along the shoreline, especially around the fjords where the mountains were carved out and eroded away, leaving different grades of sand to rocks to boulders. Iceland is most successful when they acknowledge who and where they are, and disregard other examples, like the 'American Way'. I see Iceland running into trouble when they use American techniques which should not be applicable to them. It can sometimes be disappointing to see and become aware of this disconnect.
I topped off the evening at the restaurant Prikith. It was recommended to me by a friend who had just recently visited Reykjavik. It was quite delicious, great vibes, and excellent location. With its position on the corner of the busiest, most 'happenin' intersection in Downtown Reykjavik, I perched myself up on the second floor and sat by the corner window as I people watched. The distinction between the tourist and the native was quite clear. Icelanders are so very stylish, and this temperature is their utmost heat. So, they dress with as little as they can. The tourists, most likely from a warmer land, were dressed up in layers and jackets, with backpacks. I know I am guilty of this as well. Although, I did see one tourist completely lost, who stopped in the middle of the intersection to see his map- I don't think I've done this haha.
I went back to the hostel to, sadly, begin to pack my things. I chatted it up with these two German sisters who were my roommates the whole weekend. Prior to this we exchanged some conversation here and there. We ended up talking for hours and swapping stories. We exchanged emails and I finally let them go to sleep since they were going to the airport at 4 AM. They were some of the nicest tourists I had met on my trip. My worst experiences were with the French and the Dutch- they were snooty and obnoxious, respectfully.
So sad to leave this unearthly land. Seeing darkness again will feel strange...

Image 1: An Alley of Birch Trees- Walking between the Botanic Gardens/Zoo back to the hostel, they were so beautiful
Image 2: Videy Island- after climbing up a large hillside, overlooking the Serra installation
Image 3: National Museum- geological section, I just found this fascinating
Image 4: Geothermal Beach, Reykjavik- strange, strange place I thought
Image 5: Reykjavik graffiti- they have some of the most amazing street art that I've seen

Day 20/21- Exploring Reykjavik

It has been a very fun past 2 days I have spent in Reykjavik, with one more exciting day to come!
Yesterday, I just walked around the city center, exploring and seeing what it has to offer. As small as it is, it is also pretty dense with a variety of things to do. I walked through the main pedestrian street, whose sidewalks are bigger than the street! I then went to the city hall, where they have a free exhibit of photography from Iceland, as well as a to scale 3-D map (topographic) that took 4 years for 4 people to make. Made out of chip board (like the models we make!) it was pretty incredible to see.
After, I went bird watching at the lake right out in front. People feed the birds with bread, and it is amazing to get photos of all the different birds in different positions. They supposedly have up to 50 different species that make this little place their temporary home throughout the year. Some people realized that if they throw the bread in the air, the birds (seagulls I think they are) will fly around waiting to catch it in the air. I took some fantastic photos of this in action.
I then met up with some of the students from the UNESCO school who I met on the day field trip I took with them. We grabbed a bite to eat, walked around the water's edge taking lots of fun photos, and then went to the night clubs. The night life in Reykjavik is pretty nuts. The cafes and restaurants transform into bars beginning around midnight. Since the sun doesn't leave the sky, the main strip was flooded with people all night long. I was pretty impressed, but most of the music is similar (at least the ones we went to)- some old school hip hop, 80s, and 90s songs with a very small selection of music coming out today- all from the US. Kind of funny, but it was great to see all the Icelanders rock out to it. The crowd is very mixed in age. You have to be 20 to drink, so that is the youngest you will see, but even many old timers were rocking it- sometimes they were the ones dancing the most! It was great and a ton of fun.
Today, I woke up late, of course, and decided to buy a 24hr 'tourist card' for 1500 ISK (or about 12 US dollars). This gives you free admission to museums, swimming pools, buses, and discounts in select stores and restaurants. I have already made my money back, and more, and I'm only half way finished :)
I went to two museums, one that just opened due to a recent archaeological excavation that is now the oldest dated home they have found from the Viking period. After, I quickly went to the National Museum, which I need to return to because I only had about 20 minutes there (everything closes at 5PM!) Next, I went souvenir shopping for the fam, where I got a discount and will have a tax refund at the airport which will be nice. I then went to a restaurant where I was entitled to a free dessert. The best part about this, though, was that the dessert costs more than what I paid for the card, ha! That was pretty great, and it was a delicious dessert, although not worth the amount they were asking for..
I capped my night off with a showing of "The Volcano Show". This guy and his father have been following and filming volcanic eruptions in Iceland since about WWII. I watched the 2 hour show, which had a fantastic in depth explanation about each eruption that has occurred . He even showed us footage of the Eyjafjallajokull eruption (yes, I have learned to pronounce this), but is in the works of being cut. He was explaining how all of the active volcanoes are due to erupt at any moment! Too bad I didn't get to see any..When I went to pay for my ticket, he didn't let me. When I insisted because I wanted to support his cause, he said I need help too, haha..it was very very nice of him.
Tomorrow I have created a very jam-packed itinerary for myself since I can pretty much do everything for free until 5 PM tomorrow, and it is my last day. So, I am going to go to the swimming pool, zoo, Videy Island (free ferry with this card), and then whatever museums I can with the left over time. I kind of wish I had an extra day to see more museums- I had no idea there were so many in this little city!

Image 1: Bird Watching near City Hall- a girl having a blast throwing bread in the air and watching the Lesser Black-backed Gull catching it air borne
Image 2: At Reykjavik Bay- Me and some of the UNESCO students
Image 3: The Settlement Exhibition in Reykjavik- the archaeological uncovering of the oldest found artifact, a Viking home, which this exhibition was built around
Image 4: Reykjavik Urbanism- about 10 PM in the evening looking up the street to the church
Image 5: Reykjavik sunset- at the harbor at about 11 PM waiting for the bus- first time I was actually able to see this because I had only experience clouds every evening

Day 19- Reykjanes Peninsula- HS Orka Grand Tour

Today was my final official research day with a professional. It has been amazing to have these private tours of every facility I have visited and have had the luxury of asking any question that crossed my mine. This was truly amazing.

Thorgrimur, who is the health, safety, and environmental manager, picked me up at about 1 PM from my hostel and took me over to the first power plant, Svartsengi, the one by the Blue Lagoon. On the way there we talked a bit about the special geology of the Reykjanes peninsula and the unique waters they have to deal with. Due to these conditions and the increasing advancement in understanding how the water behaves underground here, they have been evolving their practices in order to make their operations more efficient, creating less impact below ground as far as the water table goes. They mostly harness the steam to heat up fresh water, while the steam provides electricity. It operates for the district of the Reykjanes peninsula, and its technologies have evolved for the last 30 years.

I learned that they have a total of 6 different power plants within that complex, each of them with their own function contributing to the larger system. Each power plant was built due to the advancement of the efficiency of their operations. Here, they almost have a closed loop system as they re-inject most of the water used. It is distributed from one area to the towns and is collected again from another area to be put back. This was very interesting to see and learn about because I haven't heard of such an operation as efficient as this one is trying to be. They have made a lot of progress which is amazing to see how it has evolved.

After, we went to the Reykjanes power plant, which opened in 2006 and is located right next to the Atlantic Ocean. This one only produces electricity from the steam- 100 MWh to be exact. It is always running full capacity, and most of it is used for energy intensive industries, such as aluminum. We spoke a bit about the physical designs of both power plants and how they are making efforts for make them 'blend' and become inspired by the surround landscape and environment, including the bore hole houses, which take a different form from what I have seen. The breadth in diversity among bore hole houses is pretty astounding. I had no idea they were all going to be so different. It is as if each company claims their bore hole through the house design. Pretty interesting I think.

They have also just finish installing a kind of science exhibit about space and energy and the evolution of man's progress with energy use. It was really neat to be one of the 1st to see it in its totality. They had an earthquake simulator, which was fun to experience as I have never felt the ground move below me. He also showed me what 'scaling' is. All of this time, everyone I have spoken with has discussed this issue with me. In my mind, I had imagine scaling as the scaling of the pipe as in contracts and expands due to heat and pressure differentiation between inside and outside. However, they had a sample of a pipe from a bore hole that experienced scaling. It is, in fact, the build up of a residue from the intense hot water and steam. The higher the temperatures, the more scaling there is. This particular pipe had a few inches of scaling in just 14 months. It was astonishing to see, and it is a big problem in the industry.

He also brought me over to the 'beach', or really, the edge where the lava field meets the Atlantic. From the power plant, they have a 50 degree Celsius man-made river that travels 800 M to the ocean. It is very hot water to be releasing out to the water at 4000 l/s. But, he argues, it is within 'environmental standards' so it is okay. I wonder if the waters around Iceland have been generally warming because of this attribute, as well as many others that I have learned about.

All in all, it was a really great trip! We did a lot in a few hours. Tomorrow I go back to Reykjavik for a few days before coming back to the US. Tomorrow, I plan to visit the largest swimming pool in Iceland, which is right down the street from my hostel. I would also like to stop by NEA and ISOR to say hello and goodbye to my contacts who were so wonderful. I don't know how I would have been able to do this without them, especially with the guidance and contacts of Thorgils. I will also spend some time reflecting on the last 2.5 weeks- what I have learned and what I hope to do with it.

Image 1: On our way to Svartsengi Powerplant- The body of water you see is the actual water table, at this point, we are in the very center of the ridge, it is also the lowest point (it dips down as you get to the center)
Image 2: Svartsengi Power plant- 4 boreholes
Image 3: Reykjanes Power plant- the 'dumping' area; threshold between culvert and ocean; notice the steam and registration on the rocks
Image 4: Reykjanes Powerplant- same spot, but looking back at the power plant and culvert; notice the steam bellowing out of the ground
Image 5: Reykjanes Powerplant- exhibition- an example of scaling in the pipe with Thorgrimur peaking his head through. The dark grey/black is the scaling or the build up of matter in a borehole pipe after 14 months.

Day 18- The Blue Lagoon

Today was really nice, relaxing, and informative. I decided to spend my day at the Blue Lagoon. The bus fare + entry fee was a fantastic deal and made things much cheaper for me- cheap is good!! When I arrived, it was to my surprise the isolation of the place. It is right in the middle of a lava field with nothing around it except for the geothermal power plant. I was pleasantly surprised by the architecture. It blends right in and actually becomes part of the landscape. It is beautifully done and received an award in 2007.

When I got to the reception to hand them my ticket and receive a bracelet (everything is computerized using a white chip on the bracelet- entry, locker, you can even charge food and drink on it and pay later!), I had asked if there was someone I could speak with regarding the spa and how it all emerged and operates now. They were happy to get in touch with their director of public relations, Magnea Gudmundsdottir. She was busy at the time, but agreed to meet at 1 PM. This meant I had about 2 hours of play time and exploration in the lagoon, which of course was very fun and nice. It is not at all as bad as I was expecting. In a way, I had anticipated a public swimming pool crossed with Disney World or something highly commercial and tourist oriented. This actually was not the case. It is a giant spa, of course heavily reliant on tourism (3/4 of their revenue is from tourism), but is absolutely an experience worth having. The power plant is right in the distance and they have special ties with it, but I learned in my meeting that this has changed. I will get to that later.

The locker room is EXTREMELY nice. Large lockers, stone heated floors, areas to dry your hair, frosted glass for each stall of shower, etc. The public swimming pools have these amenities as well, but not to this extreme and not so clearly defined as separate programmatic areas. Very luxurious. Leaving the locker room, you walk through an indoor pool area as the threshold to the outside lagoon. I am always so cold after the shower and before going into the pool that I just run right outside and get into the nice warm water as soon as possible. I did this, but it was actually kind of difficult to find my way in. The water has a beautiful baby blue color (I learned that this is a result of the special algae that lives in it and then dies when the water temperature cools), but you can not see through it at all. There was a railing to bring yourself into the pool, but there were 'invisible' stairs to go with it. It took me a while to orient my footing- figure out how wide the steps were, how many, etc. Once inside, though, it was very nice. I walked around, thinking up of my questions to ask Magnea. The bottom of the lagoon is as it was when it formed- rocky and with black sand. It was really cool to experience the touch of lava rock and sand under my feet. However, I did experience major temperature fluctuations in the water. I was somewhat expecting this, but in a way, it was extreme and there was no real gradual gradient. Hot and cold spots scattered throughout. There were arched bridges that are clustered close to the edge of the building connecting across areas of the lagoon. After further observation, I found that the bridges were also being used to span the pipelines to various areas through the complex, tucked away underneath. They also had a waterfall, which looked softly beautiful, but if you sit underneath, it is surprisingly one intense massage. There were 2 (I think) steam rooms to choose from. My favorite is the one that is like a cave-igloo. It is an arched piling of volcanic stones. Inside the cave is a continuous bench making almost the full circle. Behind the bench is soft steam coming from the rocks while every now and then, intense steam would rise from the ground. After the steam event, you could hear the pitter-patter of water moving around and trying to recover back to stillness. I had a problem with the height of the door. It was very dark inside that cave, and so going in, I was aware of the height and would duck below the header. Every time I left, I hit my head! This must have happened at least 3 times haha.

A little after noon, I had my shower and enjoyed a little sandwich. I was expecting prices to be outrageous, but it was just as much as any other place I had visited, so this was a nice surprise. I walked around taking photos and wrote down my questions for the meeting. A bit after 1, Magnea came down to meet me.

We walked over to the restaurant, "LAVA" (haha), where she invited me to have a cappuccino and eat some traditional Icelandic desserts. She seemed very eager and interested in my project, and so I explained to her the premise of my being there. She then explained to me the evolution of the Lagoon, its history, and how it has become a spa today. I learned a lot in a little bit of time. As Gudni from NEA had explained to be upon my arrival, this was first considered to be an environmental disaster. This was my first question for her. She explained to me how in the late 70s, when the power plant began operating, they were dumping their effluent back out into the landscape. The mineral and salinity content of this water is extremely high, and so after a while, the minerals clogged all the porosity of the bedrock, forming the lagoon. People began bathing in it, and one man with psoriasis noticed it was healing after a few weeks. Thus began this medicinal spa. He started experiments in the late 80s and by late 90s, the spa opened up. Today, though, they do not use the effluent from the power plant- they have their own boreholes! About 10 of them, and they renew the water every 40 hours. There are many bacteria thriving in this special environment, some of which scientists have never seen before. They are not harmful to us, but they eliminate the need to use chlorine since they kill off any bacteria we may have. She also explained to me how it is a closed loop system, as they recharge the ground water with every cycle. It just occurred to me that I forgot to ask if they have had any problems with the clogging of the bedrock in order to recharge the ground water. She gave me her card for me to ask any other questions, so that is a great option I will exercise. After we spoke about the operations of the Lagoon, its origins and evolution, she began asking me questions about my project. The more I told her, the more interested she became, which was really nice to see. After not speaking with a 'professional' the last few days, you kind of forget what you are doing/have done, and the importance and interest it carries, especially with everyone that I have met related to geothermal energy and use. So, she wants me to email her updates about the project, etc., which was great to hear and see such interest! I also told her things she wasn't even aware of within the geothermal life cycle, such as the conditions of the abandoned wells. It was a really amazing experience to be able to pass some of my new-found knowledge on.

After, she brought me to the roof terrace to see the whole lagoon from a bird's eye angle. It was great because I was able to get a real sense and understanding of the overall architectural scheme and to see the top of the building align with the top of a lava field 'mountains', as well as the operations and how people are using the facility all at once. There we discussed the emergence of the beauty products line. Their clinical research and development building is close by, as she was able to point it out from up there. She explained to me that they have a kind of heat exchange process that extracts the minerals, silica, and algae. Then, they are able to use various quantities of each ingredient to create various products- like cooking. This was really interesting to learn about.

What my troubling thoughts are now about the operation, though, is how it has evolved away from using the effluent and is now its own, separate entity utilizing its own boreholes creating its own effluent in addition to the plant's. This will be one of my biggest questions for Thorgrimur from HS Orka tomorrow. Has the effluent quantity grown? Probably, but I am more interested in how it sits on the surface, and if this surface area has grown. Also wondering if there have been problems with clogging and the need to 'dump' else where.

Overall, a surprisingly excellent day. The Blue Lagoon was not as bad as I had thought it was going to be. Excited for tomorrow to see my final two geothermal power plants.

Image 1: Blue Lagoon- Arrival, Svartsengi Power Plant
Image 2: Blue Lagoon- Lunchtime, walking around
Image 3: Blue Lagoon- From roof top terrace
Image 4: Blue Lagoon- Inside
Image 5: Blue Lagoon- Hike around, perhaps effluent?

Day 17- Hofn to Reykjavik to Reykjanes

Another intense day of travels. However, I completed the circle around Iceland today. The trip to Reykjavik was pretty long, 9 hours, but we made a lot of amazing stops along the way, which made the trek completely worth it. One, we stopped for an hour, which was close to Vatnajokoll National Park aka the biggest ice cap/glacier in Europe and outside the arctic. It was so beautiful to see, but horrible to witness. You could watch and hear the glacier retreating right before your eyes, at a very fast rate- nature in fast-forward motion. The cracking of the ice and the swaying of the gargantuan icebergs in the water was enough evidence to know that climate change is taking its heavy-handed effects. It was the first time I didn't have to wear a jacket in Iceland. I didn't even have my sweater on! How is it that the warmest place I have been to so far is right next to the largest ice cap in Europe? I'm confused by this too. At the same time, they were doing boat tours through the ice melt- as if it wasn't melting fast enough. I can only imagine how this increases the heat of the water surrounding the ice while also polluting the pure glacial waters captured within the lagoon. It is not going anywhere. The sound of the ice cracking was pretty astonishing. I had never heard it this loud before. It is a little worrisome..

The bus driver yesterday from Husavik was talking to me about this. He said that he heard a farmer nearby Reykjavik on the radio yesterday. There is an ice cap across the waters from Reykjavik, and this farmer has his farm close to this ice cap. He said that it was melting faster than ever and is now seeing parts of the mountain he has never seen before. This is climate change in action. The bus driver was also explaining to me the temperature rises in the water around Iceland. Coming from a major fishing town, he knows the particularities of the waters. They are now finding fish species they had never seen before that have migrated this way because of the warming waters. At the same time, the once local fish species have migrated north to try to find colder waters. This may all be a complete disaster in about 10 years. Kind of scary to think about.

On a lighter, more cheery note, we also stopped at a series of waterfalls that were just spectacular. They reminded me a lot of Hawaiian ones because of their size and length of the water falling- kind of like a trickle compared to the ones I have seen previously. They were so beautiful. Camping sites were next to all of them. Next time around, I think it would be really fun to go camping around Iceland. There are so many spots and the sites are in the most beautiful places this little country has to offer. More time would be great too..

Tomorrow I will play it low key maybe, depending on whether I can find a way to Krysuvik, the last volcanic hot spot I have yet to visit. Although, this one is due to erupt at an moment based on its historical patterns (happens every 9-10 years, last one was in 2000). If not, then there is the Blue Lagoon, which is apparently a must go to and see in its beauty and disgust. It will be interesting to observe how this spa industry is now bustling around the effluent and by-product of the geothermal plant. This is a case study I was told to see by Atli, the Thorverk Seaweed Plant manager. The day after is my last real meeting with my professionals. I will be going to the 2 geothermal power plants in Reykjanes, guided by one of HS-Orka's very own personnel, who is coming to pick me up! No more renting cars, thankfully.

Image 1: Leaving Hofn- Vatnajokull
Image 2: Southern Iceland- wild flowers
Image 3: The Glacier Park- melting ice
Image 4: Waterfall #1
Image 5: Waterfall #2

Day 16- Husavik to Hofn

What an intense day of traveling it has been. I woke up at 530 to catch a 630 bus to Akureyri. As early as it was, the people around me made it very pleasant. First, to my surprise, the husband (one of the hosts) was awake as I was heading out to leave me some milk and biscuits. I bid him farewell and he gave me a kiss on the cheek. He reminded me a lot of my grandfather, Vovo To. Then he wanted to drive me to the bus station, which is directly down the street. I kept saying no, but he insisted in his broken English. "I meet you with car- there" pointing to the front of the house, and then he left and went outside. It was very sweet of him to do so. After, we bid farewell once more and gave me a great big hug, wishing me well on the rest of my journey. It was such a lovely home and guesthouse. They were an amazing elderly couple filled with youth in their spirits. I enjoyed their company very much during the little time I spent at the house.

The bus driver who drove me to Husavik, was the one to drive me back to Akureyri. As we waited for more passengers that never arrived, he was telling me stories about Husavik because it is his home town. One interesting thing he shared with me is that there is an invasive species on the loose throughout Iceland that was introduced a few years ago from Europe. It is called the Lupin. It is a purple flower that was brought over for people to introduce to their rock gardens to bring color. However, they didn't realize that they shoot their seeds several meters and have been spreading like wild fire. This was very interesting to hear and to learn about, and then see for my own eyes!

After arriving in Akureyri, I took another bus to Egilsstadir where I had to catch another bus an hour later to Hofn. Very hectic, but it was wonderful seeing the Icelandic desert between Akureyri and Egilsstadir and the mountains and ocean in the fjords to Hofn. I later learned from my last bus driver to here, Hofn, that Egilsstadir is the site of the largest hydro-electric dam in Europe that was built for Alcoa and then after completion, everyone went bankrupt. Some say this is what made a huge blow to the economy and helped trigger the almost bankruptcy of Iceland. I watched a documentary about this before coming that was released this year called "Dreamland". They sacrificed and destroyed a lot of preserved natural land just for this industrial aluminum smelter. To provide jobs for everyone working on the dam, they built up so many homes and apartments so fast in order to provide for the demand. All of these habitations are now completely empty. I like to say that Iceland experienced capitalism on crack during the last decade, with this as a great example of the piece to the pie.

I have had to change my plans (it is good to be flexible!) because I found out that cage farming does not use geothermal water in its operations..whoops! So, instead of me staying in this area for another day, I have decided to go to Reykjanes one day early. This way, I can fully enjoy being within the Mid-Atlantic ridge.

Hofn seems like a nice place. I have only arrive about an hour ago. The only place I could find to stay on such short notice was a cabin within a camping area. Unfortunately, there are no bathrooms in them, and you have to pay to use the shower. To top it off, I am paying as much as I did in Husavik! Yikes! So, instead, I am going to the Hofn swimming pool to shower there and enjoy the geothermal waters. Must keep experiencing Iceland the geothermal way, even if I divert a little bit :)

Since internet is scarce. I am sitting in a restaurant having a beer in order to use it right now haha. Since I am leaving again tomorrow, another intense day of traveling. However, the bus only leaves at 10 AM, so it won't have to be as early.

Image 1: Husavik Harbor- 6 AM
Image 2: Hello and Goodbye to Akureyri Harbor
Image 3: Bus to Egilsstadir- Near Lake Myvatn, you can see the Krafla power plant in the distance, upper right hand side of the photo, look for the steeeeeam
Image 4: Icelandic desert- I have been fascinated by the pockets of green that seem to occur randomly, the water source provides a micro habitat in this desert climate
Image 5: Arriving into Hofn- The mountains' relationship to the fog is always varied depending on where you are. Here, it was fascinating to watch it creep down the mountain in bands like this

Day 15- Husavik Chill Out Part II- The Day of Controversies

I think today was a day of contradictions- of my thoughts in what I saw. After having a delicious breakfast and coffee, I first went to the Phallological Museum, apparently the only one of its kind in the world. What does it mean? A collection and showcase of penises from the animal kingdom. This guy has been collection these specimens since the 70s and now has over 300 in this tiny little house. Not only does he have actual penises in jars and on wooden plaques, but any kind of fallacy that exists and pertains to a penis, whether folk lore, international symbols, architecture, etc., he has got them. It was so fascinating and interesting, but also kind of disgusting haha. I spoke with him for a little bit and we had a good laugh- he has a great sense of humor- I mean, he has to for him to be seriously doing this. He then gave me a postcard that said only the intelligent with good sense of humor can appreciate this and according to his sociological observations (whatever that entails) it is only 6% of the people he has seen walk through there..pretty awesome!

After I went to the Whale Museum, which also was a contradictory experience for me. The first half of the exhibit is set up like a Natural Museum where they describe the ecosystem of the different types of whales, while going into great detail about each species. The diagrams were amazing and it was great to see how the exhibit was designed and curated. This part I enjoyed very much. The second part was hard to digest. I have always had some idea about whaling and its issues- I have even signed petitions from Greenpeace to try to stop it. Today was the first time when I really understood and saw the travesty of the whaling industry throughout Icelandic history. Holy crap! There were moments when my eyes practically swelled up with tears- it was kind of hard to imagine. I guess I can understand that back in the day when living conditions were extremely harsh here in Iceland, it was a source of food, but I think human kind has a difficult time understanding moderation and when to stop. There have been many periods where they would kill every whale in sight for 'food', yet the thousands of carcasses would just sit and rot on the beach. They would over do it in one region and move on to the next without learning from past mistakes, and repeat. Iceland had stopped for a little while very recently, but then started back up again. The problem now is that they are doing this with no market for whale meat. It is pointless and devastating to hear and learn about the realities of this situation. They also covered the 'stranded' whales, which turns out are mostly from anthropogenic forces. Some examples of this is sonar testing by the military, which screws up the whales' sonar as that is how they communicate and understand their surroundings. Also, the intensity of the high-frequency pitches impact them a great deal, and some stranded have been found all messed up, as if their heads exploded from the intense sounds. They have studied this in great detail and it is a certain effect. Another force is how our oceans have become dumping grounds, where millions upon trillions of tons of plastic float around. It is part of the oceanic food chain at this point and these human remains get lodged in their intestines (among all other oceanic creatures) and it acts as a poison. The whale watching industry has emerged in the last 15 years or so as a kind of 'counteraction' to this in order to raise awareness and boost more tourism. Which brings me to my third contradiction.

I have just returned from my Whale Watching trip, and that too was a contradictory experience. The particular company I went with, the one who has a deal with the bus company, has the most trips since they have promoted themselves as such. They pride themselves on "being sustainable" by increasing awareness and having a fleet of Oak boats that were restored. However, they still use oil to run their ships. There was a lot of evidence of this in the harbor, as there was a film of oil on the surface floating around their ships. The odor of it was no secret either. They provide hot chocolate and cinnamon buns. When the previous trip returned, I watched as the excess was dumped into the ocean. How can you promote eco-tourism while the practices are in fact not in the best interest of the whales and the oceanic ecosystem people become guests in as they visit to observe these fascinating creatures? Controversial, yes. My thoughts on the trip are as controversial as their practices. One side of me really enjoyed being out there, in the ocean, getting close to a Minke Whale and a big 30+ party of White Bottle-Nose Dolphins, but the other side felt like I was disturbing their home. It was a fun experience, but I am not sure it is worth their disturbance and exposure. It is hard to say or decide what is right or wrong about this right now.

Tomorrow is a big travel day for me. I move from the very north to the deep southeast to hopefully go see another fish farm, this time, a cage operation. From my understanding and research, HB Grandi farms cod, and the are still experimenting with their methods, which would be very fascinating to learn about.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PETER!!!!!!

Image 1: Phallological Museum- outside, do you see the phallic symbols?

Image 2: Phallological Museum- inside, I will leave it up to you to zoom in and see it in greater detail :)

Image 3: Whale Museum- inside, upstairs- skeletons assembled from stranded whales

Image 4: Whale Watching- White Bottle-Nose Dolphins, the sky is what it looks like most of the night, this is around 11 PM

Image 5: Whale Watching- White Bottle-Nose Dolphin, this one was especially playful and acrobatic!

Day 13- Chill out in Husavik

Today was a very relaxed day for me. I slept many hours and woke up late feeling well rested. It was a cloudy with drizzle in the air all day. I decided to play it low key as a result. I went to the town bakery for a coffee and some lunch. Almost every town has a bakery and they are soo good! They never disappoint and always fill the air with a sweet smell of goodness.

Next I went for a little stroll and then decided to visit the Cultural Museum. The have 3 exhibitions up. One of a local painter who is inspired by the rocks, as all of his work uses pebble-like objects as well as actual pebbles. The main exhibit is about man and nature and our struggle with it. It show cases Husavik from the 1800s until the mid to late 1900s, which was so fascinating to see. They had tools, old photos, and stories, taxidermy animals and collected flora pressed on paper- really remarkable. The last exhibit is about the fishing culture in Husavik- the ships that have been used, maps and nets- everything the fisher needs to be out in sea and to have an abundant catch. It was really enlightening to see where these people have been and where they are going.

I decided to go to the town swimming pool after to enjoy their geothermal tubs and steam room. It is so relaxing and I always feel rejuvenated after my visit. It has been interesting to see the different forms it can take as it varies from town to town. A lot of it depends on how big the town is. For example, Akureyri had more options between the tubs and their temperatures. However, here in Husavik, the hottest tub, 36 Celsius, had bubbles! I have also noticed that the water is much higher in sulfur content than any other place I have been to. I am not sure where the water is coming from, since originally I thought it was sources from the plant nearby. We are on or very close to the ridge, the most volcanically active part of Iceland. Maybe it is coming from there.

I topped my evening off with a nice dinner in the harbor. I had some soup and a light sandwich, along with a beer and some tea to help digest. Icelandic beer is very good! (Don't know if I have mentioned it before). It is very crisp and light and very refreshing for beer.

The weather is suppose to improve a bit for tomorrow. I really hope so since it is my last day here. It is about 0030 and this is the darkest I have seen the sky. I have watching the clouds lower themselves and creep in on the city. Before, they were hovering the mountain tops, cutting them off and transforming them into the same size hills. Now, visibility is almost 0! This has made me realize that I might have forgotten what night time feels like- its a little trippy. Time for another long rest. Tomorrow more museums and whale watching!

Image 1: The Modern Turf Home- historically, farms were built using turf on their roofs, mostly for insulation. Today, it is not as common to see, but I found these homes in Husavik, part of a community which seemed like 6-8 different ones of this type clustered together, close to the museum.
Image 2: Cultural Museum- The painter's exhibition on the top floor
Image 3: Cultural Museum- The main exhibit, Man and Nature, view when first entering
Image 4: Cultural Museum- main exhibit, one of several smaller rooms on the right had side, some example of taxidermy animals, mostly birds. This room described how they captured them and would sometimes eat their eggs, especially Puffin.
Image 5: Cultural Museum- Fishing Exhibition, the major boat in the room

Day 12- Two Fish Farms, A gorge, and Waterfalls!

What an intense, but incredible day I had! I woke up at about 5:30 this morning so I could give myself an hour to walk over to the fish farm here in Husavik, Fiskeldid Haukmyri, on the opposite side of the bay. I gauged it right on and arrived by 7, the time I had arranged my visit. I was greeted by Fannar and his crew with coffee, warm smiles, and the smell of money- I mean fish. Among many tanks, they have 6 outside with green netting placed on top like a circus tent. This is what I can see from my room here.

Their operation is very interesting. They use only fresh water and are predominantly growing Arctic Char and a little bit of salmon, although that aspect is still being fully explored. They grow the Char from birth to slaughter and then package and ship to Europe. Most of their product is export. I found out they have a few drill holes around the farm. There is one by the temporarily shut down Husavik Geothermal Plant (due to a collapsed experimental turbine called Kalina, which uses ammonia) that produces the hot water and the rest are fresh cold water. They mix these different waters to a temperature of about 9 Celsius (I think- would have to double check my recordings). This temperature will vary according to size of fish. What I found to be quite smart is that the only pumping that is happening is from the bore holes to get the water out of the ground. After, it is all gravity fed, even between the individual tanks. Each tank has water in and water out to keep a steady flow, as it is favorable for the fish. Before entering the tanks, the aerate the water using these simple little devices packed inside a giant tube. At the same time, they are constantly adding oxygenated liquid to the tanks. The effluent goes out into the sea. It was really amazing to be there, and I will probably remember more when my little head isn't so tired.

After I picked up the rental car close by, and it turned out to be a stick shift/manual car. This is all he had to offer me. So, he showed me how to do it and I had to quickly learn in 5 minutes. Stalling a few times, I finally got the hang of it, and drove about 100 km to the next fish farm, Silfurstjarnan HF. This one began as an experiment in the 90s and has now grown to 70 tanks. They grow Halibut, another flat fish that I can't remember right now, and salmon. 60% of their production goes towards the salmon, as well as 90% of their revenue. I found out that 99% of their salmon is exported to the US. They have a contract with Whole Foods, and that is where their fish go. I got to see the whole slaughtering/packaging process today. They began harvesting at 7 AM and the fish were ready for shipment by noon. Around 2 PM a truck was to arrive to pick up and deliver the fish to Keplavik (southwest peninsula of Iceland) where they are to be further processed tomorrow. Next, they will fly over to Boston, to Whole Foods' distribution chain, to then have the salmon be on the market by Monday/Tuesday. So if you are in Boston or New England area, or even any where in the states, if you go to Whole Foods on Monday and buy some Salmon, I watch part of how they got there :) So cool!

This operation differs a lot from the other in many way. Not only do they produce different species from the farm in Husavik, but this operation is much bigger and they use salted water. They have a total of about 20 boreholes within a 1 km radius. Depending on where the hole is, they will have varied temperatures and salt content. There is a mixing chamber where all the water is collected, mixed, and then distributed to the tanks. It is quite similar to the farm in Husavik in terms of its process, but there is also quite a lot of variability between the two also. They have a collection pond for the effluent, where the 'goodies' (poop and left over food) can sink to the bottom and they water can be cleaned before entering the ocean. One thing, though, that I found to be inconsistent was that they don't recycle water like the previous operation because they believe they have a lot of it and they don't need to be hung up about it. At the same time, the pond on the opposite site is constantly being monitored for fear of pumping too much water out of it. It would be nice to find a way for the water to be reused in the process. Since they are growing different species, they require different temperatures. I wonder if there would be a way to set this up as hot to cold- the hotter water would cool as it goes through the different fish and preferential temperatures.

The tanks here were MASSIVE!! For salmon, they are made from concrete. For the flat fish, they use similar ones to what I saw early in the morning, green plastic. The salmon seemed quite happy. I saw them in different stages, and they were jumping out of the water and being very active. However, something funny was happening with the Halibut. They only recently started growing them, and this is an emergent fish species for farming. In other words, not very much research has been able to be conducted in regards to the favorability of their environment. They are doing research and experiments in regards to this, but what was strange was that they were behaving as they typically would not in nature. They were all moving between the top 1-2 meters of water, bending backwards and putting their mouths in the air. I have never seen fish do this. This is mass production, and so it would be interesting to find out if this situation stresses the Halibut and forces them to do this. They aren't sure why they do this either. It was incredibly fascinating to see to two farms back to back, especially since they are so different in their own right.

Since I had the car, I decided to make a few pit stops on my way back to Husavik. There is a National Park area called Jokulsargljufur. Here, there is the Asbyrgi canyon which is about 3.5 km long (N-S) and about 1 km wide. There is a gorge on its most northern side, which is just spectacular. I spent a nice chunk of time watching and photographing the birds and the plant material. There are birches that have root suckled, and are the dominant tree species in most of these 'forests'. You can also hike around, and climb some of the rock edges, providing a spectacular view of this landscape. After, I drove along the canyon to see the various waterfalls, one of which is Dettifoss, Iceland's biggest one. They were just amazing! As well as to see how the canyon was carved by the glacial retreat, leaving deposits and breaking the bedrock into large chunks. The various waterfalls are a testament to the young age of the canyon because it is at different levels throughout the glacial river's journey out to sea.

It was an amazing day, but am exhausted. Looking forward to the break this weekend!

Image 1: Fiskeldid Haukmyri fish farm in Husavik- view taken from road walking over

Image 2: Silfurstjarnan fish farm near Kopaskur- Halibut doing strange things, notice the one that is jumping in the upper right hand corner!

Image 3: Silfurstjarnan fish farm near Kopaskur- outdoor concrete tanks for mature salmon. The one in the lower right were being harvested that day. Those are the ones you will buy from Whole Foods on Monday/Tuesday.

Image 4: Asbyrgi Gorge- View taken after climbing up the mountain side a bit. Notice the crazy orange 'moss' growing on the rocks. I thought it was beautiful.

Image 5: Dettifoss waterfall- Europe's most powerful one, getting closer and closer to it. Love seeing nature in the cracks.

Day 11- Akureyri to Husavik- Half-Way Point

Today was an easy day- I only took the bus to Husavik, which took about an hour and a half, and arranged my visits with the fish farms. Husavik is the whale watching capital of Iceland. By purchasing a round trip ticket from Akureyri (when I go off to the East on Monday, no buses go direct from Husavik, one has to go back to Akureyri), I received a really cheap ticket to go whale watching. This should be interesting...

I am here for a total of 4 days. I decided to book this weekend here because it has such a beautiful harbor and I had the desire to enjoy this fisherman's town and a view out over the ocean. Tomorrow is my fish farm day. I have planned to go and see 2, both land operations. One is right here in Husavik (with the possibility of maybe seeing the other one) and the other is about an hour away and is considered to be the most innovative. The bus system in the north is pretty crappy, as there are not as many inhabitants and the largest city is Akureyri, with a population of about 12,000. Here, the population is maybe 2-3,000. Because of this, I have to rent a car, yet again. I hate having to do so because of its inefficiencies and the staggering prices of the rental and paying for gas, which is about $1.50 per liter, mucho dinero! I really hope it is the last time.

I got very lucky with finding this current guesthouse. When I was looking at my itinerary the other day, and discovered the hostel I originally booked is far off from Husavik and no buses go there, I got a bit worried. I referred to my handy-dandy travel guide, and it gave me a few options in Husavik proper. I called this place and luckily they had room available- and I get my own space! YES!!! It sits on top of a hill and is maybe 10 minutes walking from the center. It is a very beautiful home, run by an old couple that are so young at heart and in their manner. When I arrived, they greeted me with coffee and cookies that she had recently baked herself- they were delicious!! They are so very hospitable and I feel very lucky to have found it and that they had room for me. This is the first hostel I have found since Selfoss that can be comparable to it. I am looking forward to the progression of my stay here.

Tomorrow will be my busy work day, and then I have decided to take the weekend off since all the fisheries do not operate on the weekend. I am looking forward to taking this short break and reflecting on the trip so far, since I am half way through today. Also, as little as Husavik may be, it has very much to offer. It has 3 museums concentrated closely together, which will be very fun to visit. More details about them to come, but I can say that they are topics I have never expected to encounter :) It is a beautiful city on the eastern side of a fjord. Across the sea, you will find snow-capped mountains and on the other side, large multicolored mountains with green that stops at a margin. I have been noticing that condition on mountain sides here in the North- it is quite interesting.

Image 1: Leaving Akureyri- on bus
Image 2: Getting close to Husavik- very much enjoy capturing the diversity of blues in the water. The type of water dictates its color. This appears to be fresh ground water in a marshy setting.
Image 3: View from my balcony, East side- notice what I was talking about with the vegetation just stopping after a certain elevation on the mountain
Image 4: View from my balcony, West side- midnight sun- the orange against the icy mountain tops is just stunning
Image 5: Close up of Image 4