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

Day 10- Krafla Power Plant and Volcanic Zone

What an unexpected turn of events today!! I didn't really have anything planned, but I had some ideas. I was then contacted by Steinz, a friend of Franz, who I met through Thorgils. Steinz runs the some of the operations at the Krafla geothermal power plant, located in one of the most volcanically active zones in Iceland, as it sits right in the ridge between the N. American and Eurasian tectonic plates.

The buses here in the north are pretty lame. They run only once a day- of course at the most inconvenient time. So I decided to rent a car for the day, even though it is quite pricey. But in the end it was worth it because I can dictate my own schedule for stopping and spending time at the sites I think are most important for my interests.

I arrived to the Krafla site a bit after noon. Steinz greeting me at my car and we went into his office for a little bit to talk about what he was to show me and what I was interested in seeing. We then proceeded to the visitor center, where they have a video that describes the power plant. This plant is the oldest one in Iceland. It began construction in the early 70s, and shortly after they had a volcanic eruption that lasted 9 years! What is most interesting, though, is that right before the eruption, the ground level had dropped 2-3 meters below what it was, and then it swelled up again, 2-3 meters above what it was. It has now somewhat stabilized. They were able to work around it, and the landscape still has its residue, hardened magma. The video was great, and he ended up giving me a copy of it, which was so very nice of him. After the film he took me inside the power plant and explained how the turbines operated. This particular plant mostly feeds the electrical grid because of its high temperatures and abundance of steam. After, we proceeded to the control room. Everything is run by computers now, it is pretty amazing. He explained to whole process through the diagrams representative of the system operating via the computer.

Next, he drove me around the whole site that Krafla operates, which was very fascinating. I got to go inside one of those semi-circular geodesic domes and see one of their wells in action. It was their latest one, number 40. I was also able to see the IDDP bore-hole, the one that encountered magma. IDDP is Icelandic Deep Drilling Project, where the want to drill as far as 5 km to reach a critical temperature. This particular site, the only drilling maybe 2.5 km before reaching magma. They tried to close it, but now it has become productive. This happened in February and now they are monitoring it as it releases intensely dry steam. The temperatures this well is releasing is over 300 degrees centigrade, and is increasing 10 degrees about every week. This may be the hottest bore hole in Iceland! He took me to all to sites and was eager to answer any questions I had. He was fantastic! After, we had coffee and chatted for a bit. He gave me some suggestions on what to do in the area (it is 100 km from Akureyri). He suggested to lava fields, some hot springs, and Gelfoss, a waterfall on my way home. I ended up visiting all of them so I could take full advantage of having this car.

The lava fields were absolutely amazing. I have never experienced anything like it. Steinz explained to me that when the lava hardens, about 200-300 m below the surface it is still there as molten rock flowing through chambers. Walking on top of this 'ground' you could here the hollow echos of the crevasses beneath the surface. Steam was rising from all around and there were times when you could feel the ground below you as a hot surface. It was an incredible experience.

After, I slowly made my journey home, stopping in areas that I found interesting. One of these areas was hot springs with boiling mud/clay inside the craters. It was kind of crazy, and the smell is the worst I had experienced so far- sulfur mixed with boiling minerals. The wind would sometimes blow it into your face, which wasn't very pleasant to smell, but was nice and toasty warm. I also finally came across on of the 'tourist' oriented abandoned wells. It is kind of in a similar condition as the IDDP bore hole, with crazy steam rising from it creating a sound that can be heard from all around the site. These particular abandoned wells have been 'sealed' by just piling rocks on top of it. I am not sure why it is like that and why the have chosen to not further develop them. There were a total of three.

It was a really great day, especially great because it was a surprise! Tomorrow I head up to Husavik, northeast of Akureyri, to begin my fish farming visits, which will be taking place in the next week. Should be fun and interesting!

Image 1: Krafla Power Plant- View from North looking South, on top of a hill side
Image 2: The IDDP well that reached magma- notice how the steam close to the hole's source is almost clear, this is because it is so so so dry!
Image 3: Viti (Hell) Crater- after a climb up the edge
Image 4: Lava fields- border between older and newer, the older ones have the moss growing on them. Notice the steam rising from below. This entire area is like this, as if the earth is boiling beneath you
Image 5: Namafjall Hverir- location of the bubbling mud, a photo I wasn't able to include. However, this photo is one of 3 abandoned wells like this in the area, with rock piled on top and has a new occupation of tourist attraction

Day 9- Akureyri Trip with the UNESCO class

I had a fantastic time with this fully international class and the professors! It was a pretty long day, and we did a lot, but I met lots of great people and the trip and lectures were very informative.

I met the group at their hotel, hotel Edda, which is a high school dormitory during the year, hotel during the summer time. We proceeded to one of the classrooms for 2 lectures: one about the district heating of Akureyri, and the other about the health benefits of geothermal water and the emerging spa industry. They were quite fantastic and I benefited a lot from them since I had visuals and explanations simultaneously. Then we had lunch and after went to the bus for our field trip. We drove around Akureyri to see the oldest well and then the well that is their gold mine, yielding most of Akureyri's hot water demands. It is was a lucky drill test that led to it and it yields waters that are in a way most extreme for this region. It was incredible to see this and hear about it. We also made a stop at a little hydroelectric station, which was in a beautiful location..a miniature canyon with a glacial river running through. Next, we went swimming in the town's geothermal pool, which is always refreshing and revitalizing. I have been feeling like a new person every time I go and leave these pools. Finally, I had dinner with the group, and guess who was there? Sverrir from ISOR! It was so nice to see him again. He is here teaching at another school. He later drove me back to my hostel while showing me part of town in between and telling me stories. He is just wonderful.

I had a wonderful time with the students today. They are such a diverse group from several countries in Africa, Asia, Central America, and the Carribean Islands. The students in the program are required to be part of an emerging geothermal project in their country, and the program provides training for them. They have been doing this for over 30 years. Everyone was so nice, and I exchanged emails and phone numbers with some of them, because they'd like to hang when we are back in Reykjavik. It was awesome.

Tomorrow is my last day here in Akureyri, and then I head to Husavik to see fish farms. I saw Franz today, one of Thorgils' contacts, and he provided me with some numbers for the Krafla power plant. I hope I will be able to go see it tomorrow!

Image 1: Akureyri Pipeline- distribution to the city
Image 2: Water transfer station- water is first pumped here from all the nearby boreholes, and is then distributed to the city. The people you see in the photo are some of the student I had the pleasure of joining and meeting
Image 3: Akureyri Pipeline- pipeline that intakes the water from various sources
Image 4: Akureyri Geothermal Borehole 'Gold'- this well produces the most amount of water and is their gold mine. It is located about 10-20 km north of the city
Image 5: One of the heat pumps at the main energy station located in the center of town.

Day 8- Reykholar and the Journey to Akureyri

Today I went to Thorverk, a seaweed processing plant that utilizes geothermal in its industrial process. 99% of what they produce is exported and used in the health, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, among many others, industries. Atli, the manager, was eager to show me around and was even critical about the production methods. He said that yes, it is a clean operation, however, the utilization of the resource could be better. In other words, reused rather than disposed of. He gave me a lot of interesting information about the plant, but our discussion ended up being more about what could be done to improve the plant and the environment and town, Reykholar, around it. It was really great. He called me an environmental architect- I kind of like the sound of that :)

After I had to find a ride to the bus stop since it did not leave directly from Reykholar. I asked the owner if he would be able to, and he kindly agreed and I provided some cash for compensation. In the meantime, he found out why I was there and he showed me around Reykholar and how this tiny town of 140 people utilizes geothermal everywhere and for everything. The hostel is the only building that has its own borehole. It was built in the 40s right on top of a natural hot spring, and so the water used comes directly from there. He showed and explained to me how the system works. Turns out that the water in the Westfjords of Iceland is the oldest, and so there are not as many minerals as, for example, Reykjavik. As a result, their fresh water AND hot water come from the same source, rather than them having to heat the fresh water with the geothermal water. He then took me to the town pool (EVERY town has one, no matter how small) and since he knows everyone, he was able to get the owner to show me the insides of how it all works. It was pretty fantastic. On our way to the bus, we made a little pit stop because he wanted to show me how this guy collects old tractors and cars and restores them. If we had more time, I would have been able to drive one of them!! There must be a next time, then..

Then came my long long journey to Akureyri. I left by bus around 3 PM and I didn't arrive to my hostel until close to midnight. However long, it was a beautiful drive and I was able to see nature at work, in a way, carving out the landscape and watching it evolve right before my eyes.

Akureyri is beautiful, from the 15 minute walk at least. It is considered to be the capitol of the North. It feels like a fisherman's city. It is framed by ice capped mountains on the inside of a fjord.

Tomorrow I go on my trip with the school..pretty excited!

Image 1: Walking to Thorverk in Reykholar- I found this geothermal stream, which I think is effluent from another source (doesn't appear to be natural)

Image 2: Thorverk Seaweed Plant- from a close distance

Image 3: Thorverk Seaweed Plant- the inner workings, the large yellow thing is the massive heat which uses 4-5 geothermal heaters from below

Image 4: Thorverk Seaweed Plant- Outside effluent, after use it is dumped out into the sea. However, it has created a micro habitat because it warms the waters. All the birds seem to really like it..

Image 5: Approaching Akureyri- close to midnight, orange sky with an orange haze that separates the grass hills with the ice covered mountains

Days 6/7- Goodbye Selfoss, Hello Reykholar

Yesterday was my last day in Selfoss. Vladimir let me stay as long as I wanted to- I didn't have to check out at the designated time, which was great! I returned my car rental and then took a nap. The evening before I met Gundur, a woman who was taking the weekend off and a break away from her kids. She was hanging out with Vladimir and his brother, and so I joined them for a beer and we all had a great time and relaxed in the geothermal hot tub. She took me to the local public pool in Selfoss yesterday, which was so wonderful to experience this cultural aspect of geothermal. It is truly embedded in Icelandic culture and their way of life. She was explaining to me how every town has at least one public swimming pool. As every culture, there are particular customs one must follow when using a geothermal Icelandic swimming pool. There are changing stations in a little house right next to the outdoor pool (this is replicated inside as well). The custom is that you strip all the way down and shower- first without your suit and then with your suit on to ensure you are clean before entering. Everything is exposed. It wasn't as awkward as I had thought it would be. Everyone is naked showering together- it was kind of cool to experience. The swimming facility itself has a series of different levels of heated water and steam. The main pool is at a comfortably warm temperature. Then there are a series of hot tubs- all ranging between different temperatures, so you can work your way up if you are brave. Then there is the steam room- I have never been in one so hot! We both lasted maybe 5 minutes in there before running out to take a cool shower right outside. I had a great time and felt so relaxed and loose after. I can see how this may contribute to the high life expectancy Icelanders have (I think its the highest in the world). After we had lunch at a cute little cafe nearby the hostel. We returned back so I could catch my bus, which I ended up missing, but I was glad I did because that just meant I was able to stay and hang out with those guys a little while longer. I signed their guestbook and took it easy, catching up on synthesizing the week's past learnings and findings. Everyone gathered into the common area to watch the soccer game and Vladimir and his brother cooked some dinner and invited me to eat with them. These guys can sure cook! They made a delicious Thai inspired dish- rice with chicken and vegetables in a curry sauce. So good!! I then had to bid farewell to them and headed back to Reykjavik where I spent the night. I don't think any place will be able to compare to the hospitality I had in Selfoss. Dreary? I think not! I had a great time there.
I had to wake up this morning at 6:30 to catch a free bus at 7:00 AM to the bus station, BSI, where all the buses take off from. I got there to only find out I didn't have a bus until 1 PM to come up to Reykholar. In the meantime, I decided to take a couple hour Reykjavik city tour so I could get a brief overview of the city and its history. The guide also spoke about the significance of geothermal in Iceland, which was fantastic to hear and capture. We went to all the major sites and she even pointed out where there were some boreholes. I thought it was pretty great and now I know where to go during my final days to understand the expansion of this city's urbanism through geothermal use.
The bus ride to Reykholar totaled about 4 hours. Reykholar is in the northwest fjord area of Iceland, in the southeastern part. The drive up was absolutely gorgeous and breathtaking. I love driving around an unfamiliar country, especially on a bus where I can just gaze out the window in amazement.
The bus dropped me off right at my hostel (I was the only one on the bus at this point). The hostel is really nice and cute- a little row house with about 10 rooms in a small town of about 120 people. I am in a fjord, surrounded by mountains whose tops are sprinkled with the remaining ice and snow from the winter. Simultaneously, there is geothermal energy being used and steam coming out of the ground. I can finally see with my eyes both fire and ice and how it has actually shaped the very landscape I now find myself in. It is so beautiful here! I was speaking with the host a little bit as she asked me what my purpose was. I explained to her I am visiting the seaweed drying and processing plant here. Turns out she works there! Its at the end of the town, right on the water. I am to meet her boss, Atli, sometime after 11, as he was away on business and wanted to sleep in haha. I am really excited about seeing this place tomorrow and seeing how the operation works.
Directly after, I have to leave for Akureyri, which is difficult by bus from here. My trip will total about 7-8 hours because of the changes I have to make and it also isn't very close. I don't mind though, because I get to see the country and its beautiful landscape this way.
It is almost 1 AM here, and where the sun 'set' is still orange. It is so beautiful as a constant dusk. Tomorrow should be fun and full of surprises!

Image 1: Selfoss swimming pool
Image 2: Reykjavik Tour- A 'state of the art' geothermal well, which is inside that Danish designed house
Image 3: Reykjavik Tour, "The Pearl"- stores a lot of Reykjavik's hot water before being distributed to the city.
Image 4: One way to Reykholar on the bus.
Image 5: Reykholar- The lovely hostel I stayed at in a beautiful location

Day 5- Southern Inland Exploration: Hellisheidi-Nesjavellir-Thingvellir-Fludir-Gulfoss-Geysir

So I fell asleep in the middle of my writing this blog, that's why it is published a day late, ha..whoops! The contents still refer to 7/09..

What a day I had- I'm beat! So jammed packed- I did and saw so much that my brain is mush, especially thanks to the geothermally heated hot tub I just came out of- thank you Vladimir, the owner of this wonderful hostel.

It began when I rented my car. It was decently priced..cheap compared to many other rentals. It took a total of 5 minutes to have it in my possession for the next 24 hours, which meant let's take full advantage of this opportunity to drive around part of the southern inland chunk of Iceland.

I first went to the drilling rig at Hellisheidi operated by a company called Jardboranir, which I think translates to something like 'earth drilling'. Bjorn, the project manager, took me on board and showed me around. He was very kind and willing to answer any questions I had. I spent about 2-3 hours there, checking things out and learning every bit I possibly could in that time- picking his brain as much as possible. I found out that they had just finished drilling this well at about 10 PM yesterday. It is to be an injection well rather than a production one, meaning that when the hot water is used, they can put it back into the earth to try to keep the water table level. They can only do this in high temperature zones. If they tried to do it in low temperature zones (like Selfoss) the used water that has already cooled would further cool down the hot water, making it not as productive. He discussed the details of drilling with me, while telling stories of past atypical events that sometimes happen, such as the earth collapsing from drilling, an example of an extreme situation. They use pretty much the same methodology as oil rigs, except there are specific details that have been tweaked a bit to accommodate for drilling into the earth in high temperatures. He was even able to point out which part of the rig failed in the Gulf of Mexico. It is the most important part, and without it everyone one site would be in great danger. They have a series of tailing ponds where the drilling material is flushed through the system and dropped into the bottoms to prevent the released water from becoming contaminated. As they drill, the are continuously flushing out the well with water to relieve it from the remains. I could go on forever about this, but it was so amazing to be there and see it somewhat in action. They were measuring today. The specialists behind this is ISOR (Sverrir's people). However, while I was there, as they were measuring they were encountering a problem. They measure using a steel cable and a simple computer system displays the information and reading of the cable (how far below the surface, tension applied to it, etc.) The wells they have been drilling in the last 5 years or so have adopted a special technique of diagonal drilling after a certain depth. The cable used for measuring seemed to be getting stuck, or was not able to proceed any further, at the precise moment where the well takes a 30 degree turn. I hope they managed to solve the issue. Another interesting fact about injection wells is that they have had many problems with them and typically don't last very long. When they inject the hot water back into the earth through this well, the rock and its cracks/fissures begin to expand. After a little while it expands so much to the point where it is no longer functional as it was and the porosity is lost. The cracks become filled and the water can't seep back into the bedrock.

In 2008, Iceland had an economic collapse and the country went bankrupt. Speaking with Bjorn, he had brought to my attention the residual effects of this on the drilling industry. It was the first time that this issue has been raised for me in regards to geothermal. He explained to me that during the 2004-2007/8 expanding bubble, they had to keep up with the demand by purchasing newer, better, bigger, and more drills, expanding their fleet. In 2007/8 there were about 17 wells scheduled to drill and they were trying to come up with a plan in order to keep up. In four weeks, everything fell apart. No more money=no more drilling and they had to sell some of their rigs in order to stay afloat. This year's drilling, so far, is at an all time low with only 2 boreholes so far. They even had more jobs last year. Now they are looking to expand their clientele abroad. Currently that have gone to Switzerland and are considering other areas also.

Afterwards, I drove on over to Nesjavellir, the older plant also in the Hengill region. What first struck me on my way there was the incredible beauty of the landscape. I was able to see the pipeline above ground and watched and documented it leading back to Reykjavik as I followed it to Nesjavellir. It hugs the road and is followed by power lines that send the electricity from the steam. It is 20+ kilometers long whose diameter is enough to fit in a few people, I think. Its presence is stark in the landscape as a foreign object that seems to have just landed there. Along the way I saw sheep and goats that were using it as shelter, evidence that it is being adapted by the wildlife.

The Nesjavellir power plant is located on the other side of the Hekla volcano from Hellisheidi in the Hengill region. It is an active volcano, which is why it produces such intense energy. Placed on the ridge that is splitting Iceland apart, this force is what activates the landscape. I did not have enough time to hike around the site, unfortunately, due to time constraints (I had to meet Hannibal at 3PM in Fludir). However, I got to go inside the plant for a little bit and learn about how it operates. They have a beautiful topographical site model of the entire site it occupies. The power plant is located at the base of the mountain range. Its pipeline tentacles extend outward and up into the mountains to encapsulate the extreme hot spots of hot spots. There are pipelines that serve 3 different purposes: get the hot water and steam from deep inside the earth in the mountainous wells, get fresh water from nearby Lake Thingvallavatn, and send the geothermally heated fresh water and steam-driven power to Reykjavik. This power plant is older than Hellisheidi, with I think over 30 boreholes around. The surroundings were extremely beautiful.

I then made my way over to Fludir, which was a little challenging to get to because of having to cross the mountain ranges. However, I got to drive along side Lake Thingvallavatn and through Thingvellir National Park, also a UNESCO Cultural Heritage Site, for it is the birth place of the 1st parliament ever. The Althing were created around 800-900 AD, upon the settlement of Iceland by the Vikings/Norwegians. This has to be one of the most beautiful places my eyes have ever seen and none of you should leave this earth without bearing witness to it.

I continued driving around it and arrived into Fludir a little late. I couldn't help but stop in designated areas to take in the magnificent beauty of the landscape around me. Because there are few trees between cities, the horizontality is emphasized. Mountains and volcanoes feel so close but then you notice how far away the are when you see a tiny farm in the distance.

Fludir is a little town of about 400 people, mostly farmers (greenhouses and farmland). Hannibal was so kind. He brought a colleague of his, I think, a younger boy named Bergird (spelling?) to translate. Hannibal understands english, but finds it difficult to speak. They were both so amazing. We started the little adventure with a coffee and dessert and discussed what my purpose was and what they could show me. Turns out, they had a lot to offer. We first went to Fludir's geothermal source, the hot springs. It was absolutely beautiful. I haven't been able to get so close to it. Hannibal had a pretty heavy duty diesel truck, so we drove through the river and onto the other side to walk along, on, and around the springs. This area is the highest low temperature zone in Iceland, with temperatures around 180 Celsius I think. There was also a swimming pool that has been in use since 1900 that is heated by the hot springs surrounding it. They also pointed out a nearby farm to me, whose soil thaws before any others because of the heat in the ground and increases productivity. Fascinating! We then went to see a few wells and pumping stations. We didn't get out of the car, but Hannibal told me stories about the drill holes. For example, there was one that they were drilling. After a few hundred meters, pressure began intensely building up. With a bit of warning, everyone ran a way and the rig burst into the air like a geysir because of the pressure release. Finally, I got to go to a HUGE greenhouse, or rather, 5 greenhouses that have been combined together. It was Bergird's and his family's operation. I learned that this little town supplies about 80% of Iceland's tomatoes, cucumbers, and other vegetables. Bergird's operation mostly grows tomatoes. They use a plant for about 6 months since they peak their production at that time. Annually, they grow over 300 tons of tomatoes. I was very impressed by the statistics.

Comparing this operation with the smaller one I had seen yesterday in Hveragerdi, this system is entirely computerized. It also runs more geothermally heated pipes- two simultaneous systems that come from different sources. One hugs the walls, as I had seen yesterday, and another runs along the ground, elevated to be close to the plants. They also use lights, and they were using them while I was there. Larger operation=more energy. They were both wonderful, and I couldn't have thanked them enough for their time and willingness to share their town with me.

At this point, I was a bit over 30 kilometers away from Gulfoss, one of Iceland's largest and most visited waterfalls. I decided to go since I had the car and didn't know when I would get such an opportunity again. They were spectacular and incredibly extensive. There were different paths where you could see and experience them from different angles and view points: from a distance, high above, and RIGHT NEXT to them. So amazing- words can't begin to describe.

Afterwards, I went to Geysir as it was on my way back to Selfoss. This place is famous for their geyser that I think is larger than Ol' Faithful at Yellowstone Park. It releases its pressure and unleashes it fury as steaming hot water erupts from the ground every 3-5 minutes. It is part of a larger extensive site of hot springs that were just phenomenal to see and get close to. There was this one whose water was a bright sky blue- a blue I had never seen in water before. I documented this area as much as I could, for the hot spring source provides the very existence for geothermal use. I took hundreds of photos of Geysir trying to capture the timely process of the steam build up and explosion. There were even instances where it erupted twice in a row! It was sooo cool.

I had an amazing day, but it was exhausting (hence why I passed out in the middle of writing this). Tomorrow (today) I leave Selfoss and go back to Reykjavik for the night, to then proceed northbound to Reykholar. I am very sad to leave this hostel, Bed & Breakfast. Everyone was so nice to me and treated me like family. Vladimir would sometimes wait up for me to get back if I arrived late (Sometimes between 10-11 PM), and would look at his watch and jokingly ask "Where have you been young lady?". His brother would come hang out also, and we would have a beer together as they shared stories of Iceland and its history with me. Vladimir makes fresh bread every day, which was funny to learn at first because he is what I imagine a Viking to look like haha. I enjoyed my stay here very much. It will be hard to have a hostel that would be better than this experience. Anyone who comes to Iceland should stay here. Not only are the people wonderful, but the location is fantastic- a hub in the middle of all the significant sites to go see in the southern center. Traveling for the next 2 days will be tiresome, so it is time for a nap to re-energize.

I wish I could upload more pictures from this day, but I suppose I will just have to show you in person :)

Image 1: Hellisheidi drilling site- Me in the protective wear
Image 2: Nesjavellir Pipeline- the MASSIVELY long one that goes to Reykjavik- around 40 km i think?
Image 3: Lake Thingvallavatn- driving around it to get to Fludir
Image 4: Fludir- natural hot springs and some greenhouses in the background
Image 5: Geysir- the infamous geothermal water spewing hole