Iceland

The Island of Fire, Ice and Waterfalls


Seljalandsfoss Escape
A visitor tries to take shelter of the heavy irrigation caused by a sudden change in the wind, near Seljalandsfoss.
on the edge of the meander
One of the many rivers and streams that flow through Iceland.
The way to Detifoss
Signpost for the largest waterfall in Europe, almost completely buried by snow.
Svartifoss Standard
Svartifoss, a waterfall that falls over a cliff made of hexagonal columns carved by the rapid solidification of lava.
forced crossing
Icelandic horse crosses an icy stream during the last days of winter on the island.
ET acrobat
A native student dressed as an alien in front of the Seljalandfoss waterfall.
On the edge of Gulfoss
Visitors next to Gulfoss, a majestic waterfall of the Hvítá river.
Next stops
Plate indicates 18 distances from Bardardalur.
Svartifoss stream
Svartifoss's tiny flow drops past what remains of a vast bed of snow and ice that has remained in the past few months.
Godafoss
The waterfall where chief Thorgeir Ljósvetningagodi got rid of the ancient pagan gods.
on the way to Myvatn
Bridge over the river Svarta, in Bardardalur and in the vicinity of the waterfall Godafoss.
seljalandsfoss
Visitors approach the base of one of Iceland's most accessible waterfalls, just a short distance from the roadside and the sea.
The Gulfoss Moat
A geological depression invaded by the voluminous flow of the Hvitá river;, at certain times after rain or melting, much more impressive than in the image.
last jump
Upper section of Skogafoss Waterfall Fall
white water
The Skjálfandafljót river proceeds through its deep bed after falling from Godafoss.
waterfall mirror
Skogafoss' elusive flow is reflected in a pond.
The Gulfoss II Moat
Impressive apex of the flow of the Hvitá river which, after the jump, proceeds through a narrow gorge.
Europe's supreme cascade rushes into Iceland. But it's not the only one. On this boreal island, with constant rain or snow and in the midst of battle between volcanoes and glaciers, endless torrents crash.

We have long since lost sight of the low houses of Akureyri and only tiny patches of the stream that runs along the northern stretch of the Ring Road, which we follow, remains free from the winter suffocation.

The whiteness does not stifle a rising brooding nor the mist we glimpse drifting in the distance.

After many kilometers of vertigo, the Skjálfandafljót river suffers, there, the most dramatic of the geological stumbles that its journey from the supreme domain of Bárdarbunga to the bay of Skjálfandi submits to.

on the edge of the meander

One of the many rivers and streams that flow through Iceland.

The Godafoss Iceland Divine Cascade

We cross the bridge that crosses it and park. We walk without tact or faith about iceland snow with 40 cm in height and, despite the sensation of imminent collapse, we reached the high margin.

From that somewhat treacherous position, we unveil the half-frozen, stalactite splendor of Godafoss, the cascade of the gods.

The amphitheater of this catadupa is about 30 meters. Slightly dampened before the 12-metre drop, the water from the Skjálfandafljót seems to solidify before our eyes and touches up a sculpture that the cold has shaped since the first days of November.

Godafoss

The waterfall where chief Thorgeir Ljósvetningagodi got rid of the ancient pagan gods.

Whatever the temperature, Godafoss will always be an unavoidable natural monument in Iceland. Its mythological name is justified in one of the oldest and most renowned books in the island's history. narrates the Leslendingabók that, around the turn of the first millennium, its population had to decide whether to preserve Norwegian paganism or embrace Christendom.

After a day and a night of silent meditation under a blanket of furs, a lawgiver and chief named Thorgeir Ljósvetningagodi – who until then was a pagan himself – chose to convert to Christendom.

On his return to his farm in Ljósavatn, he threw the divine idols he had discarded into the churning waters of the waterfall.

The route continues through Sprengisandur and takes us to the volcanic stronghold of Myvatn. We explore its now wet and now icy lunar surface and continue east.

The Frustrated Quest of Detifoss, the Queen of the Waterfalls of Europe

At some point, we detected a set of road signs. Despite being huge, only its top remains uncovered from the accumulated snow.

We noticed that Detifoss, the largest cataract in Europe, is just 24 km to the north. We keep the breath of reaching it.

But, a board

The way to Detifoss

Signpost for the largest waterfall in Europe, almost completely buried by snow.

at the entrance to the turnoff, he informs that there is no winter snow clearing service and that the secondary road may be impassable.

It only takes a few minutes for us to struggle with invincible layers of snow. We surrender to the evidence. We return to Ring Road.

An inescapable passage through the Jokullsarlon Lagoon

We skirted several of the deep fjords that cut the east coast, including the one that shelters Seydisfjordur. In those parts, more rain than snow irrigates countless wedding veils that flow from the top of green cliffs.

This profusion intensifies with the proximity of the eastern end of the Vatnajökkull glacier, eternal source of life on the island of fire and ice.

We explore it from the Jokullsarlon lagoon, from where its most adventurous icebergs set sail for the Atlantic. Then we travel to Skaftafell.

Loose ice, Jökursarlón lagoon, Iceland

Freshly released ice patches from the Vatnajökull glacier in the Jökursarlón lagoon.

It rains a lot. A notice in the makeshift car park indicates that the continuation of the road is restricted to employees of the national park. Thus, we surrender to the slippery trail and the downpour for almost 2km.

When we reached the confluence with the actual end of the paved road, we realized that we were the only semi-soaked visitors to respect the indication.

The Geological Artwork of Svartifoss

To compensate, the next river target is imminent. We approached and noticed, on a more dignified scale, its polygonal eccentricity. Unlike previous waterfalls, the Svartifoss flow proves to be insignificant.

Svartifoss stream

Svartifoss's tiny flow drops past what remains of a vast bed of snow and ice that has remained in the past few months.

As happened in other rare parts of the world, the solidification of the lava took place there under improbable conditions. It generated arched walls, composed of strange hexagonal columns and in permanent danger of collapse.

It rains again. First, just pitchers. Then, to pitchers, also in the form of a sharp hail. We retreated.

Svartifoss Standard

Svartifoss, a waterfall that falls over a cliff made of hexagonal columns carved by the rapid solidification of lava.

We pass countless agricultural farms alternating with the alluvial vastness left by successive melting glaciers to the north. It's sunny, it's snowing, it's raining, it's snowing again and it's sunny.

The breathtaking scenery also follows as we pass. Even so, we find it difficult to respect the 90 km/h limit of the endless Ring Road.

Skogafoss, an Admirable Waterfall from the Base and the Top

We are on our way to Skogafoss when, hidden on a low curb, the first police car we see outside of Reykjavik pulls us over. "Good afternoon. Where are they from?” asks the blond agent as he goes through the documents. "Portugal? Things aren't exactly going well there, are they? “ continues with elegant sarcasm.

“Over here, the worst is past, but they know that the fines have not even gone down with our crisis. They are guys! Go away but look, it's just this once. You may have noticed that Iceland has things that are much more worth spending money on.”

We are moving away from authority at a theatrical speed. For a while, we managed to stay in line.

seljalandsfoss

Visitors approach the base of one of Iceland's most accessible waterfalls, just a short distance from the roadside and the sea.

A little later, we catch a glimpse of Skogafoss wedged between recessed cliffs. We follow the margin of the rocky course from which it originates and, accompanied on the other side by a fence by a maddened horse, we reach its shadowy base.

We sat down. We admire the 60 meter jump overflown by black swifts. When that thalassotherapy seems to be enough, we head for a steep goat trail.

We conquered a viewpoint erected over the last throes of the Skógá River, on a clear plain border between the southern coast fringe and the interior highlands.

Seljalandfoss's Slim Dancing Neighbor

Seljalandfoss is not far away. We find its meandering drop of 60 m on a cliff perpendicular to the road. We start by looking at it from a side platform.

Seljalandsfoss Escape

A visitor tries to take shelter from the heavy irrigation caused by a sudden change in the wind, near Seljalandsfoss

It doesn't take long to install new weather. The wind, the water from the cataract and the mixture of snow and rain combine to create a vortex that lashes us mercilessly.

We left the observation post. We take shelter in the only covered place, behind its vertical flow, inside the concave base of the cliff.

As quickly as they are gone, the sun and clear skies return. We went back to the car, wanting to regain our body heat. We do it facing Seljalandfoss, which the permanently oscillating northern light tinged with different hues.

Until, an unexpected visual interference surprises us. Halfway between the car and the cliff, an extraterrestrial-looking green creature performs stunts, photographed by a fellow Earthman.

ET acrobat

A native student dressed as an alien in front of the Seljalandfoss waterfall

At one point, half of the visitors pay more attention to it than to the waterfall.

Being green shows little concern. And intrigued. Since the car he returns to after the session ends is right next to ours, we can't resist questioning it. "It's yours? Not!!" answer us with good disposition. “I'm from here. Icelandic and all."

This monkey business is due to a project at my university in which I had the bad idea to get involved. It's called the Green Channel. Then we'll process the images with TV software. But I have to make these figures in more places symbol of Iceland. Have you seen my luck well?"

Before returning to Reykjavik, we would still pass by other waterfalls. The most emblematic of these finals, Gullfoss, impressed us for its layered configuration, not so much for the volume of the flow of the Hvitá river.

The Gulfoss Moat

A geological depression invaded by the voluminous flow of the Hvitá river;, at certain times after rain or melting, much more impressive than in the image.

Winter was at an end. Soon, the intensification of the melting would feed the endless Icelandic torrents with plenty of water.

Volcanoes

Mountains of Fire

More or less prominent ruptures in the earth's crust, volcanoes can prove to be as exuberant as they are capricious. Some of its eruptions are gentle, others prove annihilating.
Thingvellir National Park, Iceland

The Origins of the Remote Viking Democracy

The foundations of popular government that come to mind are the Hellenic ones. But what is believed to have been the world's first parliament was inaugurated in the middle of the XNUMXth century, in Iceland's icy interior.
Iceland

The Geothermal Coziness of the Ice Island

Most visitors value Iceland's volcanic scenery for its beauty. Icelanders also draw from them heat and energy crucial to the life they lead to the Arctic gates.
Jok​ülsárlón Lagoon, Iceland

The Chant and the Ice

Created by water from the Arctic Ocean and the melting of Europe's largest glacier, Jokülsárlón forms a frigid and imposing domain. Icelanders revere her and pay her surprising tributes.
Cascades and Waterfalls

Waterfalls of the World: Stunning Vertical Rivers

From the almost 1000 meters high of Angel's dancing jump to the fulminating power of Iguaçu or Victoria after torrential rains, cascades of all kinds fall over the Earth.
Husavik a Myvatn, Iceland

Endless Snow on the Island of Fire

When, in mid-May, Iceland already enjoys some sun warmth but the cold and snow persist, the inhabitants give in to an intriguing summer anxiety.
PN Canaima, Venezuela

Kerepakupai, Salto Angel: The River that Falls from Heaven

In 1937, Jimmy Angel landed a light aircraft on a plateau lost in the Venezuelan jungle. The American adventurer did not find gold but he conquered the baptism of the longest waterfall on the face of the Earth
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwee

Livingstone's Thundering Gift

The explorer was looking for a route to the Indian Ocean when natives led him to a jump of the Zambezi River. The falls he found were so majestic that he decided to name them in honor of his queen
Iguazu/Iguazu Falls, Brazil/Argentina

The Great Water Thunder

After a long tropical journey, the Iguaçu River gives a dip for diving. There, on the border between Brazil and Argentina, form the largest and most impressive waterfalls on the face of the Earth.
Seydisfjordur, Iceland

From the Art of Fishing to the Fishing of Art

When shipowners from Reykjavik bought the Seydisfjordur fishing fleet, the village had to adapt. Today, it captures Dieter Roth's art disciples and other bohemian and creative souls.
Serengeti, Great Savannah Migration, Tanzania, wildebeest on river
Safari
Serengeti NP, Tanzania

The Great Migration of the Endless Savanna

In these prairies that the Masai people say syringet (run forever), millions of wildebeests and other herbivores chase the rains. For predators, their arrival and that of the monsoon are the same salvation.
Yak Kharka to Thorong Phedi, Annapurna Circuit, Nepal, Yaks
Annapurna (circuit)
Annapurna Circuit 11th: yak karkha a Thorong Phedi, Nepal

Arrival to the Foot of the Canyon

In just over 6km, we climbed from 4018m to 4450m, at the base of Thorong La canyon. Along the way, we questioned if what we felt were the first problems of Altitude Evil. It was never more than a false alarm.
Bay Watch cabin, Miami beach, beach, Florida, United States,
Architecture & Design
Miami beach, USA

The Beach of All Vanities

Few coastlines concentrate, at the same time, so much heat and displays of fame, wealth and glory. Located in the far southeast of the USA, Miami Beach is accessed by six bridges that connect it to the rest of Florida. It is manifestly meager for the number of souls who desire it.
Full Dog Mushing
Adventure
Seward, Alaska

The Alaskan Dog Mushing Summer

It's almost 30 degrees and the glaciers are melting. In Alaska, entrepreneurs have little time to get rich. Until the end of August, dog mushing cannot stop.
Burning prayers, Ohitaki Festival, fushimi temple, kyoto, japan
Ceremonies and Festivities
Kyoto, Japan

A Combustible Faith

During the Shinto celebration of Ohitaki, prayers inscribed on tablets by the Japanese faithful are gathered at the Fushimi temple. There, while being consumed by huge bonfires, her belief is renewed.
San Juan, Old Town, Puerto Rico, Reggaeton, Flag on Gate
Cities
San Juan, Puerto Rico (Part 2)

To the Rhythm of Reggaeton

Restless and inventive Puerto Ricans have made San Juan the reggaeton capital of the world. At the preferred beat of the nation, they filled their “Walled City” with other arts, color and life.
Obese resident of Tupola Tapaau, a small island in Western Samoa.
Meal
Tonga, Western Samoa, Polynesia

XXL Pacific

For centuries, the natives of the Polynesian islands subsisted on land and sea. Until the intrusion of colonial powers and the subsequent introduction of fatty pieces of meat, fast food and sugary drinks have spawned a plague of diabetes and obesity. Today, while much of Tonga's national GDP, Western Samoa and neighbors is wasted on these “western poisons”, fishermen barely manage to sell their fish.
Tombola, street bingo-Campeche, Mexico
Culture
Campeche, Mexico

200 Years of Playing with Luck

At the end of the XNUMXth century, the peasants surrendered to a game introduced to cool the fever of cash cards. Today, played almost only for Abuelites, lottery little more than a fun place.
Spectator, Melbourne Cricket Ground-Rules footbal, Melbourne, Australia
Sport
Melbourne, Australia

The Football the Australians Rule

Although played since 1841, Australian Football has only conquered part of the big island. Internationalization has never gone beyond paper, held back by competition from rugby and classical football.
Navimag Cruise, Puerto Montt to Puerto-natales, Chile
Traveling
Puerto Natales-Puerto Montt, Chile

Cruise on board a Freighter

After a long begging of backpackers, the Chilean company NAVIMAG decided to admit them on board. Since then, many travelers have explored the Patagonian canals, side by side with containers and livestock.
Conversation between photocopies, Inari, Babel Parliament of the Sami Lapland Nation, Finland
Ethnic
Inari, Finland

The Babel Parliament of the Sami Nation

The Sami Nation comprises four countries, which ingest into the lives of their peoples. In the parliament of Inari, in various dialects, the Sami govern themselves as they can.
Rainbow in the Grand Canyon, an example of prodigious photographic light
Got2Globe Photo Portfolio
Natural Light (Part 1)

And Light was made on Earth. Know how to use it.

The theme of light in photography is inexhaustible. In this article, we give you some basic notions about your behavior, to start with, just and only in terms of geolocation, the time of day and the time of year.
Jeep crosses Damaraland, Namibia
History
damaraland, Namíbia

Namibia On the Rocks

Hundreds of kilometers north of Swakopmund, many more of Sossuvlei's iconic dunes, Damaraland is home to deserts interspersed with red rocky hills, the young nation's highest mountain and ancient rock art. the settlers South Africans they named this region after the Damara, one of the Namibian ethnic groups. Only these and other inhabitants prove that it remains on Earth.
Dominica, Soufriére and Scotts Head, island background
Islands
Soufriere e Scotts Head, Dominica

The Life That Hangs from Nature's Caribbean Island

It has the reputation of being the wildest island in the Caribbean and, having reached its bottom, we continue to confirm it. From Soufriére to the inhabited southern edge of Scotts Head, Dominica remains extreme and difficult to tame.
Boats on ice, Hailuoto Island, Finland.
Winter White
Hailuoto, Finland

A Refuge in the Gulf of Bothnia

During winter, the island of Hailuoto is connected to the rest of Finland by the country's longest ice road. Most of its 986 inhabitants esteem, above all, the distance that the island grants them.
Kukenam reward
Literature
Mount Roraima, Venezuela

Time Travel to the Lost World of Mount Roraima

Persist on top of Mte. Roraima extraterrestrial scenarios that have withstood millions of years of erosion. Conan Doyle created, in "The Lost World", a fiction inspired by the place but never set foot on it.
PN Tortuguero, Costa Rica, public boat
Nature
PN Tortuguero, Costa Rica

The Flooded Costa Rica of Tortuguero

The Caribbean Sea and the basins of several rivers bathe the northeast of the Tica nation, one of the wettest and richest areas in flora and fauna in Central America. Named after the green turtles nest in its black sands, Tortuguero stretches inland for 312 km.2 of stunning aquatic jungle.
Sheki, Autumn in the Caucasus, Azerbaijan, Autumn Homes
Autumn
Sheki, Azerbaijan

autumn in the caucasus

Lost among the snowy mountains that separate Europe from Asia, Sheki is one of Azerbaijan's most iconic towns. Its largely silky history includes periods of great harshness. When we visited it, autumn pastels added color to a peculiar post-Soviet and Muslim life.
Ostrich, Cape Good Hope, South Africa
Natural Parks
Cape of Good Hope - Cape of Good Hope NP, South Africa

On the edge of the Old End of the World

We arrived where great Africa yielded to the domains of the “Mostrengo” Adamastor and the Portuguese navigators trembled like sticks. There, where Earth was, after all, far from ending, the sailors' hope of rounding the tenebrous Cape was challenged by the same storms that continue to ravage there.
Vairocana Buddha, Todai ji Temple, Nara, Japan
UNESCO World Heritage
Nara, Japan

The Colossal Cradle of the Japanese Buddhism

Nara has long since ceased to be the capital and its Todai-ji temple has been demoted. But the Great Hall remains the largest ancient wooden building in the world. And it houses the greatest bronze Vairocana Buddha.
In elevator kimono, Osaka, Japan
Characters
Osaka, Japan

In the Company of Mayu

Japanese nightlife is a multi-faceted, multi-billion business. In Osaka, an enigmatic couchsurfing hostess welcomes us, somewhere between the geisha and the luxury escort.
Princess Yasawa Cruise, Maldives
Beaches
Maldives

Cruise the Maldives, among Islands and Atolls

Brought from Fiji to sail in the Maldives, Princess Yasawa has adapted well to new seas. As a rule, a day or two of itinerary is enough for the genuineness and delight of life on board to surface.
Mauritius Island, Indian voyage, Chamarel waterfall
Religion
Mauritius

A Mini India in the Southwest of the Indian Ocean

In the XNUMXth century, the French and the British disputed an archipelago east of Madagascar previously discovered by the Portuguese. The British triumphed, re-colonized the islands with sugar cane cutters from the subcontinent, and both conceded previous Francophone language, law and ways. From this mix came the exotic Mauritius.
Train Fianarantsoa to Manakara, Malagasy TGV, locomotive
On Rails
Fianarantsoa-Manakara, Madagascar

On board the Malagasy TGV

We depart Fianarantsoa at 7a.m. It wasn't until 3am the following morning that we completed the 170km to Manakara. The natives call this almost secular train Train Great Vibrations. During the long journey, we felt, very strongly, those of the heart of Madagascar.
Pachinko Salon, Video Addiction, Japan
Society
Tokyo, Japan

Pachinko: The Video Addiction That Depresses Japan

It started as a toy, but the Japanese appetite for profit quickly turned pachinko into a national obsession. Today, there are 30 million Japanese surrendered to these alienating gaming machines.
Daily life
Arduous Professions

the bread the devil kneaded

Work is essential to most lives. But, certain jobs impose a degree of effort, monotony or danger that only a few chosen ones can measure up to.
Amboseli National Park, Mount Kilimanjaro, Normatior Hill
Wildlife
Amboseli National Park, Kenya

A Gift from the Kilimanjaro

The first European to venture into these Masai haunts was stunned by what he found. And even today, large herds of elephants and other herbivores roam the pastures irrigated by the snow of Africa's biggest mountain.
Passengers, scenic flights-Southern Alps, New Zealand
Scenic Flights
Aoraki / Mount Cook, New Zealand

The Aeronautical Conquest of the Southern Alps

In 1955, pilot Harry Wigley created a system for taking off and landing on asphalt or snow. Since then, his company has unveiled, from the air, some of the greatest scenery in Oceania.
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