Iceland: Day 6

Day 6, or April 20, was the last day I spent with my Glaciers and Human Impact class in Iceland. Since our flight was scheduled for 1 pm, our class instructor planned a group activity in the morning. We headed over to Laugardalslaug, a very popular geothermal swimming pool complex in Reykjavík complete with an outdoor pool, hot tubs, a steam room, and waterslides. This was a refreshing and relaxing way to end our Iceland trip. Most of us spent our time gradually moving up to higher temperature hot tubs, but some of us also had a lot of fun going down the waterslide. A word of warning if you decide to come here though—you do have to wash off using the communal showers in the locker rooms before entering the water.

At this point, I just want to send a huge shout out and thank you to everyone who helped make this absolutely incredible study tour to Iceland possible. Our trip wouldn’t have been possible without our instructor Susanne, Julie (from DIS), and our Icelandic guides Peter and Herman. I had a blast exploring Reykjavík and the southern coast of Iceland, and this was truly an unforgettable experience!

Iceland: Day 5

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Our first stop on Day 5, April 19, was to Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The “Þ” in Þingvellir is pronounced like the “th” sound. Translated into English, the name “Þingvellir” literally means “assembly fields.” Þingvellir is located in a rift valley that marks the crest of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the boundary between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. Þingvellir is associating with the Alþingi, the national parliament of Iceland, because the Alþingi was established at Þingvellir in 930 AD. The Lögberg or Law Rock was the focal point of the Alþingi and a platform for speeches. Before they had written law in Iceland, it was expected that the Lawspeaker would recite the law from memory. It was really neat to see the rift valley, learn about the historical and cultural significance of Þingvellir for Iceland, and see the Öxarárfoss waterfall (located within Þingvellir).

Our second stop was to visit Langjökull (another big glacier on Iceland) and take part in the “Into the Glacier” experience by exploring a man-made ice cave tunnel on Langjökull. We took a ride in some souped-up heavy-duty vehicles to the cave opening on Langjökull. Once there, we descended into the ice cave tunnel. I was impressed by how large the ice tunnel was, and it was a nice touch that they added lights to give different parts of the ice cave tunnel different colors (blue, green, etc.). We could see some of the dust and a layer of ash in the ice in the wall of the ice cave tunnel. Along the tunnel you reach a small bridge where you get a nice view of a long, narrow crevasse in the ice. It is noteworthy how all of us were blinded by the glacier when we ascended out of the ice cave tunnel to the surface. Standing on Langjökull, you see nothing but pure white light in each direction. Even after several minutes, my eyes had yet to adjust to the very powerful light.

After “Into the Glacier,” our class made a quick stop at Hraunfossar, or the lava waterfalls. This is where the water flows through the lava rocks. Since the lava falls are wide and “gentle,” one of our guides somewhat jokingly told us that Hraunfossar is not what a child would think of when you tell him or her to picture a waterfall. Still, even though they weren’t the tallest or most powerful waterfalls, Hraunfossar was a beautiful sight. Right next to Hraunfossar is Baranafoss. This waterfall is associated with a folk story. The story goes that one day the parents of two children left for church. The children were supposed to stay at home, but they were bored and decided to follow their parents instead. The children took a shortcut on a stone-bridge across Barnafoss but fell into the water and drowned. When the mom found out, she destroyed the stone-bridge to prevent such a tragedy from ever occurring again.

Our final stop of the day was to Deildatunguhver thermal spring. This is Europe’s most powerful hot spring, and it produces 180 liters of water per second. The water temperature is about 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Iceland has utilized the water from Deildatunguhver for central heating since 1925. This was a fun, albeit very short, visit to the hot springs. We were able to get very close to the water, but I should warn you that you don’t want to get too close—unless you enjoy the smell of a thermal spring.

After an adventurous day, we returned to our hotel in Reykjavík to retire for the rest of the evening.

Iceland: Day 4

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Day 4 of our Iceland trip with my Glaciers and Human Impact class, April 18, was my favorite day of the entire trip. After departing from the guesthouse, our class headed out for a glacier walk on Svínafjellsjökull (an outlet and small portion of the much larger Vatnajökull). We stopped at the “base camp” where we geared up with harnesses, crampons, and ice axes. Once we arrived, our guide ended up taking us on a slightly different path that he originally intended because apparently conditions on the glacier literally changed overnight and we could no longer take the entrance route we were originally going to take. As we began our walk, we could also see the terminal (or end) moraine marking how far out and high the glacier had been back in 1995. It had receded quite a bit since then. We had to be extremely careful when walking on the glacier. Even though it wasn’t that windy, there were still fairly large and deep crevasses you didn’t want to slip and fall into. We followed our guide in a tight, single-file line formation. At one point, our guide pointed out to us a small puddle and told us to take a big step over it because apparently this deceptively innocent-looking small puddle was incredibly deep (and we could fall into it). The appearance of the shape and texture of Svínafjellsjökull honestly reminded me of cookies and cream flavored ice cream. It’s nearly impossible to do justice to how breathtaking the views on the glacier were, so I simply have to ask that you look at the photos in the slideshow. The sun finally came out right when we were starting to head back, so we got a glimpse of a view of the mountains in the distance when not obstructed by the clouds. This was by far one of my favorite activities of the entire trip, and even though we didn’t walk all the way out onto Vatnajökull, I highly recommend walking out on Svínafjellsjökull if you ever get the chance—it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience that you will not forget!

Next, we drove to Skógafoss, a magnificent waterfall. In fact, it’s one of the biggest waterfalls in Iceland with a width of 49 feet and a drop of 200 feet. As you approach the waterfall, you can even see a rainbow because of all the spray. According to legend, the first Viking settler buried a treasure in a cave behind the waterfall. Anyway, I literally felt like I had been transported somewhere else given all the green moss covering the cliffs and the majestic, awe-inspiring beauty of this waterfall. It was incredibly powerful too, and I got my fair share of water sprayed all over me because I ventured pretty close to snap some pictures and selfies. There is a stair path on the right-hand side along the cliffs which leads up to the top where you can view down over the waterfall.

After Skógafoss, we travelled to another waterfall called Seljalandsfoss. This was another spectacular waterfall. What is special about Seljalandsfoss is that you can walk on a path through a small cave which goes right behind the waterfall. Take note though, you’re going to want to wear water-proof clothing when visiting both of these waterfalls (especially for Seljalandsfoss since you can avoid being sprayed at Skógafoss as long as you don’t get too close, but you can’t avoid lots of water if you take the path behind Seljalandsfoss).

At the end of the day, we checked in to another guesthouse and spent our free time either working on our question packet and map exercise or relaxing in the guesthouse’s outdoor jacuzzi.

Iceland: Day 3

 

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On the 3^rd day of our Iceland trip we packed our bags, checked out of our hotel in the morning, and departed by bus for a trip along the southern coast of Iceland. Our first stop along the journey was to the Hellisheidi Geothermal Power Station. Hellisheidi is the largest power station in Iceland and the second largest geothermal power station in the world. The plant is located on Hengill volcano. The plant uses geothermal steam for electrical production and produces 303 megawatts of electricity. Besides checking out the geothermal plant itself, we also walked through the plant’s geothermal energy exhibition where we got to learn about the history of the plant and history of geothermal energy production in Iceland.

Our next stop on the journey along the southern coast of Iceland was to the Lava Center in Hvolsvöllur. The Lava Center features an interactive exhibition explaining the science of volcanoes and geology in Iceland. The Lava Center contains films, graphics, and artifacts from volcanic eruptions in the past century. When you first enter the exhibition, you enter the “volcano corridor.” This is where you see and compare the lava volume and tephra volume for different volcanic eruptions in Iceland since 1900. You then make your way throughout various halls and corridors. One of my favorite rooms was the “magma source hall” because it has a gigantic model of the mantle plume, or hot spot, underneath Iceland. I also enjoyed the “intro to volcanology” hall because you get to see and learn about the different types of lava while also interacting with digital display screens to learn about everything from calderas to volcanic eruptions under glaciers.

Besides the Lava Center, the other big highlight of day 3 was our group hike at a glacier lagoon called Jökulsárlón. Jökulsárlón is located at the edge of Vatnajökull glacier. There were numerous white and blue icebergs all across the lagoon. As a fun fact, Jökulsárlón has been a setting for 4 Hollywood movies: A View to a Kill, Die another Day, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, and Batman Begins. When we first arrived, there was a prominently displayed sign that very clearly stated “no swimming—freezing water,” “you only survive few minutes.” Good thing we were all smart enough to not go for a swim in the freezing glacier water. The icebergs were beautiful, and I really enjoyed our class walk along the beach/coast of this lagoon (despite the fact that it started to rain). At one point, a couple of us thought we might have spotted a seal or two in the water.

After a long day of our bus ride along the southern coast of Iceland, we arrived and checked-in at Gerði Guesthouse. This guesthouse is located right across from the base of a mountain which disappears into the clouds (it’s an amazing view!). Anyway, the guesthouse staff treated us to a very nice lamb dinner before we retreated to our rooms for the night.

Iceland: Day 2

 

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After morning breakfast at the hotel, our class instructor guided us on a walking tour of Reykjavík, Iceland’s capital city. We got to see Sundhöll (Reykjavík’s oldest swimming pool), Hallgrímskirkja (the largest church in Iceland, a Lutheran church with an impressive pipe organ, and a well-known, tall city landmark), and the Einar Jónsson Sculpture Garden.

We made our way by foot to the Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Iceland. Here, a professor in glaciology gave us a lecture on glaciers and ice-volcano interactions in Iceland. Iceland is located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and has a tectonic plate boundary and hot spot underneath. If all the ice in Iceland melted, global sea level would rise about 1 cm. It was really interesting to learn how scientists use mass balance and ice flow models to predict the changes in volume of Icelandic glaciers. One of the largest glaciers in Iceland, Vatnajökull, has lost 4% of its total volume since 1995. As temperatures continue to increase, scientists predict that another Icelandic glacier, Langjökull, will completely disappear by the year 2135.

After our visit to the Institute of Earth Sciences, we walked back into town and continued with our tour of the city. It was neat to see the 3D map of Iceland at City Hall since our instructor provided us with context of where we would be going the next few days and pointed out what geographic and geological features we should look out for.

Next, we had a lunch break. DIS provided us with $20 worth of local currency for lunch, and we were free to pick anywhere to go to eat (you could also have spent the money on souvenirs instead if for some reason you weren’t hungry). A group of friends and I decided we would check out the lunch places our instructor recommended. First, we headed over to Saegreifinn, the Sea Baron. This restaurant is located right along the water and is known for its lobster soup. When we walked in, we only saw two already-occupied tables, and the restaurant seemed pretty small (we only found out later that there is actually a whole separate dining room and upstairs seating once you go through a room past the cash register). Since we didn’t see any seating when we first arrived, we left the Sea Baron and instead ate lunch at another nearby restaurant called Icelandic Fish & Chips. This worked out perfectly since the restaurant’s daily specials included a fish and chips combo for $19.90. Ultimately, each of us got the exact same meal (except with different dips). We all ordered the first daily special which was white hake fish with tartar sauce and crispy potatoes. This was a great choice since the food was spot on, and there was a nice view from where we were sitting.

After lunch, our class met at The Settlement Exhibition, an exhibition on the settlement of Reykjavík and the Viking Age. The exhibition was actually built around the preserved remains of a 10^th century longhouse. We saw some Viking Age artifacts (fish-hooks, keys, iron nails, bone pins, etc.) and learned about life during the Viking Age (they practically hunted the auk to extinction). We also learned that the Arctic fox is the only land mammal native to Iceland. Finally, we learned about a layer of tephra from a volcanic eruption in 871 (plus or minus 2 years) which can be seen against a turf wall fragment thus indicating the wall was built before the tephra fell.

We finished our tour of the city after visiting the Settlement Exhibition. The last couple sights we checked out were Austurvöllur (a city square downtown which was also the site of the “Kitchenware Revolution”) and Harpa (a concert hall and conference center with beautiful architecture located just along the water).

Once we finished our tour of the city, our instructor set us free for the rest of the evening. I wandered around for a while just exploring the shops and taking pictures. During this time, I came across a plaque on the ground signifying the central point of Reykjavík, and I stumbled into a Christmas-themed store which is apparently open year-round. I regret not purchasing one of their Reykjavík Christmas ornaments to bring back to my family. One of the most exciting things I did during this free time was purchase a hand-knit Icelandic sweater. It was a little pricey, but it was well worth it since the sweater is absolutely beautiful, and I decided it would be my one major souvenir from Iceland. After exploring the shops, it was time for dinner. I returned to the Sea Baron to try their famous lobster soup (and check out their sailor-themed upstairs dining area). Then, upon realizing that the soup alone was not filling enough for me (despite its delicious taste), I walked to the very-close-by Haiti Café for a little extra food. Since Monday was jazz night, I ended my evening by listening to some snazzy jazz in a bar called Húrra.

Iceland: Day 1

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This past week (Sunday, April 15 through Friday, April 20) was Travel Week 2. During our semester with DIS, we have two travel weeks. Many students have a scheduled trip with one of their courses during one of these travel weeks. I was fortunate enough to travel to Iceland for a week-long study tour with my Glaciers and Human Impact class during Travel Week 2. Since this was an academic trip, we did have a little packet of multiple-choice and short-answer questions along with a map exercise due by the end of our Iceland trip.

After departing from Copenhagen at 2 pm on April 15, we arrived in Reykjavík, the capital city in Iceland, around 5 pm. We quickly checked in to our hotel (Fosshotel) before heading out for a nice dinner at a nearby restaurant (Matwerk Kitchen). That’s one of the perks of travelling with DIS—DIS treats you well by covering most of your meals and arranging special experiences or events you otherwise wouldn’t get to participate in or be able to discover or afford on your own. Even though it is Iceland, I was pleasantly surprised by how large, urban, and trendy Reykjavik is. Our hotel was conveniently located only a 15-20 minute walk from the main downtown area and shopping streets, and only a 5 minute walk from the coast. It was also only a few streets away from the Icelandic Phallological Museum…in case you’re into that sort of thing.

Our instructor set us free after dinner to explore Reykjavík for the rest of the evening. My friend Claudia and I checked out a gift shop, wandered along the coast, snapped some pictures, tasted some local fare, and met up with the rest of the students on the trip to enjoy Reykjavík’s nightlife.

Travel Week 1: Paris

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This past week (Saturday, March 3, through Sunday, March, 11) was Travel Week 1. During our semester with DIS, we have two travel weeks. Many students have a scheduled trip with one of their courses during one of these travel weeks. For example, I’ll be traveling to Iceland with my Glaciers and Human Impact class during Travel Week 2. However, I didn’t have any planned course activities during this past Travel Week 1.

It’s helpful to think about my Travel Week 1 as being divided into two parts. In the beginning of the week during the first part, I traveled with my friend Will to Helsingør (see earlier blog post). In the latter portion of the week (from March 7 until March 10), I traveled to Paris.

Originally, I wasn’t going to travel anywhere outside of Denmark. However, the travel weeks you receive while at DIS are probably the best opportunities you’ll have for a longer period of uninterrupted time during which you could travel and see other parts of Europe. Since it was such a great opportunity, I took a little time to do some research and then used Travelocity to book a combined flight and hotel reservation for Paris. If you do decide to do some additional independent travel, just keep in mind that you need to let DIS know and fill out a brief online form.

I stayed at Hotel Atmospheres in the Latin Quarter, only a short distance from the Notre-Dame Cathedral. It was rainy and cloudy most of the time I was there, but I definitely did not let that deter me from having a wonderful time. This semester studying abroad in Copenhagen is my first time being abroad, so this trip to Paris was also my first time being in France. On a funny side note, there were about five different times someone approached me and asked me a question thinking that I was French or could help direct them to the nearest Metro station or nearest landmarks (unfortunately, I could not).

If I described everything about my trip in detail, this blog post could easily cover enough content to become an entirely separate blog in and of itself. The major highlights of the places I visited while in France include the Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Panthéon, the Eiffel Tower, the Musée d’Orsay, the Musée de l’Armée, the Palace of Versailles, and the Louvre. Of course, the culinary scene is worth mentioning as well. I experienced baguettes, crepes, snails (yep, you read that correctly), duck, and a fine Parisian dinner at La Pie Noir.

The exterior façade and stained-glass windows of the Cathedral of Notre Dame were absolutely stunning. When I was at the Eiffel Tower, I took the stairs up the to the second level where I got to experience the very chilly wind at the balcony and an amazing view across Paris. It was surreal to stand inside the domed Panthéon and head below to see the caskets of Rousseau and Voltaire. While I knew I would need a lot of time, nothing could have prepared me to be as overwhelmed as I was by all the truly amazing art in the Musée d’Orsay and the Louvre. As a funny side note, I was so captivated by the fine art in the Denon Wing in the Louvre that I actually walked past the side room with the Mona Lisa and had to double-back once I realized that I had accidentally missed it. If you never make it to Paris, you can at least check out the pictures I’ve posted in the slideshow above.

I had an incredible few days in Paris, and I really just tried to take everything in and enjoy the moment. If you have the chance to travel elsewhere during either Travel Week 1 or Travel Week 2, I would highly recommend it. Definitely be sure to explore and appreciate Copenhagen, but take advantage of your proximity to the rest of Scandinavia and Europe as well.  I guarantee you that you’ll form lasting memories you can look back on later.