We are boarding the ship today after spending a week in Iceland. We flew Icelandair from Denver to Rekjjavik; certainly the fastest way to get here but not the most comfortable. I booked Saga class, which is sort of analogous to a domestic US first class cabin, but with seats that hardly recline. There was a metal footrest attached to the seat in front of you, so no back of the legs support. There was quite s bit if turbulence, making it even more uncomfortable. Service was OK, but you had to remind them about three times every time you asked for more water, etc. in hindsight I should have just booked premium economy - there were a couple of rows of those seats directly behind the Saga Class cabin that looked about the same, without the center console, so you might actually have a wider seat in those.

This is our 2nd time in Iceland; 4 years ago we did day trips from Rekjjavik - a super jeep excursion, Golden Circle and hiking in Thorsmork, and rented a car and spent a couple of days exploring the Snaefeflness peninsula, west of Rekjavik.

This time we concentrated on the south and east part of the country. We landed about 6:30 AM, picked up a car and headed south to explore the Reykjanes peninsula, initially taking side roads along the coast rather than the N1 and stopping in the geothermal area of Krysuvik, a fishing village, Eyrarbakki, a once thriving trading center in the 18th century, drove around the Hella horse farm area looking for Icelandic horses to photograph, drove out to a medieval turf roof farm, stopped at the Selijlandfoss and Skogarfoss waterfalls, and checked into the Hotel Skogar, a comfy hotel down the road from the waterfall, with a terrific restaurant.

On day 2 we began the day driving west a bit and then down to the coast near Vik for a walk on a gorgeous black sand beach, framed by dramatic cliffs with basalt columns reaching down to the beach, and picturesque sea stacks and arches off shore.









We stopped in at the tourist office and took their recommendation of taking a back road up towards the Katla volcano and Myrdalsjokull glacier, at first through farmland and then into a rather otherworldly lava landscape complete with an abandoned farm's ruined, bleached wooden buildings, high on a ridgetop.

Our car remained intact and we made it back to the coast without incident. We continued westward towards the Skaftafell National Park. More basalt columns, waterfalls, horses and turf covered ruined farm buildings. Finally we crossed the dramatic, Skeidararsandur, the largest sander in the world, a desert like plain of glacier scrape as we approached the glacier tongues at Skaftafell. A twisted steel bridge, destroyed in 1996, functions as a memorial to the power of volcanoes and glaciers.

On day 3 we spent the day hiking in Skaftafell, going up to the Svartifoss falls, on to a cute farm village, Sel, and finally to the edge of one of the glaciers.

Wow - beautiful pictures Leslie! Thanks for sharing.

Sally

Enjoying your trek around Iceland. We did the Golden Circle tour with the Simpsons during SHAMROCK.

Looking forward to more of your narrative and beautiful photos. Sort of looks like your doing something a little different than those of us heading for Tahiti next week on DOLPHIN.

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Eugene

On day 4 we left the rather dreary Fosshotel Skaftafell, best available in the area. Fortunately our room was in the main hotel and not in the barrack like tin buildings out back. Iceland is expensive, but it is hard to figure out how they justify the rates at this place, other than location, location, location, right at the base of
Vatnajökull, Europe's largest glacier.


About an hour eastward we came to Jökulsárlón, a stunning glacial lagoon filled with icebergs making their way down to the sea. The lagoon has only been there since the 1930's. previous to that the glacier stretched down to the Ring Rd.

Okay Leslie officially according to "my good photography seal of approval" these are absolutely incredible pictures STUNNING is a better word. Not sure if you or Brad took them as I know sometimes he takes them you post BUT either way the team of Brad and Leslie rocks. What an absolute delight to look at these. Made my morning! Shooting this thread off to Ken at the fire station (he is STILL not retired) it will inspire him to greater things! Makes me want to hop in a car and follow in your footsteps. I love isolated areas like this far more than cities.

You are about to board the delightful little Silver Explorer without us. Not sure that is acceptable! Wish we were there with you. I think you will have a great adventure and give Frank and Wendy a big hug for us.

Wont be easy to keep the pictures coming this I know but any writen posts of your adventures and of course any pictures that can be posted will be highly appreciated.

I love sea mail especially these adventure trips so I can get up each morning and read the posts.

I agree with Ngaire, the pix are stunning! Thanks for posting your report, Leslie!

Agree w everyone else, just beautiful! Actually have peaked my interest in seeing Iceland. Thanks for taking the time and , of course, we are looking forward to reports from the explorer.
Helen

Those of us in the 90s* are loving your icebergs!! Amazing photos, Leslie and Brad. Keep your adventure reports coming.

Wow Leslie! Your pictures are beyond amazing. Thank you! Have a wonderful journey!

FABULOUS Photos Leslie & Brad !!

You are raising the bar, and its hard to keep up, and this is just the beginning of the adventure. We are all looking forward to more fabulous photos. Wish we were there.

Ken

Like Ngaire said, it made our day to wake up this morning to see & read about your great trip in Iceland. We only spent a couple of days there but just loved it..... Must go back again. Your photos say it all, thanks for sharing.

Incredible pictures Leslie, have to agree. Sounds like you are off on another wonderful adventure. Can't wait to read more.

so wonderful to read your day by day - what great adventures you two have in life!

lovely

Gorgeous photos.
I know you'll have a wonderful time on the Silver Explorer. The staff there is the best.

I saw today that Silver Explorer now has SIlversea's first female captain. She took charge yesterday and will remain on board through October. I am so excited to meet her when we board on Aug 24!
I am sure that Leslie and Brad will give her a warm welcome!!
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Helen

Absolutely fabulous Leslie and Brad. I loved Iceland but didn't begin to see anything close to these vistas. Maybe because I was there in the dead of winter! Am sorry to hear that flying there hasn't gotten any easier. Do believe that was the worst flight I have ever taken and I left from Boston so had a shorter flight than you.
Agree with Lauri, you are going to love the Explorer. And what a fabulous itinerary.
Looking forward to more postings.

Helen, I saw that news on Facebook this morning, how cool is that!

Captain Ettlin was our staff captain on the SS Explorer on ZODIAC January 2012. It was very cool to see a female at the helm. Congrats to Capatin Ettlin and Silversea.

She gave me her coat when we were watching Killer whales attach a pod of whales. It was SO COLD and we were all at the front of the ship outside the bridge. We raced up there from the dinner table so we were not dressed for the cold. I felt pretty important with a coat that said STAFF CAPTAIN on the back. She was a very nice person, happy for her promotion!

Absolutely stunning photos, Leslie! They are worthy of a gallery exhibition! Hope you and Brad are having a fantastic time!

Leslie and Brad, your photos are absolutely AMAZING! Brings back good memories of Iceland. We will board when you disembark. If you get a chance, please comment on whether you think we need to bring our water proof high muck boots. We have them, but they take up so much room in the luggage. Right now, George is saying that we should bring them as he thinks it will be muddy.

Congratulations to Captain Ettlin!

Continuing on in Iceland - we headed east along the N1 and then north around numerous fjords on our way to our next destination, Seyoisdifjordur, the 2nd most northerly fjord in east Iceland. Along the way we stopped in the small fishing village Djupivogur, a port that's been in use since the 16th century. We stopped for some tea at a cafe in the oldest building, a bright red warehouse dating back to 1790. We drove down to a harbor featuring artwork called the Eggs of Merry Bay, 34 large eggs representing local birds and stopped in at a quirky sculpture garden filled with rocks, bones, and other weird items.

Winding our way to the north around the fjords we drove past isolated farms dotting the dramatic coastal landscape. One stunning vista revealed itself after another as we followed the coast, Often with dramatic drops down to the sea. In one coastal section a rock tumbled down off the mountainside landing a few feet from our car. We stopped in Stöðvarfjörður to visit Steinasafn Petru, possibly the largest private collection of rocks, thousands of them, most collected in Iceland, all displayed in an elderly woman's home and garden amidst a riot of flowers, garden gnomes, old ship buoys and parts, Icelandic doll houses and more.

From there it was final hour and a half drive to Seyoisdifjordur, a pretty fishing village of approximately 800 people, situated at the end of a narrow fjord flanked by steep mountains. The approach to town is on a winding road down from the top of a mountain pass, with one waterfall after another. A passenger and car ferry operates from town once a week to and from Denmark and the Faroe Islands so the village has a number of galleries and shops. We checked into the Hotel Aldan, located in the old part of town amongstbcolorful buildings, many assembled from kits brought from Norway in the 19th century. The hotel operates out of several buildings; we stayed in the one that was formerly the bank, located down the street from the cute blue wooden church. Their restaurant was terrific and the room and facilities a big step up from Skaftafell.

The next day we awoke to rain and howling wind, but hopeful that the weather would turn we drove to the northernmost fjord and village of Borgarfjörður-Eystri. The road there, Rt 94, is called the haunted highway based on legend. It winds through farmland and along the coast, goes up into the mountains, the starting point for many hikes, and then descends again down to the ocean. About halfway there, in the middle of nowhere, you come upon a solar powered vending machine in a green building. If the power is off when you arrive, you just switch it on, sign the guest book, wait a few minutes and then purchase your snacks..

The village of Borgarfjörður-Eystri is home to just 100 people. There is a cute little turf house still lived in by an elderly widow, a typical Icelandic church and a bit out town there is a small harbor and platforms for viewing nesting puffins, kittiwakes and other sea birds. The puffins were gone for the season but we got some pix of kittiwakes.

On Tuesday we dropped the car in Egilsstaðir, the hub of east Iceland, and flew back to the domestic airport right in Reykjavik. Aviation is very relaxed here - no security check at all, and fortunately they didn't bother with any baggage weight limits. We stayed at the Radisson Blu Saga hotel, very much in the need of a facelift and quite a hike from downtown. We spent that afternoon and the next morning walking around downtown and the harbor front. We had dinner with Frank and Wendy at their more wisely chosen hotel, the new Icelandair Marina hotel, a stone's throw away from where the Silver Explorer docked right in the middle of town next to the whale and puffin watching boats.

Summing up travel in Iceland: it is a beautiful country, albeit expensive, but a very easy place to travel. Driving is easy, there are not that many roads so you would be hard pressed to get lost, and there's no traffic anywhere. The Icelanders are quite taciturn, with a dry sense if humor, and they are very efficient. Most importantly, the food is terrific.

All aboard the Silver Explorer on Wednesday. At the lifeboat drill probably 95% of the passengers raised their hands when asked how many had sailed before on the Explorer. The passenger base is an international mix with quite a few Australians. (Thankfully there is no large German speaking group so everything is done just once in English-we had our fateful Hanseatic Antarctica cruise with 80% German passengers and our Arctic cruise on the Explorer when it was the Prince Albert II had about 65% Austrians.) 11 passengers are continuing on from the previous voyage. There is lots of talk and anticipation about what they will do in 2015.

Yesterday was a sea day enroute to Greenland. We had a sea bird lecture, an entertaining Viking history lecture and a talk about landscape and wildlife photography tips. We also had our zodiac briefing and distribution of rubber boots. They have plenty of boots for those wondering. They called us by deck and then each passenger was personally fitted by one of the expedition staff as if you were in a shoe store! No crazy scene with everyone pawing through the boots looking for their size.

Today we spent the day in the Skjoldungen Fjord on the southeast coast of Greenland. Seas were incredibly rough last night with glasses and china flying and crashing during dinner and the ship pitching and rolling all night, so we all were looking forward to the shelter of the fjord and spending the day scenic cruising and on zodiac excursions. The weather cleared up nicely from a rainy start to a beautiful sunny day for crunching through ice and admiring the glaciers and icebergs.

Rachel and Helen: leave your boots at home, they have plenty onboard. See above.

I am typing in notes, reducing pix, making collages offline. Not used to paying for Internet!

I would pay for your internet to read your post and see your pictures love it when you are on a trip!! Honestly your pictures blow me away!

I love that first sighting of a polar bear in the collage of Reykjavik. Glad you posted that!

Thanks for the info, Leslie. The pix are gorgeous and the seas sound like the Drake Passage where I wished I had brought duct tape for the drawers in the cabin. Have a wondrous cruise!
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Helen

Thanks, Leslie. Will leave my boots at home and try to convince George.

Told George about the rough seas with china crashing. He is very jealous. He loves the rough ocean, and I think his dream is to actually be thrown from his bed due to rough weather.

Love you reports and pics.

A few more pix from yesterday

Last night was the captain's welcome cocktail party, a very special event since this is Captain Maggi's inaugural cruise. There was much whooping and clapping as we all welcomed Silversea's first female captain. Dinner was particularly good with the lobster being the most popular. Brad and Frank hedged their bets on the choice of lobster vs beef Wellington and had them both. Seas were much calmer than the night before when they must have lost dozens of sets of china to the 20' swell.

Many of you have been on the Silver Explorer and Ngaire and Ken have documented every cabin photographically. We are in a veranda cabin, which has a French balcony, not a real veranda. The floor to ceiling glass doors, which we can open to the sea air, give the impression of more space in the small cabins. There is an amazing amount of storage space, so we had no problem finding places for everything, but there is only one outlet, so i recommend bringing a multiple outlet gadget for those on future trips. The outlets take European plugs, so bring one of those too.

Today was another sunny day and we ventured into Prince Christian Sound, spent the morning nudged up close to a glacier and in the afternoon spent a couple of hours visiting a small Inuit village of about 120 residents who welcomed us with a choral concert in their church and allowed us to swarm around taking photos in an incredibly picturesque location. Two residents proudly displayed their drying polar bear hides hunted about 5 km away. The bear guides did not have their guns with them so I assume the catch occurred during winter!

Keep it coming Leslie I am enthralled. This is a trip I would have done a group on but it sold out almost immediately so there was no way to do that. Sounds like it is a fantastic trip and the pictures tell the story!!

Great pics continue. Sorry to be a pest, but another question. Please let us know if we need to bring insect repellant for Mosquitos, black flies etc.