Water that enters a fall zone and flows down through air to the centre of the Earth, before being stopped by stone, first attempts to find its original level by climbing back, before the Earth draws it away. Have a look.
Dettifoss
People come from around the world to experience this power. What at first appears to make one small and insignificant actually makes one large because as humans we live in what we see. We are the waterfall. Keeping a little distance is safe, though.
When you are caught by a veið, or a plane of gaping energy, that can devour you without a trace…
… where everything (and soon you too) is thrown, or strewn, around without sense…
… it’s best to create memory, and sense, or you will be lost, literally. Cairns like the one below are the Parthenons of Iceland. Don’t touch.
And don’t make more! That would be like destroying Shakespeare.
Even if the highway-building crew starts it, please resist translating cairns, energy gathered from throws to make wide space close, into an image of yourself as witness. This isn’t magic or art. It’s architecture and language. The path to history through them should remain open. If not, why go to Iceland?
~
Images from between Hafragilsfoss and Dettifoss, as well as on Highway 85 to Vopnafjörður.
The newest shoot of grass growing on a bit of volcanic wasteland for the first time ever in the history of the world, that’s the one that tastes best to a sheep, and they will risk life and hoof to get it.
Marauders in Stekkalækur
They’re Icelandic, hence very independent. No sherpas needed.
The sheep missed a blob there on the cliff.
Sandfjall
Don’t worry. They’ll be back to finish.
Sandfjall
Literally. From this point, something else, not “world”, continues.
Hraunhafnartangi
Keeping us safe where no man dares live any longer.
Hraunhafnartangaviti lies 800 m. south of the Arctic Circle. Much of Siberia washes up on shore.
This graveyard in a part of Iceland rarely visited fills me with joy. The church, like so many, is an imported thing, steeped in nationalism, colonialism and paternity, but the graveyard, ah, that is 1100 years living all at once.
And in a way that has no words, at least not yet. To date, it exceeds the capacity of the literary writers of Reykjavik, far to the southwest, but I like to think that some kid, alone here just below the Arctic Circle, is living the moments right now that in a decade or two will give it voice. What a day to look forward to!
So, you’ve made it through the fog …
… and across the bridge …
… and the other bridge …
…carefully! …
… to the Troll Church in Seyðisfjörður…
… with its skylight and its steeple …
… but what do you leave for the dwarves? You want to be a good guest, right? Well, a needle and some wool, maybe?
A flower? Heather is a good choice.
And the blue of the sky and the sea and the white of the waves.
And shiny things. 1 kronur coins with their flashing codfish are perfect. Dwarves love shiny things.
Might as well admire the view, eh.
And the human church next door. Not so well-built, of course. Not so experienced with stone work. Poor things. Great with plastic, though!
And then back. What else? Easy does it.
And to town.
And, yes, the dwarves have come along. The Icelanders will call it “nature,” because they’re polite and they know that the rest of us like that stuff. They know better. They even call it a “town”…
… when it is really, two. Such good manners! Such sneakiness!
So, lunch. That would be nice. Why not the Apotek in Reykjavik?
Highly rated. A rather desolate environment, sure…
… but you came here for desolate, right? The bracing subarctic! And there is a fine menu. Why, the hamburger is only about CAD$40. Add a Gull, of course, and it’ll be around $55.
What? That was a whole day’s food budget? Not to worry. There are other options. The road to Seyðisfjörður, for example, or just off to the side, in case there’s a car. Serving travellers for 1100 years.
Neðri Uðafoss
The menu is simple.
Bilberries and Rainwater
Add a Skyr for CAD$2.00…
It even comes with a clever little Chinese folding spoon, which you can keep as a souvenir! And you can wander while you eat.
Efri Selfoss
Bring a coat, though. It’s Iceland! Oh, and dessert is the same as lunch.
But that’s OK, right?
15 grams of protein!
A Farm in Iceland 