ICELAND 2016 † HORNSTRANDIR 4

"Phantasmagorical Hornstrandir"

Part 4/5

 
 
 

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I climbed the mountain towards the cliffs accompanied by Haukur and JunPyo .

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The first level is reached, I take a little advance while Haukur explains the territory to JunPyo .

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As we move up the sky whitens. The morning clearings are evaporating and the sky is cloudy.

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We are soon at bird’s height and float in the clouds.

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Here it is finally that is revealed. The Mt. Kálfatindar and its peaks rise to 520 m above the sea. The clouds slide on it at a crazy speed.

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We are progressing eastward and fall on this box perched on a rock…

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… he soon joins his brother, playing hide-and-seek in lush vegetation…

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… climb on the rocks, never ceasing to play…

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… to sometimes suddenly freeze to watch me. I know I should not be here, disturb them. I am on their territory. I am their guest.

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We reach these vertiginous cliffs. We use ropes to reach the summits.
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Haukur does not seem to be suffering from any vertigo on his playground.

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Where I am, we can see the sea several hundred meters below. The birds pass a meter from me. It is very impressive.
I stay here for hours, savoring every second. I meet the Arctic Fox Center girl doing surveys in this area. She advises me to be extremely careful.

“Are you alone? Be very careful. These cliffs are dangerous because it rained a lot. Pieces of rocks can collapse. If you fall, no one will find your body “.

I thank her for these recommendations.

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I take these moments to review the Mt. Kálfatindar . The clouds are sometimes faded to let it appear in all its majesty. I gave him a nickname: King of Cliffs.

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I did well to wait. On the ridge I see two foxes watching me. Maybe those all-in-the-hour?

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Their immobility does not last: silhouettes move…

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I quickly understand their excitement: they caught a bird.

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It is 8:30 pm when I decide to go down to the camp.

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Arrived at the lake I discovered a mirror on which a couple of swans peacefully and their little one.

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It’s 21:53. Like every night I enjoy the horizon that takes its turn at the end of the fjord. With for once, a little color.

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ICELAND 2016 † HORNSTRANDIR 3

"Phantasmagorical Hornstrandir"

Part 3/5

 
 
 

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It’s my 3rd day here.

I get up, the sky is gray but brighter than the other days. I burn to go explore the bottom of the fjord, the beach, enlarge my space. I think about it since the first hour but there is a problem: the incessant rain has inflated the torrent that runs along our camp. It forms a difficult border to cross. Although I explore upstream, downstream, I see nowhere to go on the rocks dry foot and I’m afraid of falling into the water with all my camera equipment.

Tobias encourages me to do it: go! You’ll find a fox burrow on the beach (without telling me exactly where, it’s up to me to find it and I appreciate this idea of treasure hunt). I do not want it any more, Tobias tries to help me to cross on dry foot, but as expected I fall into the water.

Nothing serious, I have water up to the thigh, but that’s it, I finally went to the other side!

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In the floc floc of my shoes full of water I advance with excitement towards this new universe.
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Above me like an overhead rail, thousands of birds fly in the same direction, silent but so many that I hear the movement of air on their wings.

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I see the waterfall but before I get there I take advantage of new shapes, materials and colors like mossy rocks fluorescent green, I who have known so far only gray gray pebbles.

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Arrived on the sand the environment seems prehistoric. I have the feeling of an original territory, many millions of years old. I remain on my guard: at any time a pterodactyl can dive on the beach.

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Everywhere this lush and wild vegetation, difficult to cross, these gigantic flowers and wood, so rare in Iceland, found here in quantity. Party of Siberia it is carried by the currents of the Arctic Ocean .

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The many waterfalls down the terrain have dug a groove that winds through the sand to the sea.

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The sand is black but a thin layer of blond sand scales the shore. The whole is of a breathtaking beauty.

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I notice at the bottom a silhouette. A kitten is alone on the beach, searching with his nose the sand he seems hungry and desperately looking for something to eat.

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The colors of this landscape are fascinating. I guess it’s the reward for all my efforts to get here. And that bad weather – if it’s hard to live – is actually a godsend.

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It is not easy to describe what I feel here, feeling of exaltation increased tenfold by loneliness.
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Fresh traces. Tobias was right, there must be a burrow somewhere on the beach.

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I see on the opposite side another kit, so tiny at the foot of the cliffs.

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The most incredible thing is that the burrow was right behind me. Hidden by a dune I did not see him. A mother is with her child. Filled with gaiety and insuscience he does not stop playing with it, jumping on it, nibbling it constantly. She, suspicious, pierces my eyes.

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Sudden attack of the little coyote. This liveliness in reality will depend on its survival. It is necessary to catch birds, their main food.

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I spend hours watching them lie in the sand so as not to frighten them.
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Two foxes join them now. I am living an extraordinary moment. As a photographer of landscapes, I had never experienced the unique sensation of watching a wild animal in its natural environment.
We feel an intense emotion, loneliness reinforces the idea of communion with the animal and the wilderness around us.

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The little ones finally disappear and the mother falls asleep peacefully. I decided to return to the camp, crazy for happiness to have lived this moment.

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I go back to the waterfall under a ray of sunshine unpublished since my arrival.
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Back to the pebble beach. We see the houses at the bottom.

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When I arrive at the camp, Tobias is in big discussion with two hikers.

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Let’s make the presentations:
Left JunPyo Hong aliases JP , he is a doctor in Seoul in South Korea. Photographer, he travels to the most beautiful countries in the world to make beautiful images.

In the middle Haukur Sigurðsson , the man in the purple hat (even if he does not wear it on this image). Haukur lives in Isafjordur, he is a child of the country. He knows Westfjords like his pocket and seldom leaves this region, except to travel around the world.
JP hired Haukur to guide him in Hornstrandir.

Right: of course you’ll have recognized it, it’s my friend Tobias!

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Quick debriefing around the map. Haukur and JP take advantage of this beautiful day to hike, we decide to go together on the cliffs of Hornbjarg.

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My fox friend passes not far from us. For once the light is not too bad and I look forward to this atmosphere on this spring image.

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ICELAND 2016 † HORNSTRANDIR 2

"Phantasmagorical Hornstrandir"

Part 2/5

 
 
 

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The day is rising on a sky of end of the world. The rain sometimes breaks down to give way to a thick drizzle. In front of me the landscape is ghostly.

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I’m walking around. The soil is waterlogged, the trail very muddy. The vegetation seems to come from another world. It is dense, very well supplied. It is difficult to move off the path that runs along the pebble beach.

I observe these large flowers in the shape of a sphere, a small bird, simple sparrow arises in front of me, in this universe of large sea birds it is quite amazing.

Many things are oversized here, starting with these insects, these huge flies and these fine spiders that disgust me since I found one in my tent.

 

UNEXPECTED MEETING


Around noon, I see the young director of the Arctic Fox Center had veered the day before from my location) chatting with my only neighbor (the Israelis left).

I approach and greet them:

– “Good afternoon. I’m Michael, photographer.”
– “Nice to meet you, Michael. My name’s Tobias and I’m a wildlife filmmaker.”
– “Have you been here a long time?”
– “Yes, nearly two months now.”
– “Two months here on your own?! What are you working on?”
– “I’m making a film about Arctic foxes for German television. I’m used to it, you know. I already spent two months here last year! And what about you? What brings you here?”
– “I’ve come to take photographs, of course, but also to do research for my map of Iceland.”
– “Michael, was it you who produced this map of Iceland for photographers? Everyone who comes here has a copy with them!”
– “Yes, that’s me!” (as surprised as I was flattered)
– “That’s great! Sit down. Would you like a tea or a coffee?”

There followed five days of exchanges, of chatting about Iceland and the numerous places we had both visited, including Siberia. I must admit I was happy to have Tobias to keep me company, and indeed it was reciprocal since one thing is for sure: this is a rainy part of the world, where clouds hug the fjords and the fog never seems to clear away. Over the five days of my adventure, it rained for four, with zero visibility. I can see why Tobias had to stay there so long! You have to learn to be patient.

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It’s almost 18h when the unthinkable happens. The same fox I saw the day before suddenly appears on the ridge.

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He hides himself without hiding. Attentive, he observes.

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He evolves by shaving the grass very furtively but does not seem afraid of my presence.

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I let you imagine my amazement to see him evolve so close to me. From time to time he utters very peculiar yelps. Like a lament. Then he disappeared.

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It’s 7 pm and I decide to go see these houses more closely.

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I’m walking along the beach. It is dotted with driftwood, I find a whalebone, a buoy …

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The landscape that faces me fascinates me. These are just shades of silver gray.

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I reach both houses. Tobias told me that they belong to families from here. According to my research they were inhabited until 1945. I like to imagine what could be life here at the time for these families totally isolated from the world. If we spent 3 hours with a powerful motorboat, what an adventure it must have been to reach Isafjordur a century ago!

It is impossible today to build a house because the area is a protected natural park. The value of these houses is therefore invaluable. Yet, they are empty, in full summer. Damn it, but why do not the many descendants take advantage of it ?!

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I approach the window. Everything is there: the flag, the old stove, the map, the canvas, the picture of the ancestors. A CB radio, the only way to communicate here.

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Facing it, a portico with two buoys attached.

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What hides the shed below? The whole world of the sailor: a canoe, rope, life jackets.

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From the house we see the horn of the fjord that we grazed yesterday by boat.

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It is 21:20, I decide to return. In the darkness I see my friend fox galloping in the moor.

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I take a last look at the horizon. It is 9:40 pm .

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ICELAND 2016 † FOREWORD

"Phantasmagorical Hornstrandir"

 
 
 

 
 
 

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WHY THE HORNSTRANDIR ?


For my 8th Icelandic adventure I wanted to offer myself a distant land, inaccessible and phantasmagorical: The Hornstrandir . I had caressed the horizons of the look at my various passages in the Westfjords but had never taken the plunge.

My attraction to expanses of white and northern lights means that I tend to choose the winter season to visit Iceland, but this Nature Reserve is only accessible from mid-June to mid-August (and only by boat), making summer the sole option. My ticket was taken for July 23.

The crucial thing about heading “into the wild” is that you should be entirely autonomous: no resupply of food or other essentials, no electricity, no internet or telephone connection. You have to plan your expedition down to the tiniest detail, especially if you are going solo.

I had everything checked as professionally as possible. Mounted, disassembled several times my new tent in the living room of my Paris apartment (yes).
 
Purchased freeze-dried food for 5 days , portions that astronauts take on a mission. My checklist was extremely effective: I had even planned a dictaphone to record my feelings in real time. My son Andy (5 years old at the time) was quick to requisition the small device fun, having fun to leave me full of messages. I did not know it yet, but I’ll be glad to hear them once up there.

It all starts at Isafjordur , the northernmost city in Iceland that has been reached since Reykjavik by plane, bus or car. I chose this last option thanks to the support of my friends Lagoon car rental (thanks for the perfect 4×4 Subaru Forester!), It will take between 5 and 6 hours driving from the capital. The advantage of the car is that you can combine this expedition with a roadtrip in the sublime Westfjords that I never tire of browsing.

The boat that leads into Hornstrandir drops you off at various locations, from Hesteyri to Hornvik at the edge, it will take 3 hours of navigation to reach this end of the world and it is this place that I chose.

This vast nature reserve (580 km2) is a fabulous adventure playground for hikers, they leave with big backpacks and walking sticks but I realize that it will be impossible for me to transport all my photo material through the mountains and valleys (about 30 kilos with the tent, food etc). So I chose to bivouac at Hornvik and explore the “star” area from my camp.

Regarding the timing: It is possible to make the round trip Isafjordur – Hornvik in the day which saves you any camping chore (count 3h boat in the morning then again 3h for the return to 16h) but leave you very little time on site, you can also spend a night in a tent with a group, some agencies organize everything for you.

I made a different choice, I wanted to take the time to immerse myself in nature alone and far from everything: it is as much a photographic adventure as personal that I wanted to live there. If this challenge Robinson Crusoe tempts you nothing more simple, take a ticket “unaccompanied” by not omitting this small detail: the boat passes only every 5 days. In other words, do not miss the return!
 

MISSION HORNSTRANDIR


I gave myself 4 missions during this stay:
1. Survive this adventure in order to be able to tell you my story.
2. Photograph Arctic foxes, since Hornstrandir is a place of choice to observe them.
3. Bring back some images of Hornbjarg and Mt. Kálfatindar , the most majestic cliff in the country.
4. Visit Latravik lighthouse, a little further south. Lighthouses have always excited me, and I couldn’t imagine leaving without having admired it.

So did I meet my goals?
 

CHECKLIST FOR HORNSTRANDIR


In the photo bag

– 2 Canon 5DSR Cases
– 100-400 II
– 70-200 F4 IS
– 24-70 f2.8
– 17-40 f4
– Batteries x4
– 5 128GB Memory Cards
– Rain bags
– Rain sleeve
– Tripod (not used)

electronics

– Mackbook pro 13 ‘
– 2 external hard drives
– Dictaphone
– iPhone (for video)
– External charger
– small batteries
– Cables

Clothes

– 2 x FjallRaven pants
– 5 x boxer shorts + socks
– Woolpower / polar underlay
– hat
– light gloves
– Rain gear (Goretex + Cape)

Food

– Heater + gas
– Small dinette Plate, cup, cutlery
– food
– gourd
– small sponge + flask washing up liquid
– Plastic Bags & amp; Big Bags Trash for dirty clothes and shoes, rubbish

site

– Vaude Taurus 2p Tent
– Sleeping bag + meat bag
– Ground sheet
– towel
– Assietes, cup, cutlery
– Leatherman knife
– Washing line
– Aluminum paper
– Sopalin + PT
– Carabiners
– Torch charged
– Front loaded
– Touring watch

Food

– Sachets of liopylated food
– A Basque cheese (for morale)
– A ham ass
– Flask of whiskey
– salt + pepper + sugar
– Instant coffee

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ICELAND 2012 † 6

"The Kodachrome trip"

Part 6/6

 
 
 

Flatey Island


 

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Welcome aboard the Baldur ferry . We embarked at Brjánslækur (north) and descend to Stykkishólmur on the Snæfellsnes peninsula . We will make a stop on Flatey Island “the flat island”, 3 hours during which we can explore the island and maybe meet Icelanders, who knows?

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Approaching Flatey we see his lantern, the Klofningur , so typical of Icelandic lighthouses in his orange coat. It was built in 1926.

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When we land on Flatey we only see radiant faces. Reunions, hugs, wheelbarrows of children. No car on Flatey , not even road, some houses huddled around a nice cafe, then scattered here and there along the rock.

We can stop for a few hours and enjoy the delights of a life spared by the noise (and fury) of civilization.

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The first house we cross on the island is a shop (the only one, by the way, aptly named “quay shop”), housed in an old shed. Delicious bazaar, wonderful odds and ends offering objects as diverse as varied.

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Welcome to Bryggjubúðin !

It is Urður Bergsdottir , who welcomes us, guardian of the temple that day.

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Sheep cranes, stuffed puffins, colored eggs, all kinds of stones.
Small jewels, creations on cardboard, on paper, embroidery, books and old objects.
Not to mention big Icelandic sweaters.
It’s a true Viking curiosity cabinet waiting for you here, a treasure of authenticity.

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Les beaux livres du Bryggjubúðin.

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On Flatey arctic terns are queen. Beware of those who move away from the village and flirt with their territory, they will quickly hunt.

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Stryta , a typical Flatey house, is ideally located in front of a pretty cove where some fishing boats sleep. A grandmother and her grandson came out and invited Andy to eat some cookies …

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… enjoying the bargain we were invited to drink coffee in this indescribably charming house. Sigurður Már ‘s grandparents (the blond) are very familiar with children: he is a retired mathematics teacher and former teacher, both from Selfoss and here all their summers.

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Stryta is decorated by Madame with infinite care, each object (the house in ants) is classified according to its color and style. The rooms are tiny, the rooms upstairs seem to be able to accommodate only dolls, but the waves and the heat that reign there make you want to stay here for eternity.

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Icelanders have a tradition of decorating their windows. Shared pleasure, silent exchange between the interior and exterior world, objects and various trinkets proudly enthroned, offered as food to passers-by.

The small house Stryta does not fail the rule and each of its openings proposes a particular collection. This alignment of bottles seems straight out of an elven pharmacy. Elixir, poison or antidote? No matter, the spell has already made its effect. Since a long time.

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Back to the dock where children frolic. Andy watches them. He wants to play, but they are too big!
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I once again enjoy Icelandic benevolence. The captain of Baldur invites me to his side to enjoy the show of the crossing.

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Kirkjufellfoss, Hraunfossar


 

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Landed at Stykkishólmur we rush to Grundarfjörður to see Kirkjufell . It is already very late, we sleep at his feet to photograph in the early morning.

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Hraun = Lava. Fossar = Fall. Hraunfossar = Lava fall. But why ?
Because water rises from all sides of lava flanks that surround it and not from a stream. To add to the beauty of the place, the water of the river is a turquoise blue that borders on indecency.

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Reykjavik


 

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Back to Reykjavik .
We find its codes and icons. Among them, these old American cars of the 70s that we cross in number ( remember the Dodge Challenger on Heimaey ) in a country yet totally unsuited to this kind of vehicle. The license plate – as in the United States – can be personalized …

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Arriving the first day I went up to the old hospital to get there. photograph the church . You remember ?

I wanted to return just before leaving, negotiating with the guard a few minutes alone, at the top of the tower, to gaze one last time this city, the capital of the country I love so much.

I will return very soon, but in winter this time!

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ICELAND 2012 † 5

"The Kodachrome trip"

Part 5/6

 
 
 

F338, F35, to the north


 

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I wanted to follow this track (F338) as a scout. I wanted to check if she booked surprises? If we ignore the delights of solitude it offers the traveler, there is not much to see. And then, it is covered by many high voltage lines which does not help.
However, it is possible to cross these pretty oases, small fragile flowers in a hostile desert.

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Hveravellir is a unique geothermal area in the world. I waited for the evening hours to keep a bluish memory.

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Typically the time you can find on Road 35 . Silver light on coal floor.

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Recognizable among all, the Kerlingarfjöll and its “caramel mountains” are part of the trip. I still have not found the light expected, but it was not raining, it’s already that!

On the wooden bridge I met three young hikers just back from a week in the Hornstrandir (extreme north of Westfjords , very isolated area accessible only by boat ). One of them showed me on his reflex the perfect moment where he could film an arctic fox mother playing with his little ones.

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8:32, ideal temperature and delight of a ray of sunshine. We take this opportunity to air the car before going to explore the Westfjords .

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Les Westfjords


 

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The road to Djúpavík to the Hornstrandir borders, the Norðurfjörður region is probably my favorite.

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There are deserted beaches collecting driftwood from Siberia . The previous visitors have left a message, this Icelandic flag tinkered with care, we do not know why, I do not know who for whom, but I pay homage here.

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Kambur Mountain . This mountain lace. This isolated house. This silver fjord. This light. This beauty.

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Arrived at Djúpavík at almost 23h, we discover some houses grouped around the historical monument of the city: the chimney of the herring factory.
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As in many Icelandic villages children improvise a small market made of odds and ends, pebbles, shells and small pieces of driftwood.
Andy was so happy to find children in a region (Norðurfjörður) where only 56 people live.

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The engine turbine of the abandoned factory of Djúpavík .

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Here we are inside one of the silos of the factory. Completely closed, in addition to the visual charisma of the place (the rusting lines of rusty metal, the material of its decrepit walls), the resonance inside is unique and I can not help but push notes that are repeated at infinity.
Small precision: there is no door, you must wink through the hole you see on the left.

It is in this silo that Sigur Rós recorded this track (which I really like):
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Anecdote : This place made me discover a destiny. Claus is German. Fascinated – I quote – by the islands, the remote and / or abandoned places, his life will switch when in 2003 his girlfriend of that time (“she probably wanted to get rid of me” he told me with mischief) him shows a newspaper article about the world’s most isolated hotel and the factory that faces it. Djupavik . All that Claus wanted was there.

Claus left everything: country, girlfriend. he became a factor at Reykjavik to be as close as possible to his “ Djúpavík” factory.

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The long gallery of the abandoned factory of Djúpavík . There are sometimes organized concerts and exhibitions.

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This pontoon faces Djúpavík , the city at the end of the world. When I say city, I measure my words since it is only a few houses that compose it, half of which are abandoned.
In the middle of the village you will find the wonderful Hotel Djúpavík whose Owners Eva and Ásbjörn are the only ones who have lived here all year since 1984.
I will spend one night in room # 9 in August 2016.

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These Westjords are the kind of unusual shelter. Located on a windy plateau the stray walker, the exhausted cyclist will find refuge for the night. Difficult to resist curiosity: what do we find inside? Let’s take a look.
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Here is the notebook I found . They are – in my opinion – objects as precious as aesthetic, patinated by the weather and the weather, filled with the energy of the people of passage, only real witnesses of the place. Until the cover is filled, who will have the good idea to leave a new notebook to continue the story?

The problem is not so much to have the idea, but especially because we rarely walk in these countries with a blank notebook! To remember for the next time.

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Frame in the frame, the window upstairs gives you an idea of the environment, desert and devoid of any shelter.

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I like this picture but I understand you did not see any interest.
It tells the rough side of the Icelandic rock, the difficulty of building a track. We take an immediate pleasure to the gigantism of the truck which takes all its size thanks to Andy.

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Another emergency shelter, ultra-modern this one. Andy obviously wants to enter. Lets go see.

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Space Shuttle Content : Moleskin benches, a blanket and a gas heater. A tablet on which we find some candles and food left by previous visitors (if possible from the country of origin to mark his identity).

There is an idea of transmission in these refuges: I leave a message (name, date, nationality, a few words, small sketches for the most daring) that will testify of my passage and animate the evening of the lonely hiker. A little food. There is also a radio transmitter for emergency calls.

You will appreciate the title of the novel, judiciously chosen.

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When the Arctic Ocean disguises itself as an Indian Ocean.

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The cliffs of Latrabjarg , the extreme west of the country, receive at this end of the day the fires of a sun marrying the horizon.
The first birds we see are these little pinguoins, yes, they are pinguoins Torda , “Razorbill” in English.

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The population of puffins (“Puffins” in English) has declined significantly in Iceland without explanation why. From 5 million to 2 million in a few years, we find these adorable companions only in a few corners, and sporadically. Creepy ! For example, I have hardly seen them in the Vestmann Islands of which they are the emblem.

Luckily I was able to observe it on the cliffs of Látrabjarg , unanimously recognized as one of the most beautiful “spots” with marine birds of the world. Many of us were there that day. Astonishing to see these photographers travel the world with their huge telephoto lenses in search of some birds.

Paying no attention to the landscapes, they come directly here. Their thing is birds and that’s all.

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Read more

ICELAND 2012 † 4

"The Kodachrome trip"

Part 4/6

 
 
 

La côte sud, Vik, Dyrholaey


 

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Return to the south coast where we recover strength on the Gufufoss meadow. Andy swallows his bottle after swallowing some kleinas (Icelandic pastries).

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Gufufoss is hidden in a fault, it is not difficult to reach it by cons it is impossible to see it by staying dry. Plan a rain cape!

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A photograph that smells like summer. It seems to me that the small yellow flowers are buttercups, similar to those found at Faroe Islands .

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This photo was taken at Nikon D800 with a Big Stopper from Lee Filters which allows me a 13-second break in the middle of the afternoon. The radiant sun explodes the colors and makes the dark ocean bright and transparent.

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I really like this photograph that I shot in large format on a paper Hahnemühle Photo Rag . The black and white print on this textured cotton fiber paper is beautiful. You should try !

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This view of Dyrhólaey from the ark shows the erosion of the rock that is undergoing the onslaught of an angry ocean all year long.

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The lighthouse of the cape Dyrhólaey captures the last rays of the sun, in the background the Reynisdrangar are already draping in the night.

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Andy, 7:00 am . At first simply posted on my blog, I was surprised how much this image made react. I decided to propose it to you here.

It is in its evocative power that it finds its strength. By looking at it we put ourselves in the place of the amazed child (by Skógafoss ) and at the same time awaken the one who sleeps in us.

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An evocation of Ingólfshöfði in the distance.

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Five photographs (bracketing) were necessary to make this portrait of the most famous plane of Iceland. At that time we could still go by 4×4. And find yourself alone.

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Lakagigar


 

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One of the treasures accessible yet often forgotten . The Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, excavated 2 million years ago, offers an unreal spectacle. Many ledges follow one another and offer impressive – but perilous – views of the canyon. Many signs warn of danger, which suggests some accidents … Dizziness abstain.
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F206 in all its splendor. That it is good to ride on this track finally “soft” after 3 difficult hours in the pebbles to fear a puncture far from everything.

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The Lakagigar is a unique place in the world, the biggest volcanic explosion of all time (the years of famine that followed are at the origin of the French Revolution).

Climbing on the Laki (the volcano that gave its name to the place) we see the 30-kilometer scar on both sides.

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Gold and steel. From here we can see the two twin lakes Kambavatn and Lambavatn . In the horizon, the mountains of Langisjór which I mentioned earlier.

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The Northeast view from the Laki . The volcanic line can be seen on this crushed plane at 200 mm . At the bottom, the flanks of the largest glacier in Europe, the Vatnajökull .

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F207 , commonly known as the Laki loop, offers nice surprises like this crater lake, the Tjarnagigur . The tiny white dots on the lake are swans.

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It happens that we cross trolls in Iceland, what’s more normal after all? That night it was the devil himself who struck me down, evil evocation of Mordor (“black country” in Sindarin) for lovers of J.R.R. Tolkien .

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Jökulsárlón


 

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I always arrive at Jökulsárlón in the evening to enjoy a soft light. In June at midnight the colors of sky, water and ice have the good taste to be perfectly complementary (pink / cyan).
The birds seem to appreciate just as much as me.

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No it is not a jewel Lalique or some master glassmakers of Murano. Most ice blocks in Jökulsárlón are white and opaque, but a few are perfectly transparent. I enjoy watching the texture and reflections.

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Taking a little height, I look up and breathe deeply. It’s 23:44, it’s June 29, 2012. It’s my birthday. The red moon gives me a complicit look. Never forget this moment.

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Read more

ICELAND 2012 † 3

"The Kodachrome trip"

Part 3/6

 
 
 

F208, F223, F235


 

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The F208 offers fluorescent greens that we come to believe that the creator played here with Photoshop.
I particularly like these areas where the water seeks its way, creating silver filaments on the volcanic soil. One can see in the foreground one of the many fords that punctuate the track.

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The air is so pure here that one has the impression of having put a dust filter on its objective.

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In Iceland every mountain, every hill has its name. No need to have proportions “out of the ordinary” to be baptized.
I find there a relationship with the different nature of ours, a certain respect, an attention. So here’s Madame (Miss?) Halldórsfell , still on F208 .

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Ófærufoss is located in a fault several kilometers long, Eldgjá Canyon “the throat of fire”. It is a mythical fall and out of the ordinary by its size and its power.
To add to its legend, it was once adorned with a natural arch in the foreground which unfortunately collapsed in 1993 following an earthquake.

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Browse F208 is always a great emotional moment. The southern portion between Landmannalaugar and Route 1 is without doubt one of the most beautiful trails in the world.

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Langisjór is located in a very isolated area of the Highlands north of Lakagigar . Lake of very elongated form, wedged between 2 rows of mountains ( Tungnráfjoll and Fogrufjöll ), the feeling of loneliness is at its paroxysm.
I found absolute silence, not a breath of wind, not a bird’s cry, not a fish to break the surface of the water.

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Landmannalaugar


 

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Overlooking the Frostadavatn , we find this small crater of ideal proportions, the Stútur . I gave him the first role on this picture because I particularly like it.

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The rise of Bláhnukur , Landmannalaugar . I turn from time to time to breathe and observe the valley which is discovered under a light of storm, of those which I prefer.
Hikers below (do you see them on the route?) Are worried in front of the darkness that is advancing at a great pace.

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The downhill of Bláhnukur on its northern flank is a bit steep, it’s true, but it plunges into an unreal spectacle. The last rays of the sun come to explode the colors of the rhyolite mountains.
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Emilie has taken the lead. We can see in the valley the river that we will have to cross to reach the lava field. Inflated by the storm, it will cause us serious worries.

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But no matter, I drag on the summits despite the threat. How to give up such points of view? And this light! Remember in 2009, the sky was so low and the incessant rain .
A hiker approaches me: “It’s a photographer’s paradise here!” she says with a knowing smile. Photographer or not, everyone is amazed by the beauty around us.

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Close-up of the Landmannalaugar icon, the Brennisteinsalda mountain (literally “Sufuric Wave”). It is said to be the most colorful in Iceland. Two hikers give you the ladder. Do you see them?

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Further down the valley I come across a couple of wild geese. The sky is still low, the colors indescribable.
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Ljótipollur


 

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Ljótipollur is a volcano with impressive charisma. He is intimidating with his blood-red flanks. Draculéen.

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From its eastern point you can see the river Tungnaá which has its source in Vatnajökull .

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It’s 9:21 pm , the day is decaying but I’m mesmerized by the volcano. Absolute silence. Feeling of loneliness exarcerated by emptiness.
Yet a car arrives on the ridge. A man comes down with a fishing rod. Without a look at me he goes down the sides of the crater and throws his line.
Incredulous, I leave him alone in this immensity.

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Read more

ICELAND 2012 † 2

"The Kodachrome trip"

Part 2/6

 
 
 

F225


 

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Wake up in the Highlands . We slept right there on the edge of the F225 track.

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In front of us this dark mountain with golden reliefs. Sublime.

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We will spend part of the day on this track, exploring the views of the Hekla volcano .

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At the end of the track, taking the road 26 on the left we reach one of the most beautiful falls of Iceland. Powerful and engulfed in its basaltic canyon, under the protection of Mt. Burfell , Thjofafoss means “Thieves fall” . Why ? For there were thieves robbed of drowning in the past.

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To Thorsmork


 

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This hill is the guardian of Thórsmörk . You’ll come across it on the edge of F249 .
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Thórsmörk “Thor Forest” is one of the most beautiful places to explore in Iceland. But to reach it you will first have to walk along the track that runs along the Krossá river. This view overlooking the valley can observe. Its calm appearance is misleading because it can quickly become formidable. Absolutely avoid if you do not have a good crossing experience (and the car that goes with it).

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The Thórsmörk – Skógar hike offers magical views of “The Valley of the Gods” .

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The last climb in the snow is very trying for Emilie who has been carrying Andy on his back for more than 5 hours.

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We finally arrived on the still steaming lava field of the Eyjafjallajökull . The floor is hot, about 40 degrees to the delight of Andy who can finally get out of his cocoon and indulge in his passion: play with pebbles.

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Down to the base camp. This trek of 9 hours, very trying because we were heavily loaded, remains unforgettable. Andy (20 months) will not remember but he may keep something magnetic, smells, sensations.

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Happy but tired! The reverse works too.

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Vestmann Islands


 

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Steinar Magnusson , commander of Herjolfur, is a true gentleman. I had the chance and honor to live this crossing at his side. On his screen he shows me our position.
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Viewpoint of the Vestmann Islands from the top of the Elgafell volcano.

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Vestmannaeyjar is an archipelago of several volcanic islands grouped around Heimaey . Among them two are subject to fantasy because each houses one and only one house.
This is Elliðaey and Bjarnarey (taken from Heimaey ).
Elliðaey (left) was almost offered to Björk in the 1990s by the prime minister, for “his contribution to Iceland’s international influence”, but the idea was abandoned after the brisk protests from the local population. It is my opinion that the singer would not have accepted such a gift anyway!

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Heimaey LifeStyle . An image with a few icons: the American car (and not just any one, a Dodge Challenger ladies gentlemen please), the mini football field circled in wood, the church (which is about to celebrate a wedding ), some houses and in the background the volcano Helgafell .

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I love these colorful houses design a little outdated 70s way. There is a nice collection on Heimaey . Here are two examples.

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It is essential to take them face-to-face to avoid any fleeting and gracefulness of their linearity / simplicity.
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4000 inhabitants live peacefully on Heimaey . Protected from the rest of the world they know each other. This farmer received us in his garden and told his story, marked by the eruption of the Helgafell in 1973. Observing the image I notice the lollipops hanging over the geese and I wonder what are they for? Maybe to scare the predatory terns!

In the background we can see the snowy summit of the Eyjafjallajökull , the inhabitants of Heimaey were at the forefront of the eruption of 2010.

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Elephants are numerous in Iceland. I came across this one while touring Heimaey on the Viking boat Tours. A handsome male seems, certainly a little old (a few million years) but the look remains lively and conquering.

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One of the many birds that can be seen on Heimaey .

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The Herjolfur , the majestic Vestmannaeyjar ferry, is back. It’s time to go back to the mainland.

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One last look at Heimaey before continuing our adventures. I do not know yet but I will return in June 2014 as a guide (to read in an upcoming story).

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ICELAND 2009 † 3

“The maiden voyage”

Part 3/3

 
 
 

Carte de la troisième partie du road trip en Islande en 2009

 
 
 

Route 35 to the South


 

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One of the most iconic hot pots in Iceland. I did not bathe there, preferring to take advantage of my time to explore the surroundings … and have a beer in the cabanon next door which serves as coffee. I spoke with the young server from Afghanistan!

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Two hikers (in the center, do you see them?) Walk Kerlingarfjöll . This Highland massif offers vanilla / caramel hues unique in the world.
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Geothermal activity is omnipresent and even dangerous. Beware of bubbling water and mud pots sometimes hidden.

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We are at the end of road 35 , we had to come to this Golden Circle that I feared so much for its touristy side. The fall Gullfoss is part of this famous triptych with Geysir and Thingvellir .
Composed of several levels it offers various points of view. A tip: the water takes emerald green reflections in the late afternoon.

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Similar and yet all different, the Icelandic churches are the antithesis of our European cathedrals: simple, modest, small refuges flooded with light, warm and colorful. Here is an inside view of the Thingvellir church, the oldest parliament in world history.

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Snaefellsness Peninsula


 

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I really like this photograph. This blur of movement, the shape of the ribbon … everything here is an invitation to travel. Welcome to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula !

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Lonely horse on Snaefellsnes .

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She became very famous … but at the time no one was talking about it. We first see it from a distance, wedged between sea and mountain, below the road 54 . All dressed in black, an Icelandic flag slams on its side.
The captivating Budarkirkja .

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In the far west of the Snaefellsnes peninsula is the Skardsvik beach. According to my research is a beautiful beach of blond sand with turquoise waters (if so, make a Google image and you will see). Except that night … the beach is gone. I cling to a good distance on a wooden ramp so as not to be swept away by the wind. Beside me a couple makes a sound capture of the ocean furious. We exchange a complicit look at this show … Wagnerian.

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Whether you believe it or not, I never heard of Kirkjufell , the “church mountain”, when I met her. I will never forget this moment when I see her appear on the edge of 54 in the morning light. I stop incredulously and make this cliche of a mountain become mythical and that I return religiously every year.

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Road to the Westfjords


 

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Not having planned to explore the Westfjords (isolated fjords of the northwest) I knew absolutely nothing about it. Each kilometer traveled to the north offers a lot of surprises until this incredible junk on the track 612 . Here is Hnjotur , the most unlikely “museum” in the world, 100 km under the Arctic Circle.

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The further we get from humanity, the more grandiose nature becomes. From this high point of view named Sandafell I face this rocky plateau with a tabular profile caused by the ice age (barely 10,000 years), so characteristic of the Icelandic relief.

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On the way to Ísafjörður we sail along fjords facing the setting sun. Here is one of the most beautiful, one of the narrowest, one of the longest (37 km): Dýrafjörður .

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Morning reflection at Ísafjörður .

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It is a great emotion to find seals in freedom. We stayed a good two hours to observe … or is it the opposite?

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Back to Reykjavik


 

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One last freezing night in Ísafjörður then we must think about leaving the northern regions. 500 km to go south to join the civilization, comforted by the mere idea of sleeping in a real bed. A rainy and rainy day was on the horizon, but the sky offered us some thinning.

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Exploring the Reykjanes Peninsula – in the southwest – is a kind of smooth “descent” before taking off with a big heart. It is not devoid of interest, there are even treasures:
Here is the adorable, tiny Krisuvikirkja , fragile wooden shell perched on a hill, facing the sea This church is unfortunately no longer, reduced to ashes by a kid on January 1, 2010. But Iceland is not afraid of fire, that would be known. Land of life, rebirth, the church is rebuilt identically by its carpenters. Not on the spot, but on a piece of garden, in Reykjavik .
She will resume her place soon, I hope, I will not fail to come and talk to you about it!

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