(Continued from Iceland Album - Part 2) From the Solheimajökull glacier we drove back towards Reykjavik, but turned north just after Selfoss. I’d found a perfect little cabin via Airbnb across from Lake Apavatn that would give us a cozy, quiet place to call home for two nights, with easy drives to the landscapes along the Golden Circle, and close proximity to an end-of-the-day treat: the Fontana baths at Laugarvatn.
The little cabin was even cuter than in the online photos. Agnes, our host, had cut fresh lupines for the table and left fruit and other goodies for us. I think she also arranged for the sunniest days in Iceland ever.
We’d stopped for some provisions on the way… I’ve never been so happy to cook spaghetti and sauce from a jar! Easy, inexpensive comfort food - yay! And yeah, the kids fought over who was going to sleep in the loft (because of course they wouldn’t share it), but nothing was going to ruin my happy place. John went for his morning runs along the horse trails and I spent time on the porch with tea and my journal. Next time we will rent the cabin for our entire stay - it was HEAVEN!
We started our Golden Circle drive with a visit to the Gullfoss waterfall (along with every other tourist). I am not a fan of crowds, but how could we be this close to an Icelandic icon and not go? I suppose it’s like some of our own more popular national parks: there is no such thing as solitude at Half Dome in the summer!
From Gulfoss we backtracked to the geysers. Geysir, the one that gave us the word “geyser” — I did not know this! — no longer erupts regularly, but Strokkur, the one next to it, does. I kept trying to make a photograph without every other person on the planet in it, but was always foiled. Then, however, as I was muttering and cursing, Strokkur erupted out of the blue and I got totally soaked. Serves me right :-\
I did, however, manage to get a couple photos I liked of John and the kids disappearing in the steam...
I love sundials. This one, partway up the hill overlooking the geysers, was so beautiful...
While I did not bring my camera to the Fontana baths, trust me, they were a perfect end to a day full of walking and people: quiet, and right on the shore of Laugarvatn Lake. While I wish we'd had the time to find some secret hot springs in the middle of the wilderness somewhere, this would do nicely!
And then, ahhh, a home to come back to. We love you, Cabin Agnes!
