Disapuffined but not disappointed
Hanging at the art farm!
5/25/25
We left our first Hotel Flokalundur and headed toward the town of Bildudalur. We’re staying tonight at the Harbor Inn, which overlooks….you guessed it…the harbor. But first, a few detours.
Our first stop is at a rusted hulk of a ship that was grounded. It’s pretty big but is pretty much rusting away. To quote a line from a movie, “I need a tetanus shot just from looking at it.” It’s a cool shipwreck and not only worthy of photos, it was worthy of drone flights.`
We left our first Hotel Flokalundur and headed toward the town of Bildudalur. We’re staying tonight at the Harbor Inn, which overlooks….you guessed it…the harbor. But first, a few detours.
Our first stop is at a rusted hulk of a ship that was grounded. It’s pretty big but is pretty much rusting away. To quote a line from a movie, “I need a tetanus shot just from looking at it.” It’s a cool shipwreck and not only worthy of photos, it was worthy of drone flights.`
Gardar (the name of the ship)
Stop two is a place called Golden Beach. We travel over mountain passes on narrow gravel roads for probably 15 miles. It’s of course gorgeous, but we go in and out of fog and rain. It’s Iceland so this isn’t unusual at all. We expect it.
After that we move to Latrabjarg, the largest puffin hatchery in the world. It is not on the beaten path but isn’t far from the Golden Beach. More bumpy gravel roads get us there. There is a biting wind and it’s pretty cold. We dress accordingly and head towards the cliffs to see the puffins!
After that we move to Latrabjarg, the largest puffin hatchery in the world. It is not on the beaten path but isn’t far from the Golden Beach. More bumpy gravel roads get us there. There is a biting wind and it’s pretty cold. We dress accordingly and head towards the cliffs to see the puffins!
Golden Beach
A biting sea wind chills us to the bone, and we arrive to the cliffs to find thousands of birds………but no puffins. I talk to a bird guy from Norway who spoke a little english and he said…….”no puffins”. He also told me they went on a boat to an island up north known for puffins…..and they found none there.
Latrabjard was a bit of a disappointment……and the place smelled like half digested fish and bird crap. But if you get hundreds of thousands of birds all in one place, that’s bound to happen. We leave and head towards our next lodging for two nights in Bildudalur.
Latrabjard was a bit of a disappointment……and the place smelled like half digested fish and bird crap. But if you get hundreds of thousands of birds all in one place, that’s bound to happen. We leave and head towards our next lodging for two nights in Bildudalur.
No puffins.....
We stopped in a town called Patreksfjörður for dinner. Laurie had a vegetarian quiche and I have one of the most amazing steaks I’ve ever had. It was a lamb ribeye with peppercorn sauce, sauteed vegetables, and new potatoes. Laurie’s was good, but I got the best end of the meal deal by a long shot.
We stop at the N1 (an awesome chain of Icelandic gas stations) for fuel and I get soft served ice cream. I don’t know what it is about their soft serve. They sell it at gas stations all over the country and I just love it. It’s so much creamier than soft serve in the states.
We stop at the N1 (an awesome chain of Icelandic gas stations) for fuel and I get soft served ice cream. I don’t know what it is about their soft serve. They sell it at gas stations all over the country and I just love it. It’s so much creamier than soft serve in the states.
An amazing meal
The car was covered in a red dust mud that wouldn’t wash off in the rain. Iceland doesn’t really have car washes….at least what I’ve seen. But what they do have is a wash area at many gas stations. It’s free, has sprayers, brushes, and works great. So I clean the red dust and mud off the car.
We arrive in Bildudalur to our guest house which is of course great. Lodging in Iceland is pretty top notch. Always clean, always well taken care of. The guest house does not have en suite bathrooms but has multiple (like 5) shared bathrooms/showers. They are spotless and the rooms are quite nice. Ours even has a harbor view!
We arrive in Bildudalur to our guest house which is of course great. Lodging in Iceland is pretty top notch. Always clean, always well taken care of. The guest house does not have en suite bathrooms but has multiple (like 5) shared bathrooms/showers. They are spotless and the rooms are quite nice. Ours even has a harbor view!
Cleanup!
Next door to the hotel is a one pump Orkan (another gas station chain). It is sometimes attended, sometimes not…..but the pump is always open. You use your credit card, which in Iceland requires a PIN. We just added a pin to our credit cards before we left home and things have worked great.
Next to the Orkan is a small general/grocery store and a restaurant called Vegamot. We wander the tiny town and go down on the wharf where the fishing fleet ties up. I get to fly my drone over the boats in the harbor and we take lots of photos.
Next to the Orkan is a small general/grocery store and a restaurant called Vegamot. We wander the tiny town and go down on the wharf where the fishing fleet ties up. I get to fly my drone over the boats in the harbor and we take lots of photos.
Our guesthouse in Bildudalur
They have a sense of humor here, and all of the trash cans are painted like cartoon characters. One was Spongebob, one was Superman, etc. By this point it was late and we were ready to turn in.
We got up and had breakfast in the lobby. It’s a European thing for hotel breakfasts and it’s always fresh food, not prepackaged or pre-made. After breakfast we load up our camera gear and head out for the day. It was nice to stay more than one night at the same place.
Laurie had forgotten one of the attractions in this area which I got to surprise her with. The other was one she wanted to see long before we left Tennessee. The Icelandic Sea Monster Museum!
We got up and had breakfast in the lobby. It’s a European thing for hotel breakfasts and it’s always fresh food, not prepackaged or pre-made. After breakfast we load up our camera gear and head out for the day. It was nice to stay more than one night at the same place.
Laurie had forgotten one of the attractions in this area which I got to surprise her with. The other was one she wanted to see long before we left Tennessee. The Icelandic Sea Monster Museum!
Bildudalur
In reality, the museum is a small collection of monster “stuff”, newspaper articles, and different art associated with sea monsters. As it turns out they only have four sea monsters. We theorize that it’s a small country and maybe four is the proper sea monster quota. They have a very nice coffee shop in the lobby and after a few souvenirs and a coffee we head east down the fjord.
The weather has been simply amazing. All of our trips to Iceland were rainy, windy, and cold. Today was sunny, and it lit the landscapes in the most amazing light. Hundreds of photos were taken, along with a lot of videos and drone flights. Today was the best weather day we’ve ever had in Iceland!
The weather has been simply amazing. All of our trips to Iceland were rainy, windy, and cold. Today was sunny, and it lit the landscapes in the most amazing light. Hundreds of photos were taken, along with a lot of videos and drone flights. Today was the best weather day we’ve ever had in Iceland!
Such a gorgeous day
Our final destination was a place called Samúel Jónsson's Art Farm. He was a farmer out at the end of the fjord and to pass the time he was also a folk art sculptor. He made buildings, animals, and people. He worked in plaster and cement and hand formed most of his work.
Weather deteriorated it over the years, but the sculptures have been restored and are taken care of now. We chatted with two of the people who take care of the farm and sculptures, one local and the other from Latvia. The EU makes it easy to work in any EU country and he comes to Iceland and paints buildings for the summer. They shared information about the art farm and were very welcoming.
Weather deteriorated it over the years, but the sculptures have been restored and are taken care of now. We chatted with two of the people who take care of the farm and sculptures, one local and the other from Latvia. The EU makes it easy to work in any EU country and he comes to Iceland and paints buildings for the summer. They shared information about the art farm and were very welcoming.
The art farm
The ride out was 22 miles and the ride back was just as far. We of course take photos on the way back and after returning to town I downloaded all the photos. After that we went to a great dinner at Cafe Vegamot. I had fish and chips and Laurie decided to do the lamb steak tonight.
We used our time well, heading back to the hotel to do laundry and the blog. Tomorrow we head once again north northwest to our next lodging……..and of course amazing stops along the way.
Now for a word from Laurie. Thanks for reading everyone! We hope you enjoy.
We used our time well, heading back to the hotel to do laundry and the blog. Tomorrow we head once again north northwest to our next lodging……..and of course amazing stops along the way.
Now for a word from Laurie. Thanks for reading everyone! We hope you enjoy.
Now a word from my lovely wife!
Iceland has welcomed us 3 times now. Each time we have been to a different part of the country. Each experience has been unique, but all have this in common: this is a majestically beautiful country. The ring road is probably the most traveled in Iceland and affords so many amazing waterfalls that after a while we actually were not easily impressed.
However, now we are impressed all over again. We got off the ferry and right there was a self serve, honor system, egg and fresh fish stand. Take what you need and leave money. What a concept….the only other place I know of right now like that was out on Lost Creek where there is a Mennonite bakery stand.
However, now we are impressed all over again. We got off the ferry and right there was a self serve, honor system, egg and fresh fish stand. Take what you need and leave money. What a concept….the only other place I know of right now like that was out on Lost Creek where there is a Mennonite bakery stand.
In the rearview
From the ferry we drove our first real trip out into the fjords. We went to the Red Sand beach which is unusual for Iceland. After leaving there we stopped in a small town called Patrecksfjord on the Latrabyarg peninsula. A small fishing village with house spread along the cove. We ate at a restaurant called The Skipper which was pretty good. We have had better meals since then.
When we travel we usually have whatever breakfast is provided by our accommodations. We go to the grocery store the first day and get snacks to eat wherever we are for lunch, and a main meal later in the afternoon/evening. Food here is relatively expensive in restaurants but since we’re only eating one meal out a day it’s fine for us.
When we travel we usually have whatever breakfast is provided by our accommodations. We go to the grocery store the first day and get snacks to eat wherever we are for lunch, and a main meal later in the afternoon/evening. Food here is relatively expensive in restaurants but since we’re only eating one meal out a day it’s fine for us.
Fantastic landscapes
One of the traditional Icelandic foods is soup and they have it down. Soup is my favorite food and I almost always order whatever their soup of the day is. I have never been disappointed. Unlike a lot of food in the states, they use spices and herbs, not just salt to make their food tasty.
These small towns all seem to have a school, some basic amenities but for real shopping people have to travel to a more major population center. The population of the whole region is only about 7000 people with 2,600 living in the capital Ísafjörður. There are only around 390,000 people in the whole country.
These small towns all seem to have a school, some basic amenities but for real shopping people have to travel to a more major population center. The population of the whole region is only about 7000 people with 2,600 living in the capital Ísafjörður. There are only around 390,000 people in the whole country.
Lupina flowers
The Western Fjords have a coastline of 1300 miles, or one third of the total coastline of Iceland. The shore goes in and out of the fjords and each time we turned a corner or went over a hill the view opened before us in a panorama of mountains and ocean. There are a number of sandy beaches with red sand and golden sand unlike the black sand beaches of the southern and eastern coasts.
Farms are tucked away in the valleys and houses are few and far between. I can’t imagine living that isolated. It is so beautiful but a harsh environment. In the winter they close the roads to some of these places so the only access would be by boat. The farms are self-sufficient growing their own meat and vegetables. Of course they have to go to town for things like flour, sugar, etc. Whatever they can’t grow or make on their own.
Farms are tucked away in the valleys and houses are few and far between. I can’t imagine living that isolated. It is so beautiful but a harsh environment. In the winter they close the roads to some of these places so the only access would be by boat. The farms are self-sufficient growing their own meat and vegetables. Of course they have to go to town for things like flour, sugar, etc. Whatever they can’t grow or make on their own.
On the farm
We started our day at the Sea Monster Museum and coffee house. Typical Icelandic economy of space and function. Apparently there are only 4 sea monsters in Iceland. So it didn’t take long to go through the museum and we had our morning coffee/tea there. Icelanders are not exactly unfriendly but they are not effusive either.
Today our destination was an art farm in one of these isolated places. There is a foundation that has resurrected and maintains Samuel Jonsson’s creations and house, a small chapel and other buildings. A self taught artist he created sculptures out of cement, painted and made small models of famous buildings. In the states he would be labeled as outside art. Here they describe his type of art as naive. Apparently that described him pretty well.
Today our destination was an art farm in one of these isolated places. There is a foundation that has resurrected and maintains Samuel Jonsson’s creations and house, a small chapel and other buildings. A self taught artist he created sculptures out of cement, painted and made small models of famous buildings. In the states he would be labeled as outside art. Here they describe his type of art as naive. Apparently that described him pretty well.
Roadsign
There is a small enclave of 3 other houses there and a farm up the valley. I talked to one of the caretakers whose foundation also preserves other historical sites in the area. He said there is a hermit’s farm they are getting ready to restore to show people how he lived just up the valley from the art farm. There is a very small airstrip in the valley with a pretty short gravel run way. Another fellow Bill talked to from Latvia used to live in Iceland and has returned to his home there. But he still comes back every summer and paints buildings all summer.
Although wet and rainy when we got here and for the first few days, today was beautiful with some blue skies. Cold and windy at times but no rain was amazing. The color of the ocean near the shore was almost a Mediterranean blue and crystal clear. The mountains rise straight up in cascades of shapes and colors along the coast.
Although wet and rainy when we got here and for the first few days, today was beautiful with some blue skies. Cold and windy at times but no rain was amazing. The color of the ocean near the shore was almost a Mediterranean blue and crystal clear. The mountains rise straight up in cascades of shapes and colors along the coast.
Clouds constantly on the move
The tops were shrouded in clouds all day making for an ever changing vista. The mountains across the fjord were provided a backdrop of drama to the ocean. Sea bird nesting grounds dot the beaches and some areas are roped off from walking the beach to protect the birds.
Iceland seems to be a country that cares deeply about its people and the land. They are very clean, recycle everything and proudly post their efforts in maintaining the ecology of the ocean and land. Such a refreshing change. Fishing is a major industry here and there are multiple salmon farms in the protected waters of the fjords. From our hotel window we can see big fishing boats coming and going. Many of the boats are a catamaran shape which is probably very stable on the calmer waters of the fjords.
Iceland seems to be a country that cares deeply about its people and the land. They are very clean, recycle everything and proudly post their efforts in maintaining the ecology of the ocean and land. Such a refreshing change. Fishing is a major industry here and there are multiple salmon farms in the protected waters of the fjords. From our hotel window we can see big fishing boats coming and going. Many of the boats are a catamaran shape which is probably very stable on the calmer waters of the fjords.
Salmon farm
C
Every small town has a bright colored school, public swimming pools, a small medical facility and a small grocery which is sometimes also the gas station. I don’t see a lot of people of color but they are very supportive of the LGBQT community. It’s lovely here and such a welcome break from the insanity at home.
Now a few extra photos in the gallery. Click on each photo for a larger version.
Every small town has a bright colored school, public swimming pools, a small medical facility and a small grocery which is sometimes also the gas station. I don’t see a lot of people of color but they are very supportive of the LGBQT community. It’s lovely here and such a welcome break from the insanity at home.
Now a few extra photos in the gallery. Click on each photo for a larger version.
