Akureyri, Iceland... Part 1 of 2

Up at 5:15 am for sail in…the occasional spitting rain did not stop me from taking photos. Akureyri is just 31 miles south of the Arctic Circle, but there’s an unusually warm microclimate as the mountains buffer the fjord against the vicious winds…it got up to 73 degrees today, a far cry from the early morning temperatures out on the outside decks… I was joined for a nice visit on the forward deck by the Assistant Hotel General Manager, Amrish.  Once we were docked, our adventure began with renting a car near the port and finding our way to a number of points of interest outside of the city. Our first destination was Godafoss Waterfall and we choose to not take the tunnel through the mountains and follow the coastline. We were happy we did as the Nieuw Statendam was sailing up the fjord. We stopped in a picturesque small hamlet called Svalbard, drove to the water and we were able to stop and take some photos. What a great stop…seeing the Nieuw Statendam and a lighthouse. On the road to Godafoss we had a scenic drive through the stunning Icelandic countryside, offering panoramic vistas of snow-capped mountains, rolling hills, and sprawling meadows. As we approached Godafoss our eyes were drawn to the thunderous cascade of Godafoss Waterfall.  Godafoss Waterfall, also known as the "Waterfall of the Gods," boasts a display of raw power as the Skjálfandafljót River plunges dramatically into a rugged gorge.   Continuing on to be east shore of Lake Mývatn, we arrived at the Dimmuborgir Lava Fields. Translating to “Dark Castles”, Dimmuborgir is a group of strange lava fields left over from an eruption 2,300 years ago. Dimmuborgir was formed when lava, ten meters deep, pooled on top of a small lake and marsh. We returned to Akureyri via the scenic route and spent the remainder of the afternoon on the ship as we will be back in Akureyri July 6, 2023. Another great day on this luscious green island…