Day 4: Today was a fun-filled Friday. We went on the Golden Circle Tour, which was educational and equally spectacular. Stop number one consisted of the Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage sight which was the birthplace to the oldest parliament in the world. This site was astounding, rich in history and beauty. Standing at the edge of the lava rocks was the location where the North American tectonic plate and the Eurasian plate drifted apart, creating the rift valley below.
The following stop was at Geysir Hot Springs to view the Strokkur Geyser, where you could witness hot, steaming water spout skywards. After, we chased another waterfall and watched the pulsating flow of the Gullfoss Waterfall; a rainbow could be spotted through the mist of the cascading water.
Kerið, a volcanic crater was the concluding stop on this tour. It formed when a magma chamber collapsed. The piercing blue of the water surrounded by the red lava rocks is a breathtaking contrast of nature. At times, it can be said that there is beauty in destruction. Just outside the crater we saw and interacted with hestirs, Icelandic tiny horses.
thisvanhaswings.com 