Iceland Day 3: Snaefellsnes Peninsula

The beauty of traveling abroad is setting the phone aside (except for using it as a camera) and relying on maps once again. This could have been my view at multiple points each week, though this day we were following the road to Stykkishólmur.

Kirkjufell (above) and Kirkjufellsfoss (below) were en route to our destination. The unpaved path to the foss ended in a cul-de-sac. Its shape was arbitrary in comparison to the surroundings.

It was near here that we saw an Arctic fox run across the road (while driving), a rarity we had not expected. It was mottled as its fur was turning with the season and before we knew it, it disappeared into the rocky terrain.

Both the binoculars and windshield were utilized for photographing the view at Kirkjufellsfoss.

Upon arriving in Stykkishólmur, we spotted Roni Horn's Library of Water from the wharf. This was not due to a sign or recognition from previous photographs but because everything I had read about it stated that it had the best view in town. From afar, this building looked like the view was tremendous and we curled up and down residential roads to verify that it was indeed it.

Before entering, we drove back down main road to find lunch. I digress only because we had a waiter who attempted to feed us hákarl (rotten shark) with each return visit to the table. Upon learning I was allergic to ice cream, he asked, "What is wrong with you? You are broken." I could have applied the same logic to someone that was too willing to disperse the traditional Icelandic fare that is known for being the most repulsive thing many people have ever eaten.

I spent a considerable amount of time enamored with modern architecture in Iceland and the church in Stykkishólmur was easily my favorite. The view from the parking lot of the Library of Water through binoculars was spectacular in both directions.

I will dedicate a separate post to Roni Horn's artwork because it was one of the top reasons I received a grant to visit this country in terms of personal research. This image was taken on the drive back to Hellissandur at Kolgrafafjördur [insert "just another day on the road" commentary here].

I had never seen such a sharp edge of the horizon and it wasn't difficult to believe why so many people thought the world was flat centuries ago.