The Haukadalur Valley, found along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge just northeast of Þingvellir, is an especially restless area of geothermal activity. Along with other bubbling pools of rotten-smelling sulfur, it's here that you can find Geysir. This is the original -- the geyser which lends its name to all others.
Reykjavík may be the capital, but the rift valley of Þingvellir (pronounced "thing-vet-lir") is the true heart of Iceland. Over a thousand years ago, the country's first parliaments were convened here, adding historical significance to an area of unbelievable natural beauty.
Close to the Perlan Building, and directly underneath the path of roaring planes landing at the nearby Reykjavík airport, is the Nauthólsvík Geothermal Beach, one of the city's favorite hangouts.
If you hear the same suggestion from a variety of different locals, it's smart to listen. And it seemed that everyone we talked with in Stykkishólmur recommended a boat trip of the islands around the bay. So we bought tickets, and discovered that the locals were right. The Viking Sushi Tour was one of the most entertaining excursions we had in Iceland.
It was my birthday, and Jürgen had thought of the perfect present: a trip to the Penis Museum! After all, what could possibly delight a birthday boy more than a building full of animal dongs?
Floating on your stomach in near-freezing water is normally an experience one has only after being murdered by the Mafia. But in the right circumstances, it can be enjoyable. When you're alive, for instance, and looking through crystal clear glacial water at the Silfra Fissure.
With their bright orange beaks and white-feathered faces, puffins are far and away Iceland's favorite bird. Ten million of the little guys make their home here, and though they generally colonize cliffs or off-shore islands, there are opportunities to spot them even in Reykjavík. It was to this end that we hopped on a boat departing the city harbor.
Our first excursion out of Reykjavík was a day trip to the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon on the country's southeast coast. With its powder blue icebergs floating, bobbing and flipping atop the water's surface, Jökulsárlón has become one of Iceland's most famous sights. Justifiably so.
Reykjavík is more than just Iceland's biggest city. It's Iceland's only city. Really, even calling it a "city" feels like an affront to its spirit. Despite claiming two-thirds of the country's total population, Reykjavík is closer to an overgrown village than a major European capital.
Iceland, a small island stranded in the freezing waters of the North Atlantic, was our home for 91 days. The country's 300,000 citizens lay claim to some of Europe's most remote and beautiful terrain. Massive glaciers, simmering volcanoes, geothermal pools, puffin colonies, Viking sagas, whales and nerve-wracking road trips conspired to provide us with an exhilarating summer.
