Finally: Iceland I'm coming back! This time we have a direct flight from Zurich to Reykjavik and in the end we have decided to start our holidays with some relax: so first thing we are doing is going to the Blue Lagoon and stay there for a night. Since our flight was delayed we go directly to dinner at the Lava Restaurant but afterwards enjoy the tranquillity and peace of the hotel private blue lagoon. Just great!

Our trip goes on, today we are finally going to further explore Iceland (compared to our previous trip), our next stop are the West Fjords. 

We drive to Stykkisholmur in the early afternoon and take the ferry to Brjanslaekur. The weather is gorgeous and we enjoy the sun on the deck and the spectacular view of the Fjords and of the little islands we encounter during the navigation: one of them is quite famous, it’s called Flatey (meaning flat island, very original 😒) and is well known for its bird life (puffins included) and for being in the past one of the main cultural centers of Iceland. Nowadays the total fix population (in winter as well as in summer) is 5 people 😳. Once again on the ground, we drive to our hotel to Patreksfjordur. The town is empty and pretty sad, but the Fjord is terrific.

Myvatn, translated" the lake of midges" (and OMG, yes there were!), is a lake situated not far from Krafla volcano and the surrounding wetlands are reach in animals, especially birds like ducks (if you are interested there is a bird museum in the north of the Lake, Sigurgeirs Birds Museum). There's a lot to see but for today we decide to visit Hverir (in the photo below), Krafla and the Leirhnjukur area (last eruption in the 80s) , where the ground is completely new and still steaming.

In the evening we decide to go to  Myvatn Nature Baths (smaller than the famous Blue Lagoon but just as beautiful and cozier) but first we need something to eat: every restaurant around the lake (not that there are soooo many) is full of people so in the end we buy some essentials (like Hangikjot and Flatkökur) and eat it in front of the lagoon's entrance: not a candle light dinner but pretty effective 😉 And in the end we enjoy the warm water and the foggy landscape and all the fatigue is forgotten 😃 A pretty amazing day!

Today we stay, visit and walk aroung the south shores of the Lake. I sprayed myself with an anti-midge spray but they do not seem to care (or they even seem to like it!). Joking aside: there are midges but it's not unbearable! Annoying but not dangerous 😊
In the afternoon we discover a farm/hotel on the east shore of the lake, it's called Vogafjos. We enjoy a delicious burger while looking at the cow relatives of it!

We then go relatively early to sleep since tomorrow we have a long day with a lot of kilometeres in front of us.

Jökullsarlon is the famous glacier lagoon in the South, nobody should miss it if going to Iceland. There are even organized bus tour leaving from Reykjavik (for details give a look at Reykjavik Excursions, they are very good and even pick you up at your hotel).

If you visit Iceland in August, a great idea is to plan a stay near Jökullsarlon middle of August to see the fireworks (the date changes every year, here some details).
The glacier lagoon is situated at the head of the Breidamerkurjökull glacier (part of the Vatnajökull) and it developed into a lake after the glacier started receding from the Ocean.

White/blue icebergs slowly drift to the Ocean creating a magic and steadily changing scenery. If you are lucky you may see sometimes seals swimming in it (you can see them especially between the bridge and the Ocean if you go for a walk on the black sand beach).
Today we are going for a boat tour bringing us till the edge of the Breidamerkurjökull tongue (we choose the Zodiac tour to get closer to it). The weather is super sunny, even too much (i like the glacier lagoon more when it's a bit cloudy and in sunrise/sunset atmosphere, when the light plays more with the icebergs' colour). I am totally fascinated from the lagoon and I start to speak with our guide and ask him tons of questions, one of which is "What do you like about your job?" and he answers with a bright smile "I am in love with this place, it is always and never the same". Well, what can I say more? It's the same for me ❤️

We spend the night in my favourite hotel, which is just after Skogafoss, it's called Welcome Edinborg, and it is at the feet of Eyafjallajökull. It is super simple, cozy and friendly and in the middle of nowhere: I love it! 😃

Last day before leaving: OMG I do not want to! 😢

On the way to Reykjavik we spontaneously decide to find out where the plane wreck we saw in some photos is. After googling around we find out it is on Solheimasandur, still have to find out exactly where...but in the end we find the coordinates in a blog! 😃🎉 (God bless the blogger!)
As we are inside the plane I wonder how many people died in this crash...but fortunately I read that everyone in the plane survived (the incident actually happened in 1973, when this US plane ran out of fuel).
As we are taking the last pictures a car comes and parks near the plane...well, well 😒..some tourists have no respect, neither for the others nor for the landscape 😡
We then spend the evening in Reykjavik and go to bed early in a magic little bed&breakfast near the airport since our flight is early in the morning tomorrow...the bed & breakfast seems to be created from (or inhabited) from fairies and it has a natural warm pool outside in the garden: the perfect way to relax and to say goodbye to Iceland!

What to say...I miss you already Iceland, see you soon! 👍