We got up extremely early this morning to catch our first flight, but it wasn't too bad because we were still on Reykjavik time.The flights were short and uneventful, and thankfully our bags were the first ones on the claim! It was odd to finally get home after so long- 3.5 weeks, almost a month! We immediately began doing laundry, and our estimate is that it will take 8 loads to get it done... Anyway, this is it for the blog at least until the next trip (don't know when that will be, this one was pretty major). Bye for now!
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Flying to Minneapolis (Mon 8/2)
Sascha left for the airport VERY early this morning. After we had said goodbye to him, we went back to bed and got up a few hours later. Once we were all packed and ready, we took a shuttle to the Keflavik Airport, where we said our goodbyes to Edith and Juergen. It was difficult to say goodbye not knowing when we would see each other again.
After saying goodbye, we went through security and ate some lunch. Our flight was running a little late, but it was smooth and uneventful. The best part was that when we flew over the east coast of Greenland, there were no clouds. We could see the glaciers, frozen ocean, icebergs, etc. The clouds were really pretty as we descended into Minneapolis, too.
Customs was surprisingly pleasant (we didn't have a very good experience returning from Switzerland), and after checking into our hotel, we walked to Granite City for dinner. It felt very weird to be back and almost like our other half was missing. As my dad put it, we felt like the Hobbits (from Lord of the Rings) sitting in the Shire's pub after their journey (of course on a much less epic scale). By the time we got back to the hotel room, it was around 10 p.m., or 3 a.m. Reykjavik time- we all crashed pretty quickly.
After saying goodbye, we went through security and ate some lunch. Our flight was running a little late, but it was smooth and uneventful. The best part was that when we flew over the east coast of Greenland, there were no clouds. We could see the glaciers, frozen ocean, icebergs, etc. The clouds were really pretty as we descended into Minneapolis, too.
Customs was surprisingly pleasant (we didn't have a very good experience returning from Switzerland), and after checking into our hotel, we walked to Granite City for dinner. It felt very weird to be back and almost like our other half was missing. As my dad put it, we felt like the Hobbits (from Lord of the Rings) sitting in the Shire's pub after their journey (of course on a much less epic scale). By the time we got back to the hotel room, it was around 10 p.m., or 3 a.m. Reykjavik time- we all crashed pretty quickly.
Whale/Puffin Watching and Blue Lagoon (Sun 8/1)
Today was our last day together in Iceland. We got a slow start to the day and left for a whale/puffin watching tour around 1.
The first thing we did on the boat was to go past "Puffin Island", where puffins come to nest once a year. There were so many of them on the island and flying around! They were a lot smaller than I had expected, but still extremely cute!
Then we went much further out into the bay to watch for whales. For about an hour, we followed 2 or 3 whales around and watched as they surfaced and dove.
After returning to land, we stopped for a short lunch before my mom, James, Sascha, Edith, and Juergen hopped on a bus to the Blue Lagoon.
My dad and I had had enough with touristy things after the Golden Circle Tour, so we decided to stay behind. While they were gone, we took a long walk along the bay. The lighting and color of the water was amazing!
When they got home, we stayed up late talking, taking pictures, and enjoying our last night together.
The first thing we did on the boat was to go past "Puffin Island", where puffins come to nest once a year. There were so many of them on the island and flying around! They were a lot smaller than I had expected, but still extremely cute! 
Then we went much further out into the bay to watch for whales. For about an hour, we followed 2 or 3 whales around and watched as they surfaced and dove. 
After returning to land, we stopped for a short lunch before my mom, James, Sascha, Edith, and Juergen hopped on a bus to the Blue Lagoon. 
My dad and I had had enough with touristy things after the Golden Circle Tour, so we decided to stay behind. While they were gone, we took a long walk along the bay. The lighting and color of the water was amazing! 
We also stopped at the site where the Cold War was ended.Then we went back to the house and got everything organized and packed.
When they got home, we stayed up late talking, taking pictures, and enjoying our last night together.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Golden Circle Tour (Sat 7/31)
Today we went on the Golden Circle Tour on a tour bus with a big group. We stopped at a bunch of places, and there is not a ton to say about each one so this entry will be mostly pictures.
The first place we stopped was a geothermic power plant that heats a lot of Reykjavik. Next we stopped at a very small crater lake. Our tour guide had a pretty heavy Icelandic accent and at first he kept saying "we are going to go see the creator (instead of crater)." That said, see the picture of my dad to the right.
After the crater, we made two short stops, one at a church with a view of the valley. Inside the church there was a string quartet practicing- the music was really pretty. The other stop was at a small waterfall. We stopped for much longer at our next stop- the Grand Geyser- for walking around and eating lunch.
Our next place was Gullfoss, also known as Golden Falls. The last stop on our trip was Thingvellir National Park, where there are remains of one of the first parliaments in the world. The view and the clear glacial waters were spectacular, too.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Bicycling Rekyjavik and Icelandic Horse Ride (Fri 7/30)
Today my dad and I started out by renting mountain bikes!!! When we dropped by home before starting our ride, we invited Sascha along, too. After getting him a bike, we set out around the city. We rode along the bay, through a park, in and around downtown, to a geyser, etc. It was so much fun! We ate lunch halfway through our ride at an American Style restaurant- another burger (and WAY too many fries)! 
When we got home, Sascha and I had about 15 minutes to get ready in order to catch the shuttle that would take us to ride Icelandic horses. Once we got to the barn, we were fitted with helmets, boots, and a horse (according to our skill level). We took a well maintained gravel/dirt trail through lava fields and grassy land. The speed was mostly walking and trotting. At one point there was an option to gallop, but I decided not to. Of course, the minute it was too late I regretted it. Oh well, it was still really fun! 
Arrival in Iceland (Thurs 7/29)
Today we flew to Iceland! It was sad to leave Freigericht, but we were excited for Iceland. Our flight was running a little late, and we arrived about 40 minutes later than we were supposed to. Then we spent a while trying to get Icelandic Krona.
Once we left security, we quickly found our taxi driver and began the task of trying to fit all of our luggage into his car. It was a challenge and he was about to call another taxi, but we got it all to fit by putting one of our big suitcases stretched across the back seat on the laps of the people in the back. It was a tight fit, but it worked!
When we arrived at the house we are renting, we were shown around by the owner. Then we headed out to walk around downtown Reykjavik and find dinner. We ate at a really cool hole-in-the-wall type local burger joint. Following dinner, James and my mom headed back to the house and my dad and I walked around a little more. Friday, July 30, 2010
Rothenberg (Wed 7/28)
Today we got up very early and my mom, dad, James, Sascha, and I took a few trains to Rothenberg. We arrived there around 10 a.m. and the town was pretty much empty. We walked around for a while, through the town and along the wall of the city. We also went up into a tower in the wall that overlooked the city.
At one point we let my mom do some shopping and the rest of us continued to walk around the town. It was good that it was kind of rainy all day because it kept a lot of the tourists away. We finished in Rothenberg around 4 p.m. and took the train back home. We had originally planned to go home at 5, and didn't realize that one of our trains was only every other hour, so we ended up getting home at the same time as if we had left at 5. When we got home, we finished our evening off with cocktails with a couple neighbors.
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