Iceland Part 1 - Waterfalls of the south coast

Aurora Borealis! That enchanting, mysterious word has been fuelling our desire to visit Iceland for a long time. Extremely cold temperatures, long nights and the luck needed to actually be able to see northern lights put us off from visiting for a long time. Visitors who stayed for over 10 days in freezing temperatures have returned with no luck. How would a few days stay turn out any luckier? And thence we kept procrastinating our trip to Iceland until finally we had no place left in Europe to visit. So it was decided that we will go to Iceland! Presented with an option of the October half-term holidays or the February half-term holidays (with slightly cheaper air fares), we chose October as February was mid winter.

This was one of the longer trips we had taken and we had to make elaborate arrangements to manage the weather, the food and sight seeing. Iceland is an expensive country. Perhaps the most expensive in Europe. So, we decided to self cater for our stay.  Iceland is also a country with widely varying micro climates. There could be rain, sun, wind, hail and snow all in one day. Off to Sports Direct to find all kinds of weather defending gear. With a population of just over 300,000 with most of it in Reykjavik, most parts of the country was uninhabited and desolate. That meant fewer shops, restaurants, hotels and gas stations. 

Tuesday

Iceland Air

After nearly 3 months of planning (and re-planning), shopping and packing, ’twas the night of departure. Our mini-cab to London Heathrow took us through central London as we gaped at the sights as if it was our first time! London never fails to fascinate! Actually, sometimes it does! So after gaping at Harrods in Knightsbridge the three of us in the backseat took a short nap until we finally got to LHR. 

Onward was through Iceland Air and they have a generous baggage allowance. So we checked-in most of our luggage and carried on to the cabin only those that had our electronics. After a small but filling dinner from Marks and Spencers we were off to the gate and ready to board. Being the national carrier, Iceland Air was very comfortable. The children were subject to special treatment. They got their own earphones, some activity pack and a snack box! The inflight entertainment was also surprisingly good. 

The KP index (the level of particles let off by the sun which shows up as Aurora near the poles) was declared very high for the night and through out our journey to the north west we keep looking out of the tiny plane windows hoping to catch a glimpse! I had even hijacked Shash’s usual window seat just for this purpose! No luck sadly. After 3 hours we landed to a rainy weather in Keflavik International Airport (KEF), the international airport of Reykjavik. 

We were out of the plane in no time and the passport check was pretty quick too. I set up the prepaid Icelandic SIM card from Siminn I had brought on the plane. While picking up our bags I made the first call to Kef Guesthouse to come and pick us up from the airport. We walked to the “Meeting Point” a point specifically set up for hotel guest pick ups and after a 5 minute wait we were riding into the Keflavik town. 

It was cold, rainy and windy and we were eager to get into the warm guesthouse and our room. After moving the unusually large number of bags (to us) to the room, we changed and quickly settled down for the night with a head full of plans, hopes and dreams of seeing the northern lights!

Wednesday

After waking up a few times overnight peeping out the window hoping to see northern lights, it was finally time to get out of bed and get ready to start our adventure in Iceland. Sun rises at around 9 am in October. We did not keep a watch on the clock and before all of us were ready our car rental’s representative knocked on our door. We had booked a 4WD SUV with Blue Car Rental based on recommendations and we had requested them to drop the car off at the guesthouse. However for some reason the representative did not bring the car along and asked us to accompany him to the airport office. SC was ready but he was hesitating about returning all by himself in a completely unknown country. Gave him the idea of asking the rental rep to set up the GPS for him and he soon left. Then the 3 of us headed down to the breakfast room. It was self-serve and after getting the children set up I was about to start on mine when SC came back with the car. There was no one other than us in the breakfast room and that made us realise how delayed we were in setting out. 

We hurriedly finished our breakfast and went back to the room to get our bags. I had to move a few of the things around and the number of bags we had increased. We had been given a 4WD Renault Kadjar and I found the boot space just right for all our bags. Setting our GPS to the town of Selfoss we were off. I had left my overcoat open while moving the bags assuming that it wasn’t cold but just windy. I soon felt something pricking my throat. 

Seljalandsfoss

We marvelled at the different landscape around us. There were no trees and the land was covered with either black rocks or with moss until we got closer to Reykjavik which was a good 40 minutes away. As with any large city the suburbs of Reykjavik showed signs of inhabitation. There were multi-storey buildings, car parks, stores and even a Deloitte! Soon we bypassed the route into the city and traveled over a couple of mountain passes. Drizzle turned to thick fog and the visibility was greatly reduced. But before long the sun was out and we saw a lovely rainbow. The light from the sun and rainbow was a joyous sight after the drizzle and clouds we had been seeing since setting out from Keflavik. We stopped at a view point and clicked our first pictures of Iceland, well, at least on the camera!

We soon came down the mountains and to flat land. The weather was drastically different here. It was patches of sun and rain. We soon arrived at Selfoss, a small town and stopped to pick up a pizza at Dominos, which we would eat later and some groceries at Kronan. After walking around the supermarket a couple of times I paid 7100Kr for breakfast and snacks for 3 days. I did the conversion much later and realised I had spent nearly as much as I would for a week’s grocery back home!

Then we headed down the Ring Road, Iceland’s arterial road that goes around the country, to our first stop - Seljalandsfoss. The waterfalls was visible from a long distance away and we were eager to take the turn off and pull into the parking lot. We quickly had the pizza we had bought and rushed out to get closer to the falls. We were hit by awfully cold winds. The sun was playing hide and seek with the clouds and before we could walk the short distance from our car to the path towards the falls we had seen sun, wind and rain. Sam turned to get back into the car and we cajoled her into walking just a bit more so that we could get some pictures. After some quick pictures the other three returned to the car while I got out my tripod and filters to try out some things I had been practicing for a few months! SC ruled out the idea of walking up the path to the cave behind the falls. I had to adhere as it was very windy indeed and the falls was spraying all over. There was no chance that we would make it back without being soaked and we were just too lazy to change into the waterproof gear we had bought. 

Skógafoss

We then started driving towards east on the Ring Road and were contemplating a stop between Reynisfjara beach and Skógafoss  Due to the bad weather we decided to visit Skógafoss and keep the beach for better weather. The distance wasn’t great and in under an hour we were at Skógafoss. The children refused to get out of the car this time and it was me who again went closer to the falls for some beautiful pictures. This was a much larger falls than Seljaandsfoss and the pictures don’t really do justice to it’s height. The sun appeared for a moment and I was lucky to see one rainbow on the falls. I’ve heard of three rainbows at times. Before I could try different angles on my camera the sun bid good bye. After rain chased me back to the car we drove further east and passed a mini parking by the road which we realised were the cars whose occupants were making a 3 km - 45 minute trip (one way) to a crashed DC 3 plane in the desert of Solheimsandur. That was never part of our itinerary and the desolate landscape only reaffirmed that! We then drove onto Vík church and the cemetery above it for a photo-op. This was the most photographed view in Vík. The lovely sweeping view from atop the hill covered the church, the tiny town of Vík, its beach and all the way out to the Reynisdrangar sea stacks in the Atlantic. Vík is the southern most point in Iceland and open to the north Atlantic Ocean. There is no land mass south of Vík all the way until Antartica. So that results in some dangerous waves in the Reynisfjara beach on the other side of the Reynisfjall mountain. Vík is also on the path of a potential glacier flood if Mt. Katla were to erupt. Mt. Katla is long due an eruption and is under the Mýrdalsjökull glacier. An eruption would melt the Mýrdalsjökull glacier and all the glacier melt would flow towards the ocean. The hill we were standing on is the only place that would be safe if that catastrophe were to happen. Thinking about this made me realise how insignificant man was in front of nature! I was hoping to catch a glimpse of the setting sun and take some nice pics from my vantage position but sadly the clouds played spoil sport. We returned to the Ring Road and continued our journey to Hörgsland Cottages, our stop for the night.

Vík í Mýrdal

Being near the Arctic Circle, Iceland’s twilight is longer than the twilight we are used to in rest of the world. So even when the official sunset was at around 5:30 pm, the civil twilight lasted until 6:20 pm. We were nearly in the town of Kirkjubæjarklaustur by then. After 15 minutes of driving in complete darkness we arrived at Hörgsland Cottages. I did not read great reviews about this place and I was quite skeptical about the state of cabins. However I was in for a surprise. Though quite small and cramped it was clean and cozy. The furnishings were tired and were in need of some TLC but it was nothing like the reviews I had read. So for around €100 a night, it was one of the best places to stay in the area (for 4) and for seeing the northern lights as we would soon experience!

Iceland Part 2 >>>

Lisbon, Portugal

Aflama district sweeping down to the Tagus River

Portugal has been a poor cousin to Spain when it comes to tourism. Similar in history, language, climate and culture, Portugal has not been as popular a tourist destination as Spain. Beautiful beaches, history, architectecture and cuisine, Portugal has it all.

The little country on the Iberian peninsula has been at the forefront of discovery in an era gone by. They conquered the Indian and the Atlantic Oceans and were the first to create a sea route between the east and the west. Vasco da Gama traveled east to India while Columbus discovered the Americas. The Japanese "Arigato" and Tempura have their origin in Portugal. They have contributed much more to the modern world than is spoken about.

Lisbon, as with any city in Europe, is a mixture of beauty and history. It is one of the oldest cities in Europe and boasts of castles, monasteries, churches and quaint neighbourhoods. 

Some interesting spots around town and a bit further away...

The Sé Cathedral

The Sé Cathedral with the Tram No 12

Built in the 12th-13th centuries over a Mosque indicating Reconquista, Sé Cathedral is an iconic structure in Lisbon. It has seen baptism, weddings and funerals of Portugal nobility. Located at the start of the Alfama district, it is served by 2 very interesting routes of trams - 12 and 15. Alfama, a district with narrow streets and alleys, the trams squeeze through them ferrying passengers from different heights in the district to the flat areas of Lisbon and vice versa. This route also passes along a few different tourist spots and also gives tourists a tour of the Baixa and Alfama districts. Some of the popular views over Lisbon can be found from the Alfama district.

Rua Augusta Arch and Praça do Comércio

Rua Augusta Arch and Praça do Comércio

The Rua Augusta Arch situated on the northern side of Praça do Comércio built in the 19th century is Portugal's symbol of recovery from the 1755 earthquake. Visitors can ride an elevator or climb a spiral staircase for some wonderful views from the top.

The Praça do Comércio faces the river Tagus and was built over the former Palace Yard that was destroyed in the 1755 earthquake. The side open to the river used to be a dock from where ships used to sail across oceans to the various Portuguese empires. Now the square has various cafes, shops and a tourist information centre. The tram to Belem also stops in front of the square.

Elevador Santa Justa

A few minutes of walk from the Praça do Comércio brings you to a 19th century elevator that transports you from the lower Baixa district up to Mount Carmo. There's a viewing deck at the top that provides wonderful views over the city. The day we visited Carmo church was closed. It is a beautiful place to visit too!

This elevator also provides an easier access to Bairo Alto and Chiada districts as well.

Views over Alfama from the Santa Justa Elevator on Carmo hill

The São Jorge Castle from Bairro Alto

Somewhere along Bairro Alto/Chiado

Belem

Belem is a neighbourhood that is a little further away from the main town of Lisbon but is one of the most beautiful places in Europe. There are enough things to do here for at the least half a day. Many of the earliest Portuguese travellers set sail from here or are associated with Belem. Most of the structures in this area are related to Portuguese glorious seafaring days. Most of the sights here are extremely crowded as is the tram from central Lisbon. Taxis are a better option to the crowded trams if there are 3-4 people traveling together.

Mosteiro dos Jerónimos 

This monastery is an ornate structure that is the highlight of Belem. This was built using the tax levied on spices that were brought into Portugal in the days when Portuguese travellers ruled the seas. Vasco da Gama spent his last night here before he left for India and the church associated with this monastery is also his final resting place. 

The monastery is very beautifully decorated with arches and carvings in stone. Very often there are large queues to get inside.

The arches and carvings at the monastery

The quadrangle surrounded by arched corridors and beautiful carvings

The church where Vasco Da Gama's is entombed

Padrão dos Descobrimentos

The monument was built as a symbol to honour the Portuguese explorers and the people who helped during the Age of Discovery. It is shaped liked a bow and has the statues of the explorers on the west and the financiers on the east. It also has an elevator to take people up to the top for a view across the town of Belem.

Torre de Belem

The Tower was built as a sort of fort to defend against attacks from the sea but was designed elaborately inspired by designs from North Africa.

The walk from Padrão dos Descobrimentos to the tower along the river Tagus with views over the 25 de Abril Bridge - similar in colour to the Golden Gate bridge but built by the same company that built the Oakland Bay bridge and the Christ the Redeemer (Brazil) inspired Christ the King statue. There are also lovely fountains and gardens between the Monastery and the Monuments.

Pasteis de Belem

Before leaving the Belem area it is time to try the Pasteis de Belem, a custard tart that has been in existence since 1837. Originating in the Monastery, this pastry has many forms and this particular form is called Pasteis de Belem which they claim is different from those found in Lisbon.

Day trips from Lisbon

Sintra

Located just outside Lisbon in the hillsides, Sintra is a charming, picturesque town with slightly cooler temperatures and some interesting sights to visit. It can make a good day trip or even an overnight. Parks, fountains and palaces, there's enough to keep you busy for a few hours or a couple of days.

Fonte Mourisca - A Moor inspired fountain in Sintra

Cabo da Roca

The western most point of mainland Europe, a drive to Cabo da Roca is very pleasant with wonderful views of the sea and charming villages. The coastline here is made up of cliffs and sandy beaches. 

Along the drive to Cabo da Roca

The lighthouse and the cliffs at Cabo da Roca

Practicalities -

Shopping - Cork products are very popular and there are ton of souvenir shops that sell them.
Public transit - A one day travel card is very handy for use on trams and even on the Santa Justa Elevator. 
Food - For a non-pastry diet, there's plenty of options too!
Views - Best free thing to do in Lisbon is taking in the views - there are plenty and all being with "Mirador"

Our 2 day Lisbon trip -

We arrived the evening of our first day to our accommodation at Emporium suites near Lisbon Cathedral. By the time we headed into town it started to pour! After some shopping in Chiada for groceries we headed to the Cathedral and walked up to Mirador del Sol. It was pouring cats and dogs by then and we headed back to our hotel disappointed.

The next morning we headed to Belem on a packed tram from Praça do Comércio. After waiting in line to get in to the Monastery we gaped at it for pretty long. Then we visited the peaceful and charming church associated with the Monastery. 

Walking across the tramstops we made our way to lay claim to the Pasteis de Belem and got some to take away which we had in the park across after shooing away some birds. It was raining off an on.. sometimes they go worse with the wind blowing in from the river. We walked to the Padrão dos Descobrimentos and then to the Tower of Belem. 

The return tram was way too crowded and it was raining heavily following which we decided to ditch the tram for a taxi which we used to get to the Santa Justa Elevator. We rode up and made our way to lunch at Jardim das Cerejas. It was full and we waited our turn. Amazing vegan food at very affordable prices!

We then started our long walk / climb across Chiado and Bairro Alto towards São Pedro de Alcântara - a view point with views of the Sao Jorge castle. After more walking, pasty eating and shopping we reached our hotel and realised it was still bright and the weather was looking right! So off we went again to capture some more pictures of the Cathedral and views from Mirador del Sol. We were treated to a rainbow too! We then took the 12 tram around town before heading back to our accommodation.

The next day we hired a car and drove out of Lisbon to rest of Portugal.

Here's a video from Rick Steves on Lisbon.

Alhambra

Spain - the land of flamenco, bull fights and lovely mediterranean weather. The description does not end there. It has a lovely history - a history as colourful and enchanting as any other country in Europe. Architecture that represents an eclectic mix of styles influenced by the different groups that ruled in it's long history.  Colours that just pop out under the warm, caressing rays of the mediterranean sun. 

Apart from all that I learned about Spain from pictures and movies, the biggest surprise, however, was the history. Spain has been ruled by Arabs, called Moors, for nearly 900 years. They had entered Europe through North Africa and Gibraltar and their strong hold was Andalusia which included parts of Spain and Portugal. They had left behind a rich legacy of castles and forts and even had left behind their influence on the food of the region.

One of the stunning creations of Moors and the Berber kings during their rule of Andalusia is Alhambra located just outside the picturesque town of Granada.

Alhambra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an impressive citadel with a wonderful garden sitting pretty atop a hill on the outskirts of Granada. Constructed over many centuries, the palace and the gardens are awe inspiring with its various courtyards, Arabic influenced architecture, detailed carvings, gardens, orchards, spell binding views, reflecting pools and fountains. 

The major attractions inside the Alhambra are the Nasrid palaces and the Generalife gardens. The Nasrid palaces were built over different periods of time with some dating as far as the 13th century. Most, if not all parts have been maintained and are still intact. Due to the fragility of this area in the Alhambra, entry times are strictly regulated and bookings for them are sometimes sold out months in advance. 

One of the reflecting pools inside the Nasrid palaces

The Lions courtyard 

Innumerable courtyards with attractive and intelligently designed water fountains, reflective pools, arched windows, marble and stucco carvings and detailing take you around the Nasrid palaces. 

Every room in the palace boasts of arched windows with their impeccable views of the lovely town of Granada. 

Water, a scarcity in most of the Arab world is worshipped here. Pretty fountains and pools serve as temples to this highly sought after commodity. For most part of the palace and the gardens the sound of running water accompanies the visitor. Calming and soothing, they add an air of tranquility. 

The Generalife gardens

The Generalife gardens has lovely flowerbeds and orchards accompanied again by fountains and pools. Specially designed balconies with seats provide ravishing views of the surrounding areas and of the Nasrid palaces.

One of the courtyards with lovely foliage, orchards and fountains

The fountains of Generalife gardens

An attractive courtyard in the Generalife gardens

Spain has world class motorways clearly signposted and it is a breeze finding Alhambra. Regular buses ply from the town of Granada, a town worthy of a visit by itself.

Stunning Santorini

A group of islands in the Cyclades, shaped by an volcanic eruption that formed the stunning caldera. Fira, Oia and Imerovigli are just some of the names tour books throw at you. The views offered by this tiny island of Santorini are much more enchanting than their names. Made of 2 major islands - Thera and Therasia with the volcanic islands of Nea Kameni and Palea Kameni, Santorini is just a dot on the map far away from the mainland and Athens. What distinguishes this island from the zillion other Greek islands and makes it easily identifiable on any poster is the white washed walls with the blue domed churches. The color of the Aegean Sea down below matches the blue of the churches and many doors and fences. Every village on the main island of Thera is stunningly beautiful. There's pretty little to do other than taking in view after view after view to your heart's content.

The blue domed churches of Oia. One every few hundred feet.

The Windmills of Oia (Οία) 

The most photographed areas of Santorini. Most of the time from the old fort. Most of the pictures have two windmills but one was dismantled when we visited (the one on the left). 

Oia is the oldest settlement on the island. It is strikingly beautiful, much more than the crowded village of the Fira. Hotels and restaurants here are much more expensive than Fira or the quieter village of Firostefani. 

The large town of Fira

Bustling with tourists, vehicles and vendors, you can find the most activity on the entire island of Santorini at this village. There are numerous restaurants both with and without views of the Caldera, all offering free wi-fi. The ones with views are usually more than expensive than those without. Buses ply from here to all the other parts of the island. 

The villages of Oia (far left), Imerovigli (center) and Fira (right) from Nea Kameni

Sunset, the magical time of the day, from Oia and Fira

The points that offer the best views of sunset are taken up long before the actual time. Hoardes of tourists, with huge dSLRs or even cell phones mounted on the selfie sticks arrive and grab a front row spot. At Oia it is usually from the Fort or just around it. At Fira, it is end of the town on the way to Firostefani. It is not just the people on terra firma who wait for the sunset. Cruise ships time their departure from Fira port just around the same time and position themselves in the open Caldera for a unhindered view for its passengers. Low lying clouds prevented us from seeing the sun off all the way into the horizon. The little we saw of it was still magical and definitely worth the wait.

The Blue star ferry that serves the islands in Cyclades leaves the Fira port just before sunset.

A cruise ship positioning itself to offer the best view of the sunset in the waters below Oia

The volcanic island of Nea Kameni from Fira at sunset

The volcanic islands of Nea Kameni and Palea Kameni

The islands, bang in the middle of the Caldera, are served by tourist boats from the Fira port. With a variety of tours that take us to 2 or 3 of the islands on wooden sail boats powered by a motor, it is a good break from the main island for half a day. Plus, we get to see the same villages from a different point of view. There are about a dozen boats that arrive at Nea Kameni, the island with the volcanic crater, within a few minutes of each other. After hopping across the other boats and paying an entrance fee, there's a steep climb up to the craters on uneven terrain. The guide shows a few craters and brings the group back down to the waiting boats. The views from here across the Caldera are stunning. The sea looks bluer than ever. Then it is a ride to Paleo Kameni, the island with the hot spring. The boats stop quite a distance away and we have to swim out to the hot spring area. We chose to remain on the boat. After this we are dropped back to Fira port. Some boats continue to Therasia.

The steep hill down to the port at Nea Kameni with Fira in the background.

The hot springs at Palea Kameni

Souvenir and Food

The vegetarian version of the Greek delicacy of Moussaka with eggplant, cheese and pastry sheets.

Miniature houses and blue domed churches for sale as souvenirs

More colorful souvenirs

My last memory of this beautiful island that I hope to return to again, sometime in the future. The most photographed, most popular and the most serene of all blue domed churches, close to where we were staying in Firostefani.

The island of Santorini