Tuesday, November 13, 2007


One of the scenes that keeps coming back to me of my first visit to Iceland is this one. In northwestern Iceland, after driving over endless moss-covered lava fields on a horrendously narrow road which dipped and wound through dangerous car-eating holes & skirted tire-popping jagged rocks, we found ourselves at the cliffside shore. Carefully picking our way down the cliff to the beach, which surprisingly had white sand rather than the more common beautiful black ground lava sand, we jumped down onto the pristine shore.

I never wanted to leave. I'm sure it is stormy, freezing, wet and cold at this very moment, if not snow laden, but the picture in my mind is as lovely as ever.

22 comments:

Ariel the Thief said...

And the emerald hills! I can look at them every time I go to your Flickr.

Tom & Icy said...

It is nice that we can freeze the warm memories. But I got taken aback when I read Minka's comment on Doug's blog this morning about if time was a towel and space was wet... I keep thinking of Einstein's teeth chattering.
I love how you bring us such beautiful memories of your trips.

Nessa said...

No wonder you didn't want to leave. Spectacular scenery.

Anonymous said...

Scenes like this remind me of what a great artist God is.
tc

lime said...

that is a breathtaking bit of landscape!

RED MOJO said...

A beautiful picture, it reminds me a little bit of the California coast on the way to San Pedro. I used to go to this great place down there for fresh seafood cooked when you order it with peppers and onions and a cold beer and mariachi bands. Wonderful! I said "a little bit" ;)

Anonymous said...

HAHAHA the photos reminded me of the coast of Portugal - "a little bit"! The water looks like crystal in your photographs!!

Sally said...

Terry,

Have you ever thought of taking up a career as a travel writer? :) You could be one of those people who get to travel all over and write up how amazing the place was and get paid for it. :) You always have a way with words that makes the place so interesting. :)

Sal

tsduff said...

Ariel - yes, that picture of Vestmannaeyjar makes me gasp each time I look - and oh how I wish I could lay my eyes on that place once more.

Bravo Tom - "freeze the warm memories" what a concept. But it is true! Yes, I was a bit confused at Minka's statement, but then I'm always confused when I go to Doug's :)

Nessa - Iceland is like a dream - there can't be something in real life to compare it with. It is a feast for all of your senses.

TC - yes, I agree. Our feeble minds can come up with some pretty decent art, but the Creator trumps us all.

Lime - It really DOES take your breath away to see, feel, smell, taste and hear Iceland. I don't know why anyone would leave it.

Red - You crack me up! I can agree with your statement, except the part about "the California coast on the way to San Pedro" ha ha ha! Perhaps my pictures don't do it justice, (they CAN'T do it justice) but there just isn't any comparing that pitch black basalt with California's claymation coast :O) Ummm, though, cold beer, mariachi bands and fresh seafood? I'm on my way.

LOL Annonymousie: Portugal? I doubt the crisp blowing wind off Iceland's west coast bears much likeness to Portugal... but then I've never been there. Okay, a new travel destination for me :)

Sal, you are sweet. I'd love nothing more, but you know travel publishers are a dime a dozen. Everybody has an opinion, and wants to travel, and GET PAID to do it... Rick Steve's has cornered the market on that front. But thanks for sayin :)

Kingcover said...

A lot of people think that Iceland is just snow and hot geysers when it's just as green as most other places on the planet :-)

G-Man said...

16 Candles?
Hahahaha....
"Farmer Ted" is one of my all time favorite movie characters...
You Rock..xox

Keshi said...

Amazing pics of an amazing place Terry! That first pic looks like The Gap in Sydney...a famous Suicide spot. Didnt mean to scare u there :)


btw Terry I want u to take part in my current post...I want to hear wut u hv to say. tnxx in advance!

MWACKKKKZ!
Keshi.

Tai said...

I LOVED Ireland. I totally understand how you feel about it!

Unknown said...

I love the last picture.... it reminds me of a little beach in Aruba...

Magdalene-Sophie said...

the water is just so damn blue....

ahhhhh :)

p/s: you have perfect pitch? cheers sistah! ;)

Crabby said...

Wow! that's beautiful! I had no idea Iceland was so pretty!

Doug The Una said...

So, yesterday I was driving the dogs to my father's house because I'm about to leave for San José. The traffic in front of me jammed to a halt, and I did too and Wille tumbled off the carseat. He got back up and looked at me with the very expression of the beagle puppy two posts down. I wish I'd had a camera. I think Willie's been on this site.

jillie said...

Now THERE is a picture that says "Calgon, take me AWAY!"

What a beautiful coast line that is and unspoiled by the human hand.

Anonymous said...

I would love to live in such a place, wind and snow included! I love the dramatic landscape...the cliffs and all that rocky land.

beautiful.

Minka said...

Beauty in abundance., I have never been to that shore. We are having unusually warm weather for this time of year, and I think there is no snow anywhere on thsi island, as of yet...

SOe said...

I know this feeling very well ...

Northern musings said...

Thanks for reminding me - sometimes I forget to stop and smell the sea and to realise what a special place this is.