We set out this morning from Baer, north up the coast to
Siglufjörður, a remote fishing town that was flourishing when herring was plentiful, but declined after completely depleting the supply. The countryside is beautiful on the way there, with steep drops down to the sea and lonely farmsteads. Steinunn told us that when she was a child the road was to Siglufjörður was a terrifying gravel track—you can see it going up the mountain in the emergency hut photo below. In Siglufjörður we visited the Herring Museum, and walked around to see the interesting old houses mixed with new, and the revitalization that is coming with tourism to the area. Siglufjörður used to be a dead end, with no way to continue to the next town except by boat. Two new tunnels opened last year, allowing traffic to connect through to Akureyri. It was a clear day, so we could see all the way to Grimsey Island, which sits on the Arctic Circle. Although chilly and windy, it does not feel that far north at all. Passing through the tunnels, we continued into Akureyri, where we went to the Folk Museum and I had a much-needed Icelandic haircut. Now the others have returned to Baer and Emma and I set out on a new driving adventure tomorrow.
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| Gallery? really??? |
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| Emergency hut on the road to Siglufjörður. Imagining the winter here, you'd need it. |
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| In the tunnel—one lane—oncoming traffic has to pull into a pull-out area. Gulp. |
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| Siglufjörður street |
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| Lunch in Siglufjörður, bundled up. |
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| Akureyri street |
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| Folks at the Folk Museum |
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| Icelandic haircut, photo courtesy of Emma |
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