Wow! Myvatn/Asbyrgi trip, day 1

We set out early in beautiful weather from Akureyri in a rental Diesel Ford Focus (didn’t know they made those), headed east on the Ring Road along a fjord and through beautiful valleys to Godafoss waterfall and then Lake Myvatn. We decided to head directly to the geothermal fields at Hverir, passing two major geothermal energy plants on the way. Hverir was entrancing, with boiling mudpots and crazy vents in the earth that spout steam with a roaring that sounds a bit like a tornado. All around are colorful fumaroles, the mineral deposits left by the thermal activity, and steaming bits of earth.

From there we went to Leirhnjukur, where there is another geothermal area surrounded by an enormous lava field from eruptions of the volcano Krafla. The lava here is much younger (1977-1984) than other fields I have been to, and is quite black and rugged. In some places it is still steaming, and you can begin to see why there’s a nearby spot named Viti (Hell). The size of the lava field is a bit like the glaciers—astonishingly large, like an ocean of black stretching out for miles.

As a more humorous and definitely quirky end to the day we drove north to Husavik, a popular whale-watching town, and visited the Icelandic Phallological Museum. Yes, it is what it sounds like: a museum housing the private collection of preserved specimens of penises from the world’s mammals, including a human specimen (not, um, very impressive) donated by an Icelandic man, the mysterious elf specimen shown below, and the truly bizarre lamps made from bull scrotums made by the director and for sale should you want one in your living room. I passed on that opportunity, though it certainly would make a conversation piece!

After a long and amazing day, we drove on to Asbyrgi, where we stayed in one of the stranger guesthouses I’ve seen so far, an elementary school that becomes a guest house in the summer. Practical, I guess. 

geothermal energy plant

Hverir geothermal field

Hverir

boiling mudpot

mudpot

lava field

"young" lava

Icelandic Phallological Museum

Elf specimen (understandably hard to see...)

Unique lamps for the home

On the road again: Siglufjörður and Akureyri

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.

Gallery? really???

Emergency hut on the road to Siglufjörður. Imagining the winter here, you'd need it.

In the tunnel—one lane—oncoming traffic has to pull into a pull-out area. Gulp.

Siglufjörður street

Lunch in Siglufjörður, bundled up. 

Akureyri street

Folks at the Folk Museum

Icelandic haircut, photo courtesy of Emma

Cooking and planning

Today was my day to cook the main meal—pasta with roasted veggies & shrimp and spinach salad. I think it was good (at least no one complained!), but I forgot to document my kitchen ventures (aw!!!). Tomorrow we go to Siglufjörður and then on to Akureyri, the second largest city in Iceland (though still very small by US standards). Emma and I will rent a car from there and spend 3 days exploring the lava flows (some still steaming), craters, and geothermal fields (boiling mudpots!) around Lake Myvatn, so time spent today on trip planning. Time at Baer is going so fast, and I am trying to soak in everything...

grass waving in the studio skylight

fellow artist taking wing

trip planning

Into the interior

Today was another spectacular day, so Finnur offered to take us in his 4WD on an excursion to the Sprengisandur region in interior Iceland. We started on paved roads, then to a gravel road that wound through a canyon, up the mountain in switchbacks, and across a desert. This was my first experience of the interior highlands about which I have heard so much. The vast center of Iceland is largely uninhabited, due to the harsh landscape and conditions there. As we left the last farms behind, it was easy to see why no one lives there. Our destination was a geothermal spring in which we had hoped to take a hot soak, but when we got there they had emptied the pool to clean the algae out of the bottom. So we did not get the soak, but had an amazing trip, with Hofsjökull and Vatnajökull glaciers icing the horizon, green canyons, and arid deserts. Our intrepid driver took us fording across streams, very exciting!

across the desert

Fording the glacial stream

Glacial river and Hofsjökul on the horizon

our destination

valley landscape

A perfect day...

Today was just about perfect, sunny, sparkling and warm, and I've been pushing (maybe forcing) hard in the studio, so I decided to take the day "off" and just be outside. I took two long walks, and spent some time chatting with these folks. They were VERY curious about my camera.

One of my fellow artists also taking advantage of the day.

Two sunsets

In the studio...

Yesterday started off sunny and warm, and then the fog closed in on the fjord, and the water disappeared, cocooning the studio and house in a white blanket. And today it was cold enough to see my breath. I am loving the simplicity of my studio and the quietness of the day here. Being here is turning out to be an exercise in attention: quieting the voices in my head and the noise in my life, and making space for a more open mind. A few hours writing in the lounge every morning is a perfect prelude to the day and the studio.

Studio, day 4

Rural Iceland

I've been settling into the studio, getting acquainted with the terrific fellow artists and hosts, with long walks, wonderful meals together and conversations about art. Baer is a working farm where they raise beautiful Icelandic horses. They are small by our standards, but strong and elegant. This fellow came to check us out–love the long forelocks.

In the regular sessions (June and July), Baer has a cook. But this August session is a special addition this summer, so we artists are doing some of the cooking, making the main meal for ourselves and the family. Today we went to the supermarket and loaded up on supplies, stopping for a look at the local fish processing plant and this area where they dry fish. I hear that on a windy day they sound like a strange fishy kind of wind chime. The fresh fish is wonderful, but my favorite new food is smoked lamb, yum.

Big sky...

Baer front yard!

It is pretty hard to go to bed, when this is happening outside. I took this about 11:00 last night, and this is only about half of the view from the lounge. We are not far from the arctic circle here, but it is surprisingly mild.

I think we've died and gone to artists' heaven...

The backyard at Baer

Steinunn met me at the bus in Varmahlíð and took me for coffee and skyr and a visit to some historic turf-roofed houses, before picking up 2 other artists and heading to Baer. With the mountain at our backs we drove down the long drive to the house and turf-roofed studio building with a panoramic view of mountains and the glistening fjord. This is the kind of residency that artists dream about -- stunning location, totally silent except for the birds, fabulous big skylit studios and a consciousness about good design, simplicity, access to nature and an environment that supports creative work. Steinunn, her husband Finnur and their children have been so warm and welcoming, and we have everything we could need or want, and more. 

Happy Baer artists (and 1 more to come tonight)

The glass "lounge" looks out over sky and water that is constantly changing, and is the most peaceful place to eat breakfast, read, get together or just watch the sun go down behind the cape.

studio building

The lounge

my studio, day 1

Transitions

Leaving Reykjavik (the bus has a cracked windshield too...)

I left Reykjavik early yesterday for the 5 hour bus ride north to Hofsos and Baer Art Center, where I will be with 3 other artists for the month of August. We rode through rolling plains and mountains, and then the last couple of hours into the northern fjords and farmland.

Bus window vista: cloud stuck on a volcano

Driving into a cloud

Time to unpack in a new place.