Iceland - Trip to the Viking Museum

 We will have to go back to Iceland and see the place during sunshine and summer. I get an email monthly from the Icelandic Tourist Bureau which shows spectacular volcanic land forms, hot pools, and waterfalls. Unfortunately it was high winds, a hard rain, and fog during our visit.

We chose to take a shore excursion across a lava bed, to hot springs, and a Viking Museum. Hurricane weather is an added bonus.

Our guide for the shore excursion told many tales of growing up in Iceland.  All the people change their last names with each generation. For example my last name would be Alvin-daughter, and Denny's would be Earl-son. The citizens have no intention of changing this tradition.

The population of Iceland is 339,031.  The population of Des Moines is 209,000.

The museum has a replica of a standard Viking ship.  Considering they came to Iceland from Norway in open boats, I am just stunned by their bravery. Our cruise ship has traveled the same path and distance.

The country side we drove through was a featureless lava bed.

 The hot springs water will cook a finger in seconds, so decide which one you can do without before you test the water temperature with it.

The hot springs water is piped to nearly every town and home in Iceland.