Góðan daginn Iceland

[kermatu]

Icelanders still eat Puffin, Whale and horse! We did try the Artic Char, which is a lot like trout and very tasty - see photo of Iceland Platter menu.

The pictures are of a couple of local menus we saw where the Fish and Chips cost around $27 at a rough conversion of ISK80 to AUD$1. The Icelandic platter with Puffin is around $45


View attachment 132842

View attachment 132845

Not a bad price for a local platter. I normally will sample local food and delicacies, but horse and whale is probably pushing my limits.

Intrigued as to the taste of puffin. Somewhat like mutton bird?

 

[love_the_life]

Not a bad price for a local platter. I normally will sample local food and delicacies, but horse and whale is probably pushing my limits.

Intrigued as to the taste of puffin. Somewhat like mutton bird?

We had char as a main and also an entree share plate that included foal carpaccio. Reindeer soup also. I probably couldn’t face whale for all sorts of reasons but would’ve eaten puffin had it been on the menu. Hakari was interesting to say the least, must be a very acquired taste as it didn’t matter how much I chewed I just couldn’t swallow it.

 

[drron]

I ate puffin and whale but not horse or the fermented shark.I'd rather have bacon!



















i

 

[tgh]

Me hypocrite.. could no more eat horse than slash my wrist , a cow on the other hand is fine...

 

[kermatu]

Me hypocrite.. could no more eat horse than slash my wrist , a cow on the other hand is fine...

I know. Immediately after my post I wondered about the distinction too.

Anyway, I have veered the TR somewhat off topic. Can’t wait to travel to Iceland myself. Just wish all the AFF’er and other hordes would all bugger off so I could have the place to myself.

 

[Pug1]

Thats quite a large cabin and a bit old world class with all the wood.

yes Denali, we like it that way. I'll upload some more pictures of the ship shortly. All of the cabins are quite large and have the same polished wood feel. It's cosy with no casinos, shows or slot machines.

 

[Pug1]

Our cabin settee and squeezy en-suite with shower bench for rough weather. The two upper decks have balconies however we didn't see the point in Iceland.

 

[Pug1]

The Club Lounge with bar and coffee/tea station on Deck 4.

 

[Pug1]

Main Dining Room on Deck 2 and Lido al fresco on Deck 5. We ate most of our meals in the Lido complete with puffer jackets, beanies and supplied blankets, as required. There was a hardy group of regulars for dinner in the Lido but it was very comfortable when the sun was out. Note the heaters in the roof. I recall that the Island Sky had more clear curtains to block out inclement weather and the Hebridean Sky clears needed replacing. Think she is going into dry dock soon.

 

[Pug1]

The small library with lots of books and two computers with free wi-fi.

 

[Pug1]

Not a bad price for a local platter. I normally will sample local food and delicacies, but horse and whale is probably pushing my limits.

Intrigued as to the taste of puffin. Somewhat like mutton bird?

Didn't try any kermatu

 

[kermatu]

Didn't try any kermatu

Don’t blame you!

 

[Anna]

Pug1 you have inspired me. It's been in the back of my mind to go to Iceland since I had to study some units of both Old Norse and modern Icelandic as part of my Arts degree. But I think you've pushed it to the front of my mind now with the cruise idea

 

[Pug1]

Pug1 you have inspired me. It's been in the back of my mind to go to Iceland since I had to study some units of both Old Norse and modern Icelandic as part of my Arts degree. But I think you've pushed it to the front of my mind now with the cruise idea

go for it Anna it's a spectacular country with lovely resilient people. Since our cruise included all food and drinks it was an economical way to see Iceland, (well as economical as Iceland gets!). Ours was an expedition cruise with 10 experts cough Zodiac drivers on board so we didn't miss much. The small ships are the way to go to get into the very small places the huge ones can't fit. I estimate you would need at least $500 a day for food alone if a couple travelled on land and were independent travellers. Will load more TR later today.

 

[Denali]

.... I estimate you would need at least $500 a day for food alone if a couple travelled on land and were independent travellers. Will load more TR later today.

When we arrive it'll be approx 4-5pm and theres a pizza place down the road. Priced up a small cheese is about $20 and small meal lovers is about $30, plus salad and coke came to about $100AUD Eating out 3 meals per day would be pricey.

 

[Pug1]

When we arrive it'll be approx 4-5pm and theres a pizza place down the road. Priced up a small cheese is about $20 and small meal lovers is about $30, plus salad and coke came to about $100AUD Eating out 3 meals per day would be pricey.

yes agree. We got two open Danish style smoked Salmon sandwiches, a glass of red and glass of beer at the Radisson Blu and it cost about $90.

 

[Pug1]

19th July
This morning we awoke to find Hebridean Sky sailing into the little town of Grundarfjordur on a stunning sunny day. We moored alongside as we had breakfast and got ready for an early start for our morning tour of the Snaefellsnes (snow mountain) Peninsula. Our guests split into smaller groups and we were on our way.


This is a dramatic coastline with little fishing villages; the road skirts around Snaefellsjokull, the glacier made popular by Jules Verne in his “Journey to the Centre of the Earth”. (I have this weird habit of calling the Iceland glaciers “Joe Cool”!)
The photo below is Kirkjufell Mountain called so because it looks like a Kirk or church.


Our first stop was Djupalonssandur beach a black volcanic beach of craggy lava field and smooth lava pebbles. The beach is littered with the rusting wreckage of an English fishing trawler lost in 1948.

 

[Pug1]

We then drove to the little village of Arnarstapi with its thriving birdlife and tiny harbour. This was to be our first real sighting of the tiny Arctic Tern with its white body and little black head. The little Terns were nesting in the grasses and would dive bomb you if you got too close even though we stuck to the paths. This area is also a Puffin nesting spot.







Troll Monument

 

[Pug1]

Budir
Our final stop on Snaefellsnes was at Budir to see the famous little black church on its very scenic position near the beach. The first church was built in 1703 but demolished. The Parish of Budir was abolished in 1816. An obviously very feisty local lady Steinunn Sveinsdottir was rejected by the central church for funding to build a new church. However she obtained Royal permission to build but was again denied funding by the central church. So she arranged the funding and rebuilding herself and the new church opened in 1848. Ms. Sveinsdottir placed an inscription on the door that reads "This Church was built in 1848 without the support of the spiritual fathers". She then ordered that when she died she was to be buried facing North South instead of the traditional East West as a further pointed message to the central church. Her grave is clearly seen in the centre of the little graveyard, facing the wrong way. You don’t mess with a feisty Icelandic woman!




View of Snaefellsnesjokull from the church

 

[Pug1]

I will continue this later but let me know if I'm putting too much into the TR and boring everyone senseless!