Akureyri, Iceland

 August 4

Sunrise 4:11am

Sunset 10:23pm

Temp 58F

We saw neither the sunrise nor sunset. But we did take a bus tour around town and into the countryside.

Our first stop was the Nonni House, to see where Pr. Nonni lived and served here.

Our next stop was way out in the countryside at the turf house of a wealthy pastor, his family and workers. The house was absolutely fascinating! The floors were stone. The construction was wood with sod for insulation. The rooms were about 10’ x 10’. There was a corridor with rooms to either side. Two floors. About 6 sod houses, but about 8 of them all told — it is difficult to say without spending more time there.  They were all linked together, you see. No central heat, but the kitchen heat spread through the rooms. In the winter they brought the livestock in with them, which added to the warmth. One would have little trouble getting to sleep with your sheep in the bedroom with you, eh?

Turf houses 

Ceiling 

There was an impressive church ( Lutheran).

Oddly, the pulpit faced the side — neither the congregation nor the choir. The painted carvings around it were cool.

The pastor’s study, right off his bedroom.

Notice the waterfall on the lower left. That water is about 112 degrees.  The red arch in the center of the picture is the beginning of a seven mile tunnel that unites outlying settlements in the winter, which formerly were isolated.

Our final stop on the excursion was a famous cake shop, the name of which I didn’t get. (Where is Rick Stieves when you need him? Well, he has been on the island this week, but never in the same place at the same time.)