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<\/a>\n This is why they call it Ice<\/i>land. J\u00f6kuls\u00e1rl\u00f3n – a glacial lake, with bits of glacier always breaking off and floating into the sea. This is the first thing in the morning.<\/p>\n
\n Clouds above J\u00f6kuls\u00e1rl\u00f3n, in the first rays of dawn.<\/p>\n
\n Dettifoss – the biggest waterfall in Europe!<\/p>\n
\n First mountains of the morning.<\/p>\n
\n Behold the glowsheep. Seriously, under flash, their eyes glow Cherenkov blue<\/i>.<\/p>\n
\n The bridge at J\u00f6kuls\u00e1rl\u00f3n. This bridge crosses the narrow section of the glacial lake that empties out into the ocean.<\/p>\n
\n J\u00f6kuls\u00e1rl\u00f3n at sunrise.<\/p>\n
\n More floating ice.<\/p>\n
\n Dan taking photos from surface level, while I take photos from a hill.<\/p>\n
\n The devil’s spine. Some floating ice blocks are clear – others are blue. Still others are an ominous black<\/i>.<\/p>\n
\n Close-up of said devil.<\/p>\n
\n Don’t mind the dog, it’s just… cleaning itself. The dog came along with a German couple who had come to Iceland to take photos… the humans went off to take their photos, and the dog came to hang out with us!<\/p>\n
\n Ice in infrared.<\/p>\n
\n More ice. More infrared.<\/p>\n
\n Shake hands! What an adorable dog. That’s me – I managed to snap this photo with my fisheye lens, while the dog was busy formulating the plans by which to hump my leg.<\/p>\n
\n Moving along eastward along highway 1.<\/p>\n
\n Mountains in fog.<\/p>\n
\n Highway 1. The fog refuses to clear.<\/p>\n
\n More of highway 1 – in infrared this time.<\/p>\n
\n Sheep are everywhere.<\/p>\n
\n Complicated highway sign.<\/p>\n
\n Highway 1, heading into yet another spat of rain.<\/p>\n
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\n Old, pre-1965 cast aluminum sign. On the main road of Iceland – highway 1! In the northeast of the country, all civilization falls apart, and just because it is labeled as primary and as the one way through<\/i> does not mean it is actually any new!<\/p>\n
\n Swans – and some swanlings too!<\/p>\n
\n Highway 1 going through the mountains.<\/p>\n
\n And here we go through the mountain pass.<\/p>\n
\n Approaching Dettifoss… note that it is the biggest waterfall in Europe.<\/p>\n
\n What is this sign doing at the restroom about 500 feet from the waterfall??<\/p>\n
\n Looking down the waterfall. I am mercilessly afraid of heights – you don’t want to know how slowly and deliberately I crawled over to the ledge to lean over it and get this photo!<\/p>\n
\n Retreating safely from the sheer verticals of the waterfall… here is the road that leads us from Dettifoss to the coast; and here is a rainbow too.<\/p>\n
\n Roadside sheep. For all your sheep needs.<\/p>\n
\n Highway sign at dusk.<\/p>\n
\n The road to Va\u00f0lahei\u00f0i – there are plenty of old alignments across Iceland, and this was once a Highway 1, across the mountains… nowadays it has been bypassed by something more sensible, with more than one lane.<\/p>\n
\n Coming down the mountain.<\/p>\n