Day 17: July 12, 2011

Sho, Saya and I spent the day in Djupivogur, a pleasant fishing village in the stunningly beautiful east coast of Iceland. The day was sunny and warm. Sunlight glistened off the water in the harbor and bathed the surrounding snow-capped mountains with its warmth.

We had hoped to take a boat tour of Papey Island, known for its many birds and seals, but the small boat was filled up by other tourists with the same idea. So we explored the area on our own, seeing what we might discover along the waterfront. We cycled to several excellent bird-watching spots, one that had bird huts thoughtfully set up to protect viewers from the wind and to keep them from spooking the birds.

We also found two deep soaking tubs hidden behind some boulders and fed by hot water bubbling out of the earth. Streams of warm steaming water flowed through the grassy plain. We luxuriated in the pools, sinking up to our necks to keep from getting chilled by the cold air that blew down from the surrounding mountains. The sparkling blue sea spread out a few hundred meters away, and various birds called out far above us, completing a blissful scene.

Here are some pics:

Bird hut:


Djupivogur:








Bird viewing:











Enjoying the outdoor tubs:










- An Iceland Bike Adventure post