Tuesday

Sitting on a cliff, steep 300 feet drop with buddy boy Snorri by my side. 11 pm. 5 feet to my left there's a good 20 puffins studying me studying them. It is bright as day, mild enough for a thin sweater. Sound of the waves hitting the rocks, further out it is blank as a mirror.
Walked a little further. Hundreds of puffins here. Sitting within 10 feet of many!!!! No fear of humans or my 4 legged compadre. I think I just got invited in for coffee by mr and mrs puffin. I'll take my shoes off, say thank you and please and be very polite!!!
Why oh why do I have to leave? I'm refreshed and very bright and awake. See you soon Westmannaeyr, Snorri, mr and mrs puffin. It has been a pleasure!!!

Tuesday

Up ealy. Said bye to Greta, Marcus, Runa and Fii.
Went out with Snorri for 1 1/2 hour walk about. Saw some amazing cliffs high above the rugged coastline and then walked half ways around the island past farms, harbor and through town. It drizzled for most of our hike, but we didn't care.
Went home and got packed. We're leaving for Denmark tomorrow.
In the late afternoon after it had cleared up Anna, Unnar, Tristan and I drove up to some other cliffs, where we saw a couple of "real" puffins. Not the funky wall painting kinds. They are awesomly cool to watch.
Then we drove up behind the golf course, that is unsafely close to the road. People hitting balls with on coming traffic. We saw some houses they are building old viking house style. Grass on the roofs, fire pit inside etc. They are going to be a museum of some sorts.
Hiked up further. Steep grassy hills with sheep roaming freely. And a really beautiful 'fjord' that cut into the cliffs. Got home and hada icelandic lamb soup for dinner. I am od'ing on lamb these days, even though it has been very good!
Anna and I took Tristan and both Maggi and Snorri to fish at the harbor. Didn't catch anything, even after two hours so we gave up around 8 pm. Interesting local life down there. Talked to some people. Kids playing. Older 'kids' in speed boats waterskiing and on sea doos. Lots of activity. These people understand to play outside all times of the day.
When we got home Gardar and Unnar had pulled out the serious equipment and the boys headed down again for more fishing. They ended up catching 4 fish.

My adhd is kicking in and I'm pondering another hike!! These legs are made for walking.. do dodooo. Twist my arm, why won't I. SNOOOOORRIII... Let's go study some puffin.

Monday.

Took the kids on a drive. Went and saw Pompei, 400 houses burried under 20 m of lava. Felt kinda rude walking on people's roofs. Looks like a moon landscape. Walked down to the harbor and pier. Saw a very interesting tiny church. Saw where Keiko was kept for a while in his cage, in hte process of reintroducing him to the wild. This killer whale liked people so much, that when the gates were oepned, he chose to stay in his enclosure. He finally hooked up with a school of whales and went with them to Norway. He kept hanging around the harbor there, craving attention from humans. They had to tell people to stop playing with him. Ended up with a disease that took his life. People have to stick their noses in everything...

At night we took the kids fishing at the harbor. Freaking freezing and windy. I chose to fish from the car, only way to do it. Not my kinda thing anyways, but Tristan is a fishaholic.

and more...

Monday. Sitting outside with my coffee. The goat bird is out early. We have this phenomenal bird. It brays like a goat, making the noise with it's wings. It is named after a horse. Have been trying to study it's habbits. It is always out around 5-6 pm. You kinda know what time it is by which birds are out. Dinner time by Goat Bird o'clock. Cocktails by puffin o'clock. Puffin wall paintings are another interesting thing. I have so far seen a piano playing puffin. A priest puffin with a cocktail. Not to mention 'dirty' puffin, my favorite. He sits with a burger in one hand, hot dog in the other and an ice cream in his crotch. "Oh mrs. puffin, you want some of this"?

but wait there's more.

Friday more fun time with family.
Saturday. Went down to Gardars ship for a tour. He is preparing it for his upcoming trip to Greenland. Kids had fun with granpa and they went on a tour off the island. Greta and I let them have some time by theselves. We went to the town to find that the only place that you can buy alcohol closes at 2pm on a saturday. How does that work when people don't get up until 3pm!?!? We went up to the volcano. It was crazy windy up there. Unfortunately also foggy. The view would have been amazing otherwise.
In the evening we went to a town party. When in Iceland do as the icelanders do :) Party like maniacs. Lots of fun though. Greta and I managed to hold eachother up long enough to make it home around 8am, to find Unnar dancing with his mom and the party still going. Kids were still up as well. Went to bed around 10 am. With this constant daylight you just kinda pick your own day and night.
Woke up at 2pm sunday. Took Snorri out for a walk. Not getting lost this time. I know this island by now and even manage to speak a fair amount of icelandic.
Quiet day, nobody else than Anna woke up until 6pm.

Heidi

3.7.09

Arrived late last night on the farry from main Island to Westmannaeyr. The ride itself was rather painful, last 3 hours out of a 35 hour trip. It turned out to be worth it, when we pulled into harbour at 10.30 pm, full daylight!! The beauty of the cliffs was undescribable!
Great fun with family lasting until 4am. Finally a good sleep. Had 4 hours in 72 hours before that. They say time waits for nobody, in Iceland it does. You feel like sleeping in? So does everybody else and nothing opens up until noon.
After a good cup off coffee I headed out for a hike with Snorri, the wonder mutt. Stocked up on a few drinks. Mountain Dew tastes much better over here. Off to explore Ma nature.
The soil is black, we are on a lava Island that a volcano burbed out of the ocean. It is thickly covered iwth moss and grass. Little white and purple flowers and biggers chunks of lave sticking out. Warm enough for tshirt. Snorri frolicking and rolling in the moss, it takes every piece of self control not to join him!Rolling fog coming in, looks like something out of Lord of the Rings.
Icelanders believe in elves and gnomes living in the rocks. Almost wouldn't spurprise me, this landscape is sickly alive.
Went through the hills, down to the harbour with puffins scattered in the cliffs. To down town that was buzzing with lazy afternoon activities. One street is locked off with bbq and band playing. They are celebrating the day that the volcano stopped erupting last time 35 years ago.
People curiously looking at me and Snorri, I most likely have a big sign on my forhead labeling me tourist!
Got lost. Spend 1 1/2 hours trying to find Dverghammer. How tough can it be to find a little dude with a hammer? Was very happy to finally find the house with a big piano playing puffin painted on the side of the wall!

Heidi