August 1, 2024
Akureyri, Iceland

We had breakfast at the Lido Market  as we approached Akureyri on day thirteen. Afterwards, we 
prepared for our bus excursion to Mývatn, Dimmuborgir, and Hverir/Goðafoss regions. The long bus ride began with a stop at Lake Mývatn, a shallow lake in the Krafla volcanic region. After a short stop at the visitor center, the bus proceeded through the lava
rock strewn region on to Dimmuborgir, where we saw large pools
                                                           of boiling
                                                           water in the
                                                           rocky, barren
                                                           landscape. It
                                                           was daunting 
                                                           to experience
the geothermal pools surrounded by the sulfuric odor emanating from them.

The next stop on our journey was Goðafoss. The waterfall and river were spectacular (click on                                                                        the picture to see the falls in all their glory). We explored                                                                        the area for a while, taking in the incredible scenery, before
                                                                  returning to the visitor
                                                                  center to have lunch
                                                                  and look for souvenirs
                                                                  at the gift shop.

After a long journey on the bus and all the fabulous sights we had witnessed along the way, we returned to the ship to have dinner. We had anticipated having fresh Icelandic cod in the Dining Room but the kitchen had severely overcooked the fish and it was cod awful. What a disappointment.