Iceland // Reykjavik

The entire city of Reykjavik has around 100,000 residents, which is pretty small for a capitol city, but massive for Iceland! 1/3 of the entire population lives here! What really astounded me though was how hip the entire city was. It didn't feel like a small city at all, it felt like a thriving, cosmopolitan, artistic metropolis! I just didn't expect it! I am really glad that we spent the last portion of our trip here, because I think it really would have distorted my perceptions of Iceland if we had started here. It just is so different from the rest of the country! But, I am glad we had a few days to experience it.

Also, a note about that lighthouse: I hiked up to the top with a few other students and the view was beautiful, but it was so windy that we literally could lean backwards and not fall because the wind was supporting was. crazy!

I spent one morning on that couch journaling and sipping a cup of tea in the loft of this place we were staying at. It was perfectly cozy and chill. 

You can't see it, but the text to the right of the tiger says "No, Rules!"

I thought for a long time about buying this photo print of the Eyjafjallajökull eruption, but I ended up passing. It's pretty dope though, right? 

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ICELAND // Geo

 Hello from Iceland! I am actually in ICELAND. What is this?!
So excited to be here for two weeks!! While I truly do love the academics at Franklin, I gotta say, Academic Travel is THE best part of Franklin!

Two weeks of field studies in Iceland? Does it get any cooler? (haha, bad unintentional pun)

10 days in and I've already taken over one thousand photos.. this country is too beautiful! 

I promise I won't post all one thousand photos (or even half of that!) but I have decided to divide up my posts about Iceland into 4 groupings: Geo, Fjord, Falls, and City. 

So, while I am still processing and learning, here is my photo journal pat one: Geo.

 B L U E   L A G O O N 

We went straight from the airport to the hotel to the Blue Lagoon our first evening in Iceland. Soaking in the warm water was the best way to unwind from the stress of midterms week + a day of traveling.  I only wish that we had been able to spend more time here! I'd have happily floated around all day. 

So tired in this picture, but so so happy! 

G R Á B R Ó K   C R A T E R 

path to mordor? mars? or a volcanic crater? 

F R O M  T H E  R O A D  

R E Y K J A N E S

 Steam rising from the ground near a geothermal spring

20 yrs old in Iceland

The one night we stayed in this hotel there was a distinct "Shutter Island" vibe to it.. 

A geothermal pool looking out over the Arctic Ocean

hiking selfie

snow! (spoiler alert: much more to come in the next posts!) 

And a seal peeking its head out! We saw about 8 seals during our costal hike! They were so playful and curious! 

And this post was just the beginning, three more posts and a billion more photos to be posted soon! 

xx