Oregon Waterfalls 2016

If not on the beach or putting a jigsaw puzzle together we explored waterfalls around the area.  Good news is I got to swim in the creeks!  Have I told you I love water??

The first waterfall was on the way to Portland with Dad and was called White River Falls.  It was really pretty.  It was hard to get to the creek but I did figure out a way.

Dad didn’t get a picture of me because he did not find the path to the water like I did!!

White River Falls

We went to Young’s River Falls a couple of times because it was near where we were staying in Seaside.  I loved it because I got to play in the creek.

Young’s River Falls

There were some pretty flowers near the creek too.

Mom, Dad and I hiked the Horsetail Falls Loop trail and saw Horsetail Falls, Ponytail falls and Multnomah Falls.  Lots of people on the trail so I was on leash for a lot of the hike but got to run and swim some!

Horsetail Falls Loop

 

Mom, Dad and I stopped at Fishhawk Creek Falls on the way back to Portland from the Coast.  What a pretty peaceful place!

Oregon Beaches Summer 2016

We spent a lot of our summer on the beaches and playing in waterfalls.  With a jigsaw puzzle thrown in between.

I love running on the Beach

 

 

An the beach with Friends is even better.

Resting between runs

 
 

A little Sun Bathing is good too.

Between beaches and waterfalls

4th of July!

Luke was in town for the 4th of July!  We went to the Seaside 4th of July parade and the Carousal .

Lots of fun and people.

With Luke around Dad doesn’t take as many pictures of me but I understand, he is really cute.

‘Merica

Little Man Luke

 

 

 

 

Luke watching the Parade

Patriotism in its purest form.

 

 

I know everyone likes the Fireworks but the noise scares me.  Dad gave me a treat the made me a little sleepy and it didn’t bother me as much this year.

 

Summer of ’16

I offered to let Mom and Dad use my blog to post pictures from their Iceland trip and they go do excited doing that they forgot to post my pictures from last summer.  It was a great summer on the Oregon coast with lots of friends and family visiting.

Mom, Dad and I rented a 4 bedroom house on  the Oregon coast in Seaside for the whole month of July.  Luke and  Lola  came to visit us almost  every weekend (Lola’s Mom and Dad  come too).  Mom and Dad’s friends Dianna and Peter came and so did Alex and Riley.  One of the best times I had was when Alex and Riley brought Penny and Mowgli!!  How much fun we had running on the Oregon beaches!!

Dad and  I drove  up to Portland  again this year (Mom flew from Canada through Seattle).  Dad stopped more often this time and we took some great walks  together, a few days in Portland with Lola then off to the coast.  We stayed for a couple of nights in a small house in Portland before Dad and I drove home. A great summer.  Here and on the next few posts are pictures.  Enjoy!

We stopped at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon on our way to Oregon after going by the Vermillian  Cliffs.  Wow!

Vermillion Cliffs

 

North Rim with Dad

North Rim Grand Canyon

North Rim Grand Canyon

MO

 

#geddis66° Day 11- Hvolsvöllur to Reykjavík

Our first day without sunshine.  But it was just right to see some of the city of Reyjavik.

We started our last day in Iceland with a lazy start and and a walk around the flowers in the front yard of our farm house.

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And then a stop at the last waterfall for our trip,  Urriðafoss.

 I think I really fell in love with Iceland Waterfalls and Dianne was very patient with me.

 

Urriðafoss is said to flow more water than any other waterfall in Iceland

last waterfall

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We spent the afternoon in Revjavik seeing the sights and eating a hot dog!

Alþingishúsið

The Home of the Iceland Parliament

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Corrugated metal is a popular building material in Iceland.  The wooded land was used by the Vikings and wood as a building material is scarce.  Corrugated metal is light but strong and serves well in this harsh weather and volcanic region.

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Often the homes and churches (Tin Tabernacles) are painted bright colors

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And a visit to Iceland would not be complete without an Icelandic Hot Dog!

Hot Dog

 

Reykjavík is a harbor town including small and large boats and ships.

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One of the most interesting things we say in Reykjavík was the Viking Settlement Exhibition.  A Viking Settlement was found in Reykjavik and the exhibition was built around it. Some amazing technology to help present the story!

Settlement 1 Settlement 2

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Off to the Airport Inn to catch an early flight back to the States!

Thanks Iceland, I am sure we will see you again!

#geddis66° Day 10 – Núpsstaður to Hvolsvöllur

Another great day of sunshine in Iceland!  A shorter drive today as we split the two night scheduled in the East Fjords.

Our first stop was at Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon and Dianne hiked up the trail to Fagrifoss.

Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon

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Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon Day 10

Fagrifoss

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Of course she not only hiked up the hill she RAN down it!

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A field of Dandelions adding color to the beauty.

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Black Sand Beach in Vik

Black Beach Sign Vik

 

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Dianne the Mountain Goat

Di the Mountain goat

Because it is there

The Three Sea Trolls

Look closely in the top right hand corner of the photo for the Hang Glider!

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Love from Iceland

 

We stopped at Skógafoss.  It is a beautiful waterfall very near the Ring Road (highway 1) and therefore very crowded.

A Skógafoss Double Rainbow!

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And…

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One more waterfall and one more rainbow before we stop for the day!

Seljalandsfoss

Seljalandsfoss Day with rainbow

Seljalandsfoss Day Rainbow edit

We ended the day at our Airbnb a wonderful farm house, on a working farm, that reminds you of someones grandmother.  Many family artifacts, a cozy place to stay the night.

Farm House

One more sleep before we return to our lives.  We will never forget this trip!  What a beautiful country.

#geddis66° Day 9 – Stöðvarfjörður to Núpsstaður

We had intended two nights  in Stöðvarfjörður but decided to cancel one and move  half  way to the next Airbnb. We found  a hotel in Núpsstaður.  This helped split the  driving time.  The trip along they was a again, beautiful highlighted by the a Glacier Lake, considered by some one  of the best  photographic spots in the world. Not sure we  did  it justice.

On the way look who we  ran  into..

Donner, Dancer, Vixen, Comet and Cupid

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And one of the  charming Icelandic Horses.

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A quick stop in Djúpivogur

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And then…

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But that is not all!!

A turf church from the early 18’s i84 Hofskirkja

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Next was the Vatnajökull glacier and National Park.  Most of the roads we  wanted  to visit were still closed from the winter  but the beauty is not only on  highland roads.

Svartifoss

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Another day of Mother Nature beauty!!

#geddis66° Day 8 – Akureyri to Stöðvarfjörður

A beautiful day from the North to the East Fjords through a geothermal area with Lava Fields and Geo Thermal mud fields.  Beauty abounds.

A quick stop at Godafoss to see it in the sun after yesterdays great experience in the cloudy weather.

Goudafloss in the sun

 

Then off to a surreal location in Iceland, Mývatn.  It is an active volcano area.

Lava Fields

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Di Lava Fields Mytvan

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A spring bud in the vast Lava Fields

 

Volcanic Crater Hverfjall

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Di hiking Mytvan crater

Dianne on her  way up Hverfjall

Námaskarð

Lava Mud Fields

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Live bubbling lava and hot sulfuric steam springs.  View is astonishing the smell not so much.

Myvatan Nature Baths

What a great break in day for us.  We  spent nearly 2 hours at the baths, met people from all over  the globe and even had hail fall on us  while  in these wonderful warm natural waters.  Not to mention the beauty surrounding us on all sides!

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After  the pools we headed  to Stöðvarfjörður in the Eastern Fjords to find our Airbnb for the night.

Along the way we found these two Whooper Swans

Icelandic Whooper Swans

 

The view from our window in Stöðvarfjörður

View from east fjords airbnb

What will tomorrow bring?

#geddis66° Day 7 – Akureyri

Today was a  catch up day. Catch up on rest and  travel.  We slept in a bit and Di explored Akureyri and I went to Goðafoss to see the Waterfall.

Akureyri

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Honor to Icelandic Settlers

Early Settelers Iceland  Statute Akureryi

 

Háskólann á Akureyri (University of Akureyri)

Háskólann á Akureyri.

Not your “flipped” classroom

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Also a Junior College

Menntaskólinn á Akureyri

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And of course with a University and a College you must have a Frisbee Golf course

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A boy and his camera

Godafloss

 

And a short stop in Húsavík and a picture standing on the 66° Lattitude

Húsavík

 

#geddis66° Day 6 – Ísafjörður to Akureyri

Ísafjörður

Leaving Ísafjörður.

If  we had it to do again we would spend at least 2 nights here!!  What a great little town.

And our hostess, Gunna, was delightful. She is an Icelandic Airline  flight attendant who lives  in Rykevick but was  filling in as hostess for her  cousin who owns  the Airbnb. In addition to being a wonderful hostess she was doing her homework in a Masters Degree in Folk Lore and was a wealth of Icelandic history and culture.  Her great grandparents lived in Ísafjörður as did her grandparents and parents.  The stories of survival without roads, electricity and heat were amazing.

We could have talked  to her all day.

 

The Bakri in Iceland are wonderful.  Pastry’s so flaky and good!

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Breakfast in Ísafjörður

 

Good by to Isfjordur

Our last look at Ísafjörður

 

Fjords along the north coast of  the  Westfjords

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The Arctic Ocean in Blönduós

Blönduós Artic Ocean

 

And then the magic continue!  A rare May sunset over  the  Arctic  Ocean in Akureyri

Arctic Ocean sunset

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A perfect end to a perfect day!