I had great plans to load up my camera memory card with dozens more jaw-dropping scenes on our second day in Iceland, but Mother Nature had a different agenda.
Seems she knows thousands are flocking to the island to see its grand beauty, so she may think it wise to weed out the numbers by dishing out winds that could literally blow you over.
Combine that with heavy, piercing rains and inimaginable July COLD, and human humility sets in pretty fast. Oh yes, fog outside and fogged up windows can really throw a hitch in seeing the full dose of astounding beauty to be found within the vast landscape of Iceland.
That's why visitors should probably schedule more than two days in the country. The dramatic and stunning beauty truly never ends---just gets covered up on some days.
Our second day with these very conditions kept us in the car or in the cafeterias or the gift shops (which were crawling with travelers just like us decked out in rain gear, often dripping wet from the latest run from the car to the indoor venue).
In spite of less than pleasant conditions, we still created another series of wonderful memories to top off this trip of a lifetime.
One of the best came on Thursday afternoon when we looked over and saw an Icelandic pony trail ride in progress even in the punishing rain.
Very colorful with all the rain gear and the riders seemed quite willing to make the most of their experience plodding down a trail alongside a river.
If I had a disappointment on this segment of the trip, it would involve my lack of Icelandic pony pictures. Opportunities to capture more than the original handful was planned for Day Two.
The ponies are as common as whitetail deer in Selle Valley during the summer.
To see a farm withOUT a herd of black, palomino, sorrel or pinto ponies grazing or runnning in the field was the exception rather than the rule.
Most striking to me about these ponies is their general high quality and uniformity in conformation.
I also had great plans to capture even more amazing waterfalls, which, in number run competition with the cranes. I don't mean birds.
In populated areas around Iceland, one immediately is amazed with the clusters of construction cranes, lots of them suggesting that the Iceland is a constant work in progress.
Meanwhile, out on the roads through farmland, bucolic scenes of vast green fields accented with white and red buildings and lupine and ponies or cows, often the crowning glory comes in the form of graceful or explosive waterfalls.
We did visit one the second day, but that required some meticulous planning: don that rain coat, figure out how to unfold from the car seat, open the car door and hold tight so it wouldn't blow off its hinges and run like hell through pounding rain blowing in your face.
Take a quick selfie before the camera got wet, add a quick second of awe while viewing the sight, maybe even whoop it up a little and then race back to the car, soaking wet.
We only did this once and figured once was enough on this day.
With windows often fogged up along with the landscape, we entertained ourselves in grocery stores and cafeterias loaded with some of the best meals one could ever imagine. And, some of us dozed in between, only to find out later that the Young Loves had documented our less than photogenic poses.
It was a fun day in spite of the elements. Iceland provided a phenomenal and interesting grand finale to a trip which had gone virtually without a glitch.
We may have to go back some day, but for now, we'll savor the memories and truly appreciate the fact that this experience was added to the itinerary.
Thanks so much to Willie, Debbie and Annie for encouraging us and seeing that we could enjoy some of the dramatic natural phenomena and beauty you experienced last year with better weather and a longer stay.
Any time you get a chance to see puffins soaring and sitting on flower-covered hillsides looking far down over white ocean waves slapping a black sand beach extending toward lush greenery enhanced with colorful Icelandic lupine, it's scene that will remain forever etched in the mind.
Enjoy the photos, many of which were taken on the first day.
Iceland is truly as advertised.
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