Cruise Ends - Post Tour Begins!
Departure from the Viking Sea - Travel to Iceland
I cannot say enough about how much we enjoy the Viking experience and today was just another one of the reasons why. Two days in advance of the end of the cruise we had all the details and bag tags for how we'd be departing. We had one of the later departures (9:15 am) so when our group was called we were escorted, literally at EVERY turn by a Viking rep in a business suit to the next turn. Our passports were checked in minutes and our bags were grouped by color, with another Viking rep waiting there if we needed help. A local teen took our bags (one for each of us) and took it to the coach while chit-chatting with us. Checked onto the bus and escorted to the airport. There we were met by about another dozen who were there to help us. One couple had a check-in problem which delayed all of us, but we were through without issue and boarded for a two hour flight to Keflavik International Airport, about 45 minutes outside Reykjavik. Immediately through the exit door were the Viking reps who escorted us to the bus and on the trip to the hotel. Information sheets awaited with all the details for the entire stay, including check-out and pick-up time for our air departure three days later. And then when we had put our bags in our room two Viking reps were waiting at their info table for questions. They gave us a map and recommendations for dinner. We walked about ten minutes to the first one and found it quite quaint. Ordered the traditional "meat soup" and a pizza (which was about the size of a US "medium" pizza pie. As our food arrived people arrived in droves - ohhhh, it was kickoff time for the World Cup Soccer game. We finished quickly and gave up our table for some fans. The bill for our two bowls of soup, medium pizza and two diet cokes....$63.90 in US dollars. We were forewarned about the high prices. But truly a great meal!

We returned to the room and it was about 6:30 pm, but to our bodies it was 8:30. One of our most favorite summer programs is the CBS reality show, "Big Brother." It launched the day after we left Florida and I'd searched for it while on the cruise but every place we found it - especially on the CBS site, it was banned from the viewing area.. Tonight, after discovering that AGAIN we could not watch it in this country via the CBS site, we found the episodes were available on Amazon. PERFECT entertainment after a long day of travel!
Day 1 - The Golden Circle Tour
A breakfast buffet was complimentary from 6:30 am to 10 am and we were there about 7:15 am. We met in the lobby with the nearly 100 other Viking guests - yes, we were surprised at how many were on this tour - and we boarded three buses for our all day excursion. The temps were in the upper 40s all day and it rained virtually the entire day. But we didn't mind at all. In fact, the first stop was at Thingvellir National Park and it rained pretty good, in fact briefly it was ice crystals and I could see my breath. Kim did not continue, but by this time I was already soaked and continued on the 45 minute walk. I was intrigued that the wall between the two Teutonic plates had been a site for filming part of one of our favorite shows, "Game of Thrones." Truly picturesque, despite the weather.
Note the "drenched look" - so wet, so cold....so regretting not bringing a hat
Still from the Season 4 Episode of "Game of Thrones" where Littlefinger leads Sensa through the "Bloody Gates of Eyrie" - filmed where we were today!
The "Bloody Gates of Eyrie" in real life!
Our next stop was the Geysir Hot Springs area. We were provided a full buffet lunch - which was delicious as part of the tour and then walked around the geysirs (or as our guide put it, "....I'm taking the geezers to see the geysers....." LOL. It was really interesting and we were able to see the "big one" explode not once but twice!
OK...rookie tourist mistake to go without a hat; but to stay without a hat would be foolish! I have my "memento" from Iceland - a wool cap!
Just before the geyser explodes it "boils" to a blue bubble
B-O-O-M
Our third start was Gullfoss Waterfall, or "Golden Waterfall." We walked the 107 steps down to the observation area and while I was less than comfortable I did back up to the fence for a photo op.
Our next stop was Kerid Crater. It was an amazing and colorful site. But even Kim didn't want to step down closer for someone to take our photo as the wind was really strong. So we opted for a selfie.
It was a 45 minute drive back to Reykjavik and we concluded our tour at 5 pm. We decided we'd just have a light dinner in the hotel restaurant, but when we climbed the stairs to the fourth floor to our room our keys wouldn't work. They worked in the elevator, but wouldn't open the door. Long story short, the batteries in the door lock were no good. Took them over an our to figure out how to fix it and get it fixed. After the first fifteen minutes the hotel gave us free drinks in the lounge while they worked on it and after it was fixed they - without asking - offered us dinner for free for our inconvenience. It was well appreciated, and we thought the right thing to do. Not only was the dinner free, but they provided paired wines for both courses of dinner....whooo hoooo!
Tomorrow we go to the Blue Lagoon, where we will be IN the thermal pool and then have a tour of the city.