Iceland Day 2, September 11.

Our first stop today was at "Hespuhúsið" where Guðrún greeted us and invited us into her home studio.  She demonstrated the dyeing of wool using native plants--she did her masters thesis on the historical use of native Icelandic plants, which led to her life's work.

We then drove to Gullfoss waterfall. We hiked the trails and learned about Sigríður Tómasdóttir, the young woman who fought to save the waterfall from being harnessed to run a hydro electric powerplant.

Our next stop was the Geysir area, where we watched the Strokkur geyser erupt several times. We passed bubbling calderas on our hike to the geyser--this is a very active thermal area!

The most incredible stop of the day was at ÞIngvellir National Park. Here we stood on the edge of the Eurasian tectonic plate, looking across "no mans's land" to the North American plate. Iceland is one of only 2 places in the world where you can see and walk on the tectonic plates. (the other is in Kenya). 

After experiencing the Eurasian tectonic plate we got back in the van and drove to the North American plate. 

We walked to the Law Rock where the Law Speaker once stood and recited all of Iceland's laws from memory. We passed the drowning pool, where so-called sinful women were drowned. Drownable offenses were adultery, incest, and child abandonment. Of course if they were raped they were drowned as adulterers.

Iceland: Day 1, September 9-10

This was a never ending travel day. We flew into Minneapolis, had a 3 hour layover there, and then took a redeye flight to Keflavik airport, near Rejkjavik, Iceland. We arrived the morning of September 10.

We met our guide, Linda, in the airport and were driven to Selfoss in a van. It was a lovely drive on the new coastal road--the old road was buried under lava from last year's volcano eruption.

Linda led us on a walking tour through Selfoss. It was 40 degrees and raining. That did not deter the swimmers in the local pool--they swim outdoors all year long.

                                                                             

We walked past the Bobby Fischer Center. He famously beat Boris Spassky in chess in Rejkjavik in 1972. He came to Selfoss in his later years and is buried nearby.

We are fortunate that our guide speaks perfect American English. She was born here, moved to the US as a child, came back and married an Icelander. 

Poland to Home September 5.

We packed up this morning, and after a little walk around Warsaw we left for the airport. We checked in without any issues, and did a little last minute shopping before boarding our plane. The flight was uneventful, which is always a good thing. Yesterday this flight was 4 hours late leaving!

We breezed through customs and said our goodbyes. My flight from JFK to DTW was also uneventful. This was a very long day.

Poland: September 4.

We left Wroclaw this morning and drove to Czestochowa to explore the Jasna Gora Monastery and see the famous Black Madonna. She was painted in Byzantia and made her way to Poland in the 16th century. Her unusual coloring is the result of a poorly conceived plan to use varnish to protect the paint. There were nuns, monks and tourists everywhere. Fortunately we had a guided tour.

We entered the chapel quietly, as there was a Mass being held. Mass is held every hour of every day here. There were people walking up the aisle on their knees, but we stayed upright as we walked up the aisle, behind the altar and back. It was incredible seeing this ancient world famous icon. 

After leaving the monastery we had a box lunch in the van and went to a Christmas tree ornament factory. Here the glass is hand blown and the ornaments are hand painted and decorated. We had a tour and were supposed to paint an ornament but there were 3 of us who could not breathe in that building with no ventilation. (We waited outside but the neighborhood was pretty sketchy).

We arrived back in Warsaw in time for dinner. Tomek (registered genealogist and owner of the tour company) was there and I spoke to him of an elusive ancestor. He poured wine and limoncello shots for us, Aleksandra gave a little speech and we had a lovely traditional Polish dinner. Elaine, Kris and I raised our glasses. Na zdrowie!

Poland: September 3. Ksiaz Castle.

We had an hour and a half van ride to Ksiaz Castle. This edifice was built in the 13th century by Polish noble Bolko I, but is more widely known as belonging to the Hochberg dynasty for 4 centuries. The Hochbergs, once one of the richest families in Europe, added on 200 rooms in the 1920s, doubling the size of the castle and modernizing it only to lose it in the crash of 1929.

The Nazi party confiscated the property to use as headquarters of the Foreign Ministry with a lavish apartment for Hitler. They began a suitable renovation and spent 150 million marks to build a series of tunnels and bunkers 50 meters below ground. Historians are still trying to figure out what went on down there, whether secret scientific labs or bomb research, but it was never used to shelter Hitler from the bombing. Before it was finished (excavated by starving prisoners from a nearby concentration camp) the Soviet army invaded the area, bombing the castle and taking it for its own use.

After the bus ride back to Wroclaw we had some free time, walked around Market Square until meeting for dinner at a Czech restaurant. Goulash and Czech beer, and more gnomes of course.