Iceland Day 9, September 18

Early this foggy morning we drove to the Hellisheidarvirkjun Geothermal power plant, built on top of the fault between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates. Our guide showed us the process of harnessing steam from deep underground to run the turbines and produce very clean energy.  In addition to the energy generated here, hot water for heating and personal use is also produced--enough to meet the hot water needs of the entire city of Rejkjavik.

In the diagram below, high temperature geothermal fields are indicated in red. The blue areas indicate areas of low temperature steam.

Our next stop was the Arbaejarsafn open air historical museum. Our group tour was led by Stefnir, who told us all about the early days in Rejkjavik. After the tour we were entertained by singer and pianist Johanna Elisa. She played and sang old Icelandic hymns and the national anthem as well as her own original compositions.

Finally we stopped at Hallgrimskirja church, the tallest building in Rejkjavik. The statue of Leif Ericson in front of the church was a gift from the United States when the church was completed.

When we got back to the hotel, Bill and I walked out with Bill and Kathy N to the famous hot dog stand. Of course we had hot dogs, after waiting in line in the rain.

After the hot dogs, Bill T went back to the hotel and Bill N and Kathy and I walked to the Settlement exhibition. This is an underground exhibit of a Viking longhouse that was discovered when excavatiing for a new building. They left the longhouse in place and opened it to the public as a museum.  It has been carbon dated to prove it was built in the 10th century, making it the oldest settlement building yet discovered in Iceland. There was a timeline of Iceland's history on the walls around the outside of the longhouse.