**Photographs from Iceland**

[CaliforniaPeggy]

[mysuzuki2]

1. lovely shots!

I've always wanted to visit Iceland. I've heard it is very expensive though. What was your experience? Is it affordable?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. My dear mysuzuki2...

Thank you!

It is expensive...for the best of all possible reasons. They truly believe in taking care of their people. There is universal health coverage and as we know, that costs money...

I was cocooned by traveling in a group, but when I did some shopping, I did see how expensive things are. But since I approve of how this government spends its money (universal health care, education for all etc plus NO military), I didn't mind.

:hi:

[frogmarch]

3. Nice photos!

The one of the golden tower reminds me of the movie No Such Thing, which was filmed in Iceland. Not sure why it does, but it does. :shrug:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. My dear frogmarch!

Why, thank you!

It's actually a lighthouse. I'd never seen one with that color, and the daylight was so beautiful that I had to take its picture...

:hi:

[hamsterjill]

5. A mental break from the Texas heat!

Thanks for sharing these. I took a couple of minutes and scrolled over them again and again. I could feel the cool air over the ice, etc.

Thanks for giving me some mental tools to escape the horrible Texas heat for a few minutes.

I hope you're having a grand time! Enjoy yourself!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

8. My dear hamsterjill!

Ah, I'm so pleased I was able to give you a mental break!

The cold air is truly breathtaking, and after a while, it's exhausting too...

We're home now...and we had a truly wonderful time!

[ceile]

6. Beautiful photos!

Thanks for sharing!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

9. My dear ceile!

Thanks for your kind words!

I had a great time taking these...

[WillParkinson]

7. Beautiful, but I must ask...

What did you bring me? :)

Hope you had a great time. The shots are fantastic.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

11. My dear WillParkinson...

Thank you!

As for what did I bring you?



Why, these pictures, of course!

:P


We did have a great time!

[WillParkinson]

12. Wait a sec here...

I sense something wrong.

If you brought the pictures back for me why did you share then with others before I got to see them?

That's like getting a box of chocolates that everyone else got to lick from. Tasty but still not quite right. :)

[CaliforniaPeggy]

14. You WILL take your pre-viewed pictures........

and like it!

}(

OK?

:hide:

[WillParkinson]

15. I guess...it's not what I wanted, though...

I wanted an Icelandic coin. :P

[MiddleFingerMom]

10. Beautiful!!!

.
.
.
I especially like the lighthouse and the purple flowers shots -- I always thought it would be
GREAT to be a lighthouse keeper (or firewatch guardian) for the solitude and tranquility --
not to mention it would be really conducive to writing.
.
.
.
Anything unexpectedly fun or funny happen?
.
.
.
I told you that I delighted an Icelandic woman by learning how to say "Give me a hot dog with
everything" in Icelandic. Something I saw recently made me think that hot dogs are actually
pretty common over there.
.
What was the food like?
.
.
.
Sounds (and looks) like you had a wonderful time. You certainly deserve that!!!
.
.
.
Did you go to the penis museum? Huh? Didja? DIDJA!?!?!? If not, SHAME ON YOU!!!! If
so, what pictures are you holding back from us. How 'bout an HONEST assessment of how
many photos you took THAT day?
.
:rofl:
.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icelandic_Phallological_Museum
.
.
.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

13. My dear MiddleFingerMom!

Ahem.

I did NOT go to the Penis Museum, though we were driven past it. I could have gone, but I was exhausted from our extensive peregrinations that day, so there!

We did have a great time, but I have to say the trip was more athletic than I expected. My knee was not very happy some of the time...

But I took care to get lots of rest since I had no desire to fall and hurt myself. I did avoid that, thank goodness...

We mostly ate our meals on the ship, but the little dining we did outside of that was good. And yes, hot dogs are pretty common, and in great demand.

Glad to see you today, sweetie!

:D

[Tom_Foolery]

16. Absolutely breathtaking!! n/t

[CaliforniaPeggy]

17. Thank you so much, my dear Tom_Foolery! n/t

[bluesbassman]

18. Dang Peggy, now you got me pinnin' for the fjords!

:rofl:
Awesome shots! Love the stream shot.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

22. My dear bluesbassman!

Well, you know there's only one cure for pinin' for the fjords!

You must travel there!

Glad you enjoyed these...

I had a ball taking them!

:hi:

[LibDemAlways]

19. Just beautiful, Peggy.

The flower pics are especially gorgeous.

I'm ready to pack my suitcase!!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

23. My dear LibDemAlways!

Thank you!

The flowers especially made an impression on me...Their summer is so short that they really value the flowers. Every yard sported some.

Have fun packing!

:hi:

[Little Star]

20. What a beautiful place Peg!

I'm a wee bit jealous. You must have had a wonderful time! Welcome back to the real world, lol. We missed you around here.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

25. My dear Little Star!

Thanks for your kind words, sweetie...

Try not to be jealous! It was a very strenuous trip, and I had to work to keep up!

It was a very beautiful place, to be sure.

But there's no place like home, and I am glad to be back...

[Little Star]

33. And we're glad to have you back!

[elleng]

21. They have FLOWERS there???

:rofl:

Welcome home!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

26. My dear elleng!

They have a LOT of flowers there!

I think it's because their summer is so short, and the cold winter days so very long...

The flowers bring a vividness to their world that would otherwise be lacking.

Thanks for the welcome...it's good to be home!

[Luciferous]

24. Beautiful pictures!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

27. Thank you so much, my dear Luciferous!

[Pool Hall Ace]

28. The puffin, the flowers, the fjords . . .

a nice break from the extreme heat and humidity of North Carolina. Thank you California Peggy! :hi:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

30. My dear Pool Hall Ace!

I'm so glad you got a break from the heat and humidity!

It was quite cold (highs in the freakin' 50's!) and dry to the point that my skin was like sandpaper...

Thank you!

:hi:

[Amerigo Vespucci]

29. Really like that last one a lot...

...it reminded me of "Local Hero," one of my favorite (and one of the most atmospheric) movies.

They're all excellent, but the last one made me do a double-take. Thanks for posting them, CP...

:toast:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

31. My dear Amerigo Vespucci!

Ah, that last one is a shot of a church in front of the President's home. Something about the scene made me want to take a pic of it...

Glad you enjoyed!

I have your email, don't I? I'll send you a copy of the original file...I want you to have it.

I need to get out now; I'll send it later...

:hi:

[Amerigo Vespucci]

32. I think you do but I'll PM it to you again...

...thanks much!

:-)

[one_voice]

34. To say these photos are beautiful doesn't do them...

justice! Gorgeous and so much more!

Thanks for sharing.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

40. Thank you so much, my dear one_voice!

I had a great time taking them...

It's always my pleasure to share!

[Ohio Joe]

35. Sweet!

Great pics Peg!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

41. Thanks, my dear Ohio Joe!

Mother Nature does the work...I just snap the pic, lol!

[csziggy]

36. All your pictures are so lovely

The blue flowers are bee balm, though I had not seen them in such an intense blue before. The ponies are adorable!

Your pictures almost make me want to go - but your description of their summer temperatures put a stop to that! That's colder than it is here in most winters!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

42. My dear csziggy!

I appreciate your very kind words!

Yes, it was COLD. We knew ahead of time, and went appropriately dressed, but I still was cold. It's exhausting!

It was still worth it, though...I AM glad to be home!

Don't let an Icelander hear you call them ponies...:scared: Those are horses...It's a unique breed, as I understand it...

:hi:

[csziggy]

47. The Icelandic horses average 13 to 14 hands

By most American and British breed standards anything under 14 hands is a pony. By blood, they are descended from horse stock rather than the British pony stock, so there is some justification for calling them horses rather than ponies - I knew this but forgot.

They are very unique and very pure blooded. No additional horses have been imported into Iceland in 1000 years so all the horses are descended from those the Viking brought to Iceland. They have a unique gait that is smooth to ride and are very strong for their size. Neat horses, but I never thought they would survive Florida summers.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

48. Thanks for the info!

I didn't know most of this...

:hi:

[csziggy]

58. Here is an article about their history

http://www.icelandics.org/1000.php

It is really a neat breed.

[Ptah]

37. Magnificent!

Thank you, neighbor.

:grouphug:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

43. Aw, my dear Ptah...

Thanks, sweetie...

:hug:

[GoCubsGo]

38. Thanks so much for sharing!

I hope, one of these days, I can go there myself. Until then, I'll enjoy it via your photos. They're awesome!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

44. My dear GoCubsGo!

I hope you can go too.

It's a really interesting spot...full of great scenery, and very interesting people...

Thanks for your kind words!

[femmocrat]

39. Incredible photos, Peggy!

Thanks for posting them! Now I want to go there! :hi:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

45. My dear femmocrat!

I'm glad you enjoyed!

Now, start saving your money...it ain't cheap over there!

It's most definitely worth the trip...

:hi:

[applegrove]

46. There is always something stunning about flowers you find along the treeline. They are always so

intricate or something. Great pics.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

50. My dear applegrove!

So true!

And it seemed as though everyone was growing flowers...

They really added something wonderful to an otherwise fairly stark environment.

Glad you enjoyed!

[Taverner]

49. Awesome CP!!!

I want to go, but for me I would want to go from Iceland to the UK, not vice versa...

[CaliforniaPeggy]

53. My dear Taverner!

I'm so glad you enjoyed these...

I don't understand this...you want to go from Iceland to the UK? Huh?

:shrug:

I appreciate your compliments!

[Taverner]

67. Nah the other way - say NYC->Iceland->Heathrow

[Kali]

51. gorgeous!

the red poppy - wow sort of O'Keefe-ish almost!

blue glacial ice, the waterfall and of course the horsies are my favorites

and the fake puffin with the silk flowers - that one is cool too:P

[CaliforniaPeggy]

54. Thanks, my dear Kali!

FAKE PUFFIN??? SILK FLOWERS???

:spank: :spank:


Glad you enjoyed! Thanks, sweetie...

:D

[madrchsod]

52. nice pictures.....

long way from california!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

55. My dear madrchsod!

You're not just kidding...We were about halfway around the globe, I think!

Glad you enjoyed them...

[Aristus]

56. You must be having an awe-inspiring visit to Iceland, CalPeg.

Wow! :wow:

I really want to visit there someday...

[CaliforniaPeggy]

57. We're home now, my dear Aristus!

And yes, it was an awe-inspiring event! It was also exhausting...

The wind blows most of the time, and it's cold. Also very dehydrating.

We still had a ball!

Thanks for your comments!

[Odin2005]

59. SOOOOO pretty!

Thank you, Peggy!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

60. Thank you sooooo much, my dear Odin2005!

I appreciate your very kind remarks a lot!

[Arugula Latte]

61. Stunning! Beautiful! Striking!

Thank you for sharing your trip with us, my dear California Peggy! :applause:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

62. My dear Arugula Latte!

Wow, you have bowled me over with your generous praise!

Thank you so much!

:bounce: :bounce:

[libodem]

63. Cool

Thanks got sharing.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

68. I'm glad you enjoyed them, my dear libodem...

:hi:

[TK421]

64. Is that fifth photo where Bjork lives? Great pictures Peggy!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

69. My dear TK421!

It must be!

Glad you enjoyed these!

[MerryBlooms]

65. So beautiful - it must have been breathtaking in person.

Thanks for sharing with us.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

70. My dear MerryBlooms...

A lot of the scenery is very stark, almost plain...

These photos show the places that really caught my attention.

Thank you!

[UrbScotty]

66. My dear CaliforniaPeggy!

These are all beautiful pictures, as usual! A coupe things that stand out:

That lighthouse has some bright colors!

And those horses in that one picture - from that angle, they look like one, 6-legged animal! :rofl:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

72. My dear UrbScotty!

Omigod, you're right! I hadn't noticed that about the horses, lol!

I loved the colors on the lighthouse...never saw one like that before.

Thanks for your comments!

:hi:

[geardaddy]

71. Love the poppy and the mountain bluets.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

73. Thank you, my dear geardaddy!

Those were growing in people's yards.

Their vivid colors and shapes really caught my eye!

[pacalo]

74. Those pictures are nothing short of GORGEOUS!

Beautiful flowers & vivid colors everywhere!

I'm so happy that you & hubby had such an amazing vacation! Thanks for sharing the beautiful sights with us & glad you're back. :hi:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

75. My dear pacalo!

Well, you know, I took so many that I was bound to have a couple turn out, lol!

Thanks, sweetie!

I'm glad to be back too...it was a truly strenuous trip!

:hi: