Thursday, June 28, 2018

ICELAND: Batman Mountain (Vestrahorn)


Vestrahorn, aka Batman Mountain, is an iconic feature in east Iceland near the Hvalnes peninsula. Vestrahorn is named for it's sharp, high peaks, which form horn-like shapes - the word translates to mean Western Horn. This monumental mountain is located on a stunning black sand beach (Stokksnes), which includes many dunes. While the dunes make for a great spot to view the mountain or take a photo, use caution when walking near them as the grass protects the beach from erosion. For many reasons, this has become one of Iceland's most popular mountains. 

There is a small fee to pay in order to access the beach, and a small dirt road that leads you there. The nearest stop is a small cafe, called the Viking Cafe. We stopped there for coffee and info before heading down to the mountain. Nearby there is also a Viking Village, of which access is included in the small fee. 



The black sand beaches when wet can form a mirror effect on calm days, which makes for stunning photos! I would advise bringing a wide angle lens for capturing the full landscape. Otherwise, smart phones with capable cameras do an incredible job when shooting in panoramic modes. We set up my small JOBY tripod for some remote shots of us on the beach. There are about a dozen out-takes of us attempting to create an iconic "jumping" shot!





Another stunning feature of this mountain is how clouds seem to hover around the peaks.










The beach is littered with shells and pebbles which almost look like gemstones in the sunlight. They make for some really beautiful natural patterns along the ground.











This is part of a series of posts about our trip to Iceland.

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Tuesday, June 26, 2018

CALIFORNIA: Along the Road


Some of the best travel moments come in those little surprises you find along the way. There is so much to discover. Our last visit out west involved a lot of driving throughout North California and south Oregon.

There are so many beautiful little stops throughout the northern wine valleys. We didn't make too many extra stops during our last visit to California. However, we couldn't resist pulling over to visit a field of sunflowers at the entrance to a wine yard.

There is something so inherently joyous about sunflowers. It's compounded when there is a field full of them. The bright yellow petals against the bold blue sky just emanates upbeat summer vibes.







Our next little surprise destination was Moonstone Beach, a beautiful outlet in North California. Accustomed to the flat Florida beaches we have grown up around, there is something so enchanting about the rugged, rocky, beaches on the pacific coast.






Finally, on our last day, we visited Mussel Rock Park just outside of San Francisco. We sat here for a while to destress before our flight, watching para gliders. We even spotted some whales.








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Tuesday, June 19, 2018

ICELAND: Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon


Jökulsárlón is a glacial lake in South East Iceland. Like most of Iceland, this natural wonder is a surreal and beautiful location. Several films have featured this lagoon, including two James Bond films and Batman Begins. We saw several seals swimming through the lagoon, which you may be able to spot in some of these photos. They offer boat rides if you want a closer look, but we found that the view from the shore was quite lovely.

While Jokulsarlon looks beautiful at all hours of the day, it seems to appear the most magical during sunrise and sunset. Sadly, we missed out on those time frames due to our travel schedule - but the morning light was still enchanting!

This glacier lagoon is considered Iceland's deepest lake, and is growing every year. Sadly, the growth of Jokulsarlon is a result of glacier melting due to climate change. Unless things change, this wonder may not be around for future generations to enjoy.













This is part of a series of posts about our trip to Iceland.

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