Iceland Day 3

Today started out with a trip on a boat to go see the whales!

One amazing photo used for advertizing, we did not see the same, but we did see whales.
Enjoying the sun out on deck.

Birds watching for whales.

Whale!!
Humpback whale!

 

After returning from the whale watching we went on a smaller boat to check out the PUFFINS!

Those white dots are puffins! To see them like the brochure you need to take a 9 hour drive to the north of Iceland to find a blind where you can watch them up close.
From the bouncing boat this is what I got.

Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica) — and a great close-up! You can clearly see:

  • The iconic large, colorful bill — orange, blue-grey, and yellow — which is only this bright during breeding season
  • Black and white plumage
  • Those bright orange feet
  • The distinctive white face with that almost comical expression

They’re one of the most beloved seabirds, often called “sea parrots” because of that bill. They’re surprisingly small in person — about the size of a football/pigeon.

Given the volcanic-looking dark rock in the background, this looks like it could be Iceland — one of the best places in the world to see puffins up close. They’re remarkably unbothered by people there, which would explain how you got so close!

A professional photo:

The photo I wished I could have taken, but we were not allowed on the island

Common Eider (Somateria mollissima) — a male in breeding plumage. The telltale signs are:

  • Black and white body with that distinctive pattern
  • Pale yellowish-green on the neck/nape
  • The characteristic sloping, wedge-shaped bill that runs up into the forehead in a straight line — very distinctive for eiders
  • Black cap on the head

Eiders are large sea ducks, and the males are quite striking. They’re common along northern coastlines and are famous for their incredibly soft down feathers, historically harvested for insulation.

 

After our boat rides we went to the

Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavík — one of the most iconic buildings in Iceland. It’s unmistakable with its stunning geometric glass facade designed to reflect and play with light, resembling basalt columns (a very Icelandic touch!).

A few things that make Harpa special:

  • The facade was designed by artist Olafur Eliasson in collaboration with the architectural firm Henning Larsen
  • It opened in 2011 and won the EU Prize for Contemporary Architecture
  • It sits right on the Reykjavík harbor, which you can see with the snow-capped mountains across the fjord in the background
  • It houses the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and the Icelandic Opera

What a beautiful day you had for it — that blue sky and the snowy mountains in the background make for a stunning backdrop.

Two floors down is the Volcano Express!

A show no one should miss!! AWESOME!!!!

Back to City hall on the way to the National Museum of Iceland
Dafodils

 

Lamb burger for dinner.

I ate half and had the other half for breakfast the next morning! 

 

Link to day 4