Getting Lost in Iceland

Since we were lost, we decided we had better make the best of it.  After our Mexican food lunch, easily our worst meal in Iceland, we decided to take a cut-off to see the most powerful hot spring in Iceland.

We had no idea what we would see, so it was fun to find out.

We have seen many hot springs, but we now know why this one is special.  It comes out of the earth boiling and spitting . . . a lot.  It is 212 degrees F. exiting the earth, and it is piped to two towns.  By the time it reaches one town it is 160+ degrees, and by the time it reaches the other, it is 140+.  That is much hotter than any of our hot water heaters!

It also fuels the heat for a number of greenhouses in which many of the local produce is raised.  We had the opportunity to eat much of the local produce - lettuce, kale, tomatoes, cucumbers - and all were quite tasty.  Now we know how they keep their hothouses warm - not dissimilar from those at Chena Hot Springs outside Fairbanks.

This place was especially interesting to the HVAC engineer in the family, but his wife liked it too!