Hrafnagil Day 2: North Along the Coast

2015-07-21Iceland Standard

[We did this on 21 July 2015, but I’m writing it up on 31 August 2015. It’s been a while!]

Our hosts decided our ignorance of the northern parts of their fjord was a travesty, so they set out to fix it.

First we drove to Dalvík where we visited the Hvoll folk museum, and then went to eat a late lunch. Afterwards we drove further and through one tunnel to Ólafsfjörður where everybody except the old geezers took a dip in the excellent swimming pool.

We kept driving on, passing through two long tunnels, to arrive at Siglufjörður. There we had a quick cup of coffee in the surprisingly lively town, before arriving at the herring era museum fifteen minutes before closing. It was nifty to see the entrance exhibit, but we decided we’d return when Emma was a bit bigger to investigate further.

With that we returned back to home base. (54 images total)

The house Hvoll houses Dalvík’s Folk Museum.

It was a surprisingly fine day. Happily the doom and gloom weather forecast from a few days before never quite materialized.

“In a quiet country village, a pond lay.”

At the entrance to the museum is an outline of Jon the Tall Man’s body. Finnur’s so tiny!

Kata took it upon herself to babysit Emma so Finnur and I could fully enjoy the museum. It was much appreciated!

There were a lot of photographs depicting children at work in the olden days, and the text described the slow evolution of laws limiting or forbidding child labor.

There are rooms full of stuff from years past.

There were also rooms full of stuff from years past.

An ex-polar bear proved popular.

Emma not quite sure what to think.

Our hosts in a room full of ex-birds.

The polar bear again, less surrounded by people.

More working children.

Old stuff.

I’m so happy I wasn’t a housewife back then!

Ye olde phone.

Upstairs has a couple of rooms dedicated to Jóhann the Giant, who was raised nearby.

Upstairs has a couple of rooms dedicated to Jóhann the Giant, who was born nearby.

He was a tall tall man!

This is how he made a living for some years apparently.

That’s one very large accordion!

Further back were mementos from years past.

All a doctor needs.

Anna sort of in an old dress. It seems women used to be very tiny.

Romantic cabinet.

So very cruel. The only place in the museum that’s really roped off is the children’s section.

A slightly better look at the toys of yesteryear.

A selfie being taken.

A few final looks being had on the top floor. Then it was time for a late lunch!

A weird combo of a pizza joint and a Chinese take away. The food was fine though.

At some point between either Finnur or myself growling at Emma and/or Bjarki to behave themselves, our hosts congratulated each other for having the sense to not add any more children after the twins were born. We decided it meant there was a light at the end of the tunnel!

Ólafsfjörður sports a proper swimming pool. That slide is freaky. It’s really fast, and it’s pitch dark inside except for a disco light effect where the circular dark bands are. Freaky!

While us girls and Bjarki went swimming, Finnur and Jói drove around and took a few photos.

This is not a big town.

Swimming pool, sports-house, and an achievement? Weird signage.

Only for school buses.

A hop and a skip later through two long tunnels, we were in Siglufjörður.

Time to visit a coffee house/bakery!

It was surprisingly nice!

Mmmm, hot chocolate!

Emma gets a ride on the way back.

Looking inland.

The red building is the entrance to the herring era museum. Back in the day there was a herring boom, but then it went away. Awww!

Across the road is this newly built, quite swanky looking hotel. I’m told it vacuumed up all the available handy people in the area for over a year, if not two!