The main reason for coming here, to Vestmannaeyja and Heimaey Island, is puffins. This has the largest unfenced puffin breeding ground in the world.

This was just one of two viewing sites...the other was by boat in Reykjavík harbor, but that's another page.

Now here they have little holes dug into the cliffs, and pop out one at a time to see what the day is like, or to take off for food.

They are just so blasted cute.



We took hundreds of pictures, but I'll spare you and just post a few dozen or so.

Just throwing in a few other sites around Heimeay Island.

Gulls are on every rock face. One in particular just fascinated us, although trying to pick out a white bird among all the white bird poop is difficult. But since they are a huge part of the island I figure you should see them.

Sheep, yes sheep. Iceland has some of the most unique sheep. Curious and very used to people. Often they are just wandering along the road. I guess when it's time to get them the sheep dogs will get the job done.

We left the islands and took the ferry back to Vik and the mainland.

We are heading back toward Reykjavík with some stops along the way.

The Caves of Hella are a series of manmade sandstone caves. First mention of them is in 1199. Iceland farmers used the for storing everything from food to live stock.

Historians are not sure who first used them, but indications are i might have been Celtic monks

There are 12 caves in the area, only a few are open to tourists. The latest cave was found in 2016.

OK, so foss means waterfall in Icelandic I know, so my title is redundant. But we who don't speak the language need help.

This is a series of falls along a rapid river Pjorsa which has the highest average water flow of any waterfall in Iceland.

The falls are very pretty, and you can't do Iceland without stopping at waterfalls - as can be attested to in our 2021 visit to Iceland.

However, if you want to see the falls, come soon because a hydro plant may be built and the falls will disappear. Those who live in the area are protesting, so cross you fingers.

Lundey and Akurey are 2 small islands in the Reykjavík bay. Puffin Express is a small boat tour that takes you out to the islands where you an see puffins and other birds that nest on those protected islands.

This was a lot of fun, and our guide was adorable. He loves puffins, and it shows as he is explaining how puffins hunt, nest, etc.

Again, 5,000 photos but I'm whittling them down.

Today we head for the airport, but we have time for a couple stops.

The Bridge Between Continents is a 15 meter footbridge that spans the gap between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates. The Mid Atlantic ridge is pulling the 2 plates apart, mostly very deep in the earth, but not here in Iceland where it has formed a rift. Geologically outstanding.<

Viking World Museum was the last stop as we head to the airport . Among history of the Vikings and Norse peoples, it has on permanent display the Íslendingur, the replica of the Gokstad Viking ship which in 2000 was sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to L'Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland, for the celebrations of the millennium of Leif Ericsson's voyage and then to New York.

A few little oddities.

A fence covered in bras. Yup. A roadside attraction.
Driving from Hella heading to the Urriofoss falls you pass a fence festooned with bras. Why? How? No one really knows, but it has grown with multiple additions from unknown sources over the years. Quirky but fun.