Slide Show

Michael Gordon in Ísland

(Iceland)

A small collection of color photographs from 1985 and 1986.

You can also start the show from any of these photographs:

Same photos, clickable gallery

Click right on the index to see a larger (fits in 640 x 480 frame, most of the time anyway. Below all the index pictures are paragraphs explaining this adventure.

Northeast from Akranes, western Ísland. A view eastward of Reykjavík Harbor. The large pale house on the left is Höfđihús, where Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev held conference in (I think) 1986. A homestead, seen while riding the ferry from Reykjavík to Akranes. View to the east.
Downtown Reykjavík. Austursrćti Mall, if I remember correctly. Outdoor chess near the mall. To the left of the image called reyk1.jpg (southwest of the mall) is the lake, Tjörnin; which means "The Lake." It is a wonderful place to bring children to feed the ducks and swans.
Reykjavík, and all of Iceland, is a very good and safe place for children. Outdoor sculpture is common in Reykjavík, and is a bit more sturdy and avant-garde than is found in other Scandinavian nations. Looking northward from the Alţing (all-thing, or parliament) at merchant and government buildings. Behind me on the other side of Alţing is the lake, Tjörnin.

A view of a lighthouse on Reykjanes (southwest from Reykjavík). A waterfall at Ţingvellir (Thing-vell-ear). A rift in the lava protects a grassy valley from wind; making it one of the more pleasant areas. At this place, once each year, hundreds of years ago, a law-speaker recited all of the laws to the assembled people. Also at this gathering were settled disputes between clans.
Ţórisjökull. Thor's Glacier. West central iceland, northeast from Reykjavik about two hour's driving. Fissures in the ice.
the road to Ţórisjökull. Vogastapa, near Keflavík, southwest from Reykjavík. The Lupines are a delight, the air is clear, and thousands of birds come here to nest each summer.

Some definitions:

Reyk: Smoke or steam
vík (veek): harbor or inlet
nes: Peninsula
Ţing (Thing): The collection of representatives meeting to govern (Parliament)
vel: A valley or dale.

examples:

Reykjavík means a "harbor with or full of steam or smoke" which describes the many natural hot springs in the area.
Reykjanes means "steamy peninsula".
Ţingvellir means "Parliament Valley"

Links

mgordon@orneveien.org

Northeast from Akranes, western Ísland.	A view eastward of Reykjavík Harbor. The large pale house on the left is Höfđihús, where Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev held conference in (I think) 1986.	A homestead, seen while riding the ferry from Reykjavík to Akranes. View to the east.
Downtown Reykjavík. Austursrćti Mall, if I remember correctly.	Outdoor chess near the mall.	To the left of the image called reyk1.jpg (southwest of the mall) is the lake, Tjörnin; which means "The Lake." It is a wonderful place to bring children to feed the ducks and swans.
Reykjavík, and all of Iceland, is a very good and safe place for children.	Outdoor sculpture is common in Reykjavík, and is a bit more sturdy and avant-garde than is found in other Scandinavian nations.	Looking northward from the Alţing (all-thing, or parliament) at merchant and government buildings. Behind me on the other side of Alţing is the lake, Tjörnin.

A view of a lighthouse on Reykjanes (southwest from Reykjavík).	A waterfall at Ţingvellir (Thing-vell-ear). A rift in the lava protects a grassy valley from wind; making it one of the more pleasant areas. At this place, once each year, hundreds of years ago, a law-speaker recited all of the laws to the assembled people. Also at this gathering were settled disputes between clans.
Ţórisjökull. Thor's Glacier. West central iceland, northeast from Reykjavik about two hour's driving.	Fissures in the ice.
the road to Ţórisjökull.	Vogastapa, near Keflavík, southwest from Reykjavík. The Lupines are a delight, the air is clear, and thousands of birds come here to nest each summer.