Iceland: The Golden Circle Part One: Thingvellir National Park

So once I knew that I would have basically one complete day in Iceland,  from dawn to past midnight, my mind was set to rent a car and do the famous "Golden Circle. "

And that is just what I did. 

It was not without some complications, however. 

For one thing, the woman at the counter had assured me that using my phone for directions would be preferable and easier than using a GPS. But after an annoying time trying to find the car,  I then found that the usual problems with my phone in Europe persisted. 

No internet connection. 

So I went back and got the GPS anyway. 

Between the two hour delay with the flight and now this, it felt like a lot of wasted time. And I only have that one day in Iceland. Somehow, I had to get going, even though the GPS didn't recognize any of the addresses. 

However, it finally could lead me to a hotel,  the Hotel Gullfoss. I took a chance,  figuring that this had to be right by one of the major sites of the Golden Circle. Indeed it was,  as I eventually found out. 

Finally on my way,  I was now driving. Left the airport and reached Reykjavik,  fully intending to pay a visit later. For now,  I wanted to waste no more time and get on my way to the Golden Circle. 

While driving away from Reykjavik,  I spotted a sign for Thingvallir (in Icelandic, of course). Once again, I mentally shrugged and decided to go for it,  trusting my instincts. Originally,  I had intended to do the Golden Circle counterclockwise. But without reliable directions,  either with the phone or the GPS, I would simply have to make do. 

So I headed for Thingvallir. As I figured, the combination of mountains and a small population made this an easy and far from confusing,  straightforward route. Never had much in the way of problems with directions for the rest of the day. 

Thingvallir is possibly the most important site in Iceland. On top of offering spectacular natural beauty, with plenty of lakes and streams and snowcapped mountains, this also is where you can see the Continental plates of Europe and North America moving away from one another. It also is the site generally considered to be the birthplace of Iceland. 

What an amazing site!

Obvious to see,  then, how this is one of the most famous and awe-inspiring sites in a country blessed with an abundance of spectacular natural beauty.  

Definitely something to see at least once. 

Take a look at some pictures from my day at Thingvallir National Park: