Iceland: Less Words, More Fire and Ice

Writing is kind of "my thing," but, being gorgeous is totally "Iceland's thing."

So I'm going to let her show off on this one.

Kerið Crater - My dad used to do this all the time. So I brought the tradition to Iceland.

Flight to Iceland - Face mask: Check, Eye mask: check, Limited access to oxygen and 3 of 5 senses: check

Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur ("The Town's Best Hot Dogs") - Truly the best hot dog I've ever tasted. The magic is in the toppings: raw and crispy onions, sweet mustard, ketchup, and a special Icelandic remoulade.

A perfect date in photo form... Did you know that Iceland's population is so small that citizens use a database called Íslendingabók to make sure they're not dating a close relative?

Thingvellir National Park - A sprawling landscape for Iceland to show off its enchanting wildness.

Gullfoss ("Golden Falls") + one happy woman

Hello, this is a picture of the love of my life. Icelandic horses are rugged, fuzzy, and tough, so I guess that's an insight into my taste in men. [shrug]

Black bread baked in a hole underground. Maybe one of the best sandwiches ever.

Sólheimajökull Glacier - Not many people have hiked a glacier. Even fewer have snagged their crampon (shoe spike) on a tuft of ice and skidded about 15 feet down a glacier-side. We're an exclusive club of individuals.

Sólheimajökull Glacier - Serene views of gorgeous Iceland

Kirkjufell Mountain - Filming spot for beyond the wall in Game of Thrones

Kirkjufell Mountain - My friend/fellow GoT fan, Violet, and I decided to recreate the Kirkjufell scene from Game of Thrones (Season 6 aka "when things started to go downhill"). How did we do? (Photo creds go to our amazing guide, Christina, with Nice Travel Iceland*.)

Skógafoss - Rainbows popping up all around with the unbridled power of water creating a cloud of mist everywhere. Also, the Real Housewives of the OC whooped it up here in season 12. Not that I care or whatever.

Reynisfjara Beach - Black sand beach. This picture is *barely* filtered (I tweaked the brightness for a little better visibility). It's truly that beautiful.

Artsy silhouette against the mesmerizing Icelandic sunset.

"Just" another sunset...

In these surreal sunset moments, the feelings are vast, yet clear and simple. There is an atmosphere filled to the brim with gratitude for what is now. It's an understanding that nothing is more real than this moment being lived right here. I suppose it's that elusive thing called contentment. I've glimpsed it many times, slipping through fingers and dodging out of reach, but when I'm surrounded by the wildness of nature, it rushes to me as one meets a dear friend after a long absence.

How about one more Icelandic hot dog pic for the road?

*Incredible experiences made possible by Nice Travel Iceland. I would give them 5,000 out of 5 stars. Couldn't recommend them more!