8/26/2023

 

            

 

Isafjordur

 

Our tour organized at 1:30 in the afternoon, so we decided to explore the town in the morning.  The weather was quite pleasant – cloudy, 50’s, a bit of wind.  We left at 9:30 and were back at 11 (not a very large town).  The houses were quite nice, and a few shops were open.  We managed to complete our mandatory purchasing and have an invigorating stroll.  Isafjordur is on a peninsula in the middle of one of the west Fjords – that hand like part in the Northwest of the country as you look on the map.  Fishing is the main source of employment and revenue although there is a University here (as we later found out).

 

            

                                                         Paul & Shirley at the Rainbow

                                    

                                           Bob, Ann & Paul at the harbor
                                

                                                            Bob & Ann at the Rainbow

At 1:30 new boarded the “party bus” and were hosted by the dream team of Bori, our guide and Cam, our driver.  And they lived up to the hype.  Bori kept a running schtick of anecdotes about everything from Soccer vs. Reykjavik to knitting.  (Paul videoed the knitting story for Shirley’s knittting group  .)

 

                        

 

                                                            Golf course

 

Our first stop was the little fishing village of Bulongarvik – and it was little but had a swimming pool.  It seems the pool is where all village news is shared and cadged. There were a number of fishing vessels docked, apparently many were out working.  We stopped at a community center where the granddaughter of the mayor who built the center sang a few Icelandic folk songs.  Beautiful voice and a gift of telling us the story and nature of the song.

 

In order to get to Bulongarvik we drove through a 5.4 KM tunnel.  This tunnel was plagued with accidents in construction because (obviously) they did not consult the elves.  And the elves caused all sort of trouble until the foreman appointed an ambassador to take a large amount of whisky up the mountain and beg forgiveness of the elves in the high elven council.  Which he did.  The accidents stopped either because the elves were assuaged or were too hung over to care anymore.  True story  .

 

In contrast to the modern way of fishing we stopped at Osvor – an replica of how they did it in the old days.  Period houses (one for fish processing, one for sleeping and one for fish drying) were on display. Joe (pronounced yo-ee) told us how it was (in Icelandic while Bori translated).

 

            

                                                Paul in front of the fish drying house

                

 

                                                  YO-EE (Joe) holding forth

 

In a boat of about 20 feet, 6 rowers and one captain would go out for days to weeks in the Greenland Sea and fish using a long line.  This is a very very very long rope (I think they said a mile long, but that seems to stretch credulity) with hooks spaced a bit apart.  The fishermen would bait the hooks with whatever meat was available and let it out.  Then they reeled it back in after a time and unhooked the fish and tossed them in the boat – where they slept and ate and rowed.  When the boat was low in the water (up to the white paint on the side) it was time to go back. The village had two boats and so the house slept 14 men and 1 woman.  Life was hard back then. 

 

            

                                                        Paul. & Shirley with Joe

            

                                                        Bob & Ann with Joe   
                    

A word about Joe’s raiment – His outer pants and jacket and hat were made from sheep skin.  His ‘shoes’ were made of cow hide.  The hat was made from the same waterproof sheepskin.  We were told that he wore wool long johns underneath.  This was all tied with a rope belt that went around the waist and under the groin (Joe called this the world’s first “G” string.) if the fisherman fell overboard, his fellows would have to grab the belt to haul him back on board. His mittens were quite unique.  It seems that as the rowers rowed, they would develop holes in the mittens.  When this happened, they stuck their thumbs in the other thumb socket and continued rowing with the. holes on the outside of their hands.  Presumably they darned the damage when they returned to shore – or their wives did.  Double thumbed mittens were available for sale at the very tiny gift shop.

            

    

                                                  .   Double thumb Mittens

The next stop was at a magic waterfall.  It is said that anyone who drinks from the stream of the waterfall, would retain a youthful appearance.  The tour drank profusely.  

 

            

            

                                                        Bori getting magic water

            

 

                                                        Shirley at the waterfall 

            

                                                        Ann at the waterfall

 

Back on board in time to shove off toward Greenland, saying goodbye to Iceland.  Upon reflection it was – is – an amazing place with great people.  Glad we came.

 

For dinner we had reservations at Manfredi’s – the upscale restaurant that we had complementary reservations via our wonderful Travel Agent, Tonya.  They seemed to have over booked and we ended up in the Board Room.    a huge table for 10 and we were the only ones with a personal staff of 4 to wait on us hand and tummy.  We rolled out of there 2 ½ hours later.

 

            

 

Nothing then to do but retire for the night – (Line dancing tomorrow.)