I’m in Iceland for one month on an artist grant in painting. Along the way I’m painting, exploring and living fully through adventure, this is my story.

It’s been an incredible drive through the last part of the country with glaciers, waterfalls, and hikes to boot.

We ate some incredible lamb shank in Egilstaddir, the town known for the giant worm monster

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Lamb shank in worm monster town!

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Yes, I said worm monster, here’s the story: 

Wikipedia says In Icelandic folklore, the Lagarfljótsormur or Lagarfljót worm is an Icelandic lake monster purported to live in Lagarfljót, a lake by the town of Egilsstaðir. Sightings have been logged since 1345 and continue into the 21st century, including a 2012 video supposedly showing the creature swimming.

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Jonah saw exactly this.

Believe what you want.

Moving on!

We are heading to Hofn, lobster capital of Iceland! We opted for lobster salad and a delicious pizza, succulent to the max!

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Oh yay! Get a look at that lobster.

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It’s a beautiful coastal town and it tickled me to see so many Olaf boats in one place!

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It was also a beautiful sunset from our guest house which were surrounded by horses.

Wow.

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We had a delicious English breakfast the next day!

And continued on our way to see a glacial lagoon!

So happy next to seals swimming around glaciers.

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Jonah loved tossing the glacier melts into the water, like rocks!

Josh loved the squeaking seals.

A world of awe.

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We decided to hike up to Svartifoss waterfall a few hours later down the road where blueberries and Autumn scenes were a plenty.

Amazing wonder, water so powerful.

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The 6 mike hike was lovely. We passed glaciers along the way.

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Hiking with family is so special.

We go past troll home-like heaves on our way to Reykjavik.

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We dine on fermented shark, Hakari, that evening… one of those 1000 foods before you die lists. They bury the shark for months underground so it loses its poisoned traces. Icelanders eat it as a tradition every Christmas. It wasn’t bad, smelled like ammonia, tasted like fish!

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I do think after puffin, whale, dried fish slathered in butter, and fermented shark I’ve done it all in Iceland.., but I have two more weeks to tell you more crazy food adventures… 

My wonderful mother in law, Deborah, is here! How special that she can share this adventure with us ❤️

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We are heading halfway up Iceland once more via car (yes, Jonah will have circled Iceland twice by the end if this trip!) to finish the painting residency and show our final painting exhibit at Hrísey the last week in September. Many more paintings to come!

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I look forward to sharing more with you in the next week, thanks for tuning in.

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