My fourth day in Iceland started very early in the morning. I drove to an old lighthouse nearby hoping to find a good composition and catch the sunrise. Unfortunately, none of this happened - the sun didn't penetrate the dense clouds, and the wind was so fierce and cold that I preferred to stay in the car and not look for compositions. The weather can sometimes demotivate you easily...
That wasn't the case yesterday when we visited the remnants of an old WW2 naval base. Little did I know that Great Britain invaded Iceland in 1940 with the intention to set up a base and take control of the North Atlantic. What remains today are several half - destroyed structures painted with graffiti and a rusty pier.
Doesn't this mountain remind you of The Wall from Game of Thrones? The gravel road leads to the WW2 structures.
Away from the crowds... Located in the Hvalfjordur fjord, this site is often overlooked by the tourists.
The decaying pier through my 10-stop Neutral Density filter. I wanted to stay under f/10, but as it was relatively bright, I couldn't go beyond 4-5 seconds without overexposing the image. This is as much as I could recover from the highlights in Snapseed.
The pier from another angle.
Modern art.
Selfie. I was lucky the wind didn't blow the tripod over.
I love abandoned places, and when they are situated in the midst of stunning nature, the feeling of being there is amazing.
Thanks for stopping by!
Dan
All pictures are taken with Lumix G80 and Olympus 12-40 f/2.8 Pro
It looks peaceful out there and cold too. If only I can visit such places it will be fun but no matter how such a cesspool my place is, there is no place like home.
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Hey man :) It is peaceful indeed and not that cold temperature-wise. The problem is the violent wind, which often chills your bones. What's the weather like in the Philippines?
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Really nice shots. Good that you persevered and got out in the wind. Good that your tripod did not blow over. You have inspired me to try to make a stopover in Iceland on my way to Denmark sometime. Any descent beer?
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Thank you my friend :) That's a very good idea! When are you planning on visiting Denmark again? I tried a few local IPA's, and all of them tasted great :) The only downside was the price, especially in bars.
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Denmark is expensive too. I hope to make a trip later this year!
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Yeah, it's true about Denmark :) Well, if I happen to be in Denmark or Iceland during your trip, we might have a beer together ;)
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I would enjoy that! 🍻
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Wow....looks arid and lonely and COLD!! Are you glad you are visiting? brrrrr
You said you love abandoned place - I recall that from older posts but where it is located in such a lonely abandoned land, I wonder if it makes you feel like you've lost a step. Exciting but scary all at once? I can't think of the right adjective or emotion but I think I get it.
Keep warm! :)
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Haha :) Yes, I am! A little rain and wind can't scare me - according to Beaufort Wind Scale, 50 km/h is just a strong breeze 😁
I am quite familiar with the emotion you are describing, but I didn't feel it. Maybe because I was not on my own. When I explore such places alone, I sometimes have this feeling in my gut.
You have greetings from @agniese :)
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So happy that @curie supported this post!! It's well written and formatted.
We get winds stronger than that here! I love the wind. I consider that a breeze too, but when cold it's colder!
Halló @agniese! Góða ferð :) (Have a good journey)😎
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I love the wind too, Deb 😊
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How's it going? You enjoying your vacation so far? Can't wait for the travel post :)
Isn't it amazing how your rewards have gone up on this post since you've been away? You got curied!!
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Yes, it feels great to be curied, especially when the price of Steem is going up :) Hehe. I'd really like to thank the person who suggested this post for curation.
As for my vacation, it's been raining ever since the trip to these ruins. But that didn't stop us from exploring the island. One of the days, we spent 2 hours in the downpour trying to reach and photograph the wreck of a DC plane. The harsh weather made the experience even more memorable :) So yes, I have been enjoying my vacation.
How are you doing?
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I'm doing well. Just trying not to get down about the weather. I've been a good soldier about it until lately. It's starting to really bug me. I have seen any signs of spring at all here and we have been having ice storms for the past 2 days now. The snow blower has been put to use but it's hard to do with sleet and wet snow.
Summer will just start, I know it. We'll miss spring entirely :) And some people in the US say there is no climate change. Well, I disagree. There is. I've been around a long time and this is the first time for me to have this much snow. Usually March is a great month of mild weather, then April is rainy and then May is awesome.
Here's a video of the winds for the last two days click here Not my video though. But my lake.
How long you going to be in Iceland? I tried to find out who submitted you to curie but couldn't. I'm a prospective curator now :) Not sure if it's my lane but we'll see. I'm not quick enough with submissions - someone gets there ahead of me. lol.
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Hey Deb and sorry for the late reply :) You know me! I came back from Iceland last night, and I still feel a bit dizzy after the climate and time changes.
The climate is definitely changing. I don't know whether it's the so-called global warming caused by us or just a natural process, but the weather is not the same. I also have the feeling that this is becoming more of a 2-seasons cycle.
Wow, it's hard to believe that this video is taken in April. The lake looks like a turbulent ocean!
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Thank you, @countrygirl! I'm sorry for tardy reply but Dan was using my laptop... (Sorry, Daniel, I had to blame somebody ;))
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He's a laptop hog. :) Hope you got some electronic time too.
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It was actually pleasant to be offline for some time :) But yeah... Time to come back ;)
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Wow thats cool. I never knew that about Iceland in WWII
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Yes, me neither! I got to know it from my Icelandic friend a week ago :) I wonder if there are other WW2 related sites in Iceland, particularly near Keflavik, which served as a military airport during that time. Thanks for your comment, Robert! ;)
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@intrepidphotos, I fat fingered the down vote when I was upvoting your comment. Sorry about that, I immediately took it off.
I don't like how busy puts it right next to the upvote it seems a lot easier to hit on busy than steemit. It's not the first time I have done that.
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Very nice landscapes. I take it your Lumix connects to your phone, so you can use Snapseed? Are there any trees there at all? I don't thin I've ever seen a photo of a tree in Iceland.
It looks like a great place to explore and take photos. hope you're having a great time!
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Thank you, Mark! Yes, there's a special app from Panasonic that lets me connect the devices over Wi-Fi - I can use the phone as a remote control, transfer images and videos. Really useful!
Haha, you are not the first person to ask if there are trees in Iceland :) There are some trees and forests here and there, but for the most part, the landscape is rocky :) It's a great place, and I am sure you'd love exploring it!
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I hadn't thought about all the Iceland photos never having trees... Guess that shows how much I pay attention.
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Those are incredible photos! I would love to visit there, but for now will just have to enjoy your photos!
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Thank you so much, Melinda! 😊 You won't believe how many Americans are visiting this place. I hope you'll have the chance to explore Iceland one day :)
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I really love “the wall” and second pier photo! All abandoned places have some strange energy to it...I love secluded and abandoned spots too but a little bit warmer 😉. I hope you are having a great time!
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Oh, they do! Do you have many such spots in Australia? :)
Happy that you enjoyed the photos, Di 😊
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Most of Australia is uninhabited, so you don’t lack remote or abandoned places. In South Australia for instance you can drive few hours from house to house...from Port Augusta to Coober Pedy (over 500km) you will see maybe three small towns like this...so if you love secluded spots come to Australia 😉.
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I'd love to come and do a road trip there! 😍 New Zealand is also on the list :)
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I had no idea! I went to Iceland with a friend for New Years a few years back. I really enjoyed my stay but didn’t know about this site.
Iceland is such a weird place. The people, the scenery... everything is always a bit off. A bit unsettling.
Or at least that’s the feeling that stuck with me.
I really got the feeling of raw nature. Young hearth molded with lava and steem... Better not fuck around in Iceland : )
Such a weird place! Your pictures make me go back to those feelings.
Nice!
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Better not, especially during New Year 😁 How many hours of daylight did you have? Did you get to see the Northern lights?
All Icelanders that I have met so far are super nice and friendly :) Another thing I love is the coffee culture - Many places offer free coffee (or refills at least). For example, I got a free cup of decent coffee at the local supermarket today. How cool is that!
I'm glad the pics evoked those feelings :)
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Not many. I think only 4-5 hours of light.
The funny thing is that we decided to go there by simply pointing our finger randomly on a map. We knew almost nothing about Iceland and found out about the fact that there would be almost no daylight just a couple of days before leaving.
We went on a tour bus to see the norther lights. We barely could see anything at naked eye but as soon as you started taking long exposure pictures the sky would literally go crazy! It was amazing!
Also the Blue Lagoon was pretty dope!
I didn’t know about the free coffee. That’s nice considering how much they charge for a beer 😁
Have you tried the putrified shark?
I had it three times... but it’s definitely not for everyone!
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Haha, that's a cool way to pick a travel destination! :) I agree that the Blue Lagoon is dope - I went to see it yesterday, and I could hardly believe the color of the water. Insane!
There's a nice cafe/bar in Keflavik where a pint of local IPA beer is about 10 Euros, and in Reykjavik, you can actually use the local "Happy Hour" app to see in real time which bars have discounts on beer and wine :)
I don't think I will ever try the shark, lol. They also have another weird dish - the sheep's head that is cut in half and served with potatoes or other veggies. Did you try that one? :)
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Ewww... that’s too much even for me!
No I didn’t try the sheep’s head 😂
I did try though the seal, the whale and the puffin.
None of them were worth it to be honest. Maybe just the whale. Only because it looked and tasted much more like actual meat. It reminded me of the taste of horse meat. Did you try it?
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Nope :) I ate cod fish a few times and hamburgers, lol. As for the puffins, I intend to take pictures of them, not eat them 😁
Have you ever tried donkey meat?
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Donkey sausage is a delicacy around here! : )
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Hahah, what I've heard from meat lovers is donkeys are the best as they never eat bad stuff.
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Awesome Dan! Iceland is so photogenic and seems to be one of those places most shutterbugs have on their bucket list. Hope the early morning sun comes out for ya before you've got to leave ;)
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Thank you so much, man! How are you doing lately? How is your wife's recovery coming along?
I have been unlucky so far with the morning weather :) Fingers crossed that there will be some good light tomorrow when I will be visiting the plane wreck site.
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I've been pretty good thanks, and Charlene's recovery is going really well, better than any of us could have expected. Things will never exactly be 'the same' but we've gotta be grateful for how things have worked out so far.
Fingers crossed the clouds will part for you on your end and some of that beautiful clear light comes your way ;)
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I'm glad to hear that it's going well! :)
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And thank you for caring 🙏🏻 It's been an insane period of our lives, but one that's taught us both how fragile everything is, and as Joseph Campbell says .. to "Follow your bliss."
We're now starting to dream of fully going for it in our lives, to live out our passions and dreams. I've gotta say that Iceland is on the map for me, if not for her, a city girl from the far-east who can't stand the cold 😉
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Please do it, guys! As for Iceland, you can always beat the cold with good clothing :)
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yes because most of the country behind the wall is from island :)
photos from abandoned places make it more interesting in a way. am to is always looking for old fallen down buildings.
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Really?! 😁 I never knew that parts of Game of Thrones were shot in Iceland, haha!
Do you have a lot of those in the US?
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I did not do it either, so did a google. :P
a think so . am in Canada btw. but a fund this one
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Oh, I am sorry - I thought that you live in the US.
Abandoned air traffic control tower?
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The land of fire, ice, elves and thermal waters !😁
Love the last picture of you two. Sending kisses to @agniese. Tell her not to forget about the whale watching excursions.
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Yeah, @agniese told me that there are still some firm elves-believers! 😁 I will remind her about the excursions, hehe :)
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Of course, I remember! Whales are waiting for you! And me as well :D
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Iceland seems to be one of the go to places for landscape photographers. Good to see something a little different. Particularly like the second shot of the pier.
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Hey man :) Yes, Iceland is the Mecca for landscape photographers, and although I wanted to go off the beaten path, I know that each and every location has been photographed thousands of times. Glad that you liked the pier :)
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Stunning photographs @irreverent-dan. I hope you're having a wonderful time.
It's was very weird to hear that Britain invaded Iceland, although I probably should have known that. My Dad was stationed there during the war but never talked about it much other than to say he was thankful it was very quiet. And he used to wake up to the sounds of icicles tinkling under the necks of the moose.
Looking forward to seeing more photographs! 😊
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Iceland was very important or strategically very important in relation to the sea in between Norway and Russia and direct route down to Germany. so as a Norwegian Thanks :)
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Thank you so much, Gillian! From what I've read on the Internet, it was a quiet invasion. I think Iceland didn't have an army, and just a handful of people tried to resist. I wonder if there are some Icelanders on Steemit who can shed more light on the topic :)
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From what I read it sounds like the invasion was to prevent an invasion from the other side @irreverent-dan. But for the locals an invasion is an invasion. I suppose Iceland is in quite a strategic position.
I'm very glad it was quiet. It was otherwise or my Dad had been sent somewhere else I might not even be here. Now there's a thought! 😍
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Yes, it was like that, and yes - an invasion is an invasion. However, the country benefited afterwards from the newly built infrastructure - roads, airports and so on :)
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Wow, the landscape is incredible!! and I never knew that about the UK invaded Iceland in 1940... That gets forgotten about in the history books... The first 2 photos are so cool, and just like the wall from game of Thrones like you said... I hope there was no white walkers around! :o)
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Ahaha white walkers 🧟♂️😁 I bet the place would look more like a GoT scenery during wintertime when everything is covered in snow. I'm happy that you liked the shots :)
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Wonderful, bro!
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Thanks, man! Hope you are well :)
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Aye. Btw, I booked my summer holidays here https://www.google.ro/maps/place/Hotel+%22White+Lagoon%22/@43.4048452,28.2407121,394m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m14!1m6!3m5!1s0x40aba833d3c3dced:0x7e44c5c2f4a2689f!2sthe+blue+Lagoon!8m2!3d43.1460021!4d23.9258569!3m6!1s0x40a4e5df8983de1d:0x8e4dbc2196ca4cd2!5m1!1s2018-05-05!8m2!3d43.4058406!4d28.2412597
Maybe, who knows, in August gonna see each other finally. Though I just noticed that actually Sofia - Bucharest is, in fact, less than Sofia - Balchik lol time and distance wise I think.
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Cool man! Let's see how things will play out :) When exactly are you going to be near Balchik?
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Last week of August, man.
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Okay, we'll keep in touch :)
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Wow... Iceland always looked and sounded as a place where nothing really happens and the time has stopped for a brake...
Great place!
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Haha, yes! After a few days here, I can, without doubt, say that this is the land of tranquillity :)
By the way, take a look at what I bought:
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Екстра! Нещо, което едва ли ще видим някога в България. Иначе кога се връщаш? Гледай да си на линия на 21 Април за конкурса в София 😁
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Хаха на 17ти Април се връщам, така ще съм на линия :))
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The place is looks peaceful and I am sure the place is cold. How is the sun or the summer at ICELAND? How long it will take? And how mny season you have in ICE LAND?
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Thanks for stopping by @kennyroy :) I heard that during the summer, the temperatures sometimes go beyond 15 degrees Celsius, which is not that bad :) And as far as I know, there are only 2 seasons - winter and summer. The summer lasts from May until September.
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oh... The seasons is the same here in the United Arab Emirates, summer will last from May until September or October. The cold weather is good the same here! But the heat of the sun here in UAE is too hot! sometimes until 50 degrees heat! You can cook an egg on the road!!! (^_^)
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Wow, I can imagine! I wouldn't visit during the summer :)
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Yeahhhh... DOn't try... LOL
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Nice views and peaceful too.
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Glad that you liked them @fsfblender :)
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