Iceland 2011

Mývatn or "the lake of flies" (indeed, swarms of flies live on the shores of the lake). This place brings together several natural sites resulting from significant geological activity underground.

The arrival is quite magical with this large plume of smoke visible in the distance. It's not a volcano waking up, but simply the steam escaping from the Krafla geothermal power plant.

Here we are at the bottom of Mývatn to walk around the small lake Stakhólstjörn, where the pseudo-craters of Skútustaðir recall the volcanic past of the site. These are not truly craters, as they were not created by magma eruptions but by the violent explosion of water vapor following the contact of lava with the lake water.

The lake is very popular with ducks, where multiple species cross paths.

Two Red-necked Phalaropes (Phalaropus lobatus) come to paddle near me, just to ensure their presence on my webpage...  

Whooper swans stop alongside ducks and other waterfowl.

It's a blue house, leaning against Lake Myvatn, you don't get there on foot and those who live there haven't thrown away the key yet...  

We continue exploring the shores of Lake Mývatn by visiting the small peninsula of Kálfaströnd and its lava columns.

Some of the species visible on the site

Look closely, that's where the name Myvatn "lake of midges" comes from!!!  

A Slavonian Grebe (Podiceps auritus) and its superb orange colors

Column-shaped magmatic formations, results of 2000 years of erosion

Red, orange, or white lichens have found a small place on the black volcanic rock.

A troll left his shoe lying around...

In the distance, the still snow-covered Sellandafjall

A small farm and its horses very happy to have some visitors! This one even went to the hairdresser just before!  

And off to a new location with Dimmuborgir, which resembles a small village with its "dark castles" (the translation of Dimmuborgir), also formed by thousands of years of erosion.

And oh surprise! We learn with dread that Santa Claus has Icelandic competitors!!! Not only do they live here, but there are thirteen of them. And unlike Santa Claus, they have parents! They are trolls and are named Grýla and Leppaluði...