Brauð & Co

Lenny had mentioned the cinnamon rolls at Brauð & Co so we sought one out but when we got there, they did not have any. But they did have a tasty hazelnut roll and cardamon roll, which was good fuel for our drive out to Reykjanes

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Kleifarvatn

We headed down the same roads we had taken towards Blue Lagoon earlier in the week, but this time the mountain roads were a lot less treacherous. We made it to Kleifarvatn Lake, the largest lake on the Reykjanes Peninsula, covering an area of 9.1 square kilometres and one of Iceland's deepest lakes, reaching a depth of 97 metres. An earthquake in 2000 occurred beneath the lake and drained it of over twenty percent of its surface area and created hot springs in one corner of the lake. According to folklore, a whale-like monster lives in Kleifarvatn, akin to the Loch Ness Monster, a cousin of the one under Lagarfjlót.

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Krýsuvik

Our next stop was the Krýsuvik Geothermal Area, defined by mud pots, hot springs and steaming vents, as well as multi-coloured mineral deposits.

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Fish House Bar & Grill

For lunch, we stopped in the "lava town" of Grindavik at the Fish House Bar & Grill where we split a langoustine pizza.

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Brimketill

After lunch, we stopped at Brimketill, a small, naturally carved pool, at the lava shore edge. Folklore says the pond was occupied by a giantess named Oddny.

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Valahnúkamöl

Next we stopped at Valahnúkamö, a high boulder ridge composed of well-rounded stones shaped by powerful storms and the force of the ocean. The ridge spans about 420 meters in length, 80 meters in width, and 10 meters high. We had a good vantage point out to Eldey island and also saw the two red keyboards used in the movie Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, which was shot in Iceland. Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams played the keyboards in a music video that took place there.

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Bridge Between Continents

Finally we arrived at the wind-swept Bridge Between Continents where black lava fields and rugged rock formations stretch for miles. The Bridge Between Continents is a footbridge that spans a shallow rift between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. Located along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, it offers a rare opportunity to stand between two continents and observe the effects of tectonic movement up close. We split up to take a photo with each of us on a different continent.

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Courtyard Keflavík

We drove back to Keflavík and stopped at the Courtyard by Marriott, where we started our trip in Iceland, and where we would be ending it. We unpacked everything out of the car and then Janie took the car back to Lava Car Rental, who agreed to drop her back off at the hotel on their shuttle. We took time repacking our luggage to fit the airline weight requirements before having dinner at the hotel restaurant and relaxing for the evening.

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