From Ambassador (Golden Circle Tour)
2022/4/4
I have just recently written about a bus tour to Vatnajökull Glacier, but I want to introduce another sightseeing spot in Iceland.
For those who visit Iceland for the first time, I recommend “the Golden Circle Tour”, one of Iceland‘s most popular day tour. I participated in such a tour last weekend, with nearly ten years having passed since I last joined a similar tour with my family.
There is a wide range of Golden Circle Tours, depending on operating companies, but the most typical tour starts with a stop in Þingvellir National Park followed by Geysir hot springs before Gullfoss Waterfall as the last stop.
It is widely known that Þingvellir is the place where representatives and powerful farmers from all over Iceland met annually during summertime in an assembly. Additionally, from the point of view of geo-science, this is an interesting place where you can observe the effects of two major plates, the North American plate and the Eurasian plate drifting apart – it is a must-see attraction!
There are also well known Geysers (Geysir) in the United States. This rare natural phenomenon is truly powerful when viewed from a close distance.
Gullfoss is just one of Iceland's many waterfalls, but this spectacular waterfall with its abundant volume of water is very close to the hearts of Icelanders.
It might sound too spiritual, but when I visited this place again I felt some kind of mysterious atmosphere, a type of healing energy! I strongly recommend that you visit.
If this place was in Japan, it might have been regarded as a place where the Gods and Goddesses dwell and as such the object of worship.
Many of you might know, but British investors saw an opportunity to industrialise the waterfall and requested permission to build a hydroelectric dam, which would have fully submerged Gullfoss under water. Fought by a strong and determined female activist, Sigríður, who enthusiastically appealed for the preservation of Gullfoss, and because of ambivalence regarding the profitability of the project, it did not go ahead.
Thank God!
The flow of people around the world, which stagnated during the COVID-19 pandemic, is returning to normal and the number of tourists visiting Iceland is increasing. Though limited, the number of Japanese tourists seems increasing, little by little.
Apart from myself, two tourists from Tokyo joined the Golden Circle Tour. In addition to us, three women from Hong Kong, a Swedish couple, a German man and a Chinese-American from California, making us ten in total.
All the pandemic related restrictions have already been lifted at the Icelandic border. Unfortunately, air flights between Japan and Europe continue to be disrupted due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine though. I strongly hope the number of Japanese people visiting Iceland increases and our bilateral relationships and personal exchanges return to normal as soon as possible.
For those who visit Iceland for the first time, I recommend “the Golden Circle Tour”, one of Iceland‘s most popular day tour. I participated in such a tour last weekend, with nearly ten years having passed since I last joined a similar tour with my family.
There is a wide range of Golden Circle Tours, depending on operating companies, but the most typical tour starts with a stop in Þingvellir National Park followed by Geysir hot springs before Gullfoss Waterfall as the last stop.
It is widely known that Þingvellir is the place where representatives and powerful farmers from all over Iceland met annually during summertime in an assembly. Additionally, from the point of view of geo-science, this is an interesting place where you can observe the effects of two major plates, the North American plate and the Eurasian plate drifting apart – it is a must-see attraction!
There are also well known Geysers (Geysir) in the United States. This rare natural phenomenon is truly powerful when viewed from a close distance.
Gullfoss is just one of Iceland's many waterfalls, but this spectacular waterfall with its abundant volume of water is very close to the hearts of Icelanders.
It might sound too spiritual, but when I visited this place again I felt some kind of mysterious atmosphere, a type of healing energy! I strongly recommend that you visit.
If this place was in Japan, it might have been regarded as a place where the Gods and Goddesses dwell and as such the object of worship.
Many of you might know, but British investors saw an opportunity to industrialise the waterfall and requested permission to build a hydroelectric dam, which would have fully submerged Gullfoss under water. Fought by a strong and determined female activist, Sigríður, who enthusiastically appealed for the preservation of Gullfoss, and because of ambivalence regarding the profitability of the project, it did not go ahead.
Thank God!
The flow of people around the world, which stagnated during the COVID-19 pandemic, is returning to normal and the number of tourists visiting Iceland is increasing. Though limited, the number of Japanese tourists seems increasing, little by little.
Apart from myself, two tourists from Tokyo joined the Golden Circle Tour. In addition to us, three women from Hong Kong, a Swedish couple, a German man and a Chinese-American from California, making us ten in total.
All the pandemic related restrictions have already been lifted at the Icelandic border. Unfortunately, air flights between Japan and Europe continue to be disrupted due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine though. I strongly hope the number of Japanese people visiting Iceland increases and our bilateral relationships and personal exchanges return to normal as soon as possible.