ICELAND SAGA: The Puffin Post!

The wait is over, and the puffins are here for the first of two puffin posts!  This post is going to be uncommonly light on words, but I've been so busy, and I feel like I've been keeping you in puffin suspense long enough.  Without any further ado, the puffins (and pictures of our trip along the way)!

On Monday morning Joe and I left the Salvation Army Guesthouse to start our trip to the Westfjords. Thanks Salvation Army Guesthouse!

Stikkisholmur: the town we traveled to by bus in order to catch a ferry to the Westfjords.

In the Westfjords, we stayed in Breidavik (that d gets a slash again, so it's pronounced "Breithavik), which consists of a working farm, the guesthouse where we stayed, and a super old church.  Behold, the entire town of Breidavik:

About 6 miles away was the town of Latrabjarg, home to Iceland's best bird cliffs, where many many puffins nest during the summer.  Look, puffins!

We saw two other species of birds at the cliffs, as well.  Is this the Common Guillemot?  I think, yes?  Or this just a gull.  Either way, look how fuzzy the babies are!

The cliffs themselves are quite spectacular to look at.  There are four tiers.  Due to time constraints, we only walked along the first.  Like an old man, my knees were really bothering me from all the walking we had done so far in the trip, so one cliff was plenty for me.

See that rectangular building?  Apparently that is Europe's western most pizza hut.  We never saw anyone walking around with slices, though, so I don't know if it's still in operation.  I don't remember what the building next to it is.  Bathroom??  Doesn't matter, because I just go in the trees.

Yes, that is a puffin behind Joe.

Yes, that is a puffin behind me.

Once we got back from the cliffs, Joe and I walked on the beach at sunset.  As you can see from the picture of Breidavik, the guesthouse is only a few hundred yards away from the beach.  Sigh, how romantic.  

The water was CHILLY!

Awwwww...

I'm the one who drew the heart.  I had no idea I could draw hearts so boxy.

We were really surprised at how big the waves got.  We figured that because we were on a small beach stuck between two fjords that the water became more intense and choppy.

Ok, these aren't that big.

That was your puffin and beach introduction.  The next post will be much more puffin heavy.  Toodle-oo!