ALMOST FIESTA TIME

 ALMOST FIESTA TIME:

 

CLICK ME FOR MAGIC

Yes it is that time of the year where the crisp morning air is filled with the sounds of balloon burners heating the canopies. 

We have made our way from my folks house in Missouri to the Bernaillo, NM KOA. Here at this location for two nights where we will get some preparation done for our move to AIBF (Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta) . 

At AIBF we camp at the President’s Compound as it is the perfect location. This campground sits on a bluff above the launch field and it is nice and close for me to get to work doing the Photo Thing. 

Yes, again this year I am part of the AIBF official photo team. As such my days are jam- packed and we need to have it all together for those 10 days.

This year I am very excited to see several new special shape balloons attending this year. 

Currently the weather looks to be great, although the afternoons will be warmer that I care for.

Should you be interested if following along on the largest balloon festival in the WORLD here are some links for where you can tune in for all the action. 

For the Balloon Fiesta Live audio -
https://balloonfiesta.com/Balloon-Fiesta-LiveI-Radio


To watch Balloon Fiesta Live broadcasts -

 https://balloonfiesta.com/Live-Stream

One can also go to the AIBF website for schedule information and more at
 https://balloonfiesta.com/

Will update more after we move to the President’s Compound.


 

SOON WE WILL BE OFF TO THE BALLOON FIESTA:

 SOON WE WILL BE OFF TO THE BALLOON FIESTA: 

52nd Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta:

"May the winds welcome you with softness.
May the sun bless you with its warm hands.
May you fly so high and so well that God
        joins you in laughter
And sets you gently back into the loving arms
         of Mother Earth."

 



Here we are on the eve of the 52nd Fiesta and my excitement is starting to max out. I can share there will be two different drone shows. There will be several new special shapes at Fiesta and 550 balloon are registered thus far.

 

I am so looking forward to attending and being part of this amazing event. To be very honest, it is really hard to describe seeing the Dawn Patrol, the Mass Ascensions, the Glows, the Special Shapes, Team Fasttrax, the Kites, the drone shows, the Fireworks, the Main Street Entertainment, and the famous breakfast burritos. Oh, the competition events are really KEWL!



Yes,  for me it is a work event, working with some great photographers, yet still exciting and thrilling. I am humbled to be part of this team and part of AIBF. 

To see the crews prepping the balloons, the Zebras launching the balloons, and the wonderment of the visiting guests. 



 

My days will start at 0400 and the long days will end at 2200. Down time is spent sorting and editing and submitting photos. I LOVE IT!

My thoughts/tips on attending are many but here are some of the top tips.

TOP OF ALL TIPS IS THIS: go to the AIBF web site at https://balloonfiesta.com/. There is so much info there to make your Fiesta experience the best. 



1. Plan Early - that means starting directly after Fiesta ends  start planning for the next year.  RV site reservation start in January and sell out rather quickly.

2. I feel an RV is the best way to experience Fiesta. a. You don’t have to drive to the launch field. b. You have a place to chill between sessions. c. You don’t have to drive to the launch field. d. If the weather is not cooperating you can roll over and go back to sleep.

3. Since the launches are weather dependent plan on staying as many days as you can. So you don’t miss anything. 

4. Volunteer to crew for a balloon. There is a sign up location on the field where volunteers are accepted. You will learn a lot about balloons and have a lot and I mean a lot of fun.

5. Stay hydrated, dress in layers, sunscreen etc etc remember you are at altitude.

6. Yes you can rent a RV that will be brought to the site for you. Also, some folks will experience Fiesta with a RV group, there are a few which have group tours to Fiesta. 

 

These are just a few of the tips I have.

 

So if you are gonna be there this year let’s try and meet up. If you are thinking about next year, and have questions feel free to ask away.  



TO THE GLACIERS!!

 Our Last Few Days In Reykjavik: 



 

After getting off the Viking Cruise we spent a few days in Reykjavik. Here we revisited many old haunts and purchasing gifts and we did get a Hot Dog or two and had a couple swims. 

We love the city pools and have gotten in on a couple water aerobics classes. We replenished our bus passes and licorice stores. 

On Tuesday we to take a Glacier Lagoon Tour. It was a very long worthwhile day, so here goes. 

It was an early start as we were asked to be at the bus stop at 0730. Well the driver was a bit late due to traffic. No worries, and soon we were driving along the scenic South Coast. Here we passed lava fields, waterfalls, pastures and mountains.

This was a small group tour of 15 people, all were good about being on time at stops. We traveled in a Mercedes extended van, rather comfortable as it would accommodate 20 passengers.

Our Guide was named Gummi for short for a very long Icelandic name.

The restroom breaks were perfectly timed.  Snacks were available to purchase at these stops.

Our first official stop was overlooking the town of Vik where we could see the Sea Stacks. Legend has it that the stacks are trolls turned into stone while playing in the sea. Here you also see the Black Sand Beach. To be very honest, all the beaches in Iceland are black Sand. 

Continuing on our next stop was at Fjadrargljufur canyon. Here the fast moving glacier water has cut this rather scenic canyon and the walk to the view points was well worth the view. 

My real desire on this trip was the Jokulsarlon Area. Here we find Diamond Beach and the Glacier Lagoon. 

First was Diamond Beach. Here the beach is adorned with pieces of the glacier which had been washed out to sea and brought back to the beach by tidal action. The pieces that return are often pieces which have been polished and are crystal clear. The skies were overcast and a clear sunny day would make them even more amazing. 

Then we visited the Glacier Lagoon and took a ride on a DUCK amongst the icebergs which had calved off the glacier. There were a good number of harbor seals swimming about looking for fish arriving in the inbound tide. 

I must let you know this is a very very very very long drive from Reykjavik. I knew it would be a long day from the start, and it sure was. 

Time to start the trek back to Reykjavik with a few stops yet to make. 

We made a stop in Hof to see one of the last remaining turf churches. I thought it was very kewl as well as the graveyards next to the church. The graves appear small by todays standards and can make one think of Hobbits. Simply the early settlers of this are were small of stature, but long on grit to endure. The lifestyle was good to many as several were centenarians.

It was getting rather duskish  as we continued on. Our guide and driver needed a mandatory 45 min break and fuel. We made this stop in Vik at a travel center with several restaurants, convenience store, and the obligatory ICE WARE shop :) 

Back on the road with one more stop to go. The waterfalls at Seljalandfoss. I was surprised the falls were illuminated and it was fun to make photos after dark. 

Now back on the bus and headed to Reykjavik. We finally arrived at our hotel at 0015 hrs, ready to crash and get some sleep.

This tour was definitely worth it. Gummi gave a great narratives which helped pass the drive time. A wealth of information was provided. I was glad I did not have to drive. 

So, here we are at the airport ready to head home, get The Boys, prepare for AIBF etc etc. We will be back here in May of 2025 before we sail to Svalbard. That said we are thinking about an August 2026 return for the eclipse. 


A Return to Heimaey:

 A Return to Heimaey:

 

We had been to Heimaey about 4 weeks earlier on our Hurtigruten voyage and were glad to return. 

Another beautiful day, we can not believe how great the weather has been. This has not been the Iceland weather we are used to. We have experienced warm sunny weather. 

 

After anchoring, we tendered into port. Here we started our walking tour, visiting the main district of Heimaey. We returned to the Bonus store and found some different licorice and I found a nice bennie adorned with the Bonus pig. 

Then we visited the gas station and got a hot dog and had a nice chat with the owner. 



Back to the dock and met up for a bus shore excursion. This was a bus ride about the city with a very good narrative. The guide had a puffing ( baby puffin). The pufflings take to the sea after hatching, but easily confuse city lights for stars and end up in town. Volunteers head out with cardboard boxes during the night to search for confused pufflings. They are taken to the Sea life Trust, to be weighed and examined. Once they are deemed healthy they are released to the sea. 

This year the pufflings are reported to be rather healthy and heavier than the past year.

Basically we had a bus tour around Heimaey and witnessed some Sprangan.   

In early days, the men of the Westman Islands would swing from ropes climbing the cliffs to collect sea bird eggs.  Suitable places on Heimaey were found to train for the rope swinging used when gathering eggs. There is one place in particular near the western harbor that has the conditions needed to teach the different techniques used when hanging from the face of the cliffs on ropes.That is called Sprangan.

 

                                     ELEPHANT ROCK

                                      Ieclandic Horse

This cat guards the entrance to the museum. By petting this cat any future eruption in the area are delayed by 10 years.

 Amazing ot see this house that was unearther from under the volcanic ash.

Our first and only stop was at Eldheimar, a museum of the 1973 volcanic eruption.
 
The Icelandic eruption in Heimaey 1973 buried around four hundreds of houses. Archaeologists have been uncovering what remained of the buildings, giving the island the nickname “Pompeii of the North”. An entire museum, Eldheimar, has been built around the remains of one of the homes. It’s totally worth seeing the museum and to get closer to the history of Heimaey.

Then a shuttle bus took us back to the ship where we started our packing and had a quick dinner.

Djúpivogur

 

 

 Today we find ourselves in Djúpivogur a small town located on the eastern coast of Iceland, near the mouth of the Berufjörður fjord. It has a population of around 600 people and is known for its beautiful natural surroundings and rich cultural history.

The town gets its name from the "deep cove" that provides excellent natural harbor conditions. It was founded in the 16th century as a trading post and today, the harbor is centered around fishing and welcoming visitors.  

Here we anchored and tendered into shore.

 

 Our  excursion was a walking tour which we extended, as you will soon discover. 

Our first stop was a Rock Shop displaying many interesting stones the owner had collected over the years. 

We walked along learning about life in this small town. The main industry here is now fish farming. Prior to this, fishing and the collection of fish oil. So much oil was collected it was stored in massive tanks. Here a local musician invited us inside of the tank and sang a couple local songs. 

Next we walked down to the shore to Eggin í Gleðivík or 'The Eggs of Merry Bay' are one of the most notable is the outdoor art installations in Djúpivogur, consisting of enlarged replicas of 34 eggs of bird species that nest in the area. They are made of highly polished granite and were made in China. Rather interesting to see. 



We then walked back to town where we separated from the tour. Our quest was the local swimming pool, just a short distance away. 

Surprisingly we were the only people there, so we had a private pool party. All of the pools here were inside and provided us with a nice warm soak.

 

 

We next made our way back to the harbor area and had a hotdog along the way, then a gift shop where nothing was purchased. 

I was impressed with some of the local children being rather industrious. As we arrived at the harbor I had noticed a young lad setting up a table to display his wares. He was selling painted rocks. I told I would be stopping by upon our return and stop we did. We purchased a few stones painted with the Iceland flag. Then Lynn notice an other young girl selling local interesting rocks, and purchased a couple.

 

 

Back to the ship for a bit of lunch and Lynn did a load of laundry. 



Seydisfjördur day in a nice small town.

 Seydisfjördur 081424



Today we are sailing to Seydisfjördur.

No Overnight camping in the cities, must go to a camp ground.

There are 650 residents who live here in Seydisfjördur. Sadly I must report there is no hot dog stand here. 


 

 

  This is a new port of call for us. Our research indicates Seydisfjördur traces its origins to the early days of Viking settlements. Though the town is tiny, it boasts an impressive history. It hosted the world’s first modern whaling station and pioneered international communications when it welcomed the first telegraph cable, linking Iceland to Europe.

While we felt the ship rock during the night yet the seas appear calm. Skies are partially cloudy here at 0332 hrs. 

Seydisfjördur is where some scenes from the most recent film “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” were filmed. Will see if we can recognize some. 

BLUE CHURCH AND A RAINBOW ROAD. This is the First Rainbow Road in Iceland.

We had an enjoyable walking tour around this small town. Seydisfjördur was once occupied by British and US troops as here was the first telecommunication cable from Europe was. Installed. 

Interesting many of the houses here were pre fabricated and sent here from Norway. Maybe the inspiration for IKEA. 

Our walk ended at the Community Center where we received samples of Icelandic food, lamb and fish and a Happy Marriage Cake. 

Music entertainment was provided by Bjort Sigfinnsdottir and Jon Hilmar Karason. Very talented duo and we purchased one of their CD’s.

There were some local artists pieces available and I got a Bonus Bag Poster and chatted with the artist.

We then hiked back to the ship via the waterfall. 

Dinner tonight will be a BBQ and there is a symphony concert being streamed for us. We are taking a pass on the dance party.