Saturday, January 20, 2018

IMAGINE PEACE ON VIDEY ISLAND



VIDEY ISLAND: 

We got up and together giving ourselves a good bit of time to get to Videy Island. We knew it would take us two busses and a ferry to get there. We started with our local 14 Bus to a central bus station where we would connect with the #16 bus. We had asked about this route at the local information center and nothing was said about Bus Route #16 not running on Saturday and Sunday. A bit of on the fly map reading etc etc, we boarded the #12 Bus and got as close as we could get to the Ferry Terminal. We had about a 1 Mile walk to the Ferry. Phew we made it in time. 

The Ferry was a nice 5 minute ride over to Videy Island as the skies were clear and the sea was calm. 

The island covers 0.7 square miles; its highest point is 105 feet above Sea Level. The island is divided by a narrow piece of land creating the West Island, East Island and the largest Home Island. The island has a rich bird life with about 30 species breeding here. The well-vegetated island has areas of bog, grey basalt on the West Island and eastern shore and at least 156 species of plants.

During the Winter the ferry only operates on Saturday and Sunday. 

The island has archaeological remains dating back to the early 10th century and was the site where the "father of Reykjavík" Skuli Magnusson constructed his home and a church in the 12th century.  Now there is a coffee shop inside the house. From 1225 to 1539 an Augustine Monastery was established on the island. There is a deserted village on the island, as the island's last inhabitants left in 1943.

The Imagine Peace Tower is located on the island. It is a "Tower of Light" envisioned and built by Yoko Ono. "The tower is a beam of light, radiating from a wishing well bearing the words "imagine peace" in 24 languages. The plan is for it to be lit each year between John Lennon’s birthday, October 9, and the anniversary of his death December 8.”

Charles Lindbergh visited the island when he was planning his flight across the Atlantic.

We did locate two geocaches on the Island but could not sign the logs as they were frozen in the ground. 

Videy would be a great place for a summer picnic, and some excellent birding.   

We took the ferry back to the terminal and decided we would just walk to the pool, 1.2 miles away. Seemed closer than walking back to the bus and doing a transfer. 

From all our hiking this morn we were ready for our daily hot dog before a swim. 

After a nice warm soaking swim we took the bus back to the Bonus Grocery store for items to take back home. 

Will see if we get Aurora tonight,




The Ferry is the little boat to the big grey one. 





Peace Tower




Graylag Geese







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