As promised today's post is dedicated to my time spent viewing attractions in the " Golden Circle." Otherwise known as a very popular tourist destination in South-Western Iceland. Here is where I stayed at the Ion Hotel for two nights with my lovely boyfriend. I liked this hotel very much so because it wasn't to far from the city, maybe 40 minutes drive away. Not bad at all, but believe me when I say that the scenery changed dramatically. We went from a very urban setting to a Mars-like rural setting.

   On our first night we stayed in the standard room, which was ok... I mean you get what you pay for. On our next night we upgraded to a deluxe room which was much more roomy and cozy. A very neat feature of this hotel was they had a geothermal pool outside under part of the hotel. It was especially nice to unwind at night after a day full of sightseeing.

Ok, onto the sights! Time to release my inner tour guide....

Day 1: 

Waterfall Gullfoss was the first stop we made, and the waterfall was so majestic! To be honest it was so cold that I didn't even want to get out of the car. I really just wanted to stay in the warmth, but after being able to see this in person I was so exhilarated that it warmed me right up. Getting to photograph it was so much fun as well, it's a very photogenic sight! Well, actually all of Iceland is to be fair.

Our second stop was the Geysir Hot Spring Area. We followed the trail which lead to all the different geysirs. Essentially what you do here is observe the boiling water erupt up to 70 meters high. Which is actually quite fascinating in person! When the geysir I was standing next to erupted for the first time it startled me so much because I wasn't expecting it. By the second time I was better prepared and able to capture it with my camera! After being able to experience both of these attractions we were quite exhausted (as they require quite a bit of driving) and decided to head back to the hotel. This is where we ended our day by looking through our photos and soaking in the relaxation of the geothermal pool.

Day 2: 

Our minds were made up on visiting Seljalandsfoss waterfall. This was a bit of a drive away from our hotel. I feel the need to mention that the drives in the country side are very scenic, and they seem to pass by very quickly as you are admiring the beauty. And it passes by even quicker for us because we kept on stopping by the farms to pet the wild (and domesticated) horses. Which was really and truly such a joy! I've never been that close to horse before, none the less getting to feed and photograph them was such a pleasure! It was a very memorable experience for both my boyfriend and I. 

Once we had arrived at the waterfall it was actually raining. And since I was already freezing without the rain this made for a very pouty me (yes, really I'm a bit of a baby when it comes to cold weather). However the waterfall was as beautiful as ever! And that didn't stop the fact that the sight was packed with tourists such as ourselves. I was able to walk around and take three photos before I ran back to the car because I couldn't take the weather anymore. Note to self, I need even more layers next time.

All in all, my two days spent exploring the golden circle with my darling were absolutely amazing. It allowed us both to unwind and get lost in nature, which is always such a beautiful feeling. It really lets you enjoy things at a slower pace and appreciate more. 

Part 3 which will include Blue Lagoon will be up next Wednesday, until then! x