Day 2: 💧 Waterfalls, Puffins, and a Proposal — Oh My! 💍🇮🇸

Jen and I were the first to stir in the apartment that morning. Around 7 AM, we slipped out for a quiet stroll while the kids continued to snooze. The city, which had been buzzing with life the day before, was now still and peaceful—Rainbow Street completely deserted, except for one couple snapping selfies.

The only other people we could find up at 7 AM can be seen in the background.

The couple sheepishly asked us if we would take their picture for them which we of course obliged and then they returned the favor.  I asked where they were from and they said Bali.

Notice the church in the far background

On our walk we stopped in a small mart and bought some travel snacks, orange juice, and bananas.  I was impressed to even find bananas, and the clerk said they sell them by the banana at about $2 apiece.

We had actually planned to pick up this kind of thing at the Iceland Costco but we never made it there. Who knew there was a Costco in Iceland but not a McDonalds?

We also stopped by two popular Icelandic breakfast shops: Sandholt, who many believe is Reykjavík’s best bakery and Braud & Co. an Instagrammable bakery known for their gooey, warm cinnamon rolls. We picked up some coffee for the kids, tea for Jen, and some delicious looking and smelling pastries for everyone to share.

Some of the yummy choices at Sandholt Bakery

By the time we got back to the AirBnB, the kids were starting to rouse. Jen cut the pastries into quarter servings for them to be able to try each and she and I finished packing our bags.

A major subplot of the day: we knew Ryan was planning to propose to Mikah at some point on the trip—but not exactly when. Truthfully, I don’t think Ryan knew either. He was holding out for just the right moment.

Nonetheless, I thought Day 2 of the trip was the pick day for this because we were planning to see three of Iceland's most jaw dropping waterfalls and also the beautiful and iconic Rynisfjara Black Sand Beach.

I found out later that Ryan had come up with a code word "lizard" to say to Jen and Rogan when it was going to happen. I'm not sure why that word became the code word because something that Iceland does not have much of is animals. In fact, because of its cold climate, Iceland actually does not have any lizards or reptiles at all! 

At one point in the day, Jen asked innocently, "Ryan, do they have any lizards here?" and Ryan responded, "Not here." Mikah, always aware, immediately asked, "Is that some kind of code or something?"

We left Reykjavík at maybe 9 AM, loaded with snacks, a full tank of gas, and for Ryan with a ring box in his pocket. The plan? Drive the stunning south coast to our next stay in Kirkjubæjarklaustur. On the way, we had our sights set on some of the most iconic natural wonders in Iceland.

About an hour and a half into the drive, the landscape really started to transform—flat, mossy lava fields gave way to rolling green hills and cliffs draped with wispy waterfalls. Some other fun features to notice are the turf houses known as torfbaeir.  These are are traditional homes built into the earth with a turf and grass roof.  These structures were built partially underground and covered in turf for insulation against Iceland's harsh climate. 

Before we knew it, we had reached Seljalandsfoss. Icelandic words are long essentially because each part of the word has meaning.  For example, the name Seljalandsfoss breaks down like this in Icelandic:

Selja – meaning a sheep pen or pasture

lands – means land (as in area or territory)

foss – means waterfall

So, Seljalandsfoss roughly translates to “the waterfall of the sheep pasture land.”

Seljalandsfoss

This waterfall is straight out of a fantasy movie. Tall and slender, with a shimmering cascade plunging from a cliff above. The best part? You can actually walk behind it. Yes, you will get wet. Yes, it’s absolutely worth it. We had donned raingear, embraced the mist, and followed the footpath behind the roaring curtain of water. It was loud, cold, and beautiful—like being inside the lungs of the Earth.

Us behind Seljalandsfoss

A short walk from Seljalandsfoss is Gljúfrabúi, a secret-ish waterfall partially hidden inside a narrow canyon. You have to hop across some wet stones and squeeze between rock walls to get there, but it’s like entering a secret chamber. 

The falls explode down through an open ceiling, echoing all around. It felt like something only elves or adventurous middle-schoolers should be allowed to find.

We left this waterfall soaking wet, but giggling at the fun we were having.

Back on the road, we continued toward Skógafoss, another epic waterfall—this one wide and powerful and thundering like a freight train. You can feel its spray from a good 50 feet away. 

There are 370 steps to the top for a panoramic view.  It was a quad and lung burner, but we all made it to the top to appreciate the view. 

It’s a spot that demands a photo—and rain gear. When it is sunny here, it can be a great place to see rainbows. Unfortunately, this day was pretty overcast.

At the top, there was a hiking path that extended beyond the top of the waterfall, and Mikah and Ryan went off on their own.  Jen and I thought, Is this the time?  I asked, "Did he say lizard?" We watched from a distance to see if Ryan began to kneel.  As it turned out, the path was still a little too busy with other hikers, so maybe it wasn't the right time.

We walked back down the 370 steps and loaded up again for another scenic location and another proposal opportunity.  The drive itself was breathtaking, too. The Eyjafjöll mountain range rose up in the background as we snaked along the coast, offering a dramatic backdrop of snowcaps and green slopes. Every few minutes, someone in the car would say, “Look another waterfall” and we’d all crane our necks to see yet another impossibly perfect view.

Something prominent at this time of year were the Alaskan lupine wildflowers which were not native, but were planted here by helicopter to help fight erosion and to add color to the countryside.

Next, we stopped at Dyrhólaey, a promontory of cliffs where the Atlantic crashes below and seabirds circle above. I'd never heard of a promontory before - it is essentially a large raised bit of land that juts out into a body of water.  At the top we saw and heard waves crashing on the black sand beach down below.

We also saw a small lighthouse that looked different than those we are used to.

I had seen pictures of this rock structures online, but they took my breath away when I saw them in person and realized their massive size.

You'll hear me say this again - the pictures don't really do it justice.

As we were taking this all in, Jen noticed that thick fog was starting to move in over the ocean and it was moving fast.  

Fog rolling in

The fog rolled in like a curtain, swallowing up the cliffs we had just admired. It gave everything a dreamy, otherworldly vibe.

The giant cliff suddenly disappeared

Then, just when we were about to head back to the car, Mikah spotted movement. “Puffins!” she shouted. Sure enough, the awkward little birds flapped across the cliffs, tiny wings working overtime. We did our best with phone cameras and got one or two blurry trophies.

This was about the best picture we could get with our phones.

These unique-looking endangered birds nest on the island in June and are difficult to spot.  We did our best to snap pictures as they flew back and forth awkwardly along the rocky cliff and landed occasionally in the long grasses where presumably they are nesting.

A better picture of puffins taken by a professional!

We felt very lucky to see these birds which only happened because we came back to see what these areas looked like with all of the fog. It was perfect timing.

We loaded up the car again for our last scenic stop.  Nearby was Reynisfjara, Iceland’s famous black sand beach. It’s both beautiful and a bit terrifying, with sneaker waves that have a reputation for dragging tourists out to sea. This beach and the cliffs out in the sea are recognizable to Game of Thrones fans as part of the "Iron Islands."

We kept a healthy distance from the water’s edge and admired the Reynisdrangar sea stacks—those sharp, basalt spires rising from the ocean like ancient sentinels (or the Phallus Museum might compare them to something else).

Tourists like me climbed on the basalt columns posing for pictures, which look like a naturally occurring staircase built by giants.

Some tourists chose to pose in, uh, let's say interesting ways like this.

Meanwhile, Mikah looked out on the water and then shouted, "I see a whale!"

We later classified it as a Minke whale.  At times it got quite close to the shore.

a minke whale (Note: I didn't take this picture)

Then it happened. We saw Mikah and Ryan quietly slip away behind a cluster of rocks. Rogan followed at a distance with the GoPro. Jen tried to sneak into photo range. 

From afar, we watched Ryan set up his phone, pull out a small notebook, and begin reading something to Mikah—his voice too quiet to hear, but his posture saying everything. Then, the knee drop. The ring. The embrace. And just like that, they were engaged. 

Jen and I were filled with pride and love for them both.  We walked over and hugged them both and told them that we loved them and were so happy for them.

This was a big day.  By the time we reached our AirBnB in Kirkjubæjarklaustur in the evening, we were tired, windblown, and fully in awe of Iceland’s southern coast. Day 2 had been a full immersion into the wild magic of this country—waterfalls behind cliffs, puffins over the sea, and landscapes that made us feel very small in the best way possible.

Ryan summed it up nicely by saying, "This was the best day ever!" 

Tomorrow we will hike on a glacier, boat among giant icebergs and explore Black Diamond Beach.

Read on:

Day 3: 🥾⛏️ Hiking on Ice, 💎 Diamonds on the Beach, and 🧊🦭Floating with Giants