Dogsledding in Akureyri via Inspiration Iceland
We woke up early to go dogsledding!
Inspiration Iceland
We booked our tour through Inspiration Iceland. There are only 6 people per tour so that visitors can maximize their time with the dogs. Unlike sheep and horses, dogs aren't one of the animals that were historically brought over to Iceland. Dog sledding isn't even a thing traditionally, but the snow makes it a unique and lucrative idea. In fact, bringing dogs over was illegal for a long time.
I've always thought dogsledding was cool. I mean have you ever seen Balto? It was how I convinced Tam it was a good idea. Unlike some of the other experiences I saw, this one allowed you to do it one on one. You weren't working in tandem with someone, it was just you and the dogs.
I think it was a particularly exciting day because Andre, our tour guide, said it hadn't snowed as much this winter. It was the first time in a while, and the dogs were howling. They took us to a trail where the dogs can run.
Some of the things you have to do is cheer one the dogs as they run. You can also push the sled, kind of like a scooter, to help give the dogs a little push. The break on the sled is a mat with spikes on it that you pull down and step on. If it's difficult, you can pull down the metal grips which sink into the dirt and put you at a dead halt. Both these things are important, since the dogs get distracted and will pull you into the bushes. They get distracted by other dogs, and they had to cut some rides short because one single dog was with his owner in the field.
Overall, I highly recommend it! It was so fun, and they were just great.
Brunch?
We parked at a gas station so we picked up more gas station hot dogs and fries. The cool thing about the drive-thru was that you could also buy candy through the window!
Anyway, we got home and ate some leftover pasta. We also used the leftover parmesan cheese on our fries. I don't know what it is, other than they have some happy grass-fed cows, but the dairy products here are so good. I also have a soft spot for freshly grated/cut parmesan. We also tried the curry ramen, thinking it would be like Japanese curry. It was Indian curry flavored, and definitely not what we were expecting.
After all of that excitement, I took a nap. Vacations are nothing without rest, and I need a lot of it. Cold weather isn't my friend, and snow is like its meaner, older brother.
Akureyri Fish and Chips
Once I woke up, it was around dinner time so we headed into Akureyri to try some of the popular food. Fish and chips was highly recommended here, as is plokkfiskur. It's a stew of potatoes, cod, onions, and milk with bearnaise sauce.
The fish was good, super flaky. The stew was well flavored too. I don't care much for mushy foods, but it didn't matter. It was a hearty stew, so we couldn't finish it. Though, writing it down makes me pretty hungry! Also, it was here that I discovered that rye bread is freaking delicious. It's really weirdly sweet and I love it.
Northern Lights: Part 2
After dinner, we headed up the hill again because my weather report told me we had a good chance of the Northern Lights again. The conditions tonight were stronger than the night before, but even with more perfect conditions, we didn't see much.
We pulled to lookout site above Akureyri, and pointed our camera to the white wispy clouds in the sky. We saw some people wondering what we were pointing the camera at. They didn't know the Northern Lights aren't actually green all the time. We knew better, so here it is.