::forces of nature::

For whatever odd reason I've never been that impressed with Waterfalls. To me they either seem "postcard cliche" or simple treacherous and dangerous. Some little segment of a dream I had last night inspired me to go revisit some photos I took while visiting Gullfoss Waterfall in southern Iceland this past July. It was so unbelievably hot that day in a country named after Ice; I was so grateful for the refreshing cold spray of the water against my face as the glacial water from the Hvitau River descended over an enormous cliff. I was almost tempted to wade out to the seemingly easily accessible rocks next to the shore to get a closer look but then I overheard a story about a German tourist several years ago who was swept to her death doing just that. At the beginning of the trail down to the fall you find a large, beautifully carved Granite monument dedicated to Sigrídur Tómasdóttir, known as Iceland's first Environmental Activist. In the early 1900's her father was offered a handsome sum from foreign investors to use Gullfoss and other Icelandic waterfalls for Electrical production. His famous quote was, "I do not sell my friends". With Sigrídur's continued effort, Gullfoss is now a protected national park in a country that sustains itself on renewable Geothermal power.