We spent nearly nine hours on the Golden Circle circuit seeing spectacular Icelandic scenery on Tuesday, starting in what looks like the Martian landscape of Raudholar and ending up straddling two continents at Thingvellir National Park. In between, we walked deep into a lava tunnel where for a minute all the lights went out and we got to stand in absolute darkness, walked around and then down to a magnificent crater lake, watched Gullfoss Waterfall make rainbows, saw a geyser erupt and hot springs bubble, ate ice cream while watching the cows that produced the cream, and watched water fall from the European Plate onto the North American Plate. In photos:


Raudholar's unearthly-looking lava craters...


...which our kids enjoyed climbing.


In the dark wearing mandatory helmets in the lava tunnel cave...


...and in the brilliant sunshine at Kerid Crater lake...


...to which we climbed down after circling the perimeter above.


Can you see the rainbow directly to my right? (Ignore my stunning hair please!)


This is from the spray at legendary Gullfoss Waterfall, where we tailgated for lunch before hiking!


Here we are by one of the boiling-temperature hot pools at Geysir, which also has, you guessed it, geysers erupting.


We stopped at a horse farm to see small Icelandic horses and sheep, then at Efstidalur II Farm to see cows and ice cream!


And we wound up at Thingvellir National Park, which has a waterfall crossing from the European Plate to the North American plate...


...which my kids are crossing here.


The elevated part of the park overlooks stunning views!</center>