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The first globe-trotter.
This entry was posted in Europe, Iceland and tagged Þorfinnur, Þorfinnur Karlsefni, Þorstein, Canada, Christianity, Drakkar, Eirik, Eirik the Red, Far travelled, First Nations, First white, Globe Trotter, Greenland, Guðriður, Guðriður Þorbjarnardóttir, Iceland, Laugarbrekka, Leif Eiriksson, Leifur, Middle Age, Norway, Nun, Pilgrimage, Pope, Rome, Saga, Sailing, Ship, Snæfellsnes, Snorri, Travel, Traveller, Víðförla, Viking, Vinland, Well travelled, X century, XI century. Bookmark the permalink.
Love the images of that bleak winter landscape. All the grim but beautiful hues of winter. What a story. What a woman! Seems she deserves a much bigger statue, though the location of it, in that vast emptiness, seems perfect.
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I know, when I first saw the statue my first thought was “Is that it?” (well, actually my first thought was “How long before I get frostbite?”). But in hindsight, it fits her. Big statues are a bit like large SUVs in my mind. What a woman indeed.
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Really enjoy your writing style. Looks like quite a drive around Iceland. Am curious how you found out about all the history of the place.
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Hi Steven and Annie, thanks for dropping by! We did a nice drive indeed, about 800kms around the Snæfellnes peninsula north of Reykjavik. It was good fun! As for finding about Guðríður, well, I’ve got to thank the copy of Bradt guides in store at our local library.
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Great storytelling. As for your car door, when we were in Iceland last September our car rental insurance policy *specifically* excluded coverage of damage to the doors caused by wind! So I’m interested in hearing your outcome.
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Hey Rich! It turns out that the extra insurance I bought as an afterthought covered doors, tyres, windows, damage from ash rock and sand, being kicked by a pony and being chewed by a troll. So all good!
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They were made of tough stuff back then that’s for sure!
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Indeed. Really made me feel like a wimp.
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Oh! Just glorious. You have really embraced this story. And you’re so kind as to share. Great gradation to the last photo.
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Thanks Manja! Glad you liked it 🙂
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What a woman! I think her middle name must have been adventure. Thanks for sharing this story of courage and spirit and wanderlust, though I must say it didn’t make me want to rush off to Iceland 🙂
Alison
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Hi Alison! Thanks for reading. I hope the next few posts will convince you of the inescapable allure of Iceland. It’s a great place!
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And we complain about legroom on a flight. Tough lady.
So how do you type those weird fonts, and can you actually pronounce those names?
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Indeed we do, or we complain because it’s stairs instead of a jetway. As for the fonts, I type all my posts on Word, so I’ve had to use the “insert symbol” option. ð, or Ð in its capital format, is pronounced like “th” in “that”. And Þ is exactly the same but it’s used when the sound is at the beginning of a word. So Thor would be Þor. Why is that, no idea.
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Too complicated. It makes my head Þor.
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LOL! 😀
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Thanks for this tale of wanderlust. Some people are just born to travel, no matter what. Love the moody light in the photos. Perfect for the story.
If it hasn’t already been done, she needs a few things named in her honour.
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Indeed she ought to be named at least a ship after her! Thanks for reading LD.
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Incredible photographs ~ and the wanderlust that flowed through Guðriður is to be admired, as well as your writing and telling of her story. It is so true that we now live in an age where travel is becoming a commodity and it becomes more difficult to find those true adventures…but it is easy to see that you also have some of this blood to seek such adventures and fortunately for us to photograph and write about them 🙂
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Hi there, thanks for reading and for the very kind words. Very very diluted blood I’ve to say, though.
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🙂
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Great story and great woman. Makes my current 20-some-hours slog home seem like a Sunday drive. I’m drawn to bleak landscapes, and this is surely one! (Well captured – I loved the photos.)
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Thanks Lexi! Where are you slogging to? And where from?
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Heading home from Bhutan – Paro to Bangkok to Taipei to Houston! I’m only in BKK right now and the 20-some hours is about to commence. Asia is always a killer for us in the middle of the U.S.
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Oh, that’s quite a jog. Safe travels!
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Fascinating, love this story of Guðriður. She was such an intrepid adventurer!
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Indeed she was! Thanks for reading Angelina.
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