Kick-off 2014 - Iceland

The new year has started, always followed soon by our annual company kick-off.
2014's kick-off brought us all to... ... ... Iceland :-)

Below "some" pictures.

January 25th:

Departure Oslo at 09:40 in the morning.

Already upon arrival we could notice the volcanic landscape characterizing the country.

An approximate 20 minutes drive from the airport (and 40 minutes from Reykjavik) lies the Blue Lagoon, a geothermal spa and one of the most visited attractions in Iceland.

 

 

The water temperature in the bathing and swimming area of the lagoon averages 37–39°C. It is the silicate minerals that primarily cause the water's beautiful milky blue shade.

The lagoon's warm waters are rich in minerals like silica and sulphur and bathing in the Blue Lagoon is reputed to help some people suffering from skin diseases. So: time for some skin treatment :-)

...at least for everyone except three who enjoyed their drink without a "healing" bath.

After arrival in Reykjavik, check in at Hotel Cabin and preparation for dinner and our 60s-themed dinner party - in honour of HamanGroups 60th anniversary :-)

May I present you the HamanGroup!?:

Terra Nova - the company I work for: with my direct colleagues Caroline, Franck and Stéphanie.

Terra Nova including the accounting staff.

Haman Scandinavia - the FIT girls

Haman Scandinavia - the group department

All Haman Scandinavia

The girls from Authentic Scandinavia

Our incentives department Scandinavian Incentives

The administrative and financial part of the whole HamanGroup

All of us, me and my colleagues from the entire HamanGroup :-)

Let's start the party! Let's revive the 60s!

Finishing the night at "Lebowski Bar".

 

January 26th:

Early morning en route.

Visiting the Deildartunguhver hot spring.

Continuing...

...towards Hraunfossar waterfall...

...and Barnafoss waterfall.

Snorralaug hot spring - Snorri's bath - the hot water bath of the historiographer Snorri Sturluson in the 12th century.

Reykholt Church

Mountain road.

Perfect spot for a group picture!

Typical Icelandic horses posing for us.

Lunch and visit of Hotel Borgarnes.

After lunch we visited the Borgarnes Settlement Centre telling in two exhibitions the Saga of The Settlement of Iceland and about Iceland´s most famous viking and first poet Egill Skallagrimsson.

Heading back to Reykjavik.

No comment :-)

Back in Iceland's capital we visited Hotel Plaza...

... and Hotel Arnarhvoll.

And we ended the day with dinner at the Sky Lounge.

On the way back...

...we discovered the existence of a rather different kind of museum.

January 27th:

Starting the famous "Golden Circle" tour, heading first to the UNESCO World Heritage listed Þingvellir National Park, a site of historical, cultural, and geological importance and one of the most popular tourist destinations in Iceland. It is the site of a rift valley that marks the crest of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

One of the typical 4x4 cars used to travel through the Icelandic highlands.

 

 

1...2...

...3 and jump!

Somewhere en route...

...towards the Strokkur Geyser where we were served geysir bread (bread slowly cooked/baked) in the heat of the earth by the geyser. Deliciously served with melting butter, eggs, marinated hering...

...and a portion of spirits.

Welcome to Strokkur Geyser, one of Iceland's most famous geysers.

Waiting for Strokkur to erupt. The fountain type geyser is supposed to erupt every 4-8 minutes and 15-20 sometimes even up to 40 metres high.

Still waiting...

Something starting here?

Yes, here we go:

Wow!
But now let's try to get us jumping in front of it when it's "spewing"!

Next stop on the Golden Circle tour: Gullfoss waterfall. Impressive even frozen!

 

 

Ui ui ui, this is slippery!!!

Collage of Gullfoss waterfall in 3 different seasons (taken from a nearby info board).

On the way back passing a big(?) crater.

In the evening dinner at Restaurant Reykjavik.

And in between the above and the below: a huuuuuuuuuuuuge huge huge huge fish buffet. Amazing!

And the candidates for the nomination of the employee of the year.

A pretty nice evening. I was just a little bit too stuffed!


January 28th:

Departure at the hotel at 4 a.m. A veeeery early return flight back to Oslo.

Summary of this kick-off:

Hmmm... difficult to say. Always nice spending time with all the colleagues. And Iceland is certainly a beautiful country to visit. But based on all the many fantastic words I heard before about this country, I had pretty high expectations - which in somehow weren't met. Maybe this time of the year wasn't the best one (even though Gullfoss waterfall for example was also impressive being partially frozen).

But we spent for my taste a bit too much time sitting in the bus, with two guides which didn't really manage to attract one's attention. One was actually impossible to follow in her confusing talking.

What I thought was very sad was that we had been to Iceland and Reykjavik, but didn't even have time to discover the capital city. No sightseeing or time for discover on your own was included in the programme. I have left Iceland without even having seen Hallgrímskirkja, the famous cathedral of the town.

I guess I have to return to Iceland - best with my uncle Jan. He and my aunt Herad would be probably the best people ever to discover this country where they have lived and developed a total passion :-)

So, Herad and Jan: when do we go?