The Golden Falls in Southern Iceland. What was amazing--other than the way these falls fall: first to the right, then to the left, then straight down, then another jog right--was the lack of homeland security that we, in the US, have grown to depend on so very much. There was no fence around these falls. There were no published warnings about not doing anything stupid that might result in your person entering the water and being mangled by the falls. There was a rope fence at the top of the falls, but a lot of the rope was missing. There was no ticket stand to buy tickets to see the falls. There were no shops selling trinkets that are branded to the falls. No videos to buy. No "Music of The Falls." No park police supervising our visit. No busses bringing in tour groups, although I'm told that that happens here, on a small scale. No parking lots jammed with oversized SUVs and stressed out parents and screaming kids. There was a WC. And some wooden steps to allow access to the falls themselves. Mostly, it was just the sound of falling water, mist, some early Spring ice. Some birds. That's all. I guess that's all we really needed or wanted. I guess that was enough.

Stumble It!