There are lots of good things to report today.

First of all, we made it through the chicken tunnel without incident. Although I think had residual trauma from yesterday because it was still a nail biter.

After coming out on the other side, I saw some Icelandic horses in a field, in front of a church. It was so scenic, but there was an ugly barricade around them that would be impossible to remove in Photoshop. Just as I was getting ready to walk back to the car, a white horse walked away from the group. The photography gods were smiling on us, I knew it was going to be a good day.

We went back to Dynjandi. “Why?” you may wonder after yesterday’s circus. We weren’t even going to stop, but when we saw only a few cars in the parking lot, we thought it was as good as place as any to have lunch and use the WC.

What a completely different experience a day can make. Note: no “people removal” has been performed.

We spent an hour photographing the different falls.

Peter put his yellow puffy on over his blue puffy (we were cold today), and hiked up the mountain in record speed so I could take his picture on the point. He channeled his entire repertoire of poses, and I told him before he left, there would be no “Hawk pose”. I did not want him falling off the rock in an attempt to balance his foot on a broken railing.

In other noteworthy news, we have consumed Happy Marriage Cakes #7 and #8. We have been here 2 weeks, and we are killing the taste test competition. Most of them have settled in my right butt cheek, so I will not be pursing my dream of recreating the best version in my kitchen when I return home.

Mark bought HMC #7 at a bakery in Ísafjörður and topped it off with the most delicious lactose-free ice cream I’ve ever had. I think he is on to something. Maybe my preferred formula for HMC is: Cake + Heat + Ice Cream.

HMC #8 was bittersweet. I’ve been talking about going to the Sea Monster Museum since we drove by it with Hawk and Hadda last week. Hadda offered to stop, but I couldn’t do that to them. My husband yes…but real Icelanders no. Peter took a detour today so that I could go, and when I walked up and asked to see the museum the woman looked confused. They are closed for the season. They were taking apart the exhibits so the building could be used for school.

I’m not sure what came over me, but I asked if they had HMC. It’s almost like a compulsion at this point. I told them I was doing a taste test of HMC throughout Iceland, and I had heard good things about their version.

Another perplexed look came across her face, then she disappeared, and then returned with two pieces on a paper plate. Two warm pieces. She told me to take them, no payment was necessary. I think she needed us to leave so she could continue her work.

I was so thrilled, I almost didn’t feel disappointed anymore about not seeing the sea monsters. If I’m being honest, free HMC was probably the only way she was going to get me to leave without crying.