That spring, I was in Iceland with sunny weather 5

Photos & Text / murphybj4
 
I thought the weather would be clear and beautiful after passing Mývatn, but as mentioned earlier, Iceland’s weather changes with the seasons in a single day. On the way from Mývatn to Goðafoss, it wasn’t long before we encountered a heavy snowstorm and experienced an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experience.

After entering the mountains, we hit a fierce snowstorm, and the scenery on both sides turned completely white in just a few minutes. We had to slow down the car and inch forward slowly, relying on the yellow road markers. We were afraid of veering off the road—on one side was a mountain wall, on the other a cliff. Either way, it would’ve been curtains.

Fortunately, we entered the mountain road early. According to local news, the road was temporarily closed not long after due to the heavy snow. After the snowstorm let up, we then understood what snow blindness is. We thought driving in a snowstorm was tough, but it was actually harder after the snow stopped—because sunlight reflecting off the snow can reach nearly 95%. Staring directly at the snow can cause temporary blindness. Thankfully, putting on sunglasses helped a lot.

After the harrowing drive through the snow, we finally saw Goðafoss, one of the must-visit pilgrimage spots for travelers in northern Iceland. Its name doesn’t come from any mythological story. Around the year 1000, after an arbitration, the Icelandic parliament decided to adopt Christianity as the official religion and discarded the statues of Norse gods here. Hence, the waterfall came to be known as “Goðafoss” (Waterfall of the Gods).

Goðafoss is about 30 meters wide and has a drop of 14 meters. Its majestic presence and abundant water flow, coupled with its convenient location right beside Route 1 (the ring road), make it a very popular tourist spot in northern Iceland. We even saw foreign travelers take out chairs, sip coffee, and enjoy this breathtaking natural beauty.