Joyeux Noel 2015 | Glacier Lagoon Edition | Jökulsárlón, Iceland

Last year, Markus and I sent out our first ever holiday postcard. It was a huge hit and I wanted to continue the tradition this year. Even though Markus and I had some wonderful professional photos taken for our 10 year wedding anniversary, they didn't scream Christmas. Before we went to Iceland, I researched a few areas and found the perfect location: Jökulsárlón, the glacier lagoon in Southern Iceland. 

Jökulsárlón is absolutely incredible and one of my favorite places in Iceland. I've never seen anything like it and it took my breath away. I remember as the glaciers started to pop up on the side of the highway, I gasped so loud that it startled Markus. We were supposed to be able to go on boat tour and see the glaciers up close and personal, but the tour was cancelled. I was disappointed, but it gave us more time to find the perfect spot for our holiday card. I could write paragraphs about how beautiful the place was, but I think the photos would be a much better representation! I definitely recommend listening to "Hoppípolla" by Sigur Rós while you peruse the photos below! 

Also, Happy Holidays dear readers! Thank you for following my adventures this year and I truly appreciate all of you. It still boggles my mind that people are interested in our travels. I can't wait to see what 2016 will bring and to share them with you!

Pétursey Mountain | Where the Wildlings Are | Iceland

After our first day of driving all over the Southern coast of Iceland, we headed toward our accommodations for the night. When I looked at the location on the map, it looked like it was in the middle of nowhere. On the way to the guesthouse, we turned down an isolated dirt road. We drove for what felt like forever, but it was only 15 minutes. It was early in the evening, maybe close to 7 pm. The sun was still out and it would stay that way. During the summer, the sun never really sets and it never gets completely dark.

As we finally approached the Vellir Guesthouse, the beautiful Pétursey Mountain came into view. It reminded me a bit of Ayers Rock in Australia. It wasn't as majestic, but it was still quite stunning. When we checked into our room, we looked out the window and had this magnificent view. The following morning, we couldn't help ourselves and frolicked about before we began another day of exploring.

Ghibli Museum | Mitaka, Japan

Back when Markus and I first started dating, he introduced me to the world of Hayao Miyazaki with Spirited Away. Afterwards, I watched every Miyazaki film I could get my hands on. Some I liked, better than others, but nothing was like Spirited Away. When I found out that we could visit a museum dedicated to Miyazaki's films and works, I planned a whole day around it.

One of the highlights of our Japan trip was the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, Japan. Unfortunately we were unable to take photos inside the museum, but we took heaps of photos outside. The museum was really interesting and enjoyable. We explored the grounds, saw exhibits of his concepts and even a mock-up of his office. It was incredible being able to step into the mind of a creative genius. Even though the museum is off the beaten path, it's definitely worth the trip and a great way to spend the day.

Where the Wildlings Are | Black Sand Beach Continued | Vik, Iceland

While Markus and I were in Vik, all I wanted to do was see the popular basalt columns. They have been photographed many times and are a must-see attraction. As I stated in my previous post, we missed them. Although, we were able to see these incredible rock formations that were absolutley stunning. I will always regret not seeing the columns, but I'm grateful that we at least had a chance to visit the black sand beach and see these formations.

Where the Wildlings Are | Black Sand Beach | Vik, Iceland

One of the places I was most excited to see in Iceland was the black sand beach and basalt columns in Vik. When you research Iceland, the most common things that come up are waterfalls and black sand beaches. Unfortunately, I didn't get to spend as much time as I wanted there. 

Road tripping around Iceland is the best way to see the island, but it's easy to miss a few things. They only have one main highway that circles the entire country. It's easy to miss a few places if you're not paying attention, which happened to us. I thought that the basalt columns was further east, but in reality we were only a five minute drive away after this spot. It's okay though, Markus and I were still able to take some wonderful photos and explore a little bit of the black sand beach!