Drangsnes into Westfjords July 3, 2024

When we left our hotel, there was a "real feel" of  29 degrees, and the wind was

whipping. I had to hold onto the car door for dear life to keep it from ripping out of my hands. Our trip today would take us into the Westfjords, where services are minimal, as are residents. Our drive took us all along the fjords lined with mountains. Our first stop was at Sudavik, a small town on the north coast and home to the little Arctic Fox Center. There is a great deal of information here about the foxes-- where they live, what they eat, their predators, etc. In the back of the center, there is a pen where they keep wild, orphaned foxes. 

From Sudavik, we moved on to Isafjordor, Westfjords largest city. We stopped at the modern Lutheran church there but it was closed. This new church was very controversial with residents. When the old church burned down, they replaced it with this contemporary monstrosity and moved some of the graves in the old graveyard adjacent to do it. The modest Catholic church was closed as well. We walked around the streets a bit to get a feel for the place. Buildings are mostly metal sided and roofed, and frequently painted bright colors. We stepped into the visitor center in town and spoke with a woman there about how the townspeople felt about the modernization going on in Isafjordour. Business people like it, average citizens,  not so much. They've improved the harbor so cruise ships can access town. It brings many more customers to the businesses, but others like their town as it was, without all the tourists.

We had dinner at a wonderful little restaurant in town, then continued on to our guesthouse, about 17km away. Our route took us through a recently opened tunnel that is 2 lanes in some places and 1 lane in others. For the one lane parts, coming from our
direction, if you see lights coming towards you, you needed to use the nearest pullout area (marked with M) to allow the oncoming car to pass. The tunnel was about 2.5 miles long. Our hotel was a few miles beyond the end of that, truly in a beautiful rural area.

Our hotel location

Photos here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/aeejLNAujy6KCsXNA