Frühlingsmüdigkeit is spring tiredness. A chronic tiredness one experiences around March / April. There are two explanations

1. Vitamin D is depleted after the dark winter in March
2. Warm winds (Föhn) in April cause headaches, tiredness and lack of concentration

Here in Iceland there also is

3. A complete psychological inability of me to deal with snowstorms at a time of the year my inner clock tell me flowers should be blooming, leaves should be coming back and it should be warm enough to drink coffee outside in the sun.
Tomorrow is the official first day of summer and yesterday it was still snowing.

Fortunately, I had my first dose of vaccination last week and can hope to be travelling to Germany in the future. If I'm really lucky I make it there during strawberry season!

This picture is edited together from several pictures of the volcano, making the eruption look bigger (see the previous picture for comparison). I also worked with several layers to deal with the extreme difference in light, wanting to keep some details of the black lava, wanted to have the snow look brighter, without having the eruption being overexposed and finally bringing out the blue in the sky for some more contrast. Basically all the work professionals would put into the picture (with less skill involved).



Then I converted it into black and white, 66.6% red channel and 33.3% blue (I could not do 100% red, as there would have been too much noise. Should have converted the raw picture, or even better, take a black and white picture in camera.)



Now that I have some more knowledge what to focus on, next trip I can bring a tripod and put the right settings in the camera.

When we arrived half of Iceland had already parked their car and started walking up to the volcano.



The Norwegian army had decided to use the distraction to invade Iceland. Icelanders general reaction was a relieved: "finally!"


One person slipped on the ice and had to be rescued by the rescue squad. The Icelandic rescue squad has been working around the clock, marking the way, manning the area, making sure nobody kills themselves. They are all volunteers and financed by donations.


Totally does not look like we are all on a religious pilgrimage to sacrifice to the volcano....


It had only been a week, but the valley had already filled up with lava:



Of course I brought some home:

So romantic....

I did not include all singles again and went with the songs I liked most or thought represented the album the most.

Up
1. Hope (I like it because of it's monotone and weird electronics. It also represents Up well)
2. At My Most Beautiful (One of the bands favourite songs, especially Stipe. Probably the only real love song he ever wrote)
3. Why Not Smile (all hail the harpsichord)
4. Diminished ("I watched you fall, I think I pushed")
Reveal
5. I've Been High (One of my favourite REM songs, sunny and relaxing)
6. She Just Wants To Be (Live this is especially good)
7. Beat a Drum(This or I'll Take The Rain is the best song on the album)
8. I'll Take The Rain (see above)
Around the Sun
nope
Accelerate
9. Man-Sized Wreath (To me THE Accelerate song)
10. Until The Day is Done (This is here because it reminds me of Automatic for the People)
11. I'm Gonna DJ (the only song that is a bit different, I hope I have this much energy when I'm in my 50s)
Collapse Into Now
12. Uberlin (I'm so glad they embraced some of the musical ideas from Reveal again)
13. Oh My Heart (the accordion )
14. It Happened Today (Mike Mills, Eddie Vedder and Joel Gibb going all out in the background vocals)
15. Alligator_Aviator_Autopilot_Antimatter (with Peaches, Lenny Kaye and Patty Smith reminding us that REM started out as post-punk)
16. Blue (the continuation of E-Bow the Letter)