Magical Iceland – Part 2

What impressed you the most there?

The waterfalls without doubt – Gullfoss, Skógafoss in Seljalandsfoss –, and spectacular geysers, Lake Kleifarvat, the Gunnuhver geyser, and the capital, Reykjavik, where most of the population lives. Iceland has a population of about 300,000. My aunt and I visited the harbour and the Harpa concert hall and theatre, and, of course, joined in on taking photos on the rainbow street. Reykjavik’s mayor, Jón Gnarr, even wore drag at the pride parade, plus he won over people’s hearts in addition to wining the elections. I even visited HI Iceland, a member of Hostelling International. There weren’t many tourists at the time, so my aunt and I could visit all the attractions at our own pace. I was impressed by the local architecture which took inspiration from nature. My aunt was a little disappointed at the lack of discos because the Icelanders mostly enjoy metal and rock music, but beer enthusiasts should enjoy at the Beer Spa where they can take a beer bath and drink beer at the same time. Drinking beer was prohibited up until 1989 because people were afraid it would lead to excessive drinking, but the Icelanders know when to draw the line.

I had some difficulties pronouncing the names of the places, though. The suffix “foss” means waterfall, and “vik” means a city or town. They have an interesting way of naming their children, though. If a boy is born to the family, he gets a proper name and his surname consists of his father’s name and the suffix “son”. The daughter, on the other hand, gets the suffix “dottir”. For example, my name would be Nina Zorandottir.

My aunt and I drove around the famous Golden Circle, to the Blue Lagoon and the black sand beach near Vik. The waves hitting the beach reached several metres high and the wind was so strong, you had to close the car doors carefully and using both hands. No, the insurance doesn’t cover the damage costs if the wind breaks off the door on your car. The wind almost blew me away at the beach, so I had to walk like a crab, going sideways and diagonally. There are lots of legends about elfs, giants and other magical beings. While we were visiting a village, which was reconstructed in its former image to show how people used to live there in the past, Sola, a guide and a local, told us about the dark winter nights. Back then, people would use small lanterns, so, when they saw something strange, they would quickly think of supernatural creatures. Above all, though, I’ll remember my realisation about how majestic and impressive nature is. And my concerns about the melting of glaciers. And the hope that there something would be done about it.

What about the locals? What are they like?

Their lifestyle is completely different. It’s calm and relaxed and people aren’t in a hurry. Even when on the road, they’re careful and patient. When my aunt and I landed at Ljubljana Airport, we were immediately awaited by traffic jams, honking and frustration at an intersection. In Iceland, people are calm, quiet, and patient when in traffic jams. People from the Nordic countries are famous for being introverted and, since I’m like that too, I found it comforting that I could open up to strangers much easier. The Icelanders speak English well and they’re hospitable when it comes to tourists. They don’t have an army of their own, they like to read, and one out of ten people publishes at least one book. They read and publish more books per capita than any other nation in the world. They even have a saying that goes “ad ganga med bok I magnum”, which means that everyone can write a book.

Is it true that everyone there eats only fish?

Fishing was very popular when the island was settled because it was difficult to grow vegetables due to unfavourable conditions. The island’s inhabitants were therefore exclusively meat-eaters. With the help of modernisation, the country began importing, so now every supermarket is stacked with all kinds of food, just like at home. It’s worth noting, though, that the vegetables there aren’t as fresh. We (in Slovenia) are lucky enough to be able to grow our food in the gardens, whereas in Iceland, there are quite a few greenhouses, which are an attempt by the people to try to be self-sufficient. With modern technology, it’s definitely possible. The Icelanders are very open to all kinds of cuisines. You can find Asian and Indian restaurants, and there are even vegan options. I was mostly impressed by the ice bar and gallery in Reykjavik that had ice sculptures and served ice drinks. My aunt and I stayed at a rented apartment and we made food ourselves due to high prices. The food there is more expensive because most of it is imported. Two croissants can cost up to eight euros, so it’s good to bring a backpack of food with you. With proper organisation, you can holiday in Iceland even on a small budget, so don’t let that scare you. I tried rye bread ice cream at Café Loki, which is named after the god Loki. It sounded terrible, but I was pleasantly surprised. I also tried rhubarb syrup and a scoop of rhubarb ice cream. The Icelanders are known for the rhubarb production just like the Canadians are for their maple syrup production. They like fish and chips, but they also have quite a few bizarre specialties but, since my family are vegetarians, my aunt and I didn’t try those. And, even though it’s controversial, people still eat horses, puffins and whales in certain places. Popular dishes include the kjötsúpa (lamb stew), svið (sheep’s head), harðfiskur (fish with butter), kleinur or angel wings (traditional doughnuts) in skyr (yogurt). The latter can be bought in Aldi (or Hofer), at least in Slovenia, and it comes in various flavours. The Icelanders, just like me, love ice cream. So, you won’t get weird looks when eating ice cream in winter. It’s even recommended!

Have you got a souvenir?

Photos. Videos. And the knowledge that it’s worth going out there into the unknown. I also bought two fridge magnets and a postcard with a picture of a puffin. Sadly, we didn’t spot any at the beaches, but there were lots of seagulls. Their nests were even high up on mountain cliffs and you could see their white heads everywhere in high places. Unfortunately, there are no polar bears in Iceland, contrary to popular belief. They only wander off to the island by accident from Greenland, for example if an ice sheet breaks off or if they run from the hunters. There are polar foxes, though, and there’s even a sanctuary dedicated to them.

My most vivid memory, however, is no other than that of getting over my own doubts and out of my comfort zone. Seeing the northern lights was a big wish of mine, but there aren’t any in May, so I saw them at the Perlan Museum, which has a domed roof and a zipline. There’s also a hundred-metre-long tunnel with glacier climate showing settlement throughout history and natural landmarks. I would still like to see ice caves and the northern lights, so, I’ll definitely be going back. When I save up enough money, I’ll buy a holiday house and go on a permanent holiday in the mountains.  I think there’s nothing wrong with realising that you prefer lakes and hiking over lazing on the same beach in Croatia each time. Everyone has their own way of holidaying – some prefer adventuring, while others are more into partying at clubs. To each their own.

I was standing at world’s end. At the edge of the tectonic plates and at the edge of my comfort zone.