How quickly a year flies by. Last February, we went to Iceland and got to see and experience things that aren’t available anywhere else in the world. From the jagged and unique terrain to the opportunity to actually stand between two continents, to the friendly people and their unusual way of life, it was truly an adventure.Â
If you’re looking for a relaxing vacation where the sun is shining, the pool is always open and you’re waited on hand and foot, Iceland isn’t for you. We always start off with the notion of going to an island and burrowing into the sand for seven days but it usually ends with choosing something unusual.
Since we returned, Iceland has become all the rage as a travel destination. Yeah, we’re trend-setters! It has nothing to do with the crazy sales Icelandair and Wow airlines are offering. Or the fact that you can stop in Iceland on your way to the rest of Europe and it won’t cost you any more to pick up a flight whenever you want it. No, it’s definitely us. Not the spectacular Northern Lights or the amazing geo-thermal hot springs. Nope. Us!
Icelanders have a connection that’s more like a tribe than a country. Some estimates say more than 100,000 of them gathered In Reykjavik when their national soccer team came home after elimination from Euro 2016. That’s one-third of the country. If you missed it, here’s their spine-tingling Viking chant in salute to the team.
When their Prime Minister was caught up in the Panama Papers scandal, Icelanders didn’t take well to the corruption. They demonstrated en masse and demanded – and got – his resignation. They don’t put up with poor behavior. They all speak English. The streets of Reykjavik were spotless and we didn’t even see a police officer the whole time we were there.
They say Greenland and Iceland were named incorrectly. Greenland is icy and Iceland is green. It didn’t get colder than -2C when we were there. In the summer, the temperature reaches highs of around 14C. It’s a climate I would like to live in. I’m just glad I got to visit it.