Ísland
I want to start this with some words of a curator of the Reykjavík Art Museum:
"To travel north has always been a challenge, and Iceland in particular, speaks to the imaginative face of the sublime, the dynamic aspects of the idea. As a place it has for centuries been the terra incognita in the eyes of the outside world, a place of 'nowhere' where 'anything can happen'. As a place of perpetual geological change, ravaged by volcanic eruptions and massive glaciers, Iceland has through the ages evoked a mixture of wonder and fear".
And it is, I loved Iceland, and if you probably would if you have the chance to be there. It is an amazing country full of soooo different and beautiful landscapes. It is a small country and Reykjavík is a small city that sometimes resembles a city from the US but without loosing its European escence. It is quite easy to walk around and you will never get lost. It is also a city full of really good museums that document perfectly all Icelandic culture and history, and really good art galleries with excellent permanent and temporary exhibitions. Nightlife is also really good, although I only experienced one nightclub (twice) I had also a couple of home parties which were real fun too. And what about Icelanders? well, I just have to say that they are great and that their hospitality is way beyond 10/10. Old friends and people that I've just met, were really cool to me so they made me feel like if I was at home.
Well, so far I've only talked about how great is Iceland, but... what's there?? what did I do? What did I see?...... Well..... It's hard to describe because mostly it's all about landscapes and art and people so... it's hard if you are not there, but i'll try my best.
One thing that I liked is swimming. It was great. People go to swimming pools which are like at 30°C (or something like that) just to chill. They are outside and I bet they are great when it's raining or snowing because you won't be cold XD. I went also to a place called the Blue Lagoon, which is famous for its blue color (by blue algae) and silica (very good for your skin). It is a man made lagoon mainly from effluent water from a geothermal power plant.
About the landscape, well... there is solidified magma covered in moss (musgo in spanish) everywhere.... You can it on the picture with the flowers. There are also very big glaciers that look pretty cool, and I even went to Jökulsárlón (picture 4), a lagoon formed by water from a glacier and that has a lot of icebergs, also coming from the glacier.
There are also a lot of volcanoes and there is a lot of geological activity. I even went to an exposition at the culture house where they are documenting all the evolution, developing of ecosystems and colonisation by flora and fauna, in a new island that was created in 1963 and where only scientists can get in. It's amazing!!
My friends Anna and Egill (and their respective boyfriend and girlfriend) took me also to Þingvellir, a really cool national park where the first Icelandic Parliament was formed in 930AD and where you can see how the tectonic plates are sepparating. It is surreal. After that, we went to Gullfoss, the waterfall in the picture, and it is impresive. It's huge and so powerful. And then, another must had to be Geysir, where we saw hot springs. It was fun hehehe
And I also had whale!! First it was not really good, so Egill cooked one for me that was amazing!!! Nothing like the first one.
I guess it was all what I did since I cannot describe the stuff that I did at the museums or the times that I spent with my friends or the time that I spend admiring nature...... but I really had a great time and who know.. maybe I'll return during winter time, because I am curious about swiming on the Blue Lagoon when it's all white and snowy.XD
Ohh and I would like to give special thankz to Anna for everything, including picking me up at the bus station and the last dinner, Björgvin for driving on our roadtrip (I don't remember if I have already thanked you.... just kidding), Egill, for leting me stay at your place, paying for the pool and cooking that amazing whale, and Siga, for letting us borrow your car and for inviting me to go to watch Mamma Mia haha, and to all the other people that made me had fun at the parties and at Vegamót ;)
"To travel north has always been a challenge, and Iceland in particular, speaks to the imaginative face of the sublime, the dynamic aspects of the idea. As a place it has for centuries been the terra incognita in the eyes of the outside world, a place of 'nowhere' where 'anything can happen'. As a place of perpetual geological change, ravaged by volcanic eruptions and massive glaciers, Iceland has through the ages evoked a mixture of wonder and fear".
And it is, I loved Iceland, and if you probably would if you have the chance to be there. It is an amazing country full of soooo different and beautiful landscapes. It is a small country and Reykjavík is a small city that sometimes resembles a city from the US but without loosing its European escence. It is quite easy to walk around and you will never get lost. It is also a city full of really good museums that document perfectly all Icelandic culture and history, and really good art galleries with excellent permanent and temporary exhibitions. Nightlife is also really good, although I only experienced one nightclub (twice) I had also a couple of home parties which were real fun too. And what about Icelanders? well, I just have to say that they are great and that their hospitality is way beyond 10/10. Old friends and people that I've just met, were really cool to me so they made me feel like if I was at home.
Well, so far I've only talked about how great is Iceland, but... what's there?? what did I do? What did I see?...... Well..... It's hard to describe because mostly it's all about landscapes and art and people so... it's hard if you are not there, but i'll try my best.
One thing that I liked is swimming. It was great. People go to swimming pools which are like at 30°C (or something like that) just to chill. They are outside and I bet they are great when it's raining or snowing because you won't be cold XD. I went also to a place called the Blue Lagoon, which is famous for its blue color (by blue algae) and silica (very good for your skin). It is a man made lagoon mainly from effluent water from a geothermal power plant.
About the landscape, well... there is solidified magma covered in moss (musgo in spanish) everywhere.... You can it on the picture with the flowers. There are also very big glaciers that look pretty cool, and I even went to Jökulsárlón (picture 4), a lagoon formed by water from a glacier and that has a lot of icebergs, also coming from the glacier.
There are also a lot of volcanoes and there is a lot of geological activity. I even went to an exposition at the culture house where they are documenting all the evolution, developing of ecosystems and colonisation by flora and fauna, in a new island that was created in 1963 and where only scientists can get in. It's amazing!!
My friends Anna and Egill (and their respective boyfriend and girlfriend) took me also to Þingvellir, a really cool national park where the first Icelandic Parliament was formed in 930AD and where you can see how the tectonic plates are sepparating. It is surreal. After that, we went to Gullfoss, the waterfall in the picture, and it is impresive. It's huge and so powerful. And then, another must had to be Geysir, where we saw hot springs. It was fun hehehe
And I also had whale!! First it was not really good, so Egill cooked one for me that was amazing!!! Nothing like the first one.
I guess it was all what I did since I cannot describe the stuff that I did at the museums or the times that I spent with my friends or the time that I spend admiring nature...... but I really had a great time and who know.. maybe I'll return during winter time, because I am curious about swiming on the Blue Lagoon when it's all white and snowy.XD
Ohh and I would like to give special thankz to Anna for everything, including picking me up at the bus station and the last dinner, Björgvin for driving on our roadtrip (I don't remember if I have already thanked you.... just kidding), Egill, for leting me stay at your place, paying for the pool and cooking that amazing whale, and Siga, for letting us borrow your car and for inviting me to go to watch Mamma Mia haha, and to all the other people that made me had fun at the parties and at Vegamót ;)
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