ICELAND – “Discover A Place to Return”
I don’t envy the tourist board tasked with attracting travelers to a destination called “Iceland.” There are no large amusement parks, tropical white sand beaches, or even a single Starbucks. Most people might recall its recent financial meltdown, or perhaps the volcanic eruption that closed European airspace for several days. Its only highway, shockingly donned Highway 1, provides a 2-lane ribbon of asphalt around the perimeter of the island, while the river-breached roads of the interior are restricted to 4-wheel drive vehicles. Iceland’s culinary all-stars include fermented shark, roasted sheep head, minke whale, puffin, and horse; all of which can be washed down with the national firewater: Brennivin, otherwise known as “Black Death.” All of this begs the question: Why would anybody want to travel to Iceland? It’s exactly this type of question that drives me in search of an answer.
Iceland is an ever-evolving sculpture in nature’s studio. Formed by volcanoes and cut by glaciers, the island has a diverse and striking landscape like no other. Once past the well-worn trails of Reykjavik, the Golden Circle, and the south coast, one finds themselves in a dramatic and surreal place. The most striking display of Iceland’s artistry can be found in the interior highlands. The rolling hills of Landmannalaugar have been carved and brushed with surreal kaleidoscopic colors. Glacial remains stretch an icy canvas where volcanic grit provides shading and depth along the horizon. Our journey helped us to better understand the balance and continual flux Iceland experiences between creation and destruction.
Aldeyjarfoss
FROM HEAVEN TO HELL
Snowflakes gently fall from the sky like little angels to form a heavenly Icelandic landscape. Over thousands of years these delicate layers have risen into majestic glacial masses that slowly grind away the black volcanic rock to reveal life. The geothermal heat within Iceland’s heart frees icy rivers that twist and carve their way through the raw landscape. These aquatic dragons spit cascading sheets against a torrent of churning milky water in the canyons below. They exhale clouds of mist that drape along the cliffs and flow gently back to the river. Miles away, streams form delicate white ribbons through undulating green cliffs and quench the thirst of scampering newborn lambs. Meanwhile, single room chapels watch over Icelandic horses with rock star manes meandering along lupine-blanketed hillsides.
Despite its serenity, Iceland is responsible for over a third of the Earth’s volcanic activity in the last 500 years. There’s an insuppressible rage within its belly that erupts a fiery death upon nonbelievers. The volcanos rule as Icelandic gods, creating and destroying at will. The insatiable geothermal activity is at the top of the food chain and is the most deadly predator. Pools of viscous mud boil violently, contrasting against the placid powder blue lakes that call like sirens for naïve souls to enter their scalding and acidic waters. Craggy black volcanic rocks cower under thick blankets of colorful moss and lichen, while steaming vents hiss like angry tea kettles emanating an overwhelming aroma of sulfur. Vast stretches of land lie barren from the poisonous volcanic breathe, while a thick veil of fog lays over the eerie post-apocalyptic landscape.
A Beautiful Hazard
A LAND OF DISCOVERY
I love that feeling of discovery when I experience a destination for the first time. I’m not a lounge-on-the-beach-and-do-nothing traveler. You can ask anyone that’s traveled with me and they’ll tell you that I’m meticulous (read: obsessive) in my research and planning. I devour travel books, blogs, and internet posts of pictures and reviews to craft ambitious itineraries that are sometimes detailed down to the hour. My biggest nightmare is finding myself in an amazing new place with no idea what to do; or even worse: bored. Our planet provides an overwhelming number of amazing places and experiences, and I’m a pragmatist that believes life is a burning wick. I travel with purpose and conviction because I expect to never return. However, Iceland is the first country to convince me that I MUST return.
Maybe the Icelandic Tourist Board is intentionally under-funded and staffed with the apathetic. Perhaps, they’re not interested in inviting the resort-dwelling masses. Perhaps, in upholding the Viking tradition, only those hearty and adventurous enough to take a risk on a place called “Iceland” will reap its rewards. Why would anybody want to travel to Iceland? The answer is pure and simple: it’s one of the most unique and amazingly surreal places on Earth.
-Don
Trying to understand Landmannalaugar