Iceland is a small island nation shaped and carved out by both volcanoes and glaciers. Iceland’s landscape reflects its origins and hence it is called the Land of Fire and Ice. 

We certainly experienced the icy side of things by visiting in the middle of an Arctic winter. It was unbelievably cold. We had blizzards during which we made like the Icelanders and rugged up and got on with it. We stood for many hours in snow in the middle of the wilderness looking for the elusive Northern Lights. We trekked through canyons made famous to a new generation as a set for Game of Thrones. We experienced craters, geysers, icy waterfalls and the rift between the Eurasian and American tectonic plates. This all in temperatures that fell to -6 and never got above +2.

We arrived in a snow storm and left – after a 12 hours flight delay – in another snow storm. In between we fell in love with the beauty, drama and quirkiness of Iceland and its people.

Our trip

Day 1

We had hoped to go out on a Northern Lights tour. Unfortunately but not surprisingly it was cancelled due to weather. How beautiful the Christmas lights are.

 

Day 2

After a day exploring a very wet and windy Rekyjavik on the Hop-on/Hop off bus we struggled back to our hotel through a sudden snow squall hoping our Northern Lights tour would be going. Very excited to find it was going ahead as, despite the weather, the forecast was excellent.

 

 

Thank heavens we took hot coffee. Two hours standing in the snow and there was no sign of a light. It was, however strangely beautiful. You could definitely feel the serenity despite the four busloads of fellow hunters.

Day 3

We had a brilliant day despite the horrendous weather. We had never seen a full-on blizzard before.  It was quite an eye-opener. Jim went out for a walk in the morning but I stayed in. That turned out to be a mistake as the weather rapidly deteriorated throughout the morning.

In the afternoon we toured the ultra-modern Opera House known as the Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre.  Harpa was the winning name out of 4,156 entered by 1,200 citizens. It is an old Icelandic word that refers to the awakening of summer and is a month in the old Nordic calendar. Some people think Harpa looks likes a harp from a certain angle. Harpa is in the heart of the city and its position, looking out at the stunning mountains and especially the North Atlantic Ocean are reminiscent of the Sydney Opera House. Although the design is very different, aspects that reflect and draw in the surroundings, particularly the water, made it feel quite familiar.  As both architects were Danish, I suspect this is more than a coincidence.

We watched in awe from the Harpa as a snow storm swept across the city. Howling wind, horizontal snow and temperatures even more freezing if that was possible, transformed the landscape into a white out. Racing to catch the bus to our next stop was invigorating as we leaned into the winds threatening to blow us into the Atlantic.

Perlan: Wonders of Iceland

Perlan is an immense glass dome built on top of six hot water tanks that store geothermal water supplying Reykjavik homes with both hot water and heating. Perlan aims to enable the visitor to experience some of the natural wonders of Iceland – handy when there is a blizzard happening! There is a real indoor ice cave, 360° observation deck offering views over Reykjavik and the surrounding mountains and exhibits showing the power of volcanoes, earthquakes and glaciers.  Unfortunately we could not go out on the deck due to the blizzard. We did have coffee in the dome looking out at – well, mostly swirling white stuff.

“Áróra” the Northern lights Planetarium

The stand-out attraction at Perlan is “Áróra”, the Northern Lights Planetarium show. Áróra is a world-class production that takes the viewer on a journey to explain and observe the Northern lights phenomena.  Áróra helps you to understand the science behind the lights, and to hear the stories believed by Icelanders for thousands of years.  Áróra is a piece of art produced by the scientists and artists of Iceland. Very useful if the real thing is not willing to show up.

Northern Lights cancelled again due to the blizzard conditions. After coming perilously close to being blown off the road in a vastly overcrowded mini-bus back to the city and then struggling through the snow back to our hotel, we decided to go out for a meal. We chose Vietnamese as being budget friendly for Reykjavik. Two soups, three small spring rolls and one soft drink ONLY set us back the equivalent of $76 AUD.  OUCH!!

Day 4

On our last day in Iceland we booked a mega-tour. The 8 hour Golden Circle followed by another trip into the wilderness of the Þingvellir National Park to once again look for the Northern Lights. The Golden Circle tour took us through stunning natural scenery to the spectacular Geysir area, Gullfoss waterfall, and Þingvellir National Park. We also added on the Kerid Crater making it the Grand Golden Circle. We started out in the dark as the sun doesn’t rise until about 11 am and returned to Reykjavik well after dark with just enough time to put on even more layers of clothing and walk to the bus station for the Northern Lights expedition – again!

Grand Golden Circle Tour

Our first stop was at Hveragerdi, a small town in a very active geothermal area about 45 minutes from Reykjavik.  At 15:45 on the 29th of May, 2008 a powerful earthquake (6,3 Richter scale) struck the south coast of Iceland . The epicenter of the quake was about two kilometers southeast of Hveragerði. A small exhibition shows the causes and the huge impact of the earthquake in Hveragerði. The exhibition shows the experience of residents, how it affected the buildings, local environments and other damage. There is also an earthquake simulator but we did not try it.

Stop 2 was the volcanic crater at Lake Kerið. This relatively small crater lake looked  impressive in the snow but it was very cold and the strong wind made it difficult to stay long enough to enjoy the view. I was back in the bus as quickly as you could say “crater”!

Stop 3 was the highly active Geysir Hot Spring Area with boiling mud pits, exploding geysers and the lively Strokkur which spouts water 30 metres (100 ft) into the air every few minutes. It was great fun exploring the area and particularly waiting with bated breath for Strokkur to blow every 6 to 8 minutes.

Stop 3: Gullfoss Waterfall. This was absolutely beautiful. A thundering two level waterfall in a frozen landscape.

4th and final stop: Thingvellir National Park. Where Iceland’s Parliament first met over 1000 years ago and where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates are visible. Famous these days for the dramatic rifts that have an important role in The Game of Thrones.

Game of Thrones in Iceland

The Ultimate Guide to Game of Thrones in Iceland

At our hotel we quickly had a hot drink and ate a roll and fruit salvaged from breakfast, then on the road again. In fact, straight back to the National Park from which we had just come. Our Northern Lights guide, Eric, who was from Barcelona, was very excited by our prospects. I was very nervous as every tour company except ours had cancelled due to the dangerous conditions. After about 45 minutes we were back in the park in the dark and it was even colder, at -6, than the first night.

What can I say? We have one precious photo that shows a glimmer of green light that we were assured was the Lights. Neither of us saw them with the naked eye and I confess I spent quite a bit of time on the bus. Jim, the Iceman, stuck it out bravely for the whole two hours but he was glad to head for home. Even though we could not say, hand on heart that we saw the Northern Lights, here is evidence that they were there.

On arriving back at the hotel we learned that our flight would be leaving 10 hours late. What a relief! Time for a good sleep, leisurely breakfast and packing before going to the airport at 3 pm. Even Jim wasn’t tempted to go outside in the storm.

Taking off in a blizzard after the runway was scraped and our plane was de-iced with us on board did not change our minds. What a blast Iceland was – an Arctic blast!!

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Some unusual Iceland facts

Vikings settled Iceland in the 800s. Before that it was uninhabited. Some say that they purposely mis-named Greenland and Iceland in the hope that their enemies would go to ice-covered Greenland instead of following them to Iceland.  I guess their direct descent from the Vikings makes Icelanders so intrepid.

Vikings and Norse Gods in Iceland

Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park

In 930 AD, the first Icelandic Parliament met in what is today Þingvellir National Park. Thus Iceland claims the longest continuous democracy in Europe. The site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its cultural, historical, and geographical significance.

Þingvellir Park is one of only two places on earth where two of the earth’s tectonic plates meet above the surface. The North American and Eurasian plates that are visible here are moving apart roughly 2 cm a year, slowly dividing Iceland in two.

Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park

A strange and restless landscape

Iceland has many active volcanoes and frequent earthquakes. There are more than 125 volcanic mountains, a few still active and a few that could become active at any time. Due to this activity, much of Iceland is covered in lava fields. Large areas of Iceland are also covered in glaciers, sometimes forming over the lava.

Volcanoes and Glaciers in Iceland

Trees

There are virtually no uncultivated trees in Iceland. When the Vikings arrived they cut down almost all of them for housing and fuel. Few fossil fuels are burned here now, with electricity produced and homes directly heated by geothermal water. This has led to the Icelandic obsession with public bathing. Naturally heated community pools are common and much patronised by locals and tourists.

Swimming in Reykjavik

Icelandic horses and other critters

The only truly native land mammal in Iceland is the Arctic fox.  Iceland horses are direct descendants of horses that the Vikings first brought with them. They are small and extremely hardy. There are about 300,000 and although free to roam in the summer, they are not wild and are rounded up and brought down from the mountains for the winter. It is claimed that the owners know each of their horses by sight. There are also wild reindeer brought from Finland in the 18th century for farming. This was a total failure with most of the herds dying and just one released herd surviving in the east.

Icelandic horse

Icelandic society

Iceland has a population of just over 300,000. About 200,000 live in Reykjavik and the rest throughout the sparsely populated rural areas. There has been little migration in or out of Iceland over the years leading to a stable language and culture.

Naming rules

Naming babies is strictly regulated in Iceland. You must choose from a list of approved boys’ or girls’ names. If you wish to go off the beaten track you must apply to the Naming Committee for permission. In all probability you will be refused. So you will not be allowed Braedyn or Jazzmin or any other creatively spelled name. There are no family names, with the surname consisting of the father’s given name followed by “son” or ‘dottir” meaning daughter. The telephone book is in order of first name??!!

Sorry, but Your Name Is Probably Illegal in Iceland

Beliefs

Although officially a Christian country since the end of the 10th Century, most Icelanders still respect ancient beliefs in elves and trolls and other mysterious creatures. Construction projects are routinely delayed while the appropriate steps are taken to rehouse the resident elves and it is said that the sulphur smell in many areas is not from the hot springs but is the smell of the trolls’ dirty bath water.

Tales of Iceland Elves and Trolls

Christmas traditions combine Christian and pagan beliefs in a really interesting way.

Celebrating Christmas with 13 trolls

Christmas in Iceland

Food

There are fast food outlets in Reykjavik, but there is no Macdonalds! The only one left town in 2008 after locals boycotted it in support of their local burger chain. Beer was banned until 1989. It is now wildly expensive – around $15 for a pint in bars and restaurants. It is no wonder that Icelanders are generally trim – food, drinks and most other staples are incredibly expensive.

Iceland’s traditional foods are pretty weird as well as expensive. Whale, puffin, horse, reindeer, fermented shark, sheep’s head and dried fish jerky can be found in restaurants in Reykjavik; however the favourite food of most Icelanders is hot dogs served with many different sauces, often at the same time.

Icelandic Food & Cuisine – 15 Traditional dishes to eat in Iceland

Iceland live streams 10-year-old McDonald’s cheeseburger

Icelandic dating

A complication of living in such a small population is the very real possibility of “hooking up” with a close but unknown relation. A new smartphone app making use of the Icelandic passion for genealogy allows a couple meeting for the first time to instantly check their “relative” status.

Dating app Icelandic style

Police do not carry guns as there is almost no violent crime and very little other crime. There is an average of one murder per year in Iceland. Iceland does not have an army. If a citizen wants to join the army Iceland has an agreement with Denmark to enable its citizens to serve.