 |
| View of Reykjavik from church tower |
 |
| Multi-faceted and colored glass of Harpa |
“Þetta reddast,”
the Icelandic philosophy that roughly translates to “things will work out,”
entered our Icelandic experience a bit too late to fully adjust the lens
through which we viewed Iceland. Pronounced “thetta reddast” this insight on
the Icelandic psyche came to us via a comedic performance we attended at Reykjavik's Harpa Concert Hall called “Learn to Be Icelandic in 60 Minutes.” Also shared were thinking big, being
preoccupied with the weather, being rude and other miscellaneous nonsense we
have already forgotten from the not so memorable show. But Þetta reddast has lingered.
The size of Kentucky, Iceland and its population of
320,000 are tucked just beneath the Arctic Circle. With more than half of them
living in the capital Reykjavik, you can get a sense of the emptiness of the
island landscape covered by glaciers, jagged volcanic rock or black lava covered
by a thin layer of green moss. This is a
tough place to live. Trusting that
things will work out is actually a pretty clever strategy.
 |
| Gullfoss flows into a deep crevasse |
We took several tours to explore Iceland's natural wonders. We peered from the
rim of an inactive volcano into a languid pool of water that now fills the once
belching behemoth. Elsewhere we stood with other tourists and
watched the active geology of Iceland produce a geyser that blasted heated
water high into the cool air. We wandered in awe in the mist of Gullfoss or
“golden waterfall.” It was a sight of
wonder lending justification to it being one of Iceland’s biggest attractions.
An afternoon on a whale watching boat was
interesting. No gargantuan beasts leapt
before us as the advertising would suggest, but small minke whales rose with
some frequency for a momentary gulp of air before disappearing into the chilly
waters. Frolicking dolphins, however,
filled the entertainment gap.
Yes, we did soak in the mineral-rich, geothermal heated waters at the
Blue Lagoon. When in Iceland...
A guided tour in the National Museum of Iceland gave us
insights into early Icelanders, actually Norsemen from Norway, Sweden and
Denmark, who stopped off in Ireland to pick up women slaves on their way to
Iceland beginning in about 874 AD. It’s not surprising to see redheads about on
the island; 70% of the immigrants were women from Ireland. The stationing of British and US soldiers during WW II brought
Western culture and propelled the island rapidly into the 20th
century.
A better appreciation of Þetta reddast would have helped
ease some of our frustration with the process to be picked up for our last tour.
Experiences from two earlier tour pickup debacles lead us to call and confirm
precisely where and when we should be for our final Blue Lagoon tour. Of course the information confirmed was wrong. But Þetta reddast…things worked out.
 |
| Viking Ship Sculpture in Harbor |
We took several tours to explore Iceland's natural wonders. We peered from the
rim of an inactive volcano into a languid pool of water that now fills the once
belching behemoth. Elsewhere we stood with other tourists and
watched the active geology of Iceland produce a geyser that blasted heated
water high into the cool air. We wandered in awe in the mist of Gullfoss or
“golden waterfall.” It was a sight of
wonder lending justification to it being one of Iceland’s biggest attractions.
A guided tour in the National Museum of Iceland gave us
insights into early Icelanders, actually Norsemen from Norway, Sweden and
Denmark, who stopped off in Ireland to pick up women slaves on their way to
Iceland beginning in about 874 AD. It’s not surprising to see redheads about on
the island; 70% of the immigrants were women from Ireland. The stationing of British and US soldiers during WW II brought
Western culture and propelled the island rapidly into the 20th
century. 
No comments:
Post a Comment