Disclaimer: Whether you barely know a fact about Iceland, other than it is the country of origin of famous bands, Kaleo and Of Monsters and Men (acquired music taste, mine) but are curious OR you do know the basics, want to go/have already been/are interested in what I have to say, read on. Basically every one, every one read on ;)
No one ever tells you about the weird stuff, right? You get perfect pictures and rehearsed stories but what about the things you didn't expect (or Facebook followers didn't expect post-trip photo posting).
Here's what amused me:
1. Green grass and Flower fields
You might raise an eyebrow here but I succumbed to the good ol’ photo drop of Facebook post trip last year and I had many (and I mean, MANY) comments that led me to believe that Iceland has been lumped as a lump of ice, yes all the lumping, by people en masse. Common confusion with Greenland - tisk, tisk. Get educated (by reading my posts of course) or do what I did and watch ‘The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.’ Iceland is green, Greenland is icy :p
Not only is there grass (you might laugh but if you’ve ever lived in a city, you come to appreciate the green stuff, no I don’t mean money), the landscape is bejeweled with purple (other flowers too, but this one is worth raving about). The Lupine flower (purple) is an invader and boy did it invade. It is everywhere and I love it (it makes for the most beautiful pictures).
2. Waterfalls, by the masses
Eye spy, car cricket and all those tried and tested car games we have played on long journeys can take a back seat in this country. How about counting waterfalls and betting on how many you’ll see in a day, a trip? You will be surprised, the good kind. If you aren't photographing them, take a moment to walk up close (possibly get sprayed at Gullfoss or Skogafoss) or hike to one, my favorite was Glymur. The suffix 'foss' means waterfall. We often just saw a sign with the word and detoured- you only live once! Read more about my explorations here.
3. Thermal pools
Iceland is so far north that one begins to wonder if it ever gets warm. We went in summer and it was hot some days but definitely required winter clothes. Don’t let that spoil your enjoyment of the outdoors (or swimming for that matter). Thermal pools are exceedingly popular and definitely not limited to the famous Blue Lagoon. They pop up everywhere and are a local’s delight. We went to thermal pools in the capital, Reykjavik as well as smaller towns such as Fludir at the Secret Lagoon. Bring a towel (it will save you a lot on renting).
^^I only have pictures of the Blue Lagoon because I stored my phone and valuables in lockers at smaller thermal springs. My apologies.
4. All things licorice
All cards on the table, I have an obsession with licorice. Yes. I said it. I can’t stop eating it (and I don’t want to). Iceland has become my favorite country in terms of treats. They are a licorice haven! I ate a ton of round, white, candy-coated, chocolate licorice balls called 'puffin eggs'. What a mouthful. They were candy I swear. If that doesn’t tickle your fancy, their chocolate is impressive. Waffle wagons line the squares as well as decadent crepe houses and there is an abundance of ice-cream (enjoyed by locals alike, all year round).
5. Rare Horses and Black Sheep
HORSES //
Icelandic Horses are a rarity (only existing within the country). They have been deemed spirited, are smaller than your average-sized horse and these horses perform two additional gaits to common breeds. If you have zero knowledge but a little interest on horses, it basically means: aside from a walk, trot and gallop, they tölt and Skeið. ‘Inspired by Iceland’ sums up a tölt as ‘a four-beat lateral ambling gait known for its explosive acceleration and speed; it is also comfortable and ground-covering’. ‘The skeið, or "flying pace”, is used in pacing races, and is fast and smooth, with some horses able to reach up to 50 km/h (30 mph). It is not a gait for long-distance travel’. The latter was definitely my favourite. We did it in short bursts and as is written, it was smooth (no tears, no clinging on for dear life in the hopes that the horse won’t bump you off, just smooth and exhilarating).
You'll see Icelandic horses in all their glory on the roadside BUT if you wish to ride them, that's where the beauty lies. To experience a well run and prepared ride, Laxnes Horse Farm is my personal recommendation. Read more about it here (it's near the end of the post, you won't miss the pictures).
SHEEP //
I have travelled a lot and I come from a cattle-rearing country (South Africa) but never have I seen so many black sheep. The unusual thing is that herds of these wild and wooly creatures roamed the landscape, all dirty and white except ONE black sheep per herd. Have you ever heard (dad-pun in there) of such an outlandish thing?
No. Not impressed? When you see them, you won’t be able to help yourself - widest grin, they’re so darn cute and provoke reminiscing of childhood nursery rhymes (‘Baa baa black sheep have you any wool?’). Now you’ll be singing it throughout the post, sorry ;)
6. Tentative landscape
From volcanic, rocky outcrop and towering glaciers gleaming blue-white to lush, grassy fields bursting with pops of color, Iceland has the most divergent landscape I have seen in the span of a day.
There's no wonder so many movies have been filmed here. Here’s a few you’ might recognize:
Fast and the Furious 8 (2017);
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016);
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015);
Interstellar (2014);
Noah (2014);
Star Trek into Darkness (2013);
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)*;
Thor: The Dark World (2013);
Prometheus (2012);
Journey to the Centre of the Earth (2008);
Batman Begins (2005);
James Bond: Die Another Day (2002);
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) etc etc.
After you're done Googling to fact check me or are finally watching (or re-watching) The Secret life of Walter Mitty (just do it), pack for all seasons (you will experience all seasons in a day in summer).
7. Snorkeling and Diving
We’ve come far in this post. We’ve discovered that Iceland is in fact green, has been used to film famous movies and is beautiful- waterfalls, flowers, unintrusive inhabitants (that’s new but now you know) and then you are told that it is speckled with lakes and the Icelanders are taking full advantage. This country is active- there’s hiking on ice (use what you have I suppose), kayaking in glacier pools, swimming/bathing in thermal pools, cycling and running from what we’ve seen and you can snorkel (and I don't mean in the ocean).
In Thingvellir National Park, in the south, there is a famous rift valley called Silfra. It was caused by two tectonic plates (The N. Atlantic and Eurasian land masses) moving apart. Wow, right? Well, more wows to come- you can snorkel in the crack (rift valley) created by the plates UNDERWATER. It is FREEZING, doable and fabulous to experience. Dive.Is is the company we used.
8. Flies
We hit a high with the snorkelling, now we’re back to our low. People always mention the best things on vacation and I'm all for being positive, but what are some of the weird things you saw/did. Here's one:
I jumped out the car to snap some gorgeous landscapes BUT in various regions along the road out in the countryside there were ‘what’s the collective of flies?’, uh, swarms or clouds.. yes a cloud of flies. Ahhhh all over me! We even saw men waking around with screened hats to keep them off. They are pesky and annoying (pause for reflection and said annoyance) but don't let them ruin the experience (don't jump out on roadsides if you will). You can't see the flies in any pictures (tiny buggers) and definitely not in the towns or cities. Breathe.
^^We experienced them here. Gotta chuckle at that middle picture facial expression.
9. Ethiopian Cuisine
I am from South Africa, often confused with Northern African countries and am pretty much always introduced as African (not incorrect, technically). Ethiopia, cue Geography skills, is in the north east, the ‘horn’ of Africa. We’re all visualising? Alright, so you know where I’m going with this. Iceland, a viking-clad region, has a famous Ethiopian-run ethnic restaurant and it was fabulous. Who would have known? Well you, having just read my post. Wife, Ethiopian and Husband, Icelandic, go figure. It’s in Frudir in the South - enjoy eating with your hands!
10. Puffins
On day 1 of our trip we played tourist and meandered through the city, Reykjavik, before dinner and bought souvenirs. Most souvenirs we saw were practical (woolen socks and the same sweater you see in all of my photos - we obviously bought these) but then you got the typical keychains, mugs and stuffed animals, which were all PUFFINS. You know the tiny penguin-looking bird with a larger colorful beak that is the icon of a famous book company? That one.
Well, you have to take a boat ride out from the Reykjavik harbor to see them. Still tiny. Then you use binoculars to see them (forget your phone camera, you’re going to need a fancy camera lens to capture them). They are adorable and nest in an island close to shore. We watched them swooping in the water and nestling on the island. We hugged the binoculars on the boat and discovered they were really cute and quite astonishing for their size. It was nice to see something with my own eyes that a country uses to label everything with. Have a go!
*If you want to read up on a full week itinerary of Southern Iceland in summer, read my quirky version here.
Let me know if you have some things to add. If they're interesting/valuable, I'll even change the numeral in my title for you :)
I hope I spiked your interest in this gem of a country. You should visit, I love love loved it there (three loves, that's how you know it's real),
Kate x
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