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Destination: Iceland

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Hot Rocks, Cheap Energy, and a Big Spa

Driving on a smooth-but-narrow paved road through a vast, moss-covered, lava-flow landscape, our guide explained, “This lava flow is 1,000 years old. We call it the Lava of Christianity because it hit the same year we became Christian.” Living on an island of live volcanos in the middle of the ocean is not always easy. Iceland has weathered an eruption every four or five years for at least a thousand years. With the eruption of 1783—one of the biggest lava flows in recorded history—the population dropped from 50,000 to 38,000. The eruption of  the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in 2010 stopped air travel across Europe, inconveniencing a lot of travelers. But the 1783 Laki eruption had a bigger impact and literally helped change history. Its volcanic dust impacted weather and crops in Europe for several summers, causing widespread hunger. Some historians say those conditions contributed to the economic unrest that led to the French Revolution at the end of that decade.

Geothermal power plants tap into the heat spilling out from deep in the earth. Across Iceland, you’ll see an infrastructure of pipes and power plants tapping into that natural source of energy. And ever since the advent of thermal-powered greenhouses—which you’ll see glowing in the mist around Iceland—local boys no longer have an excuse not to buy their girlfriends fresh flowers.
Geothermal power plants tap into the heat spilling out from deep in the earth. Across Iceland, you’ll see an infrastructure of pipes and power plants tapping into that natural source of energy. And ever since the advent of thermal-powered greenhouses—which you’ll see glowing in the mist around Iceland—local boys no longer have an excuse not to buy their girlfriends fresh flowers.
It seems nearly every visitor who can afford the steep entry fee decides to kick off or cap a visit to Iceland with a luxurious soak in the famous Blue Lagoon. This giant spa complex is just 15 minutes from the airport. With so much geothermal energy, Iceland is a culture of swimming pools and hot tubs. Locals say soaking in a warm and cozy tub loosens people up and gossip flows freely. Floating around, I eavesdropped on lots of conversations...but don’t understand a word of Icelandic.
It seems nearly every visitor who can afford the steep entry fee decides to kick off or cap a visit to Iceland with a luxurious soak in the famous Blue Lagoon. This giant spa complex is just 15 minutes from the airport. With so much geothermal energy, Iceland is a culture of swimming pools and hot tubs. Locals say soaking in a warm and cozy tub loosens people up and gossip flows freely. Floating around, I eavesdropped on lots of conversations…but don’t understand a word of Icelandic.
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Iceland — Meet in the Middle

“Meet in the Middle!” That’s Iceland’s slogan for promoting conventions. Geologically, it literally is the meeting point for Europe and North America — as this is where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates do the bump. Reykjavik is technically part of America, the eastern half of the island is the edge of Europe, and the line down the middle is a fault with plenty of geological indigestion.

Tourists in Iceland are famously jet lagged. You can’t fly in here without having to deal with it. Europeans and Americans face several hours of jet lag, both coming and going. Flying from St. Petersburg to Iceland to Seattle, I was being dealt 4 or 5 hours of jet lag twice. While splitting it seemed like a clever idea, I think I’d rather have nine hours’ worth to adjust to once.

Most farming on Iceland is about raising animals, because grass is about all you can grow on the thin and poor soil. Icelanders are proud of their lamb, fish, dairy products, and horses. There are about 100,000 horses on the island — one for every three people. The Icelandic horse, which has been raised here for a thousand years without mixing with other breeds, is considered the oldest purebred horse anywhere. They’re exported for riding. Once one leaves the island, it’s not allowed to come back.
Most farming on Iceland is about raising animals, because grass is about all you can grow on the thin and poor soil. Icelanders are proud of their lamb, fish, dairy products, and horses. There are about 100,000 horses on the island — one for every three people. The Icelandic horse, which has been raised here for a thousand years without mixing with other breeds, is considered the oldest purebred horse anywhere. They’re exported for riding. Once one leaves the island, it’s not allowed to come back.
Iceland is encircled by the 850-mile-long Ring Road — also known as Route 1 — which was completed in 1974. Ninety-five percent of Icelanders live along this road and the coast. Iceland has peaks rising about 6,500 feet above sea level, and around 10 percent of the land is covered in glaciers.
Iceland is encircled by the 850-mile-long Ring Road — also known as Route 1 — which was completed in 1974. Ninety-five percent of Icelanders live along this road and the coast. Iceland has peaks rising about 6,500 feet above sea level, and around 10 percent of the land is covered in glaciers.
Nature rages powerfully in Iceland.
Nature rages powerfully in Iceland.
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Super Scenery in a Super Jeep

Adventure tourism is a big deal in Iceland. I spent a day exploring sparse volcano country in a rugged “Super Jeep” with our guide Arnar. While the weather was terrible, it was still a glorious day as we ventured up a long lava-flow valley in the shadow of “E15”–the famous volcano only Icelanders can call by name (Eyjafjallajökull). Foreigners are invited to refer to by its first letter and the number of letters that follow. With Arnar at the wheel, we climbed crumbly hills and eventually parked at the foot of a mighty glacier for a picnic.

If you can’t see the video below, watch it on YouTube.

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Getting to Know the Family Is Easy in Iceland

Fewer than a million people have ever been born on Iceland. When you ask an Icelander how long their family has been here, most will say, “We came with the early settlers” — those mostly Norwegian adventurers who fled the old country for various reasons for this bleak and remote alternative. Consequently, the island has a unique genetic homogeneity that presents fascinating opportunities for science and medical experimentation.

Nearly the entire society (90 percent) has opted in to a genetic experiment giving a research company access to all medical records. In the name of medical progress, genes are isolated and everything is organized into a giant Icelandic database. There’s even an app for that. It lets Icelanders check into the national family tree and see how closely related they are to the person they’re buying a drink in the bar. My guide said, “Nearly everyone is related, and it’s nice to know just who you’re sleeping with. My wife and I have a common grandmother in the ninth generation.”

For me, with my Norwegian heritage, I felt surrounded by cousins:

p6-guide-rick-cousin