iceland
Iceland’s Everyday Magic Realism
Craggy black stone towers loomed over the black sand and stone beach. A silky mist floated between the structures silhouetted ethereally from the sun. They seemed close, but with each step, our feet sunk uncomfortably into the smooth stones. My muscles clenched as I released my foot from the stony grip. It’s as if someone, […]
Embracing The Unexpected In Thunder God’s Forest
It was a bleak afternoon in July as we sped out of Reykjavik, our destination a wilderness area in South Iceland called Thorsmörk, or “Thunder God’s Forest.” Rain pelted the bus’s windows, further obscuring our view of the fog-shrouded countryside. The yellow headlights of oncoming traffic whizzed by in a blur. Sweating under too many […]
Spring Break In Iceland? Yes, Please
Ahhh, Iceland in March, does it get any better than that? Well, no, not really. And though Iceland may not come out on top of most lists for favorite places to jet off to for spring break, the island nation in the North Atlantic is actually an amazing place to visit any time of the […]
My Culinary Saga in Iceland
“You can eat as much as you want, because it’s already half digested,” said the man sitting to my right, smiling through his thick brown mustache and watching expectantly as I took another swig of Viking beer. I forced myself to smile back at him as I speared a gelatinous piece of yellowish whale fat […]
In Search Of The Northern Lights
We huddled in the dark in front of the laptop. Webcams pointed out across the vast frozen lake would pick up any sign of the aurora borealis before the human eye. Outside the temperature was several degrees below freezing and the snow was knee-deep. It was our sixth attempt at seeing the northern lights, and […]
When In Iceland, Go Swimming Inside
Swimming pool tourism? That’s right. You read it first here. Iceland is famous for its geothermal activity. Ingenuity has led to utilizing the environmentally sound geothermal energy for 99% of the county’s energy needs. But do you know the unsung hero of all this hot water? It also happens to be the easiest way for […]
My Encounter With Hákarl, The Worst Tasting Food On Earth
Dressed in his full-length overalls, Icelandic fisherman Asgeir leads my guide and me to the edge of the harbor where several shipping containers rest ominously far from the rusted whaling boats tied to the wharf. Asgeir peers back at us with a delighted grin and utters something jokingly in Icelandic. My guide translates. “He says […]
Iceland Is Blowing Up
April 14, 2011 marks the one year anniversary of the eruption of the Eyjallajökull volcano. Though it might be known more for the impressive ash cloud grounding flights and pissing off travelers around the world, Iceland is starting to see the silver lining with an eruption of tourism. Wanderlust reports a family farm at the […]
Thank You For Not Smoking On This Flight
Wondering why your flight is canceled? A map of the ash cloud of Eyjafjallajokull Volcano courtesy of the NYT.
Amazing Pictures Of Eyjafjallajokull Volcano
If you’ve caught any kind of news the last few days, you have seen the pictures of the Eyjafjallajokull Volcano, in Iceland, sending all kinds of ash 30,000 feet into the air, and creating more than a few headaches for travelers. The volcano, who’s name people aren’t even attempting to pronounce (maybe something like Ida-fanla-ilcool), […]