Visiting the Land of Fire and Ice, Part 4

Sculpture of Hrafna-Floki Vilgeroarson 

While Iceland is known for its natural wonders, there's a good amount of art there as well. (Hershey, our guide, quickly learned that we had to brake for art.)  On our way to the Blue Lagoon, we came upon this sculpture of Hrafna-Floki Vilgeroarson. Of course there's a story, which has been memorialized in the Icelandic Sagas. 

Floki Vilgeroarson was the first Norseman to deliberately visit Iceland. (The word "deliberately" is always used in reference to Floki to distinguish him from the other hapless sailors who inadvertently stumbled upon Iceland's shores.) His journey began in West Norway; he traveled from there to the Shetland Islands and then on to the Faroe Islands. The story goes that Floki had three ravens aboard to help him navigate from there to what became Iceland. When he thought he was approaching land, he released the first of the ravens. The bird was not interested in exploring new environs and headed back to the Faroe Islands. The second raven checked out where they were and came back to the ship, happy to roost in relative comfort. The third raven flew all the way to Iceland, and Floki used the bird as his compass. The pioneer thereafter became known as "Hrafna-Floki," which translates into "Raven Floki." As you can see, he is depicted in this sculpture with his raven. 

"Sun Voyager" by Jon Gunnar Arnason (1990)

"Sun Voyager" by Jon Gunnar Arnason was a sculpture I was looking forward to seeing in person. Arnason was the winner of a 1986 competition to create a public sculpture celebrating the 200th anniversary of Reykjavik. It appropriately sits by the city's harbor and is picture perfect for the many articles I read about Reykjavik (not to mention postcards -- thank you, Sarah!) 

You, like me, might expect that Arnason has depicted the bones of a Viking ship. But that's not the case. Arnason envisioned the sculpture as a dream boat and an ode to the sun, symbolizing light and hope and discoveries. What a beautiful tribute to this city.  

Mural of Reykjavik street artists 

While on the topic of public art, I was thrilled to see that Reykjavik's Laugavegur street featured a number of murals. Perhaps my favorite -- for curiosity's sake if nothing else -- was this ragtag collection of people. They look like a reluctant group of kids sitting for a class photo at best (although a group mugshot also comes to mind, likely due to the tow away zone signs oddly included in the image). Who in the world are they? 

Thanks to some quick sleuthing by my friend Sheryl, I learned that this mural depicts some of the street artists responsible for the murals in Reykjavik. The city has a vibrant graffiti and street art culture that we only scratched the surface of in our wanderings. Just another thing to add to the list for my next visit. For more images of Reykjavik murals, click here and here. 

"Fish Processing" by Gunnlaugur Scheving (1944)

With our departure for the airport looming, Andrea and I headed to the Culture House, one of three affiliated museums in Reykjavik. We found some wonderful art there, including some works by Gunnlaugur Scheving. 

On their face, Scheving's figurative paintings might not seem radical. And yet in a sense they were. When Scheving began his career in the 1930s, Icelandic artists primarily painted landscapes. And why wouldn't they when the surrounding environment defined their lives in so many ways? But Scheving wanted to capture the men -- and women -- who worked in the fishing industry. It was, after all, the lifeblood of the country. And Scheving himself had worked in the industry during summer breaks from school. Scheving's paintings -- and the works of other artists working in a similar style -- were both a reminder of the hard work of these people and a pleasure to view. 

"Women Fish Workers" by Hildur Hakonardottir (1971)

I'll leave you with this tapestry woven by Hildur Hakonardottir. Hildur's detailed textile works comment on contemporary social issues and gender politics. She was one of the pioneers of Iceland's Redstocking movement in the 1970s that fought to ameliorate the equality issues facing women. (Click here to read about the day 90% of women in Iceland refused to work to raise awareness of their contributions. The strike was organized by the Redstockings.) 

While I wasn't able to find out anything specific about the work shown here, it clearly highlights the historic importance of women to the fishing industry. I'm sure the work was (and is) messy and stinky and not a lot of fun. At least the women had each other to help pass the time. And then there's the man looking down on the workers. Is he keeping an eye on them through a window or is it just a picture to remind them that he's lurking? In any case, there's a definite Big Brother vibe. 

Sadly, we just missed a solo exhibition of Hildur's work at the Reykjavik Art Museum. Her work is pretty fabulous. To see some images from the exhibit, click here. 

And so concludes the saga of my trip to Iceland. Yes, I loved it. And yes, I want to go back. But for now I'll just continue to reflect on the beauty of the country, its astonishingly clean environment and the friendliness of the people (which I've neglected to mention). It's a special place I wish everyone had the chance to experience -- and that I hope I'll have the chance to visit again. 

Visiting the Land of Fire and Ice, Part 3

With Andrea behind Seljalandsfoss Waterfall

Who knew that I was a nature person? As a kid my parents would encourage me to put down my book and go outside and play. But those fictional worlds were so much more interesting than playing kickball (at which I shockingly did not excel). And my parents were not exactly what I'd call outdoorsy, so family outings to a park were not part of our routine. Old habits die hard, especially with today's constant beckoning of screens. But getting up close and personal with the beauty of Iceland rejuvenated me in a way I never anticipated.  

Seljalandsfoss was the first stop on our road trip and our first of several waterfalls. Of course I've visited waterfalls before, including the powerful Niagara Falls. But I felt like a kid seeing a waterfall for the first time as we approached Seljalandsfoss. And that was before I realized we could walk behind the downpour of water to get a 360 degree perspective. Color me happy. 

While tourists abound at the most famous locales in Iceland, the sites are not commercial. You can just walk right up to them at any time of the day or night, with no fee required. I was disturbed to learn that a proposal to build a visitors' center at Seljalandsfoss has been floating around since 2017. So far the project has been blocked, and I hope that continues to be the case. For some better images of this waterfall, including a beautiful video, click here.  And as goofy as this might sound, Justin Bieber's music video "I'll Show You" was shot at Seljalandsfoss and is pretty spectacular. You can check that out by clicking here.  

Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, which feeds into Diamond Beach

Pretty much everyone who goes to Iceland explores the sites on the Golden Circle. It's an easy day trip from Reykjavik and can be done by car or on one of the many group tours offered. Of course we wanted to experience those wonders. But when doing my research, I became fixated on visiting Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach. The destination is far enough east that only those day trippers who are up for a 15+ hour outing venture that far. Happily, we decided to spend two nights on the south coast of Iceland, so we had plenty of time. And we quite brilliantly had arranged for a private guide/driver, which was a wonderful way to travel. Hershey shared all kinds of history and folk stories with us as we peered out the car windows at the passing landscape.

This shot of the Glacier Lagoon was taken with my phone, so you can imagine how spectacular it is in person. The "ice cubes" that break off from the resident glacier flow down the Jokulsa River towards the Atlantic Ocean. Some of the ice cubes go off course and end up on the black beach. The ice sparkles and shines on the sand; hence, the name Diamond Beach. For more professional images and a video (shot of course at the most optimal time), click here. 

On basalt rocks

Speaking of black beaches, Reynisfjara Beach was yet another memorable spot. The color of the sand is a result of volcanic activity. But it's the basalt columns and caves that make the location so unique. Climbing up on the columns for a photo isn't highly recommended. But how could I miss an opportunity like this? The basalt is just so beautiful, and I didn't venture that high. 

While tourists are cautioned against climbing on the columns, they're not the most dangerous thing about this location. Nope. That would be the "sneaker waves." Hershey had told us about the waves in advance, but he felt that the weather conditions made the outing very low risk. 

For tourists traveling without a guide, posted notices explain the danger. "Sneaker waves, a.k.a. killer waves, are extremely dangerous waves that occur frequently here at Reynisfjara Beach. These powerful waves arrive without warning and can easily sweep an adult out to sea in a matter of seconds. Exposure to the cold sea water can cause cold water paralysis in the limbs within minutes and your risk of drowning is extremely likely." The notice goes on but we got the point and didn't venture too close to the water or linger too long at the site. To see more images of Reynisfjara Beach and a video of a small sneaker wave, click here. 

On the search for wildings in Pingvellir National Park 

While I could keep writing indefinitely about the natural beauty of Iceland, I will leave you with just one more incredible site. 

Pingvellir National Park is a location most tourists visit, and for good reason. Pingvellir (pronounced "Thingvellir") was where the Vikings held their first annual democratically elected parliament session in the year 930. The site continued to be used for this purpose until 1798 when the parliament was relocated to Reykjavik. 

But Pingvellir is more than just historically significant. The park is full of stunning locations, including an eight kilometer gorge covered with lava rock. (Sadly, we didn't have time to walk the whole thing.)  We weren't surprised to learn that Pingvellir was one of the places in Iceland where the Game of Thrones was shot. We came upon numerous spots during our trip where I could envision dragons dive bombing us or the guards of the Night Watch looking on. A rewatch of the series is definitely in order. For some stills of GoT scenes shot at Pingvellir, click here. And for more on Pingvellir National Park and its wonders, click here. 

If you've gotten the idea that I am now an official member of the Iceland Chamber of Commerce, you've got that right. I have practically been walking up to strangers on the street to tell them about our trip and that they must go to this amazing place. It's a vacation I'll never forget. 

Final installation: Art with Icelandic Themes 

Visiting the Land of Fire and Ice, Part 2

With Andrea on Skaftafellsvegur Glacier

Note to self: "Easy" is a relative term. When our ice cave adventure was cancelled, our private guide suggested some alternatives. The glacier "walk" jumped out at me right away, especially since the website characterized it as easy. How exciting it would be to slip on some crampons and get on the ice. Surprisingly, it wasn't quite as simple as that. 

I knew we were in trouble the moment I saw the ice axes. Somehow I had envisioned the experience as more like a walk on a frozen pond than an encounter with terrain that would require an axe. And then there were the harnesses. After the small adventure of putting them on, I made the mistake of asking about their purpose. "If you fall into a crevasse, we can grab hold of the harness to lift you out," I was told. Reassuring. When they asked if anyone had medical conditions they should know about before we set off, I was tempted to blurt out "Anxiety!!!" But I held my tongue. 

Once the group was geared up, we trundled ourselves into a van and headed to the glacier. The rocky road did not increase our confidence levels. Once onsite, we found ourselves peering up at a steep narrow path filled with lava rocks that we had to climb before getting to the glacier. On the positive side, my heart was pounding so hard by the time we got to the glacier that there was no chance of being cold. (You might notice that my jacket is actually unzipped!) 

On site with Hershey, our private guide

Finally it was time to put on our crampons. In case you haven't seen crampons up close before, they look a bit like a bear trap. You carefully insert your foot into the metal-toothed base, clamp it on and then lace it up. I felt like a toddler as one of the guides helped me tie my new shoes. 

We then were taught the mantra of how to walk in crampons: "High. Wide. Flat." You want to make sure to lift your feet up so that the jagged edges on the toes of the crampons don't get caught on the snow and ice and you do a header. (The reasons why I didn't enjoy skiing were rushing back to me.) You want to keep your feet wide to promote balance. And you want to basically stomp your feet into the ice when you step to ensure stability. One of the guides jokingly said thinking about her ex-boyfriend helps with this part. I suspected Andrea was thinking about my enthusiasm for this outing with each stomp of her own. 

We were instructed to position our feet in a v-shape and to lean a bit forward when going uphill and to walk toe first and lean back on the downhill. In the unlikely (?) chance that we lost our footing, the goal was to fall up the glacier rather than tumble down the mountain. I was on board with that objective. 

Looking down on the glacier 

While on the glacier, we took periodic breaks to take pictures. During these stops, the guides shared all sorts of information with us. Of course I don't recall much of it since I was not in a position to take notes. But I do remember the description of what happens when someone falls into a crevasse. Once in the crevasse, your body will contract due to the cold and your breathing, allowing you to slip further down. Not good. Then there are the moulins, innocent looking little potholes filled with water. Apparently if you step in a moulin, you can find yourself in a whole lot of trouble as you can plunge down to the center of the earth. Hence the importance of the harnesses and a growing appreciation that the guides clearly marked the areas in which it was safe to stand. 

At the end of the day, the outing wasn't actually quite as daunting as it may sound, although it definitely was not easy. There's no question, though, that the vistas made the effort worthwhile and that our glacier "walk" was an experience I'll always remember. 

With Andrea 

I've already gone on too long here, but it seems the appropriate place to share our earlier adventure on the water that day. Many people take a cruise ship around Iceland. We opted instead for a zodiac boat. It was a cool (pun intended) way to see some of the "ice cubes" from the glacier up close. 

We lucked out on the weather. I don't know what the actual temperature was, but there was thankfully no wind. With the number of layers we had on plus the survival jackets we were provided, the cold was not an issue. 

After gracefully getting on the boat with the other passengers, we headed out into the lagoon. We scooted around checking out the landscape from a different perspective. It was beautiful and set the stage for our visit to the incredible Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach. Stay tuned to see why Glacier Lagoon was one of my favorite stops on the trip. 

Next up: More of Iceland's natural beauty 

Visiting the Land of Fire and Ice, Part 1

With Andrea at the Blue Lagoon

From the moment we stepped off the plane, Andrea and I knew we were in a place unlike anywhere we'd ever been. We were surrounded by fields filled with lava rocks instead of grass. In the distance we could see snowy mountains that glistened with icy glaciers. Andrea came up with the best way to describe our new environment -- otherworldly. Welcome to Iceland. 

Our first stop was the Blue Lagoon to get the kinks out after a night of travel. Oh. My. God. Words cannot describe how wonderful it felt to be embraced by the waters heated with geothermal energy. Natural steam escaped from the ground around us, a whole different thing from the steam emitted from the vents over subways in New York. As we bobbed in the waters and enjoyed our slushy drinks, we marveled at an environment filled with lava dating back to 1226. We of course did the full regime, reviving our skin with masks made from lava, silica and algae. Sadly, the minerals do a number on your hair even if you apply massive amounts of conditioner. But it was a small price to pay for the ultimate relaxation. 

You, like me, might associate the Blue Lagoon with the 1980 movie of the same name with Brooke Shields. The movie was actually filmed in Fiji at a time when the geothermal waters in the Reykjanes Peninsula had only recently been discovered. According to Rick Steves, the name "Blue Lagoon" was originally used in jest as a reference to the movie but the name stuck. And why wouldn't it when the waters often appear blue from the reflection of the sun? We were not surprised to learn that National Geographic named the Lagoon one of the 25 natural wonders of the world in 2012. I wish I could be transported back there now.   

In the Perland Museum ice cave

Our next stop was the Perlan, a museum that gave us a terrific overview of the science behind Iceland's volcanoes, glaciers, geothermal marvels and, of course, the Northern Lights. While science isn't really my thing, it was a great introduction to a country defined by its geology. The Perlan has several exhibits -- some video, some experiential -- that introduced us to what we would be seeing (or, in the case of the Northern Lights exhibit, what we had hoped we would see). 

I was particularly interested in exploring the man-made ice cave, an exhibit created from 350 tons of snow that stretched the longest 100 feet in history. That cave was COLD! It's maintained at a mere five degrees, as opposed to the 30 degrees at which a real ice cave would typically be at this time of year. Sadly, we had planned to explore an actual ice cave but the adventure was canceled for safety reasons because the weather had been unexpectedly warm. (Note that "warm" is relative in Iceland. The typical highs during the summer have historically been around 50 degrees, although they have been rising as a result of global warning.) The Perlan's ice cave is recognized for its realism. The creators even mixed volcanic ash in with the compressed snow and ice to replicate what happens in nature. For some great images of the ice cave that don't feature a woman who wished she had worn her gloves, click here. 

Andrea channeling her inner Daenerys 

Speaking of being cold, we ended our day at the kitschy Magic Ice Bar. The fact that it's a chain didn't dissuade me from visiting once I learned the venue features a number of ice sculptures. When we arrived, we donned Game of Thrones-like capes (complete with faux fur) and heavy gloves and entered the below freezing venue. Then we grabbed our drinks (served in glasses made from ice) and checked out the Viking-inspired sculptures. 

While the sculptures were quite elaborate and impressive, it was just too darn cold in there to really appreciate them. Perhaps the temperature would have been moderated a bit if there had been more people, but then we wouldn't have been able to get the shots of the sculptures. Life is full of trade-offs. To see a few more images, click here. 

Next up: What it's like to hike on a glacier and more.