Iceland is a Nordic country between the North Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean. It has a population of 325,671 and an area of 103,000 km2 (40,000 sq mi), making it the most sparsely populated country in Europe. The capital and largest city is Reykjavík; the surrounding areas in the southwest of the country are home to two-thirds of the population. Iceland is volcanically and geologically active. The interior consists mainly of a plateau characterized by sand and lava fields, mountains and glaciers, while many glacial rivers flow to the sea through the lowlands. Iceland is warmed by the Gulf Stream and has a temperate climate despite a high latitude just outside the Arctic Circle.
This was a short trip but I decided to go up to Iceland for New Years 2000-2001 as I was told that this was a country that knew how to party. What I got was a country that truly enjoys what they have, great seafood and great people. I spent New Year’s Eve at the Perlan, which is probably the highest point in the city and I was amazed by the fireworks that they put in. This was not a professional display, but every household is allowed to buy close to professional grade fireworks and set them off. What results is a good 8-12 hours of fireworks lighting up the sky. Truly something to experience.
Other than New Year’s Eve I did go on one tundra buggy ride to explore the countryside and have lunch with a local family. The hospitality of everyone as they learned about the tourist trade was warm and gracious. At that time they were still learning how to handle tourists but you could tell that they were as interested in you as you were of them. It didn’t matter that we were not speaking the same language, they wanted to share whatever they had with you.
I left the island on January 1, after a night of partying, and I have to say, spending the morning at the Blue Lagoon before going to the airport is the best way to relax after a heavy night. Soaking in the thermal spa waters beforehand makes the flight back so enjoyable, well, if I stayed awake that is. 🙂
I should point out at this time of year the sunrise is around 10am and the sunset is around 2pm.
Traveler Tip: This is a truly European city. I arrived before sunrise and I remember getting hungry and going out for dinner around 7pm. I found one place open, well, the door was unlocked, and most of the staff hadn’t even showed up yet. I did have a wonderful catfish dinner, but it wasn’t until just after 8pm before most other people started to show up. Then it was off to the bars, well sort of. I went to what I was told was a popular night spot and after finding a staff member that spoke English I was told that the party doesn’t start until after midnight.
Logistics
This was just a couple of days but it was a package deal from Iceland Air, that included airfare from Boston, hotel; New Year’s Eve dinner at the Perlan and a stop at the Blue Lagoon.
Great food, great people and scenic landscape, but you have to like a winter wonderland. 🙂
Leave a Reply