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    Iceland Travel Guide
    Iceland Travel Guide
    Iceland Travel Guide
    Ebook88 pages1 hour

    Iceland Travel Guide

    By The Non Fiction Author

    5/5

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    About this ebook

    Iceland is a land of extremes with icebergs floating near hot springs, desolation and luscious beauty, vibrant colors painted on empty expanses without a living plant or animal in sight. You can party until the sheep come home one night then watch the northern lights dance over your head while you try to decide if you believe that it is the result of particles from the sun hitting Earth’s atmosphere, or whether it is aliens saying   “hello”.

    Despite its remote location Iceland still draws more than a million visitors every year, three times the population of the country. The magnetic power of Iceland to pull tourists from their homes to its shores is found deep below the surface where the raw planetary crust is slowly splitting apart along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the source of many mountains and earthquakes in Iceland. While there many geologically active volcanoes generally they are not continually spewing lava, though you could experience the explosive nature of the volatile earth during your visit if there has been a recent eruption, or you are lucky enough to be stranded in Iceland during one.

    There are numerous other attractions not involving molten lava, from waterfalls to fjords and the Icelandic cities and towns. The capital, Reykjavík, is on the southeastern coast of the country and is home to nearly a third of the population with an abundance of museums, bars, cafes and gift shops. Nearby to Reykjavík you can go on a whale watching tour, second only to Húsavík in northern Iceland. You can (and should) make a day trip to see the highlights of the Golden Circle including drifting Þingvellir National Park, tremendous Gullfoss, and the explosive geysers. While Reykjavík may seem like a small, quiet metropolis, it is in fact the largest city in the country. Other small villages are scattered around mainly on the coast but in some places you can drive for hours without seeing another car or person.

    The biggest highlight of Iceland for most visitors lies beyond the city limits, so get out of the urban and into the rural wonder. Stunning national parks, immense glaciers, and vivid landscapes await those who explore into the interior and up into the highlands. The natural side of the country is a draw for most visitors who seek an escape from paved roads and honking cars. Though it is only accessible during the summer the central regions are home to impressive scenes and popular hiking routes, both day trips and multi-day excursions.

    As you circuit the island you will see the coast and countryside change from sandy to cliff faces, rolling hills with snow perched on top and islands poking out of the white capped waves. If the sight of snow chills your blood you can stop in the natural hot springs to warm up, or take a swim in the local swimming pools which are often geothermally heated as well.

    Though your options for exploration are limited in the winter months there is the increased likelihood that you could catch the spectacular Aurora Borealis giving the show of a lifetime. Winter is also a good time to tour one of Iceland’s glaciers, a major draw for tourists who enjoy strapping on crampons, grabbing an ice axe, and trekking up onto the frozen, barren expanse. Any time of year it is a good time to visit Iceland.

    Culturally Iceland shares much of its history and roots with Scandinavian countries like Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Today there is a wealth of written material and the surviving records date from when Iceland was first inhabited in the tenth century. 

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherThe Non Fiction Author
    Release dateAug 22, 2017
    ISBN9781386375647
    Iceland Travel Guide
    Author

    The Non Fiction Author

    A group of Authors, Graphic Designers and Technical Support Reps

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      Book preview

      Iceland Travel Guide - The Non Fiction Author

      Chapter 1:

      Why You Will Fall in Love with Iceland!

      Iceland is a land of extremes with icebergs floating near hot springs, desolation and luscious beauty, vibrant colors painted on empty expanses without a living plant or animal in sight. You can party until the sheep come home one night then watch the northern lights dance over your head while you try to decide if you believe that it is the result of particles from the sun hitting Earth’s atmosphere, or whether it is aliens saying  hello.

      Despite its remote location Iceland still draws more than a million visitors every year, three times the population of the country. The magnetic power of Iceland to pull tourists from their homes to its shores is found deep below the surface where the raw planetary crust is slowly splitting apart along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the source of many mountains and earthquakes in Iceland. While there many geologically active volcanoes generally they are not continually spewing lava, though you could experience the explosive nature of the volatile earth during your visit if there has been a recent eruption, or you are lucky enough to be stranded in Iceland during one.

      There are numerous other attractions not involving molten lava, from waterfalls to fjords and the Icelandic cities and towns. The capital, Reykjavík, is on the southeastern coast of the country and is home to nearly a third of the population with an abundance of museums, bars, cafes and gift shops. Nearby to Reykjavík you can go on a whale watching tour, second only to Húsavík in northern Iceland. You can (and should) make a day trip to see the highlights of the Golden Circle including drifting Þingvellir National Park, tremendous Gullfoss, and the explosive geysers. While Reykjavík may seem like a small, quiet metropolis, it is in fact the largest city in the country. Other small villages are scattered around mainly on the coast but in some places you can drive for hours without seeing another car or person.

      The biggest highlight of Iceland for most visitors lies beyond the city limits, so get out of the urban and into the rural wonder. Stunning national parks, immense glaciers, and vivid landscapes await those who explore into the interior and up into the highlands. The natural side of the country is a draw for most visitors who seek an escape from paved roads and honking cars. Though it is only accessible during the summer the central regions are home to impressive scenes and popular hiking routes, both day trips and multi-day excursions.

      As you circuit the island you will see the coast and countryside change from sandy to cliff faces, rolling hills with snow perched on top and islands poking out of the white capped waves. If the sight of snow chills your blood you can stop in the natural hot springs to warm up, or take a swim in the local swimming pools which are often geothermally heated as well.

      Though your options for exploration are limited in the winter months there is the increased likelihood that you could catch the spectacular Aurora Borealis giving the show of a lifetime. Winter is also a good time to tour one of Iceland’s glaciers, a major draw for tourists who enjoy strapping on crampons, grabbing an ice axe, and trekking up onto the frozen, barren expanse. Any time of year it is a good time to visit Iceland.

      Culturally Iceland shares much of its history and roots with Scandinavian countries like Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Today there is a wealth of written material and the surviving records date from when Iceland was first inhabited in the tenth century. There are stories chronicling the first few centuries of settlement and these sagas about the Middle Ages remain popular today. You can read the translated versions about the Icelandic Commonwealth to learn more about the genealogical histories of families whose ancestors often still live in Iceland today. The most popular sagas are Njál’s saga about a blood feud and Eirik’s saga detailing the discovery of Greenland and Newfoundland.

      The storytelling tradition is still prevalent in Icelandic culture today, so common that approximately one out of every ten Icelanders will publish a book during their lifetime. Book lovers are also rampant so you will find many bookstores in the cities with Icelandic books and their English translations.

      Icelanders are undoubtedly creative in the arts, producing well known musicians like Björk, Sigur Rós, the jazz band Mezzoforte, and Quarashi. There are a range of popular genres but generally hard rock, folk and pop, and indie rock are big sellers. Traditional art is notably full of natural scenes, giving the stark beauty of the landscapes a romantic feeling. The main artists that have shaped modern art include Þórarinn Þorláksson, who was followed by Ásgrímur Jónsson.

      Icelanders regularly rank themselves as some of the happiest people in the world and they enjoy a very high quality of life. Politically Iceland is progressive and egalitarian, and it was one of the first countries to legalize gay marriage in 2010. Generally speaking Icelanders work hard and value independence with self-sufficiency, yet communities remain an integral part of their lives. Historically Icelanders have faced harsh climate changes, sweeping disease, and isolation but they have still thrived in spite of the challenges against them. Many immigrants have made Iceland their home in the last decade and even more in recent years, totaling to about 7-10% of the population in Iceland. They come from Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia looking for jobs and a higher standard of living.

      However despite the influx of immigrants most Icelanders can trace their ancestry back generations. In fact with such a small and isolated population of people it is not uncommon for an Icelander to be related to friends and neighbors. There is a national database tracking the ancestry of all citizens which was used to create an app for mobile phones called Íslendingabók. This way two people can see how closely or distantly they are related, a useful feature for blind dates to make sure you’re not accidentally taking your cousin or half-sibling out for dinner and a movie.

      It is not very obvious what family people belong to as they do not have a family surname. The system is patronymic, meaning passed on by and based on the name of their father. For example, a man named Thor (spelled Þor in Icelandic) has two children, a boy, Gunnar, and a girl, Anna. The suffix, -son or –dottir, is attached to their father’s first name and that is the children’s last name, making the boy’s name Gunnar Þorson and the daughter’s name Anna Þorsdottir. Thus many Icelanders can have the same surname but not be related and family members often have different surnames, so generally people are addressed by their first name.

      Culinarily Icelanders are resourceful and historically have made use

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