11 October, 2013

Reykjavik, Iceland

For the Icelandic people there are not stories, all is saga. The history of every family, individual, thing and place, every journey and adventure has a saga that is its own. Some saga are factual recordings of historical events, some are fantastic tales of mythical creatures such as trolls and elves. Some are written, some are only oral tradition passed from elders to the young. Some have a moral lesson, all have a purpose. This website, the recording and sharing with you of my adventure to new lands, my journey in the world and perhaps within myself, is a saga all my own.

 

My pack is back in the black duffel for tomorrows flight to Glasgow. My hand luggage is nearly prepped, and in a few hours a bus will appear in the night to return me to Keflavik for the flight to Scotland. Reykjavik, after all, is only a layover between flights to the UK. This part of the saga, the beginning, is drawing to a close.

Thursday, I went on the Golden Circle Express bus tour. We made brief stops at Thingvellir National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), Gullfoss waterfall, and Geysir Geothermal Field. The day was misty with low hanging clouds and was not the best day for sights in the highlands, but it did give me a small taste of the natural beauty of Iceland. Perhaps the most rewarding part of the whole day was learning the history from the guide.

Up this morning at 330 am following a 90 minute nap. The desk clerk was kind enough to make me a strong coffee when I checked out. On board a 757-200 as I write, and we are leveling off at just over 39,000 feet. Today’s flight is just under two hours, and there will be a friend I haven’t spent any appreciable amount of time with in almost twenty years waiting at the customs exit. To say I am excited is an understatement, and I know I am not the only one feeling such.

 

Back to yesterday’s express bus tour and the ending of the beginning of the saga.

The guide provided us with a brief outline of the history of the Icelandic people that I will not recount at the present time, rather I will get to the subjects of the pictures and impressions of the locations we visited.

Althingi, literally meaning “the Thing,” is the Icelandic Parliament, and is the longest standing democratically elected governing body in the world. In 930 CE chieftains from 30 clans and tribes around the island first met at Thingviller – “Thing Place” – on the 5^th day of the 10^th week of summer. The Thing lasted for one to three weeks, generally until the alcohol ran out. Thingviller is a rift valley between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates, and is very geologically active. During the Thingling – the yearly gathering of Althingi – the Law Speaker would stand atop a cliff on the western side of the valley at the “Law Rock” and recite one third of the law as agreed upon by the chieftains. Over a three year period the entire law would be recited. Eventually the oral tradition gave way to a written Book of Law. “The Thing” met at Thingviller annually for 853 years when it was disrupted by a massive volcanic event in 1783. It is estimated that 20% of the population left the island following the eruption. In 1789 Althingi reconvened in Reykjavik where it has met since.

After the guide counted heads on the bus as we prepared to continue on the journey, he told the driver we were all aboard. The driver responded, “Good, you can keep your job!”

The road to Gullfoss took us through rolling countryside featuring horse and sheep farms interspersed with Icelandic “forest.” This reminded me of the scrub-oak and sage of the high deserts of western Colorado and Utah. However, rather than red sandy soil, the ground in Iceland is black volcanic rock covered with moss, lichen, and short grasses. The trees and bushes are widely spaced in the landscape. The guide told us that the joke is what do you do if you are lost in an Icelandic forest? Stand up. When the Island was first discovered by the Norwegians, it was reported to be densely covered with a variety of trees. It is estimated that it took the Vikings only 170 years to cut the all the trees down to construct buildings, boats, and use as fuel. Since the early 20^th century there has been an ongoing soil erosion project to reforest the island.

Gullfoss is a spectacular waterfall cascading approximately 70 meters in two stages. The upper falls roll through a series of steps, and the lower plunge into a tight gorge. It was truly beautiful, and I could easily spend an afternoon there in the misty air watching the river and listening to the sounds of the water.

The last stop was at the Geysir Geothermal Field. The guide informed us of the correct pronunciation of the word Geysir (gay’-seer). The first recorded use of the word to describe such a geological phenomenon is in an Icelandic family saga detailing the geography of this area and its earthquakes, volcanoes, and geothermal features. The group gathered at an informational display to hear the guide explain a strategy for getting a good picture of a spout. I was very surprised to see “Steamboat, USA” listed as an example of different heights.

I am glad to have two more nights in Reykjavik on my return trip to the States. I hope one day to return with time to explore more of this beautiful Island.

Just over thirty minutes until our arrival in Glasgow. I am excited to see my friend and visit a land that has long intrigued me. Through a break in the clouds I can see the northern coast and beginnings of the Scottish Highlands. Our flight path will take us over the western end of Loch Ness. As we begin the descent, I look forward to sharing more of this adventure with you as the saga continues.