Iceland
Iceland is a testament to nature and the resilience of mankind in all its aspects, from magical vistas to the everyday life in towns. The island itself owes its existence to the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates ripping themselves apart, only one of two locations on earth where this can be seen above the ocean waves. This makes the Iceland an incredibly young country geologically speaking. The second important force at play in the country is the titular ice, glacial fields 1 to 3 kilometer thick carved away the newly formed rock with impunity.
Cliff Behind Geysir Park
These unique geological features make any visit to the country memorable, from Geysir who gave its name to the natural phenomenon (geyser) to glacial falls with volcanoes and glaciers in-between. The country’s economy has been booming due to the uptick in ecotourism, whereby people travel across the world to venture out into the untouched wilderness. As such, there are many bus tours that cater to the average visitor who’s not ready to go out by themselves or for a traveler pressed for time who wants to see as much in the shortest span of time possible (your author vows to return and do this wilderness justice).
Gullfoss – The Golden Falls
Reykjavik, a small town by any other country’s standards but housing two thirds of this island’s population, is powered almost entirely by hydro and geo-electric power plants and furnished with running hot water from a geothermal field. The houses need to cool their water down rather than heating it up with a boiler in the basement.
Even though this stay was short, here are some wonderful attractions covering the rich history of the Icelandic people I managed to visit.