Welcome to blog #7! Because rest and vacation are important ways
to replenish, every seventh blog will be fun and relaxed. This one is about Iceland, where I traveled a
few years ago. Check out my Iceland
photos on my blog under the photo gallery tab. ewagnerholistichealth.com gets you to my blog.
Iceland was first settled in 870-930 A.D.
by Vikings from Norway and Denmark. The Sagas, which recall legends of the
Viking settlers, are still renowned in Iceland and were probably the world’s
first novels.
Iceland’s 320,000 population triples
during tourist season. Twenty years ago,
most of its people lived in rural and farm areas. Now, two thirds live in or
around Reykjavik, Iceland’s largest city. Agriculture is being concentrated in the larger
remaining farms. The Icelanders are the
most trustworthy, trusting, generous, considerate, and clean people I have
encountered in my travels. Their
qualities may stem from the low population density they enjoy.
The average temperature in June is 56 F; temperatures
during the long winters range from the 20’s to 30’s. Rain and snow are common. There are 24 hours of
light at summer solstice and 24 hours of dark at winter solstice. Northern lights are visible in the colder
months.
Iceland, the youngest of the European
countries, was formed by underwater volcanic eruptions along the North American
and Eurasian plates 17 – 20 million years ago.
Myvatin (midge lake) in NE Iceland is a geothermal wonderland. Eyjafjallajokull is the volcano which erupted
a few years ago. Much glacier and ice
cap melting accompanied this eruption. Possibly the purest, best-tasting tap water in
the world comes from Iceland’s melting glaciers.
A sign in the Reykjavik airport says:
“More U.S. factory stacks = more Iceland glacier cracks.” Glaciers are melting
at the alarming rate of one meter or more per year.
The clean energy derived from thermal
activity is used throughout the country.
Iceland has begun to export this energy to the rest of the world. Alcoa’s aluminum smelter, dams, funnels, high
tension power lines, towers, and reservoirs all contribute to habitat
destruction and pollution there.
Protests and bankruptcy have stopped some of these problems, at least
temporarily.
Iceland has 1500 kinds of mushrooms. Habitats include grasslands, wetlands,
woodlands, lava lands, and savannahs. Once
the island had many trees, but settlers’ grazing sheep destroyed all the trees
by eating the bark. Erosion
resulted. In 1945 the nootka lupine plant was introduced to
help anchor and hold nitrogen in the soil, but because it tastes bitter, the
sheep won’t eat it, and without these natural controls, this tall plant shades
out indigenous lichen, grasses, shrubs, fungi, and young trees. In the past generation, the government has
instituted a policy of planting twenty trees for each citizen.
Native or long-term resident animals
include arctic fox, reindeer, pigs, sheep, Icelandic ponies, cows, cats, dogs,
and an occasional polar bear. Birds
include puffins, razorbills, ducks, gannets, sandpipers, arctic terns, owls,
gulls, and guillemots. Among the sea
animals are arctic char, trout, salmon, haddock, monkfish, turbot, halibut,
herring, cod, shrimp, oyster, mussels, lobster, shrimp, whale, and dolphin. Herring and cod, upon which many coastal
towns have been dependent for a livelihood, have moved further away from shore,
into the colder waters.
Naturally growing crops are rhubarb,
cabbage, potatoes, onion, turnips, cauliflower, kale, and some grains (rye,
barley). Greenhouses extend the growing
season and allow peppers, greens, tomatoes, broccoli, beets, radishes,
strawberries, bananas, and apples to grow.
Animal products include eggs, milk, cream, skyr (yoghurt), lamb, beef,
chicken, and farmed fish such as salmon.
People travel in Iceland by airplane, bus,
car, four wheel drive vehicles, canoe, kayak, and of course, on foot, but
travel is mainly via the Ring Road and the roads diverging from it. The Ring Road is rough in spots, not all
sealed, can flood at any time, and is icy before June and after August. Travel through the interior is also popular. Guides and four wheel drive vehicles are
necessary for interior travel.
Housing ranges from modern to old. The ancient grass houses are just one story
tall. Primarily stone, concrete and
steel structures exist in the cities.
One of the population’s favorite past
times is soaking in pools or hot mineral springs. Drinking in Reykjavik on Friday summer nights
is also popular, as is camping in some of the more remote wilderness areas in
the interior.
Iceland was first among the Western nations
to elect a woman president and to legalize gay marriage. Its primary religions are Lutheran and Pagan,
and people find no conflict between the two.
This month’s tip: come enjoy an armchair safari on Sunday,
October 7th from 2 to 4 pm at the North Park Village Nature Center,
in Chicago. I will be sharing slides of my
photos from a trip to Kenya during the annual wildebeest migration. Please
let others know about this blog and the event on October 7th.
