FEATURES | REYKJAVIK The coast near the northern Icelandic town of Hjalteyri, where you really are on the edge of the civilised world
PHOTO © GISIL DÚA/NORDIC PHOTOS Above, the Blue Lagoon, with average temperatures of 37-39°C; right, the Icelandic horse is very hardy and has a double coat for extra insulation “We are Vikings and that’s why the Icelandic people are truly adventurous” holiday brochures call it a “land of fi re and ice”, but even this spiel doesn’t really prepare you for the reality of life in this place of extremes. For instance, on the one hand, it’s remarkably forward thinking – all electricity produced on the island comes from either hydropower or geothermal plants that tap into the same underground activity that cause geysers and volcanoes to erupt regularly. The locals also make use of these fi elds in another, even more civilised way, heading to naturally heated lakes that exist across the country’s expanse to bathe and unwind. The best-known of these outdoor pools is the Blue Lagoon (www.bluelagoon.com), on the outskirts of Reykjavik, whose waters can reach temperatures of upto 39°C. Yet this is also a nation steeped in tradition. Indeed, outside of Reykjavik, the island is much the same as it was when the fi rst settlers arrived more than a millennium ago. As Ragnar later tells me, “The rugged landscape reminds us every day that we are Vikings and that’s why Icelandic people are truly adventurous.” That’s probably the reason why Icelanders take such pride in their seafaring forebears – celebrating the derring-do of their forbears as well as their somewhat adventurous diets. In the winter months, Icelanders pay homage to their heritage by eating traditional Viking foods such as dried fi sh; a fermented, rotted shark dish called hákarl (see Reykjavik Basics on p60 for more about this) and sheep’s head. “You could say that Icelandic food is old-fashioned in many ways,” says Jon Tryggvi Jonsson, owner of Lækjarbrekka (laekjarbrekka.is), one of Reykjavik’s oldest (and certainly cosiest) restaurants. “Food has always been important to Icelandic culture because it brings people together – and that’s important in a place that has, traditionally, been so isolated.” Food is certainly part of that overriding ethos of hospitality that informs much of the Icelandic way of life. Conclusive proof of this can be seen at Lækjarbrekka, where groups of families and friends sprawl across tables, tucking into smoked puffi n, Icelandic lamb (which Jonsson claims is the best in the world), reindeer meatballs or one of the many varieties of pickled herring, the conversation fl owing as freely as the Brennivin (a fi ery local brandy). Lying just south of the Arctic Circle, the island may be bathed in snow and zero-hugging temperatures from November to the beginning of April, but the summer climate is a comfortable 12-14°C, thanks to the warming effects of the Gulf Stream. That’s probably the reason why more than 90% of Iceland’s tourists visit during the warmer months – when the sun shines well into the night, and people take to the countryside to play midnight golf or go horse trekking on Iceland’s beautiful indigenous steeds. If you go right now, however, there are other, equally visceral thrills. This year in particular, the northern lights (or aurora borealis, to give the proper name) are going to be at their brightest for 50 years, providing a mind-blowing, bright-green light show that dances across the skies. You’ll have to be quick though, as they’re most visible between November and April. If you do miss out on the lights, don’t worry – there are plenty of other opportunities for beauty, wonder and adventure. “It’s very important to try everything,” says Ragnar, as he issues a fi nal invitation. “See geysers, waterfalls and volcanoes, try our local food – and remember, the elves are there during the day, the trolls are there in the night. You just need to believe.” easyJet fl ies to... Reykjavik from London. See our insider guide on page 170. Book online at easyJet.com TRAVELLER | 53
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