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    Reykjavik Iceland & Its Surroundings
    Reykjavik Iceland & Its Surroundings
    Reykjavik Iceland & Its Surroundings
    Ebook180 pages1 hour

    Reykjavik Iceland & Its Surroundings

    By Don Young

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    About this ebook

    Fire and ice. There could not be a better description of Iceland. Smoke and fire shooting high into the air during a volcanic eruption. Massive frozen glaciers that can be found throughout the interior of the country. Reykjavik has been labeled the Europe
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHunter Publishing
    Release dateSep 2, 2009
    ISBN9781588437983
    Reykjavik Iceland & Its Surroundings
    Author

    Don Young

    Don Young started his business career with Unilever, since when he has been a senior manager of several companies that have been forced to confront extensive change. He was a director of Redland plc from 1994 - 1998 and prior to that Thorn EMI plc, and he has co founded three management consultancies, YSC Ltd., Value Partnership Ltd., and Woodbridge Partners Ltd., an executive coaching partnership. The Financial Times said of his previous book Having their Cake, 'a devastating analysis of the relationships between chief executives and investment banks'

    Read more from Don Young

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      Book preview

      Reykjavik Iceland & Its Surroundings - Don Young

      Reykjavik Iceland & its Surroundings

      Don & Marjorie Young

      HUNTER PUBLISHING, INC.

      © 2011 Hunter Publishing, Inc.

      All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

      This guide focuses on recreational activities. As all such activities contain elements of risk, the publisher, author, affiliated individuals and companies disclaim any responsibility for any injury, harm, or illness that may occur to anyone through, or by use of, the information in this book. Every effort was made to insure the accuracy of information in this book, but the publisher and author do not assume, and hereby disclaim, any liability for loss or damage caused by errors, omissions, misleading information or potential travel problems caused by this guide, even if such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident or any other cause.

      Foreword

      Where in the world can you find fantastic scenery that includes 3,100 miles of gorgeous coastline, a host of lakes and rivers, geysers, numerous waterfalls, roughly 100 volcanoes, and the largest glacier in all of Europe? Where could you find a country that enjoys some of the purest water and cleanest air in all the world? A country that features unparalleled opportunities to enjoy birdwatching, riding among the whales on a ferry, biking, hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, golfing, swimming, touring the mountains in a Jeep, pony trekking, river rafting... and then where you can end your day with a wonderful dinner, followed by some of the most unbelievable nightlife on earth?

      Obviously, we're talking about Iceland, one of the most exciting countries in the world yet a country that was virtually unknown to tourists prior to World War II. Consider the amazing history of this fabulous country, settled by the Vikings more than 1,100 years ago. Erik the Red, one of the early Viking settlers, later discovered Greenland, and his son Leifur (better known as Leif) Eriksson, went on to discover North America 500 years before the arrival of Christopher Columbus.

      Healthy, Wealthy & Wise

      As descendants of the Vikings and the Celts, Icelandic men and women are among the healthiest, most attractive people on earth. They tend to be tall, blond-haired, and blue-eyed. In its March 2000 issue, Vogue magazine announced that the women look like either Uma Thurman or Patsy Kensit, and every third man resembles Brad Pitt. During the 1980s, two Icelandic women were selected as Miss World... just three years apart.

      Iceland established the world's first democratic government, and subsequently became the first nation ever to select a female President by means of a general election. The Icelandic people also have one of the highest rates of literacy in the world well above that of the United States and they are among the world's most culture-conscious people. It was their early ancestors who produced the sagas, which were among the first pieces of literature on earth, and they continue to have a deep affection for reading, art, chess, and other forms of intellectual pursuit.

      In 1955, Halldor Laxness,an Icelandic novelist, received the Nobel Prize for Literature. In 1972, Reykjavik hosted the world chess championship between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky. In 1989, Iceland's handball team downed Poland to win the World Men's Championship, and in 1991, Iceland's bridge team won the World Team Championship.

      Entrepreneur Bjorgolfur Thor Bjorgolfsson recently became Iceland's first billionaire. In the field of music, the rock band Sugarcubes, singer Bjork, the rap group Quarashi, the post-rock band Sigur Ros, and the electronic/acoustic folk musician Emiliana Torrini are currently popular throughout the world.

      Prominent celebrities have been so impressed with what Iceland has to offer that the likes of Winston Churchill, Pope John Paul II, Ronald Reagan, Mikhail Gorbachev, Mick Jagger, Elton John, Kevin Kostner, Helen Mirren, Jack Nicklaus, Ed Bradley, Paul McCartney, and Jerry Seinfeld have all stopped in for a visit.

      Virtually everyone in Iceland speaks English, and tends to be very friendly. The people are extremely hard-working and conscientious, and even the children are expected to work during their summer break. Yet, in 2006, the Icelandic people were ranked the fourth happiest people in the world.

      It is hard to believe that a small mid-Atlantic island no larger than the State of Ohio and populated by fewer than 300,000 people could offer so much, but Iceland does. Indeed, it is a place that people must see for themselves. We did... and we loved it.

      Marjorie and Don Young

      Land of Fire & Ice

      Iceland is the second-largest island in Europe, out-ranked only by Great Britain. Some 4,603 square miles, or 11% of the island's total area, is covered by glaciers. Another 1,065 square miles is covered with lakes, while 3% is covered with lava. A mere 1% of the land is used for growing crops.

      Measuring 185 miles from north to south and 305 miles from east to west, the country has 3,700 miles of rugged coastline. It straddles a submarine ridge that connects Scotland and Greenland, as well as the Mid-Atlantic Rift, one of the planet's major geological faults.

      Roughly half of the island belongs in Europe and the other half in North America. The tiny island of Grimsey, off the north coast, sits directly atop the Arctic Circle

      Iceland rises to an average height of 1,640 feet, but its highest point, Hvannadalshnjukur, is a 6,925-foot mountain. Beneath the mountain is Vatnajokull, the largest glacier in all of Europe.

      Geologically, Iceland is one of the youngest bodies of land in the world.

      History

      Viking ship, Golstad, Norway

      Fire and ice. There could not be a better description of Iceland. Smoke and fire shooting high into the air during a volcanic eruption. Massive frozen glaciers that can be found throughout the interior of the country.

      For many years, Scandinavian seamen worked the Icelandic waters, which are among the world's most prolific fishing grounds, and there is evidence that Irish monks settled on the island prior to 874 AD, making their homes in the many caves along the eastern and southern coastlines.

      It was about that time that the word Viking first came into being. It referred to a group of Norsemen whose base of operations was Vik, a bay located between Cape Lindesnes in Norway and the Gota River in Sweden. The Vikings were seafaring traders, warriors and pirates who raided and colonized much of Europe between the eighth and 11th centuries. Their territory extended as far east as Constantinople, now known as Istanbul.

      The years between 800 and 1050 became known in Scandinavian history as the Viking Age. Viking chieftains gained a considerable amount of power, particularly in Norway which, at that time, consisted of a number of petty kingdoms.

      For a time, the Viking Age became one of unification and expansion. But it was only a matter of time before many of the other Scandinavian leaders, including King Harald (Fair-Haired) Haarfagri of Norway, became envious of the Vikings and began to do whatever they could to drive them out of their ancestral lands.

      Viking longswords

      The pressure increased in 829 AD when St. Ansgar introduced Christianity to the Scandinavian people. The Vikings were pagans who believed in giants, trolls, elves, ghosts, and other supernatural forces, and they did not respond warmly when the King began to insist that they accept Christianity. Many Vikings took up residence elsewhere including the little island of Iceland, 600 miles to the west.

      A Fresh Start in a New Land

      The first Viking to settle on Iceland is said to have been Ingolfur Arnarson, who arrived in 874 and settled near the site where the city of Reykjavik stands today. Others soon followed, often stopping in Ireland along the way to pick up some slaves... and some wives.

      Did You Know? Many of Iceland's earliest residents were from Ireland, some brought over by the Vikings as wives and/or slaves. Even today, Icelanders continue to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.

      Housing was the settlers' immediate problem. Much of Iceland's native forest consisted of birch trees, and birch timber is not very strong. As a result, the Vikings came up with an alternative the Icelandic turf house.

      Large, flat stones were used to create a foundation. On top of the foundation, a wooden frame was erected and, around the frame, turf would be stacked in large blocks. Often, a second layer of turf would be added for extra

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