ICELAND
The breathtaking view of the city from the top of HallgrÃmskirkja Church
The breathtaking view of the city from the top of HallgrÃmskirkja Church
The Buildings
Icelandic architecture is unlike that found in the United States. The harsh, cold, and dark winters limit the building materials available. The architecture style is most distinguishable by its colorful buildings and roofs, which supposedly rose to popularity because they bring pops of color to the otherwise dull winter landscape. Traditional homes were built with wood, but after a fire burned many of them down, wood was banned, and as a result most buildings are now built with concrete.
The People
While we were only allowed to go on this trip because we would have certified responsible adults, Chris and Annika, in the city with us in case anything happened, the reality was that we were pretty much on our own. The trip was mainly planned and coordinated by Olivia, photo documented by myself, and enjoyed by Arlyn, Spencer, and Will. It was a good sized group, small enough to not cause reservation issues, but big enough to feel safe when we went about the city.
The unofficial trip coordinator
Coffee break
The Animals
We saw and met very many different animals during our trip, with the most common species being cats, geese, rabbits, and swans. Shockingly, a large number of these animals were quite friendly, and we hardly went a day without petting a cat or rabbit. The geese, on the other hand, were not even remotely friendly, and at one point we had to take a detour on our walk to avoid a flock of them that had claimed ownership of the walkway.
The Land
As remarkable as the architecture was, nothing could come close to the beauty of the land. The waters were bluer than any I have ever seen before, and even though we arrived at the end of winter when everything was still brown and dead, it still added an earthy atmosphere that served to remind us that Iceland is still a mostly untamed wilderness. I was constantly having my breath stolen by the formidable glaciers and mountains in the distant, the roaring waterfalls, and the rolling hills and fields that make up the country.
