Traveller's Tales

I visited Iceland, the "land of fire and ice", in January 2002.  Iceland's position on the earth means that during the winter months, there are very few hours of daylight.  I arrived there at about 10.30 am and the sun was only just beginning to put in an appearance. 

However, during the summer months, the sun does not want to go to bed and proves that it can party harder than the rest of the late night revellers, since it is still shining brightly ready to greet them when they emerge out of the nightclubs.   On the subject of nightclubs, Reykjavik, Iceland's capital, is rapidly becoming one of the world's premier night spots and celebs, like Pulp's Jarvis Cocker, have allegedly been seen there.  Blur's Damon Albarn has also apparently opened up a bar there.  Reykjavik is not a bad place to be by day either, although its buildings appear to be simplistic and functional - the grandeur which is present in other capital cities doesn't exist here.

Iceland is one of nature's boiling points (hence, the reference to "fire" in the "land of fire and ice" - the Blue Lagoon, an outdoor geothermal pool, is heated by the earth's core) but by way of complete contrast, the relentless, icy winds whipping around Iceland create a stark environment and will have you scurrying for shelter within minutes of being exposed to them.  

The dramatic landscape and environment of Iceland make it an ideal place to inspire someone to write music.  It seems Bjork hasn't done too badly in this department.  Unfortunately, the only "music" which I experienced whilst in Iceland came in the form of an Icelandic drinking song called "I Love my Bottle", which was sung by a very tall man dressed up as a Viking, during a "Viking lunch" excursion - OK, I confess, this was probably not an authentic snapshot of Icelandic life and was specially arranged for tourists, but a girl has got to eat!  Speaking of sustenance, don't be tempted to buy the "Black Death" drink which will no doubt be made available to you if you are a visiting tourist - it tastes like raw alcohol and not much else! 

Music can also be heard coming from the impressive pipe organ in the Hallgrimskirkja church in Reykjavik.  The church itself will appeal to those who like striking architectural design, even if it is a little austere.

Well, that concludes the visit to Iceland.   If you are going to go there, make sure that you have got your thermals on!   

Author: Dorraine Bennett       ©2002 Dors Productions