Nowadays when you think of Iceland, you’re more likely to recall
a land of financial catastrophes and unpronounceable volcanoes
than a vast Arctic island twice the size of Switzerland with a
romantic Nordic heritage and strong, resourceful inhabitants.
Arriving by aircraft will give you an immediate idea this is no
ordinary land. There is no passport control and no obvious
customs barriers. The airline, Iceland Air, operates a fleet of
ageing Boeing 757s and must be the largest single operator of this
orphan type from Seattle. The cabin crew are attractive females in
classic uniforms who, I’m sure, could evacuate the entire aircraft
in 90 seconds even if all the passengers were unconscious. It’s a
bit of a bumpy landing, but then the windsock looks more like a
set-square.
I first heard of Reykjavik when the great Boris Spassky and
Bobby Fischer had their cold war chess showdown in 1972. I
imagined a land encased in a vast glacier and wondered why these
two chess masters would go to this unlikely place for a chess
match on a card table in a giant ice field.
The naming of Iceland and its massive neighbour, Greenland, is
also a story in itself. Iceland is green and Greenland is one massive
glacier, albeit a rapidly melting one these days.
As a primer, the rolling screen on the Iceland Air seatback (the
one you get when you don’t pay for the inflight movies) tells you
Icelanders enjoy a high standard of living and with most of the
300,000 nationals possessing a university degree yet the same
percentage continue to believe in elves. Makes you wonder who
was running the banks a few years back. The Prime Minister is a
woman and so is the head of the church and, so my guide tells me
with a smirk, men soon hope to have equality.
Iceland commands a healthy tourism industry with visitors
arriving both by land and sea. While land-based visitors might
indulge in some hiking and climbing in the lunar-like landscape,
seaborne arrivals will typically arrive at the wharf in Hafnarfjörður,
the historic harbour which once housed Iceland’s famous fleet of
tiny fishing boats and is home to the island’s mysterious elves.
It’s easy to overlook some of the dinky little houses and folk
museums along the wharf in your rush to get amongst the lava
fields and opal-hued steam baths. Such is the imperative of
modern tourism.
But the iconic Blue Lagoon thermal baths are a great success,
especially when you consider the whole thing began with a leaky
power station. Today it seems every postcard and brochure will
feature these lurid ponds dotted with willing bathers lolling about
in the steamy overflow. The gift shop must rival the island’s
fishing industry for foreign exchange, with pricey salves, lotions,
designer wear and trinkets marching out the door with the
constant stream of towel-toting tourists.
Cruise tourists will typically embark on a range of shore tours
that include such natural attractions as the world’s original
geyser, called Geysir, or Gullfoss (the Golden Waterfall). The
Reykjanes Peninsula is where buses head for the Blue Lagoon
thermal spas in the Krysuvik area. The main shore tour operators
are www.atlantik.is and www.re.is.
Ask your ICCA agent for cruises that include Iceland.
