Iceland Photo Adventure: Home Again

I've been home for over a week and have finally processed some of the pictures. Mostly they are mediocre but I will put up some of them that I think are pretty good in the next few posts.

It was an amazing trip. I got to mark seeing the aurora off of my "bucket list". It is a unique place; geysers, geothermal spas, and glacier-fed waterfalls that dot the landscape. Because of this, tourism is the nation’s fastest-growing industry. I worry about the impact of the tourism and hope they don't let it destroy their unique and magnificent landscape.

The island was formed about 20 million years ago by a series of volcanic eruptions in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. It is about 40,000 sq mi (about the size of Kentucky) with a population of about 329,100 (less than that of Sacramento). The largest city is Reykjavik; about 60 percent of the population resides there. The rest of the population live in smaller towns or settlements on the perimeter of the island. This is because much of the interior is glacier or volcanic desert and is uninhabitable.

Iceland has one of the world's highest literacy rates at 99.9 percent. Literature and poetry are a passion of the people as is art and music. This is evident when you explore Reykjavik! They have made good use of their geothermal energy, supplying 85 percent of their energy needs from renewable sources. They have a high standard of living and one of the highest life expediencies. It's an amazing country and they built it all themselves - remarkable!

Reykjavik

Such a cute city with a quirky sense of humor! Loaded with museums, art, cafes and bars. Live music is always happening somewhere!

The Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavik is so unique and beautiful!
I wish I had been skillful enough to capture some of it's beauty. It's like a glass bee hive; the cones capture the light and reflect it as well. It shimmers with color capturing the eye and the imagination.