All Things Iceland

Besides the Reykjavík area, the South Coast of Iceland is by far the most popular part of the country that is featured on social media, blogs and in one of Justin Bieber’s music videos. People from around the world are flocking there in droves. According to  the Icelandic Tourism Board’s statistics for 2017, during the winter 55% of the travelers that come to Iceland traveled to the South and in the summer, a whopping 71% of travelers to the country went to that region. It is without a doubt a very popular place but it might make one wonder, “Is it really worth the hype?”

Before answering that, let’s start off with what you can see and do along the South  Coast of Iceland. Because this area does have a variety of attractions and stunning nature, I have split everything up into three categories. I will start off with talking about historical sites and the most popular places to visit. Following that, will be the type of wildlife and nature you can find in this region. Lastly, I will go over the fun activities that are available for you to do along the South Coast.

Historical Sites & Most Popular Places to Visit

1. Þingvellir National Park

Þingvellir

Þingvellir is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is popular for many reasons. The first and most important reason  is due to its historical significance in Icelandic society. The general assembly for Parliament, or Alþing in Icelandic, was established here around 930 and continued to meet there until 1798. The parliament members would discuss and decide on laws, as well as pass judgements on any matters brought before them.

The Logberg or Law Rock is where public speaking events took place. The unique geology in the area created a natural amphitheater for such speaking events. Along with learning about history and being able to see where Icelandic people’s ancestors used to meet,  you can witness the Mid-Atlantic ridge. This ridge is where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates are slowly separating at a rate of two centimeters per year. The separation has created a rift valley, which means that you can walk between two continents.

2. Churches Along the South Coast

Even though less than 10% of Icelandic population goes to church each month, there are many churches in the country. In fact, there are 19 churches that can be found along the South Coast of Iceland, if you exclude the ones in the Reykjavík area. Many of these churches have a similar style that makes them easy to spot. Just look for a steeple with a cross on top that is attached to a large room that is used for the congregation to meet in.

On a map, you will always know how to find a church because the word kirkja will be at the end. Kirkja means church. Some of the churches that get a decent amount of visitors are the ones in Selfoss, Þingvellir, Strandar and Höfn.  The church in Höfn is especially interesting because it has a turf roof and was built in 1884!  See the full list of churches along the South Coast of Iceland here.

Church with a turf roof

3. Museums & Cultural Centers

Icelandic people are very proud of their culture and the nature that surrounds them.

I had the pleasure of chatting with Derek Allen, a hyper-polyglot from the United States who is studying Icelandic and lives in Reykjavík. During this lively interview, you will hear about how many languages Derek speaks, how he maintains the languages that he has learned, his tips for language learners, what it is like living in Iceland, particularly as a person of color. You will also hear some other random facts about him. Just to give you an example of a random fact, Derek shared with me after the show that his favorite pastimes include talking to strangers on the internet and posing nude on the beach. Below is one of Derek's nude photos. We had a blast chatting and I hope you enjoy this episode.

Questions I Asked Derek During the Interview

* How many languages do you speak? What are the names of the languages?

* Did you grow up in an environment or household with many languages spoken around you?

* When do you realize that you enjoyed learning languages?

* Why did you decide to learn Icelandic?

* How long have you been studying Icelandic?

* What advice do you have for people who want to learn Icelandic?

* What advice do you have for people that are struggling to learn Icelandic?

* Do you have any techniques for learning a language, like a certain method or some language learning hacks?

* How do you maintain fluency in the languages that you have learned?

* What other languages do you plan on learning?

* Was there anything that delighted or shocked you when you moved to Iceland?

* What has been your experience living in Iceland as a person of color?

* What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase?

* Do you have any tips for people who plan to visit Iceland?

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Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta og sjáumst fljótlega

Thank you kindly for reading (and listening) and see you soon!

When does summer in Iceland start?

While most Icelandic people agree that the weather is more "summery" in June, the beginning of summer in Iceland is officially celebrated on the first Thursday after April 18th. In Icelandic, this day is called Sumardagurinn Fyrsti and it is an official holiday. The ironic part is that, historically, the weather is not very good on that day. If you had the opportunity to listen to Episode 5 of the All Things Iceland podcast, which is titled - What is Winter Like in Iceland?, you would have heard me mention that the winter and summer season start and end dates are according to the Old Norse calendar.  If you haven’t listened to that episode yet, I recommend checking it out. It is amazing how different these two seasons are.

If you only use the Old Norse calendar as your reference for the length of the summer season, it will amount to being about 26 weeks long.  It would be awesome if that were true but the reality is that the long, bright days and warmer weather only lasts about 3 months (June, July & August).  It is important to point out that this country is known for its unstable weather.  Summer in Iceland can vary from being rainy, windy and chilly to clear skies, relatively warm and not very windy. If you get a clear day, with sunshine and little to no wind in Iceland, it is like hitting the weather jackpot. The majority of Icelandic people take advantage of days like that by doing some kind of outdoor activity because it would be a shame to miss out on such awesome weather.

What is summer in Iceland like?

When visiting Iceland between June and August, you could theoretically experience a temperature change from a low of 6 degrees Celsius (44 degrees Fahrenheit) to a high of 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit). However, the temperature rarely gets that high. Realistically,  you can expect a range of 10 - 13 degrees Celsius (50 - 55 degrees Fahrenheit) as a high during the day. For most people, this temperature range is nowhere near the summer temperatures in their home country, but such is life in Iceland.

If you plan to visit during this time period, the best advice I have for enjoying summer in Iceland is to embrace unpredictability and pack lots of layers!  Waterproof, or at least water resistant, clothing will be your best friend here. Using an umbrella in this country is like wearing a big, red sign on your back that says you're a tourist. Icelandic winds tend to blow the rain in a horizontal direction and on many days, the wind speed will break your umbrella like a twig. Save yourself the trouble of trying to wrestle an umbrella in the wind and stick with clothes designed to keep you dry.

Activities to do in Iceland during the Summer

If you enjoy being out in nature at all hours of the day, summer in Iceland is the perfect time for you to visit. There are a plethora of activities that you can do during the height of the day or during the midnight sun. Some of the most popular  activities are hiking, glacier walks, partying, cycling, road trips, whale watching, bird watching, horseback riding, driving a 4x4, going to a music festival, going to the local pool or nearby hot spring, camping and driving on rugged mountain roads in a super jeep.

During this episode of All Things Iceland, I give you the low down on what you can expect during an Icelandic winter. While long, dark winter nights can sound awful,  you can easily survive it by knowing what to expect and by using some of the coping mechanisms I share in this episode.

How long is an Icelandic winter?

According to the Old Norse calendar, which was split up into two seasons (winter and summer), winter in Iceland is 26 weeks long. The first day of summer is the first Thursday after April 18th every year, which I feel like is a long running joke in Iceland because the weather that day is usually not "summery". Icelandic winter starts on the Saturday that falls between October 21st and 27th. I am putting together an episode about the Old Norse calendar because it is so fascinating, but for right now, just know that the end of October signals to people in Iceland that winter has arrived. The days get darker much faster around this time.

In fact, we get about 9 hours of daylight around the first day of winter. Daylight just rapidly decreases from there. Check out the yearly sun graph of Iceland.  It is fascinating to see the drastic difference in daylight during an Icelandic winter and summer. While it is true is that winter is long in Iceland, I think it is worth mentioning that it is not an endless span of long, dark, super cold and dreary days. However, there are days like that but they can vary.

What is the weather like during winter in Iceland?

The country lucked out with its geographical position in the world. According to Iceland’s meteorological office, “Iceland enjoys a much milder climate than its name and location adjacent to the Arctic circle would imply. A branch of the Gulf Stream flows along the southern and the western coast greatly moderating the climate. However, this brings mild Atlantic air in contact with colder Arctic air resulting in a climate that is marked by frequent changes in weather and storminess. Furthermore, this leads to more rainfall in the southern and western part than in the northern part of the island.”

Yes, you will find ice and snow in Iceland during the winter. About 10% of the country is covered in ice and during the winter, the sidewalks in the Reykjavík area can be very icy. Some people wear micro spikes on their shoes because you can easily injure yourself if you slip and fall on the ice. It is unfortunate that micro spikes are usually thought of as things that older people wear here but that is the perception. If you are visiting, I think it is worth it to bring some with you. Better to be safe than sorry.

Snow during the winter in Iceland is welcomed, not only because it is pretty but because it lightens up the dark nights. It is interesting to see how much brighter it is outside when there is snow on the ground. Even though, there can be a decent amount of ice on the ground, the majority of the country rarely gets hit with super frigid temperatures. I know that seems weird, especially since the country’s name is Iceland.  The average temperature in Reykjavík, during an Icelandic winter is 0 degrees Celsius or 32 degrees Fahrenheit. That is pretty mild, considering that Greenland is a our neighbor.

As I mentioned in part one of the "6 Reasons Why Iceland is so Popular" episode, this amazing country has many reasons for why people are flocking to it. In this episode, I share my final three out of six reasons. Make sure you check out the first three reasons I shared in the last episode of the All Things Iceland podcast.

4. Iceland is a Convenient Place To Catch a Connecting Flight

If you are traveling from North America to mainland Europe and vice versa, Iceland is in the middle of those places, which makes it a very convenient place for airline companies to stop and refuel, as well as offer connecting flights to many destinations. Iceland, as a hub for connecting to other flights, has made travel to many places more accessible to people. Even though connecting via Iceland's Keflavík airport has been used by travelers for over 50 years, it is only in the last 20 years that Iceland has experienced many travelers leaving the airport to explore the country. Up until the 1980s, the number of tourists to Iceland did not exceed 80,000 people in a single year. In fact, the travels of Icelandic people usually exceeded the number of tourists back then.

Keflavík Airport by WhatsOn

It wasn’t until the 2000s that the number of tourists began to increase. In the early 2000s, Iceland received around 300,000 visitors, which was more than the number of people living on the island! By 2016, that number had sharply risen to almost 1.8 million foreign visitors.

# of Tourist to Iceland vs Icelandic Population

Iceland is still a great place for planes to stop and refuel, and it is used by many airlines that want to have connecting flights for their customers. However, it is now a must-see destination, and foreigners are more than happy to leave the airport and discover the country's unique features.

5. Movies and shows filmed in Iceland

The amount of movies and shows filmed in Iceland is astonishing.  I might be stretching it here, but I believe that most people that live in the Western world, and who actively go to the movie theater and/or watch television, have watched at least one of the films listed below:

* Batman Begins

* Die Another Day

* Fast & Furious 8

* Flags of Our Fathers

* Interstellar

* Judge Dredd

* Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

* Letters from Iwo Jima

* Noah

* Oblivion

* Prometheus

* Star Trek into Darkness

* The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

* Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

This is not an exhaustive list of all of the films that have been shot in Iceland but it gives you a taste of major motion pictures that have captured footage in Iceland's diverse and remarkable nature.

The stunning scenery showcased in these films has inspired people to visit. Plus, who wouldn't want to go to a destination that feels like you have been

Iceland's popularity has been booming over the last 10 years. In fact, it is hard to find a "must-see" destination list without this amazing country being featured. While there are many reasons why this small, island nation located in the Atlantic ocean is so popular, I am sharing my top six. I split this list into two parts to keep the episodes relatively short. Also, the list is in no particular order because I believe that each of the reasons that I share continue to have a major impact on the country's popularity. Below are three out of six.

1. Nature in Iceland

Craters from a volcano

I can wax poetic about the diverse and beautiful landscape of Iceland all day.  It really is an enchanting place that will surprise and delight you.  I like to this of this country as a foreign planet because it is so unlike anywhere else on earth.  The dark, long winters are a wonderland of snow and ice. Powerful wind storms during this time of the year show you just how intense mother nature can be in this country; and, if you are lucky, you might even get a delightful Northern Lights show.  During the summer, everything springs to life and you can enjoy 24 hours of day light for a few months. This land of contrasts gives you ample opportunity to enjoy loads of activities in each season.

Some of the most notable natural wonders in Iceland are bubbling hot springs, numerous glaciers, active volcanoes, stunning lava rock, black sand beaches, colorful  mountains that can be seen in the highlands, vibrant green moss as far as the eye can see, iceberg filled glacier lagoons, countless waterfalls, and remote wilderness. The power of Icelandic nature usually just affects people who live on the island or those that are visiting. However, in 2010, Eyjafjallajökull, an active volcano, erupted. Strong winds pushed the ash from the volcano  into the direction of major flight routes, which interrupted airline travel for people around the world.

Sheep in Iceland photo by Topich

 

On the land and in the sea surrounding the island, live fascinating animals. If you drive on the ring road (the main one that goes around the country) during the summer, you will come across free roaming sheep and lamb. They outnumber the Icelandic population two to one! You are also likely to spot majestic Icelandic horses grazing or galloping in open fields. The cunning arctic fox can be found throughout Iceland, but the largest population of them can be found in the West fjords. If you are wiling to head into very remote regions in the east, you might spot a reindeer.

About 370 bird species can be found in the country but their presence and whereabouts depends on their breeding habits and season.  The adorable Puffin is a popular bird that many people flock to see in Iceland (pun intended ;-)), but it is only possible to seem them between May and August, when they are breeding.   Luckily, you can see these fascinating birds in different parts of the country. I've had the privilege of viewing Puffins up close in the West Fjords. So cute!

Puffin in Iceland - photo by pascal-mauerhofer

In the vast sea surrounding the island, various whale species and seals have been spotted....

How the Icelandic Language Came to Be

The history of the Icelandic language dates all the way back to the 9th century, when settlers, mostly from Norway, came to live in Iceland. What was spoken at that time was Old Norse and this eventually evolved into Old Icelandic. Like many cultures, the language was passed on through spoken word before being preserved in the form of text. Impressively, the oldest preserved text in Icelandic was written around 1100.

If you are interested in being able to read Old Norse and Old Icelandic, check out the interview I did with Jesse Byock, a professor of Old Norse and Medieval Scandinavian Studies at UCLA and Háskóli Íslands. He wrote a Viking Language book series that teaches you how to read those languages.

Dr. Jesse Byock

During the 12th century and onward, is when the famous sagas and eddas (poems) were written in Old Icelandic.  Being an isolated island in the middle of the Atlantic, worked in favor of Icelandic when it came to preserving the language. Even though, Icelandic is a Germanic language that was birthed from Old Norse, its incremental amount of evolution over many centuries resulted in it becoming a completely separate language from modern day Norwegian and other Scandinavian languages.

It is remarkable that even under Danish rule for more than 500 years (1380 to 1918), the Icelandic language did not change. Danish was learned by many but Icelandic was still used for official communication. Another fascinating tidbit of information is that there is an absence of dialects as you travel from one region of the country to the next.  Some of my colleagues have mentioned that some words are said slightly different in the north than in the south but the language is pretty uniform around the country.

www.islandskort.is

Because the Icelandic language has changed so little since the 1300s, modern Icelanders have the privilege of being able to read and understand the ancient text of their ancestors that was written 800 years ago. Even though the text has not changed that much, how the language sounds has changed over time. I’ve heard that a modern Icelandic speaker who is reading Old Icelandic is comparable to a modern English speaker reading Shakespeare.

Icelandic Grammar

Like some other Indo-European languages, Icelandic grammar is complicated. When a language learner is first introduced to the grammar, it seems like a daunting task to take on. I am still learning it and there are many days when the grammar structure trips me up. For starters, nouns, pronouns and adjectives are inflected in four cases (nominative, accusative, dative and genitive) and they can be in either singular or plural form. Nouns are also categorized into genders:  masculine, feminine or neuter. Verbs can be in the indicative, imperative, conditional or subjunctive mood.

As you can already tell, the language can become very complicated to speak and process quickly, if you have never been exposed to it before. For the sake of time, I won’t go much deeper into this topic because it deserves its own series of podcast episodes to explain it properly. For those of you that have interest in learning the language, you can dip your toe in the pool by learning how to speak with an Icelandic ac...

I had the pleasure of interviewing Jesse Byock, professor of Old Norse and Medieval Scandinavian Studies at UCLA and Háskóli Íslands for the All Things Iceland Podcast. We sat down in his lovely apartment in Reykjavík to chat about his book “Viking Language 1: Learn Old Norse, Runes, and Icelandic Sagas”.

I met Jesse at the 2017 Polyglot Conference in Reykjavík, Iceland after seeing the captivating cover of his book (below) that was laying on the table.  I ended up having a chat with Jesse about living in Iceland, the Icelandic language and the Viking Language book series. As an archaeologist and an expat that has lived in Iceland for decades, Jesse has some fascinating stories to share. You will hear some of them in this interview.

Viking Language 1 - A Brief Overview

Can you guess what the creature is on the front cover of his book? Jesse reveals the answer at 24:05 in the podcast.

Viking Language 1 is a grammar book for beginners that want an introduction to Old Norse, but it goes beyond the normal humdrum grammar book. Over the course of 20 years, Jesse developed this book based on the feedback he received from his students while teaching Old Norse.  Instead of just cramming the book with rote grammar and vocabulary exercises, he decided to weave in tidbits of history, culture and stories in between the exercises. He also included maps that display where Vikings traveled in Europe and North America. This refreshing approach made doing the exercises fun.  History and culture enthusiasts will be delighted with the plethora of information he provides.

While Jesse uses this book to teach Old Norse in the classroom, he stated in the interview that he structured the book so people could use it for independent learning. As a do-it-yourself kind of person, I appreciate the effort he made to create a book that is also useful for people who are not taking a class.

You can find Viking Language 1 & 2 on Amazon

Learn More About Jesse Byock & His Other Books

Jesse’s Viking Language website

Jesse has authored many books and they are available on Amazon.

Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að lesa (og að hlusta). Sjáumst fljótlega.

Thank you kindly for reading (and listening to the podcast). See you soon!